Read Online Deltora Quest #3: City of the Rats by Emily Rodda - Free Book Online Page B

And what was that snuffling sound? He had definitely heard it before. But where?
    The three companions crept forward, keeping low and close to the wall, craning their necks to see through the gateway. But when at last the scene outside lay before their eyes, they stopped dead, gaping with astonishment.
    The Ra-Kacharz were lifting the bins onto a cart, carefully packing straw between them so they would not rattle together. Two other carts stood waiting, already fully loaded. And snuffling happily between the shafts of each cart was — a muddlet!
    “They are taking the bins away! And they are using our muddlets to do it!” Lief whispered.
    Jasmine shook her head. “I do not think they are our beasts,” she breathed. “They look very like them, but their color patches are in different places.” She peered around the corner of the gateway and stiffened. “There is a whole field of muddlets just over there,” she hissed. “There must be twenty of them!”
    Barda shook his head. “Our beasts are probablyamong them,” he said grimly. “But they can stay there. I would not ride a muddlet again if my life depended upon it.”
    “Well, our lives do depend on our getting away from here as fast as we can,” muttered Jasmine. “What do you think we should do?”
    Barda and Lief exchanged glances. The same thought was in both their minds.
    “The straw between the bins is deep,” said Lief. “We could hide in it well enough, I think.”
    Barda nodded. “So, history will repeat itself, Lief.” He grinned. “We will escape from here in the same way your father escaped from the palace in Del as a boy. In a rubbish cart!”
    “But what of Kree?” Jasmine whispered. “How will he know where I am?”
    As if in answer to her question, there was a screech from one of the trees. Jasmine’s face brightened.
    “He is here!” she hissed.
    At that moment the Ra-Kacharz came back to carry away more bins and the companions moved out of sight. But as soon as the red-clad figures had staggered away with their huge burdens, three shadows darted from the shelter of the gateway and climbed into one of the loaded carts. One of them signalled at the trees as she burrowed under the straw between the bins, and a bird cried out in answer.
    The friends lay cramped, still, and hidden while the Ra-Kacharz finished their work.
    “Was that the last?” they heard a familiar voice ask. It was the woman who had spoken for them at the trial.
    “It seems so,” said another voice. “I had thought there would be more. There must be a problem in the kitchens. But we can wait no longer, or we will be late.”
    Late? Lief thought, suddenly alert. Late for what?
    There was a creaking sound as the Ra-Kacharz climbed into the carts. Then three voices cried, “Brix!” and with a jolt the carts started to move.
    Lying under the straw, the three companions could see nothing but patches of grey sky, and, now and then, the shape of Kree flying high above them. If the Ra-Kacharz thought it strange that a raven should be flying before dawn, they said nothing. Perhaps, Lief thought, they did not even notice Kree, so intent were they on urging the muddlets to greater speed.
    Lief, Barda, and Jasmine had planned to jump from the cart when they were a safe distance from the city. But they had not counted upon their cart being in the middle of the three. And they had not counted upon the speed of the muddlets.
    The carts jolted and bounced upon the rough roads, and the countryside flew by. Even dragging heavy loads, the beasts galloped amazingly fast. It was plain that any attempt to jump would lead to injury and capture.
    “We will have to wait until the carts stop,” whispered Jasmine. “Surely they cannot be going far.”
    But the minutes stretched into hours, and dawn had broken, before finally the carts slowed and jolted toa halt. And when, sleepy and confused, Lief peered cautiously through the straw to see where they were, his stomach seemed to turn