Read Online Jalia and the Slavers (Jalia - World of Jalon) by John Booth - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: John Booth
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wondering if their boss had gone mad.
For Jalia and Daniel, the moment the heard Marcus begin to smash the first panel they knew they were in trouble.
“He’s worked it out,” Jalia whispered. “He’s smarter than I thought.”
“I told you he was a dangerous man,” Daniel said and sighed, “Collect the unlit torches will you?”
“We’re going caving, I take it?” Jalia said as she lifted the unused torches from their basket on the wall.
“Unless you would rather stay here and fight?”
“Do you want to go upstream or downstream?”
“Downstream, at least we know that comes out somewhere.”
As they walked down the steps to the stream, the guard smashing into the secret door managed to get his sword to pierce its wood. The blade sank several feet into the door and wouldn’t come out. Marcus saw the man had found something and went to the panel. With the help of his men, Marcus managed to pry the edges of the panel, forcing it open and revealing the secret door. All that was visible were steps leading down into darkness.
“Get some torches,” Marcus shouted, “And I want everybody not guarding the wall or gates down here to search. “Tell the guards on the wall and gates to kill the trader or his women if they see them.”
The guard was leaving when Marcus called him back, “Tell them to kill anybody trying to leave the city, anybody at all.”
8. Monsters
Daniel led, wading through the water with a torch held high while Jalia walked behind him carrying the unlit spares. The natural tunnel they were travelling in was widening and the amount of water running through it increasing. The extra water came from small fissures in the rock, sometimes cascading in from high up on the walls. The water was warm rather than hot, but it was still causing steam to rise around then. They were standing in six inches of fast flowing water as the tunnel descended deeper into the Earth.
They had been walking for at least two hours and Daniel suspected it must already be light outside. Both were tired as they had been up for close to twenty four hours.
“Why exactly are you in the front?” Jalia asked, irritated by the awkwardness of the load she carried and from staring at Daniel’s back.
“So that when a cave monster eats me, you’ll get to see it before you die.” Daniel turned his head towards her and gave her a radiant smile.
“I think I’d prefer to be eaten first.”
“That has always been true, certainly for as long as I have known you,” Daniel replied solemnly. The next few moments lost them two of their spares to the river as Jalia attempted to pummel Daniel to death. After a short, but loud argument, they switched places and Daniel took the job of carrying the unlit torches while Jalia stalked on ahead, lighting their way.
The noise in the tunnel had been steadily increasing. It sounded as though somewhere ahead there was an incredible amount of rushing or falling water. They followed the left hand wall of the tunnel and it had become difficult to see the right hand side, because the tunnel was so wide. Jalia slipped and only just caught herself on the wall.
Holding the torch low to the water, she saw fronds of algae covering the uneven stones of the river bed. Daniel was holding onto the wall and as a consequence had been less affected than Jalia. The spare torches were strapped onto his back using his scabbard straps, so he had both hands free.
As Jalia stepped forward the river bed fell away and she began to fall. Daniel snatched at her and managed to grab her free hand while he desperately sought a handhold on the wall. Jalia was pulled down and away from him by the force of the water.
Jalia had accidently walked over the edge of a waterfall and large quantities of water washed over her. The water dragged the torch from her hand and they were plunged into darkness. As the torch hit the water below the waterfall they heard the sounds of thrashing in the water as
For Jalia and Daniel, the moment the heard Marcus begin to smash the first panel they knew they were in trouble.
“He’s worked it out,” Jalia whispered. “He’s smarter than I thought.”
“I told you he was a dangerous man,” Daniel said and sighed, “Collect the unlit torches will you?”
“We’re going caving, I take it?” Jalia said as she lifted the unused torches from their basket on the wall.
“Unless you would rather stay here and fight?”
“Do you want to go upstream or downstream?”
“Downstream, at least we know that comes out somewhere.”
As they walked down the steps to the stream, the guard smashing into the secret door managed to get his sword to pierce its wood. The blade sank several feet into the door and wouldn’t come out. Marcus saw the man had found something and went to the panel. With the help of his men, Marcus managed to pry the edges of the panel, forcing it open and revealing the secret door. All that was visible were steps leading down into darkness.
“Get some torches,” Marcus shouted, “And I want everybody not guarding the wall or gates down here to search. “Tell the guards on the wall and gates to kill the trader or his women if they see them.”
The guard was leaving when Marcus called him back, “Tell them to kill anybody trying to leave the city, anybody at all.”
8. Monsters
Daniel led, wading through the water with a torch held high while Jalia walked behind him carrying the unlit spares. The natural tunnel they were travelling in was widening and the amount of water running through it increasing. The extra water came from small fissures in the rock, sometimes cascading in from high up on the walls. The water was warm rather than hot, but it was still causing steam to rise around then. They were standing in six inches of fast flowing water as the tunnel descended deeper into the Earth.
They had been walking for at least two hours and Daniel suspected it must already be light outside. Both were tired as they had been up for close to twenty four hours.
“Why exactly are you in the front?” Jalia asked, irritated by the awkwardness of the load she carried and from staring at Daniel’s back.
“So that when a cave monster eats me, you’ll get to see it before you die.” Daniel turned his head towards her and gave her a radiant smile.
“I think I’d prefer to be eaten first.”
“That has always been true, certainly for as long as I have known you,” Daniel replied solemnly. The next few moments lost them two of their spares to the river as Jalia attempted to pummel Daniel to death. After a short, but loud argument, they switched places and Daniel took the job of carrying the unlit torches while Jalia stalked on ahead, lighting their way.
The noise in the tunnel had been steadily increasing. It sounded as though somewhere ahead there was an incredible amount of rushing or falling water. They followed the left hand wall of the tunnel and it had become difficult to see the right hand side, because the tunnel was so wide. Jalia slipped and only just caught herself on the wall.
Holding the torch low to the water, she saw fronds of algae covering the uneven stones of the river bed. Daniel was holding onto the wall and as a consequence had been less affected than Jalia. The spare torches were strapped onto his back using his scabbard straps, so he had both hands free.
As Jalia stepped forward the river bed fell away and she began to fall. Daniel snatched at her and managed to grab her free hand while he desperately sought a handhold on the wall. Jalia was pulled down and away from him by the force of the water.
Jalia had accidently walked over the edge of a waterfall and large quantities of water washed over her. The water dragged the torch from her hand and they were plunged into darkness. As the torch hit the water below the waterfall they heard the sounds of thrashing in the water as
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