Read Online Ocean Of Fear (Book 6) by William King - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: William King
Ads: Link
reflected the light of their torches like oil would.
Zamara ordered one of the soldiers he should go forward. Reluctantly the man walked down to the water’s edge and began to wade forward. The liquid rose to his calves then his thighs then his waist as he walked but it did not seem to get any deeper. The man turned and returned to the company and stood, water dripping from his sodden britches.
“Cold,” he said. “And scummy.”
“We’re going to have to go through it,” said Kormak.
“But which way,” the captain said.
Kormak glanced around. In the far distance, along a great tunnel-like corridor, lights could be seen. “That way looks as good as any other,” he said.
The water sloshed by up to Kormak’s waist. It dragged at his limbs, slowing his movements. It chilled his legs. The uneasy feeling that things were lurking below the oily surface niggled at his mind.
The currents tugged at his legs like tentacular monsters. He picked his way forward, fearing that there might be a great gaping hole in front of him.
A scream rang out and a man vanished. His torch hit the water’s surface and extinguished with a hiss. Kormak moved towards him but a second later the soldier emerged from the water, liquid pouring from his hair and face. “Tripped,” he said. He glared around as if fearing that in the time he had been under water, the rest of them might have disappeared.
A sloshing sound told Kormak that someone was at his shoulder. From the shape of the shadowy image reflected on the water, he knew it was Zamara.
“This is an accursed place—tunnels full of water, giant sinkholes, inhuman statues. The sooner we are out of here, the better I will like it.”
“You’ll get no argument from me,” Kormak said.
“This would be a bad place to get caught by a sorcerer or his pet. We move too slowly and if we lose the lights, we’re done.”
Kormak glanced back. Some of the men held ships storm lanterns, some carried torches. It seemed like they had enough light sources but he knew how quickly things could go wrong in a place like this.
“They need light too,” Kormak said.
“Do they?” Jonas asked.
“The pirates do,” the captain said. “But does the sorcerer or his pet demon.”
“You’re a ray of blessed sunshine, captain.”
Zamara laughed. “I am tired. I am wet. I am cold. And I don’t mind admitting I am a trifle worried.”
He meant he was scared almost witless but he could not say so in front of the men. Command must always look confident.
Ledges appeared on either side of the path, turning the passageway into another canal. Kormak pulled himself out of the water onto hexagonal flagstones. All around men passed their torches to others and clambered out of the murk. They set their lanterns on the edge of the ledge as they pulled themselves up. Even this brief respite from the chilly water cheered the men. Kormak guessed it was only a matter of time before cold wet clothing brought the misery back.
The waters of the tunnel rippled, as if displaced by something below the surface. A man in the channel screamed. Blood billowed out around him. The victim splashed and shrieked then disappeared below the water. When he emerged something clung to his arm. It was about the size of a man’s head, teardrop shaped, with six tiny limbs and a long tail. It bore as much resemblance to the Triturids as a tadpole to a toad. It came to Kormak the things were the spawn of the city’s amphibian inhabitants.
More men shrieked and stumbled in the water. Kormak reached down and grabbed one by the arm. The man howled and writhed and made it difficult for the Guardian to keep his grip. The spawn had sunk its teeth into his flesh and would not let go. Its jaws had closed like a mantrap and looked just as powerful.
“Be still!” Kormak shouted at the flailing man. He was afraid of being pulled into the water himself. Zamara’s blade flashed out and skewered the little monster but it still
Zamara ordered one of the soldiers he should go forward. Reluctantly the man walked down to the water’s edge and began to wade forward. The liquid rose to his calves then his thighs then his waist as he walked but it did not seem to get any deeper. The man turned and returned to the company and stood, water dripping from his sodden britches.
“Cold,” he said. “And scummy.”
“We’re going to have to go through it,” said Kormak.
“But which way,” the captain said.
Kormak glanced around. In the far distance, along a great tunnel-like corridor, lights could be seen. “That way looks as good as any other,” he said.
The water sloshed by up to Kormak’s waist. It dragged at his limbs, slowing his movements. It chilled his legs. The uneasy feeling that things were lurking below the oily surface niggled at his mind.
The currents tugged at his legs like tentacular monsters. He picked his way forward, fearing that there might be a great gaping hole in front of him.
A scream rang out and a man vanished. His torch hit the water’s surface and extinguished with a hiss. Kormak moved towards him but a second later the soldier emerged from the water, liquid pouring from his hair and face. “Tripped,” he said. He glared around as if fearing that in the time he had been under water, the rest of them might have disappeared.
A sloshing sound told Kormak that someone was at his shoulder. From the shape of the shadowy image reflected on the water, he knew it was Zamara.
“This is an accursed place—tunnels full of water, giant sinkholes, inhuman statues. The sooner we are out of here, the better I will like it.”
“You’ll get no argument from me,” Kormak said.
“This would be a bad place to get caught by a sorcerer or his pet. We move too slowly and if we lose the lights, we’re done.”
Kormak glanced back. Some of the men held ships storm lanterns, some carried torches. It seemed like they had enough light sources but he knew how quickly things could go wrong in a place like this.
“They need light too,” Kormak said.
“Do they?” Jonas asked.
“The pirates do,” the captain said. “But does the sorcerer or his pet demon.”
“You’re a ray of blessed sunshine, captain.”
Zamara laughed. “I am tired. I am wet. I am cold. And I don’t mind admitting I am a trifle worried.”
He meant he was scared almost witless but he could not say so in front of the men. Command must always look confident.
Ledges appeared on either side of the path, turning the passageway into another canal. Kormak pulled himself out of the water onto hexagonal flagstones. All around men passed their torches to others and clambered out of the murk. They set their lanterns on the edge of the ledge as they pulled themselves up. Even this brief respite from the chilly water cheered the men. Kormak guessed it was only a matter of time before cold wet clothing brought the misery back.
The waters of the tunnel rippled, as if displaced by something below the surface. A man in the channel screamed. Blood billowed out around him. The victim splashed and shrieked then disappeared below the water. When he emerged something clung to his arm. It was about the size of a man’s head, teardrop shaped, with six tiny limbs and a long tail. It bore as much resemblance to the Triturids as a tadpole to a toad. It came to Kormak the things were the spawn of the city’s amphibian inhabitants.
More men shrieked and stumbled in the water. Kormak reached down and grabbed one by the arm. The man howled and writhed and made it difficult for the Guardian to keep his grip. The spawn had sunk its teeth into his flesh and would not let go. Its jaws had closed like a mantrap and looked just as powerful.
“Be still!” Kormak shouted at the flailing man. He was afraid of being pulled into the water himself. Zamara’s blade flashed out and skewered the little monster but it still
Similar Books
