Read Online Deltora Quest #4: The Shifting Sands by Emily Rodda - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Emily Rodda
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“Give them some grub and a drink, as well, or they’ll be dying on us. Then we’ll be in the muck.”
The cart jolted off the road, and finally came to a stop. The next Lief knew he was being hauled out of the cart and dumped roughly onto the ground. Agonizing pain shot through his head and he moaned aloud. Only the cold rain beating on his face kept him conscious.
“Be careful, you fool!” roared Carn 8. “How many times do you have to be told? Any broken bones Brightly didn’t put in her report and we’re in the Arena ourselves! Do you want to end your days in gladiators’ leather,fighting a Vraal? Get him under the canopy, and be quick about it!”
The other grumbled. His face and shoulders loomed out of the darkness as he bent and grabbed Lief under the arms. And it was then that Lief’s worst suspicions were confirmed. Their captors were Grey Guards.
The Guards had made a rough shelter for their prisoners by stretching oiled cloth between the lowest branches of a tree. Barda, Jasmine, and Lief huddled together under this canopy, shuddering with cold.
Kree, who had followed them all the way from Rithmere, perched on Jasmine’s shoulder. But he could not help them. There was no chance of escape. Their leg irons were fixed to an iron peg driven into the ground.
The gags were taken off and they were given water and some chunks of bread. Then the Guards moved away. Dimly, through the darkness and the rain, Lief saw them crawl together under the cart where it seemed they were planning to sleep.
“I cannot eat weighed down by these chains,” Jasmine shouted.
“Hold your tongue or I’ll cut it out and throw you into the Shifting Sands, orders or no!” bawled Carn 2. “We passed by the Sands just an hour ago.”
“Lief, is the Belt safe?” whispered Barda.
“Yes,” Lief whispered back. “Did you hear —?”
“Yes. We are not far from the Shifting Sands. But this news is of little use to us as we are. Mother Brightly fooled us well.”
“I thought she was the fool,” Jasmine hissed bitterly, breaking off a tiny piece of bread for Filli. “But the secret way out of the inn was a trap.”
“The whole of the Games is a trap! With gold coins as bait.” Lief clenched his fists. “What better way to lure the best and strongest fighters, and make them show how good they are? And dear old Mother Brightly is there all the time, to make sure that as many finalists as possible walk tamely into captivity when it is all over.”
Barda shook his head in disgust. “We heard on the highway that few Games Champions are ever heard of again. Now we know why. They do not run away to spend their money in peace. They are taken to the Shadowlands to die battling wild beasts and each other for the amusement of the crowds.”
“And their gold coins, and even the Champion medallion, are taken to be used again!” Jasmine hissed. “It is monstrous.”
The rain eased, and they heard snores coming from beneath the cart. The Guards were asleep. With new urgency they began struggling to free themselves, though in their hearts they all knew that it was no use.
They had long given up their efforts and were dozing fitfully when Kree gave a startled squawk and there was the tiny sound of cracking twigs behind them.
“Be still!” breathed a voice. “Do not speak or move until I tell you. I already have your packs and weapons in a safe place. Now I am going to unlock your chains. When you are free, follow me as quietly as you can!”
A short time afterwards, astounded by their unexpected release, the three companions sat back on their heels in the shelter of a cave and stared in amazement at their rescuer: Doom.
Impatiently, he waved away their thanks.
“Listen carefully,” he said. “We have little time. I am the leader of a group sworn to resist the Shadow Lord. We have been suspicious of the Games for some time — certain that they were not all they seemed. My purpose there was to see what was
The cart jolted off the road, and finally came to a stop. The next Lief knew he was being hauled out of the cart and dumped roughly onto the ground. Agonizing pain shot through his head and he moaned aloud. Only the cold rain beating on his face kept him conscious.
“Be careful, you fool!” roared Carn 8. “How many times do you have to be told? Any broken bones Brightly didn’t put in her report and we’re in the Arena ourselves! Do you want to end your days in gladiators’ leather,fighting a Vraal? Get him under the canopy, and be quick about it!”
The other grumbled. His face and shoulders loomed out of the darkness as he bent and grabbed Lief under the arms. And it was then that Lief’s worst suspicions were confirmed. Their captors were Grey Guards.
The Guards had made a rough shelter for their prisoners by stretching oiled cloth between the lowest branches of a tree. Barda, Jasmine, and Lief huddled together under this canopy, shuddering with cold.
Kree, who had followed them all the way from Rithmere, perched on Jasmine’s shoulder. But he could not help them. There was no chance of escape. Their leg irons were fixed to an iron peg driven into the ground.
The gags were taken off and they were given water and some chunks of bread. Then the Guards moved away. Dimly, through the darkness and the rain, Lief saw them crawl together under the cart where it seemed they were planning to sleep.
“I cannot eat weighed down by these chains,” Jasmine shouted.
“Hold your tongue or I’ll cut it out and throw you into the Shifting Sands, orders or no!” bawled Carn 2. “We passed by the Sands just an hour ago.”
“Lief, is the Belt safe?” whispered Barda.
“Yes,” Lief whispered back. “Did you hear —?”
“Yes. We are not far from the Shifting Sands. But this news is of little use to us as we are. Mother Brightly fooled us well.”
“I thought she was the fool,” Jasmine hissed bitterly, breaking off a tiny piece of bread for Filli. “But the secret way out of the inn was a trap.”
“The whole of the Games is a trap! With gold coins as bait.” Lief clenched his fists. “What better way to lure the best and strongest fighters, and make them show how good they are? And dear old Mother Brightly is there all the time, to make sure that as many finalists as possible walk tamely into captivity when it is all over.”
Barda shook his head in disgust. “We heard on the highway that few Games Champions are ever heard of again. Now we know why. They do not run away to spend their money in peace. They are taken to the Shadowlands to die battling wild beasts and each other for the amusement of the crowds.”
“And their gold coins, and even the Champion medallion, are taken to be used again!” Jasmine hissed. “It is monstrous.”
The rain eased, and they heard snores coming from beneath the cart. The Guards were asleep. With new urgency they began struggling to free themselves, though in their hearts they all knew that it was no use.
They had long given up their efforts and were dozing fitfully when Kree gave a startled squawk and there was the tiny sound of cracking twigs behind them.
“Be still!” breathed a voice. “Do not speak or move until I tell you. I already have your packs and weapons in a safe place. Now I am going to unlock your chains. When you are free, follow me as quietly as you can!”
A short time afterwards, astounded by their unexpected release, the three companions sat back on their heels in the shelter of a cave and stared in amazement at their rescuer: Doom.
Impatiently, he waved away their thanks.
“Listen carefully,” he said. “We have little time. I am the leader of a group sworn to resist the Shadow Lord. We have been suspicious of the Games for some time — certain that they were not all they seemed. My purpose there was to see what was
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