Read Online On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson - Free Book Online

the point of the blade softly down Tink’s cheek. “And you, you ssscrawny little thing,” he growled. “Remember Slarb with
thisss.
” He flipped the dagger in the air, caught it by the blade, and cracked Tink in the head with the pommel. Janner and Leeli cringed at the sound it made as Tink cried out, then clenched his teeth and fought back the tears as a little patch of blood emerged from his hairline. At the sight of the blood, the Fangs became agitated, hissing and snorting like dinner had just been served.
    â€œBring them with me,” Slarb said, turning away.
    The brothers were yanked to their feet and shoved forward. Leeli tried to stand, but her poor twisted leg buckled beneath her, and she crumpled to the ground. Janner bent to help her up, but the Fang named Brak stepped between them with a growl.
    â€œI’d let the little ssstinker alone if I was you,” he said.
    â€œShe can’t walk without help!” Janner said hotly, and Brak bared his fangs at him.
    â€œLet the boy help his little crippled sister, you fool. Unless
you
want to carry the sssmelly thing all the way back to the jail,” Slarb hissed.
    Brak’s nose twitched and his scaly lips curled with disgust while he regarded Leeli. He relented, and Janner helped her up again.
    The side of Janner’s face was pounding from the blow, and above Tink’s ear an egg-sized knot was growing. Leeli cried as she limped along, looking around for Nugget.
    By now most of the tourists had made their way to either The Only Inn for dinner or to their camp at the opposite edge of town to cook something they’d bought at the market that day. A few people were milling around the lamp-lit streets, but when they saw the procession of five armored Fangs carrying torches and prodding the three frightened children along, they averted their eyes and shuffled out of the way.
    Commander Gnorm was a fat, scaly thing with sagging eyes and yellow crooked fangs. He lazed on the front porch of the jail almost all the time, sharpening a dagger and eating whatever happened to be on hand.
    Janner’s mind was racing. They had gotten themselves into a hayload of a mess. Commander Gnorm’s decisions were as swift as they were ruthless, and for all he knew they would find themselves in the Black Carriage on their way to Fort Lamendron before the sun rose. 1 They were shoved up the few steps onto the jailhouse stoop where Commander Gnorm was leaning back in a chair, sharpening his dagger in the shadows.
    â€œWell, get ’em inside,” he said without looking up.
    They were marched into a lamp-lit room and past a desk littered with fish bones. On the wall facing the desk, a crude circular target had been painted and a score of daggers were jutting out of the wall. Whoever had thrown them was disturbingly accurate. Slarb pushed the children into another room that was as dark as a grave. The light of Slarb’s torch revealed three barred cells, the floors strewn with hay and filth. He lifted a ring of keys from the wall, opened the barred door, and shoved the children into a cell. With a look of great satisfaction he locked the door, replaced the keys, and left.
    Tink and Leeli curled up next to Janner on the floor as if it were cold, though it was quite stuffy.
    â€œLet me see, Tink,” Janner said, taking his brother’s head in his hands. He parted Tink’s hair and squinted in the darkness at the lump, though he had no idea what he was looking for. “It doesn’t seem too bad,” he said, trying to sound much older than he was.
    â€œHow’s that face of yours?” Tink said.
    â€œIt’ll be fine,” Janner said, wincing as he touched the bruise forming on his cheek.
    The brothers turned to Leeli.
    â€œYou going to be okay?” Janner asked.
    â€œThis was all my fault,” she said, wiping her nose with her forearm. “I’m so sorry I got us into this