Read Online Deltora Quest #7: The Valley of the Lost by Emily Rodda - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Emily Rodda
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finger in the companions’ direction. With relief they felt their invisible bonds relax. Suddenly they could move freely.
The Guardian strolled to the mirror and began looking at himself with appreciation, smoothing his beard and smiling. Lief’s fingers itched to reach for his sword, to attack. But he knew, as Barda and Jasmine did, that it would be no use. Hate, Greed, Pride, and Envy were facing them, jagged teeth bared. At a single warning sound the Guardian would turn and cast another spell — a spell even more powerful, perhaps, than the last.
“It is time for me to sleep,” he said at last, turning away from the mirror with a yawn. “Unlike my subjects, I still have these needs of the flesh. What more do you wish to know?”
He is sure that we long for the diamond, Lief thought. He felt our need, as we looked at the casket. Still — his need is great, too. He pretends he does not care, but he dearly wants us to play his game. His pride drives him to prove himself more powerful and clever than we are, to crush and defeat us. That is his weakness.
“We cannot make up our minds to play unless we know more about the game,” Jasmine said loudly. “What is it? How is it played?”
The Guardian frowned, hesitating.
“You want us to play, do you not?” Lief urged. “And we — we want the diamond, I confess. But we would be fools to endanger our freedom blindly. We need to know that it is possible to win.”
The Guardian’s eyes narrowed. “Of course it is possible!” he snapped. “Do you accuse me of cheating?”
“No,” said Lief. “But some games are matters of chance, and luck. Your game may be one of these. And if so —”
“Mine is not a game of chance!” shouted the Guardian. “It is a battle of wits!”
“Then prove it,” Barda said quietly. “Tell us what we must do.”
The Guardian thought for a moment. Then he smiled. “It seems that you are to be worthy players,” he said. “Very well. I will tell you. All you must do is find out one word. The word that will unlock the door. And that word is — my true name.”
The companions stared at him in silence. Of all the things they might have expected, this was the last.
The Guardian nodded with satisfaction, well pleased by their surprise. “The clues to the riddle are in this palace,” he added teasingly. “And the first, hidden in this very room!”
Barda straightened his shoulders. “We would be grateful for some time alone to discuss our decision, sir,” he said, using his most polite and formal voice.
“Certainly!” The Guardian bowed. “I am a very reasonable man, and will allow you that courtesy. But I pray you, do not try my patience. I will return in a short time, and then I must have your answer.”
Gathering his creatures’ leads in his hands, he turned and left them.
A s soon as they were alone, Jasmine ran to the glass door and stared through it once more. “There is another door in there!” she whispered. “A door that leads to the outside. See? In the corner.”
“And so? What is your plan?” asked Barda warily.
Jasmine’s eyes were sparkling fiercely. “It is simple. We will tell the Guardian that we will play his stupid game. Then, when he is asleep, we will find a way of breaking into this room. We can steal the gem, leave by the other door, and be out of this valley before he wakes.”
“No!” Lief exclaimed impulsively.
Jasmine glanced at him in annoyance. “Are you afraid?” she demanded. “Afraid of his magic?”
Lief hesitated. It was not quite that. It was something else. That niggling memory at the corner of his mind. A warning. Something about the diamond …
“We would be foolish not to be afraid, Jasmine,” said Barda. “The man’s powers are great, and he is plainly mad. Whoever he once was, the Shadow Lord has possessed him body and soul.”
He was bending over the low table, sorting quickly through the books that lay there. Lief realized that Barda, practical as
The Guardian strolled to the mirror and began looking at himself with appreciation, smoothing his beard and smiling. Lief’s fingers itched to reach for his sword, to attack. But he knew, as Barda and Jasmine did, that it would be no use. Hate, Greed, Pride, and Envy were facing them, jagged teeth bared. At a single warning sound the Guardian would turn and cast another spell — a spell even more powerful, perhaps, than the last.
“It is time for me to sleep,” he said at last, turning away from the mirror with a yawn. “Unlike my subjects, I still have these needs of the flesh. What more do you wish to know?”
He is sure that we long for the diamond, Lief thought. He felt our need, as we looked at the casket. Still — his need is great, too. He pretends he does not care, but he dearly wants us to play his game. His pride drives him to prove himself more powerful and clever than we are, to crush and defeat us. That is his weakness.
“We cannot make up our minds to play unless we know more about the game,” Jasmine said loudly. “What is it? How is it played?”
The Guardian frowned, hesitating.
“You want us to play, do you not?” Lief urged. “And we — we want the diamond, I confess. But we would be fools to endanger our freedom blindly. We need to know that it is possible to win.”
The Guardian’s eyes narrowed. “Of course it is possible!” he snapped. “Do you accuse me of cheating?”
“No,” said Lief. “But some games are matters of chance, and luck. Your game may be one of these. And if so —”
“Mine is not a game of chance!” shouted the Guardian. “It is a battle of wits!”
“Then prove it,” Barda said quietly. “Tell us what we must do.”
The Guardian thought for a moment. Then he smiled. “It seems that you are to be worthy players,” he said. “Very well. I will tell you. All you must do is find out one word. The word that will unlock the door. And that word is — my true name.”
The companions stared at him in silence. Of all the things they might have expected, this was the last.
The Guardian nodded with satisfaction, well pleased by their surprise. “The clues to the riddle are in this palace,” he added teasingly. “And the first, hidden in this very room!”
Barda straightened his shoulders. “We would be grateful for some time alone to discuss our decision, sir,” he said, using his most polite and formal voice.
“Certainly!” The Guardian bowed. “I am a very reasonable man, and will allow you that courtesy. But I pray you, do not try my patience. I will return in a short time, and then I must have your answer.”
Gathering his creatures’ leads in his hands, he turned and left them.
A s soon as they were alone, Jasmine ran to the glass door and stared through it once more. “There is another door in there!” she whispered. “A door that leads to the outside. See? In the corner.”
“And so? What is your plan?” asked Barda warily.
Jasmine’s eyes were sparkling fiercely. “It is simple. We will tell the Guardian that we will play his stupid game. Then, when he is asleep, we will find a way of breaking into this room. We can steal the gem, leave by the other door, and be out of this valley before he wakes.”
“No!” Lief exclaimed impulsively.
Jasmine glanced at him in annoyance. “Are you afraid?” she demanded. “Afraid of his magic?”
Lief hesitated. It was not quite that. It was something else. That niggling memory at the corner of his mind. A warning. Something about the diamond …
“We would be foolish not to be afraid, Jasmine,” said Barda. “The man’s powers are great, and he is plainly mad. Whoever he once was, the Shadow Lord has possessed him body and soul.”
He was bending over the low table, sorting quickly through the books that lay there. Lief realized that Barda, practical as
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