Read Online Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal Author Quest by J. M. Lee - Free Book Online

what happened in the laboratory, Rian,” Alethi urged.
    Rian wiped thick beads of sweat from his brow, leaned back, and began to speak:
    I was sure the parchments beside the vial held the key to explaining the blue liquid and the strange horror I felt when I touched it. I began looking through the documents, but they were all written in a script I couldn’t understand. Only the pictures made sense to me: Gelfling from different clans, Skeksis, Podlings, and machines built from shards of crystal. I was on the verge of giving up and returning to my post when I heard voices in the hallway. High, thin Skeksis voices.
    â€œI didn’t know what I had discovered, but I knew skekTek wouldn’t be pleased to find me inside his laboratory. There was no other door besides the one I had come from, no avenue of escape, not even a window. So I hid underneath the desk, hoping the burgundy cloth would hang low enough to cover my trembling body. I hid not a second too soon. The cloth was still swaying when the Skeksis entered.
    â€œDoor wide open?” said an incredulous voice.
    â€œMmmm,” whimpered a second voice. “All the better for us, General.”
    â€œA vial of essence,” said the General eagerly, stomping toward my hiding place and bringing the smell of rotting meat with him. “It’s mine.” There was a thud on the desk and a clink of crystal.
    â€œNo!” the other voice shrieked. “Patience. Why take one vial when you could have them all?”
    The General growled, “Another one of your games, Chamberlain?”
    Humming from his throat, the Chamberlain took a step nearer. “Drink the vial, and skekTek will never trust you. But leave it be, let me tell Scientist a story, and he will give all the essence we need. Then
we
will overthrow the Emperor.”
    â€œYou speak treason, Chamberlain.”
    â€œBut of course, my General. Or should I say, my Emperor, mmmm?”
    â€œMmmm,” agreed the General. “But why would I trust you?”
    â€œBecause when skekSo is dead, you will put make me second in power. I have no wish to hold scepter. But to rule Gelfling . . . mmmm. Chamberlain can help General, and General can help Chamberlain. Quick, skekTek is coming! The feather!”
    A bright purple whirlijay feather floated onto the floor near my feet. Moments later, I saw a new set of clawed feet in the doorway and heard a new voice cry out, “Treason! Treachery!”
    â€œYes!” the Chamberlain shouted. “Treason! Call the guards! Scientist, thank the Emperor you’re here.”
    The Scientist hesitated. “Caught in the act,” he said with a bit less conviction. “Chamberlain and General stealing the emperor’s essence.”
    â€œNot stealing,” said the Chamberlain innocently. “Protecting from the traitor skekEkt. We followed him here and saw him try to steal essence. Gelfling guard wasn’t here to stop him. When skekEkt saw us, he ran. We stayed to protect essence from thieves. If we were traitors, why not just drink essence ourselves?”
    â€œYou lie,” spat the Scientist. “SkekEkt is loyal.”
    â€œWhat’s this? Did loyal skekEkt leave one of the feathers of his plume behind in Scientist’s laboratory?”
    A leathery hand picked up the purple feather. “It’s his!” the Scientist screeched. “Traitor! False friend!”
    â€œMmmm, yes,” gargled the Chamberlain. “SkekEkt must be made to pay. And Gelfling guard, of course.”
    SkekTek walked dangerously close to my hiding spot and pounded his table against the desk. “I’ll deal with the Gelfling myself. I have just the punishment for him. As for skekEkt, Emperor skekSo will hear of his treachery.”
    â€œNo, Scientist,” the Chamberlain simpered. “SkekEkt is too close to the throne. Emperor will not believe us. We must save the Emperor from himself. General