Read Online Jalia and the Slavers (Jalia - World of Jalon) by John Booth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: John Booth
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something, or more likely several something’s, attacked it. Jalia’s desire to hold onto Daniel intensified as did his own to stay on his feet and not be dragged over the edge.
Daniel was being pulled closer to the edge by Jalia and his left hand slid along the wall finding nothing to hold onto. Just as he thought he was going over, his hand found a metal ring embedded into the wall. He held fast to it and managed to swing Jalia free of the water and over to his side.
Jalia found her feet on steps cut into the side of the wall of the cavern. She recovered her footing and Daniel was able to let her go.
“That was close,” Jalia said.
Daniel groaned with exhaustion. “I’m sure you’re putting on weight. I think I’ve pulled a muscle.”
“I am not putting on weight.”
Daniel was sure Jalia had her arms folded in annoyance. It was pitch black, but sometimes he didn’t need to see her to know how she was acting. She was probably pouting too. He tried to control his breathing as the ache in his arm became manageable.
It was some time before Daniel attempted to light another torch with his tinderbox. The air was damp and it took an interminable time before the torch lit, letting them see again.
They could still see almost nothing by the light of the torch. Its light vanished into a vast darkness. The river they followed poured down a waterfall to a pool fifteen feet below. A set of steps were cut into the side of the wall leading down. Iron rings were cemented into the wall so people could traverse the wet steps without falling. There appeared to be a ledge cut in the wall about twelve feet down that looked as if it was designed to be walked along.
Daniel lit a second torch from the first and when it was burning brightly threw it out into the cavern as far and as high as he could.
The cavern was enormous and they only saw a small part of it before the torch hit the water. It was a place where drainage tunnels ended up. Each of them poured water into the deep dark lake. Before the torch hit the water, they saw long dark shapes in the water, gliding ominously towards the torch. After it hit the water there were sounds of vigorous thrashing, as if those shapes had attacked each other in their eagerness to get to their kill.
“I think we had better follow the steps down to that ledge and keep out of that lake,” Daniel observed dryly.
“Not quite yet though. Could you hold my hand again, as I need to lean out over the edge of the waterfall?” Jalia bounced up towards where Daniel stood.
“You want to have another go at falling in?”
“No silly. I just need to place my last gold bar where it will do most good.” Jalia had in her hands one of the gleaming gold bars from the vaults. “We don’t want our false trail to go cold before our pursuers reach the lake, do we?”
“Why have you been carrying that around all this time? No, never mind. Don’t tell me, I don’t want to know.”
Daniel helped Jalia lean out over the edge of the waterfall to place the heavy bar so anyone walking down the tunnel would see it gleaming in the water.
“That is possibly the most evil idea you’ve ever had, Jalia al’Dare,” Daniel scolded, but the touch of admiration in his voice rather spoiled the impact.
“Wild animals are an important part of our world. Daniel. They need to be fed too.”
Back at the hotel, Marcus had gathered his men. He ordered thirty of them to guard the city walls and gates as if their lives depended on it. Every other man was going to go into the caverns to locate the missing gold. They had all eaten a hasty breakfast and put on clothes suitable for the caverns.
One hundred and twenty two men gathered together in the paneled room and corridors beyond. It was still a tight squeeze as they were all carrying unlit torches.
“We split into two groups, one going up stream and the other down. When we find branching tunnels we will split the groups up evenly so we can follow every
Daniel was being pulled closer to the edge by Jalia and his left hand slid along the wall finding nothing to hold onto. Just as he thought he was going over, his hand found a metal ring embedded into the wall. He held fast to it and managed to swing Jalia free of the water and over to his side.
Jalia found her feet on steps cut into the side of the wall of the cavern. She recovered her footing and Daniel was able to let her go.
“That was close,” Jalia said.
Daniel groaned with exhaustion. “I’m sure you’re putting on weight. I think I’ve pulled a muscle.”
“I am not putting on weight.”
Daniel was sure Jalia had her arms folded in annoyance. It was pitch black, but sometimes he didn’t need to see her to know how she was acting. She was probably pouting too. He tried to control his breathing as the ache in his arm became manageable.
It was some time before Daniel attempted to light another torch with his tinderbox. The air was damp and it took an interminable time before the torch lit, letting them see again.
They could still see almost nothing by the light of the torch. Its light vanished into a vast darkness. The river they followed poured down a waterfall to a pool fifteen feet below. A set of steps were cut into the side of the wall leading down. Iron rings were cemented into the wall so people could traverse the wet steps without falling. There appeared to be a ledge cut in the wall about twelve feet down that looked as if it was designed to be walked along.
Daniel lit a second torch from the first and when it was burning brightly threw it out into the cavern as far and as high as he could.
The cavern was enormous and they only saw a small part of it before the torch hit the water. It was a place where drainage tunnels ended up. Each of them poured water into the deep dark lake. Before the torch hit the water, they saw long dark shapes in the water, gliding ominously towards the torch. After it hit the water there were sounds of vigorous thrashing, as if those shapes had attacked each other in their eagerness to get to their kill.
“I think we had better follow the steps down to that ledge and keep out of that lake,” Daniel observed dryly.
“Not quite yet though. Could you hold my hand again, as I need to lean out over the edge of the waterfall?” Jalia bounced up towards where Daniel stood.
“You want to have another go at falling in?”
“No silly. I just need to place my last gold bar where it will do most good.” Jalia had in her hands one of the gleaming gold bars from the vaults. “We don’t want our false trail to go cold before our pursuers reach the lake, do we?”
“Why have you been carrying that around all this time? No, never mind. Don’t tell me, I don’t want to know.”
Daniel helped Jalia lean out over the edge of the waterfall to place the heavy bar so anyone walking down the tunnel would see it gleaming in the water.
“That is possibly the most evil idea you’ve ever had, Jalia al’Dare,” Daniel scolded, but the touch of admiration in his voice rather spoiled the impact.
“Wild animals are an important part of our world. Daniel. They need to be fed too.”
Back at the hotel, Marcus had gathered his men. He ordered thirty of them to guard the city walls and gates as if their lives depended on it. Every other man was going to go into the caverns to locate the missing gold. They had all eaten a hasty breakfast and put on clothes suitable for the caverns.
One hundred and twenty two men gathered together in the paneled room and corridors beyond. It was still a tight squeeze as they were all carrying unlit torches.
“We split into two groups, one going up stream and the other down. When we find branching tunnels we will split the groups up evenly so we can follow every
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