Read Online The Iron Breed by Andre Norton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Andre Norton
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faint, and Jony believed far away, a mere thread of sound reaching him. He sent a mind probe instantly.
Geogee was again in a state of fear and confusion, but he was alive, unharmed. If there ever was an end to this worm hole, Jony would catch up with Geogee, and, doubtless, with Maba.
The purpose of such a passage—Jony did not even try to guess at that. Was it a trap set long ago to catch any invading the stone heaps? Did each stone heap have one? If so, what bitter enemies had the people here faced?
The dark was no longer absolute. Ahead, Jony saw a grayish gleam of light. And that cheered him. To be out of suffocating darkness was enough to raise his spirits.
Also, he was not sliding so fast now. The angle of the way under his body was less acute. The light increased, coming from a round opening ahead. Jony began to hope that he had reached the end of this nightmare passage.
He could see better, use the staff as a brake, so that he did not fall through that hole, but crouched at its mouth, to look out warily.
“Jony!” Geogee, his dirty hands smearing at his cheeks where there were the marks of tears, hunkered on the floor of a vast place filled with the gray light. There was no opening to the outer world. In fact, Jony was sure that they were far beneath the ground in some cave. He could not see nor understand where the light came from. But he accepted thankfully that it was there.
Before him was a very short drop to the floor. Jony jumped, then thought-quested. Something . . . He swung away from Geogee, facing out into the wide open of that space. Maba—that way!
He stooped over Geogee, drew him up onto his feet. “Come!” He must find Maba and then a way out. To climb up the passage he had just descended might be impossible. Jony shrugged away such speculation. Let him find Maba, perhaps then further exploration would show them an escape.
“Jony, I want out of here!” There was a shrill note in Geogee's voice.
Jony could have applied the calming influence again, but his concentration was needed to guide him to Maba.
“We'll get out,” he gave assurance which might be a lie, but which must serve him at present as a tool. “But first we find Maba.”
“Where is she?” Geogee demanded, his head turning from one side to the other as if he sought her within eyesight.
“This way.” At least Jony was confident of that much. He kept hold of Geogee's shoulder, urging the boy on. At least Geogee seemed willing enough to go.
As they struck out straight across the center of the open space Jony noticed the open space itself was much larger than he had first guessed, stretching farther and farther ahead. He caught sight of other holes in the walls, similar to the one through which they had come. It would seem that this was some central meeting place for many such.
There was an utter silence here, a deadness which did not exist in the shadowed heaps above where small life had made hiding places and dens of their own. Jony shook his head impatiently. He had the odd sensation that the deadness also blanketed thought, that it was becoming harder and harder to retain his guiding tie with Maba. How far had she gone? He was startled when Geogee suddenly shouted: “Maba!”
The name echoed, re-echoed, so that it seemed many Geogees cried that aloud. The boy whimpered and crowded closer to Jony.
“Please,” he said, “I don't like this place, Jony. And Maba—where is she?”
Jony was wondering if the girl was on the move, straying farther and farther ahead of them all the time. He knew she was there, but when would they catch up?
The hole openings along the walls were no longer to be seen, while the open space through which they trotted was narrowing. Now they moved between two walls without any breaks in them at all. At the same time the gray light grew stronger, changing hue. It was then Jony saw the barrier ahead.
This was not like the walls on either side, but gleamed a little, while in it was a
Geogee was again in a state of fear and confusion, but he was alive, unharmed. If there ever was an end to this worm hole, Jony would catch up with Geogee, and, doubtless, with Maba.
The purpose of such a passage—Jony did not even try to guess at that. Was it a trap set long ago to catch any invading the stone heaps? Did each stone heap have one? If so, what bitter enemies had the people here faced?
The dark was no longer absolute. Ahead, Jony saw a grayish gleam of light. And that cheered him. To be out of suffocating darkness was enough to raise his spirits.
Also, he was not sliding so fast now. The angle of the way under his body was less acute. The light increased, coming from a round opening ahead. Jony began to hope that he had reached the end of this nightmare passage.
He could see better, use the staff as a brake, so that he did not fall through that hole, but crouched at its mouth, to look out warily.
“Jony!” Geogee, his dirty hands smearing at his cheeks where there were the marks of tears, hunkered on the floor of a vast place filled with the gray light. There was no opening to the outer world. In fact, Jony was sure that they were far beneath the ground in some cave. He could not see nor understand where the light came from. But he accepted thankfully that it was there.
Before him was a very short drop to the floor. Jony jumped, then thought-quested. Something . . . He swung away from Geogee, facing out into the wide open of that space. Maba—that way!
He stooped over Geogee, drew him up onto his feet. “Come!” He must find Maba and then a way out. To climb up the passage he had just descended might be impossible. Jony shrugged away such speculation. Let him find Maba, perhaps then further exploration would show them an escape.
“Jony, I want out of here!” There was a shrill note in Geogee's voice.
Jony could have applied the calming influence again, but his concentration was needed to guide him to Maba.
“We'll get out,” he gave assurance which might be a lie, but which must serve him at present as a tool. “But first we find Maba.”
“Where is she?” Geogee demanded, his head turning from one side to the other as if he sought her within eyesight.
“This way.” At least Jony was confident of that much. He kept hold of Geogee's shoulder, urging the boy on. At least Geogee seemed willing enough to go.
As they struck out straight across the center of the open space Jony noticed the open space itself was much larger than he had first guessed, stretching farther and farther ahead. He caught sight of other holes in the walls, similar to the one through which they had come. It would seem that this was some central meeting place for many such.
There was an utter silence here, a deadness which did not exist in the shadowed heaps above where small life had made hiding places and dens of their own. Jony shook his head impatiently. He had the odd sensation that the deadness also blanketed thought, that it was becoming harder and harder to retain his guiding tie with Maba. How far had she gone? He was startled when Geogee suddenly shouted: “Maba!”
The name echoed, re-echoed, so that it seemed many Geogees cried that aloud. The boy whimpered and crowded closer to Jony.
“Please,” he said, “I don't like this place, Jony. And Maba—where is she?”
Jony was wondering if the girl was on the move, straying farther and farther ahead of them all the time. He knew she was there, but when would they catch up?
The hole openings along the walls were no longer to be seen, while the open space through which they trotted was narrowing. Now they moved between two walls without any breaks in them at all. At the same time the gray light grew stronger, changing hue. It was then Jony saw the barrier ahead.
This was not like the walls on either side, but gleamed a little, while in it was a
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