Read Online Terrible Beast of Zor by Gilbert L. Morris - Free Book Online Page B

lonely and left out. Besides, he would know that the Sleepers had risked their lives for him. In fact, Josh decided, Alex was likely ready to give up and do whatever they asked, but his pride kept him from it.
    After they had eaten supper, the little group sat around the campfire. It was a rather cheerful time. The fire made a pleasant crackling sound, and from time to time one of them would poke at the burning logs, sending showers of fiery sparks upward to mingle with the stars. Or so it seemed. The evening was cool, and all but Alexander hugged the fire and drew their blankets around them.
    Reb began telling stories of his hunting days back in Arkansas in OldWorld. He was a natural-born storyteller and soon had them all hanging onto his words, sometimes laughing and sometimes commenting on the excitement of those days.
    Sarah did not join in very often. She sat back from the fire just a little, and her glance went to Prince Alex. He was sitting with his back to a tree and a blanket around him. His head drooped, so that she could not see his face. But she could imagine he was lonely.
It’s a shame
, she thought.
It’s a shame that he has to learn in such a hard way. But he’s got to learn how other people feel, and he’s got to learn that he can’t always have his own way. Not even a king can do that
.
    At last Josh said, “Better turn in. We’ll have a busy day tomorrow.”
    Soon they were rolled in their blankets and quiet, but for a long time Sarah lay awake, watching the glow of the fire. When she finally did doze off, she was abruptly awakened by a loud noise and a yell almost by her head. She came out of her blanket, grasping for a weapon.
    “What’s going on here?” Josh demanded.
    Reb was standing next to the prince and holding onto his right arm. “Why, we’ve got us a grub thief here. The prince of Madria was stealing food!”
    “Turn me loose,” Alexander said, and he tried to free himself from Reb’s grasp.
    “You know it’s not good to steal from your friends,” Reb said.
    The remark infuriated the prince. He turned and drove a blow at Reb’s head.
    Reb was younger but faster. He caught Alex’s fist and flipped the prince over his shoulder. Alexander struck the ground hard, and Sarah heard a
whoof as
his breath was expelled.
    “Let him alone, Reb. That’s enough,” Josh said. As the prince struggled to his feet, Josh helped him. “I’m sorry this happened, Prince Alex.”
    Prince Alexander stood as humiliated as surely he had ever been. “I’ll leave,” he said. “You don’t want me here.”
    “You mustn’t do that, Prince,” Josh said.
    “You don’t want me here.”
    “We do want you here. We’ve gone to great trouble to get you here. The only thing is that you’ve been brought up in a different way, and now it’s time for you to learn that there are other people to consider besides yourself.”
    This time Prince Alex took Josh’s lecture without saying another word.
    “I think you’ve said enough, Josh,” Sarah said quietly. “Prince Alex, please try not to be too discouraged. I know your world’s fallen down, but we’re really your friends, and we want to help you. Won’t you just join us and let us be your friends?”
    Maybe Prince Alex finally realized that he had been refusing to do a simple bit of work for people who were risking their lives for him. In any case, he straightened up, looked straight at Josh, and said, “It’s all right. I’ll chop the firewood and do anything else that you order.”
    “Why, that’s wonderful, Prince. And I think you deserve something to eat. Let’s all have a midnight snack.”
    While the prince watched, the Sleepers scurried around to find some food. Sarah gave him a piece of good, leftover fish, and Jake urged on him a piece of bacon that he had been saving. The talk was cheerful.
    Then Alex abruptly turned to Sarah. “You were right,” he said. “I’ve been a spoiled brat.”
    “It’s not altogether your