Read Online Soulbinder (Book 3) by Ben Cassidy - Free Book Online

gave the hole another wary look. “Once again, I think I’d prefer going into the unknown with the rest of you then staying here by myself.”
    “Alright, then.” Kendril turned to face the group, his face hidden in shadow from the flickering lamplight. “Let’s get some rope.”
     

Chapter 5
     
    Even before Kendril’s feet touched the stone floor, his pistol was out of its holster.
    He stepped away from the rope dangling behind him, and pulled back the lock on his weapon with the edge of his palm. The click echoed off the walls of the large chamber and scattered up towards the ceiling. The lantern hanging from his belt cast eerie shadows in all directions, but the light was enough to see by.
    Kendril loosened the lantern with his free hand, then lifted it up to get a better look.
    The room was large, circular in shape. A stone floor spread out in all directions, immaculately paved. As he turned, figures suddenly lunged out of the darkness. Clawed hands reached towards him.
    He leveled the pistol and took a startled step back before it dawned on him that the eerie shapes weren’t moving.
    Kendril moved a little closer, holding the lantern high.
    There were statues, four of them, set into the walls of the room. Even in the scattered light he could make out bat-like wings curling out from their backs. The bodies were humanoid, but the faces were animal-like. He stepped in to get a better look when a voice came echoing down from above.
    “Kendril?”
    He frowned, then turned back towards the hole in the ceiling. “All clear,” he called out.
    There was a scuffling at the top. A few moments later, Kara appeared, landing gracefully on the stone floor.
    She stepped away, brushing back her hair and looking around. “Not very cheery, is it?”
    Kendril shook his head, reluctantly sticking the pistol back into his belt. “No.” He reached out a gloved hand, and touched the stone face of one of the statues. It was carved in the likeness of a wolf’s head, snarling viciously.
    Kara stepped up beside him. “What in the Halls of Pelos is that?”
    “Harnathu, one of the Seteru,” Kendril said grimly. “The pagans worship him as the god of blood, war, and slaughter.”
    Kara looked around them, and noticed the other three shapes looming out of the darkness. “And those?”
    Kendril pointed to each in turn. “Yaganthru, goddess of secrets. Chalranu, god of darkness and the night. Indigoru, goddess of fertility and sensuality.”
    The pretty redhead raised an eyebrow. “Fertility and sensuality?”
    Kendril shrugged. “Sex.”
    “Ah.” Kara crossed over towards one of the statues and gave it a distasteful look. She looked back at Kendril. “So how is it that you know such much about pagan mythology?”
    The Ghostwalker started to open his mouth when a muffled curse came from the dangling rope behind them. They both turned as Maklavir slid to an inglorious halt, and stumbled away from the hole.
    “And that’s how we have to get back up?” he asked in a miserable tone. “My cape will be utterly ruined.” He looked around the room for a moment. “Good gracious, what are those?”
    “Pagan gods,” said Kara. She knelt on the ground, striking a flint into a lantern.
    “Funny, though,” Kendril said quietly. “You’d think the priests hiding down here would have defaced the statues, or covered them up.”
    Maklavir examined his hands carefully. “Maybe they didn’t have time. Tuldor’s beard!” He raised a hand. “Blisters.”
    Kara hid a smile as the lantern leapt to life.
    Galla came down the rope next, falling hard on his posterior as he crashed to the floor. He got up painfully, rubbing his sore behind. He saw the statues and jumped back in terror for a moment before he realized they weren’t real.
    Two minutes later, Joseph landed at the bottom of the rope, his rapier dangling from his belt.
    “Only one doorway,” said Kendril as he came up beside him. “Over there, on the east wall. A flight