Escape From Riddler's Pass by Amy Green Read Free Book Online Page B

them. That would be hard to explain after Silas’ story about “lost travelers.”
    The Roaric woman, Kasha, stepped toward them. “It is good that Bern brought you here,” she said, nodding at them. “We have not seen one from Above-ground since the Fall.”
    â€œAnd when was that?” Jesse asked, not able to help himself. Maybe she knows the history of her people .
    She sighed, as if adding up the years took too much effort. “Twenty-six years ago.”
    Jesse blinked. From the way Bern talked, Jesse thought centuries had passed since Urad was first destroyed. Then he cleared his throat. “Would you like to hear news of what has happened Above-ground during that time?”
    Kasha stared at him blankly. “It does not concern us.”
    Jesse scanned the crowd in disbelief, but not one face looked eager to hear from the Above-grounders. Kasha was clearly not alone in her opinion. “But it might. A new king rules now, one who might not remember your offense…whatever it was.”
    Jesse hoped that might prompt the leader to explain what had caused the destruction of Urad. Her hair, twisted into a coil at the back of her head, was gray. Surely she was old enough to understand what happened only twenty-six years ago .
    But Kasha did not say anything. Instead, she stared at them, squinting in thought. At last, she sighed. “No one must know of this place, or the Fall will occur again.”
    â€œWe won’t tell anyone,” Jesse offered lamely. He looked to Bern for support, but the younger dwarf was looking humbly at the ground in the presence of his leader.
    â€œNo,” Kasha said calmly. “You will stay here with us in New Urad. We cannot risk letting you return to the surface.”
    At that, Rae stiffened and looked to Silas. She couldn’t stand to be trapped down here for the rest of her life , Jesse knew.
    â€œThat won’t be necessary, Kasha,” a voice from the back of the crowd said. As if by magic, the Roarics parted to show a young dwarf, standing beside one of the dwellings. His face was different than the others in two immediately noticeable ways: he was clean shaven, and he wore a slight smile.
    â€œWe have nothing to fear from them,” the young dwarf said. Although he was talking to Kasha, he was looking straight at Jesse.
    Kasha glanced at them, her squinting eyes cloudy. It seemed to Jesse that she was looking through them, or past them, instead. “But….”
    â€œKasha,” the young dwarf said quietly. “My father’s judgment never failed you, even through our darkest hours, though you may not remember. Trust me, I beg you.”
    There was silence in the cavern for a moment. “Yes,” Kasha said slowly. She turned to Jesse. “You will go with the History Keeper. It is decided.” As one, all of the Roarics in the group, young and old, nodded their confirmation.
    Bern followed them as they stepped down from the platform. “Thank you,” Jesse said to him, before they walked over to join the History Keeper. “For saving our lives, I mean.” Bern just nodded crisply at him before joining the crowd of Roarics, who now stared fixedly at the platform.
    â€œCome,” the History Keeper said. “We must go to a place where we can speak freely.”
    He led them through the straight, orderly streets, past shacks that looked like a heavy sigh would make them collapse.
    â€œI think we’ll be all right,” Rae whispered to them. “He stood up for us in front of everyone.”
    Silas shook his head. “No. I don’t trust him.”
    Jesse said nothing, choosing instead to watch the History Keeper, who was now a few paces ahead of them. I imagine that all Roarics, deprived of much of their sense of sight, have excellent hearing . But if he heard them, the History Keeper did not say anything.
    The History Keeper stopped at the very back of the cavern, in