Read Online Deltora Quest #2: The Lake of Tears by Emily Rodda - Free Book Online
Authors: Emily Rodda
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once more. But, though his body still ached with weariness, thoughts had begun chasing one another through his mind, and sleep would not come.
Beside him, Manus was sighing and twitching — tormented, no doubt, by dreams.
It was not surprising that it should be so. Using signs and the strange picture-writing of his people, Manus had told them that he had been a prisoner of Jin and Jod for five long years. He had been making his way from Raladin to Del when, lured from the path by the tempting scent of the sweetplum bushes, he had fallen into the quicksand and been captured.
Lief could not bear to think of the long misery that the little man had suffered since then. Barda’s understanding of Ralad’s writing was not complete — but still he could translate enough to tell the terrible story.
Manus had been forced to work like a slave, beaten, starved, and treated with terrible cruelty. Tied to the wall of the kitchen, he had been forced to watch helplessly as Jin and Jod trapped, killed, and ate victim after helpless victim. Finally he had escaped — only to be seized by the troop of Grey Guards when he was almost home, and forced to march back the way he had come.
For five years he had lived with fear and loathing in the company of wickedness.
No wonder his sleep was haunted by nightmares.
When Lief asked him how long the journey to Raladin would take, he had answered quickly, scribbling on the earth with his finger.
“Three days,” Barda said heavily, looking at the marks. “If Thaegan does not catch us first.”
If Thaegan does not catch us first …
Lief lay hunched on the ground and shivered as he thought of the letter “T” and the question mark. Where was Thaegan now? What was she doing? What orders was she giving?
The darkness of the night seemed to press in on him. The silence was heavy and menacing. Perhaps, even now, Thaegan’s demons were stealing towards him like flickering shadows. Perhaps they were stretching out long, thin hands to clutch feet and ankles and drag him, screaming, away …
Sweat broke out on his forehead. A gasp of terror caught in his throat. He fought to stay still, not to wake the others. But the fear grew in him until he felt as though he must scream aloud.
The topaz protects its wearer from the terrors of the night …
He scrabbled under his shirt and pressed his shaking fingers against the golden gem. Almost at once the shadows seemed to shrink, and the terrible beating of his heart slowed.
Panting, he rolled onto his back and stared up through the leaves of the sweetplum bush. The moon was three-quarters of the way to full. Black against the starry sky was the proud shape of Kree, perched on the branch of a dead tree above them. The bird’s head was up, and his yellow eyes shone in the moonlight.
He was not sleeping. He was alert. He was on guard.
Strangely comforted, Lief turned onto his side again. Only three days, he thought. Only three days to Raladin. And Thaegan will not catch us. She will not.
He closed his eyes and, still clutching the topaz, let his mind slowly relax into sleep.
In the morning they set off again. At first they kept to small, well-hidden paths, but little by little they were forced into the open as the trees and bushes became less and the ground grew more parched.
They met no one. Now and again they passed houses and larger buildings where once grain had been stored or animals tended. All were deserted and falling into ruins. Some were marked with the Shadow Lord’s brand.
At evening, as the light began to fail, they chose an empty house and set up camp there for the night. They filled their waterbags at the well and helped themselves to any food they found that was not spoiled.
They took other supplies, too, collecting rope, blankets, clothes, a small digging tool, a pot to boil water, candles, and a lantern.
Lief felt uneasy about taking things that belonged to others. But Manus, grieving at every sign of fear, destruction,
Beside him, Manus was sighing and twitching — tormented, no doubt, by dreams.
It was not surprising that it should be so. Using signs and the strange picture-writing of his people, Manus had told them that he had been a prisoner of Jin and Jod for five long years. He had been making his way from Raladin to Del when, lured from the path by the tempting scent of the sweetplum bushes, he had fallen into the quicksand and been captured.
Lief could not bear to think of the long misery that the little man had suffered since then. Barda’s understanding of Ralad’s writing was not complete — but still he could translate enough to tell the terrible story.
Manus had been forced to work like a slave, beaten, starved, and treated with terrible cruelty. Tied to the wall of the kitchen, he had been forced to watch helplessly as Jin and Jod trapped, killed, and ate victim after helpless victim. Finally he had escaped — only to be seized by the troop of Grey Guards when he was almost home, and forced to march back the way he had come.
For five years he had lived with fear and loathing in the company of wickedness.
No wonder his sleep was haunted by nightmares.
When Lief asked him how long the journey to Raladin would take, he had answered quickly, scribbling on the earth with his finger.
“Three days,” Barda said heavily, looking at the marks. “If Thaegan does not catch us first.”
If Thaegan does not catch us first …
Lief lay hunched on the ground and shivered as he thought of the letter “T” and the question mark. Where was Thaegan now? What was she doing? What orders was she giving?
The darkness of the night seemed to press in on him. The silence was heavy and menacing. Perhaps, even now, Thaegan’s demons were stealing towards him like flickering shadows. Perhaps they were stretching out long, thin hands to clutch feet and ankles and drag him, screaming, away …
Sweat broke out on his forehead. A gasp of terror caught in his throat. He fought to stay still, not to wake the others. But the fear grew in him until he felt as though he must scream aloud.
The topaz protects its wearer from the terrors of the night …
He scrabbled under his shirt and pressed his shaking fingers against the golden gem. Almost at once the shadows seemed to shrink, and the terrible beating of his heart slowed.
Panting, he rolled onto his back and stared up through the leaves of the sweetplum bush. The moon was three-quarters of the way to full. Black against the starry sky was the proud shape of Kree, perched on the branch of a dead tree above them. The bird’s head was up, and his yellow eyes shone in the moonlight.
He was not sleeping. He was alert. He was on guard.
Strangely comforted, Lief turned onto his side again. Only three days, he thought. Only three days to Raladin. And Thaegan will not catch us. She will not.
He closed his eyes and, still clutching the topaz, let his mind slowly relax into sleep.
In the morning they set off again. At first they kept to small, well-hidden paths, but little by little they were forced into the open as the trees and bushes became less and the ground grew more parched.
They met no one. Now and again they passed houses and larger buildings where once grain had been stored or animals tended. All were deserted and falling into ruins. Some were marked with the Shadow Lord’s brand.
At evening, as the light began to fail, they chose an empty house and set up camp there for the night. They filled their waterbags at the well and helped themselves to any food they found that was not spoiled.
They took other supplies, too, collecting rope, blankets, clothes, a small digging tool, a pot to boil water, candles, and a lantern.
Lief felt uneasy about taking things that belonged to others. But Manus, grieving at every sign of fear, destruction,
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