Ocean Of Fear (Book 6) by William King Read Free Book Online Page A

the more arrogant his manner became.
    “We’d best be going if we are going to find the Kraken and claim the bounty,” said Zamara.
    He spoke loudly for the benefit of the marines. The warriors eyed the buildings as if at any moment they expected a horde of Old Ones to erupt from them.
    “That’s a bloody big pyramid,” said Terves. “It’s as big as the king’s palace back in Trefal. Bigger maybe.”
    There was a note of awe in his voice. He was thinking about the beings who could build such an enormous structure. It must smack of magic in his mind. Even in its ruined state the city was far larger than any a Siderean soldier was likely to have seen and it was certainly much stranger.
    The line of soldiers straggled along the narrow walkways at the water’s edge. There were no doorways in the side of the buildings. Gurgling noises told Kormak that there might be entrances below the water level within the canals themselves. Carvings covered the sides of the buildings, demonic crested frog-like heads emitting water in fountains. Creepers covered the buildings. Trees grew through the paving stones here and there.
    “What’s this?” Zamara asked. He bent down over something. They looked like the prints of wet, webbed feet left on the stonework. Something about the distance between the prints told Kormak they had not been left by anything that walked like a man.
    “I don’t know,” Kormak said. “Tracks of something.”
    “The Triturids had webbed feet,” Frater Jonas said. “So the legends say.”
    “Then where are they?” the captain asked. It was a good question. The tracks came from the water’s edge, moved along the path and then vanished again, as if whatever had made them had leapt back into the water.
    “If we wait here long enough we might find out,” Kormak said. “But our business is elsewhere.”
    Zamara gestured for the troops to move on. Kormak felt as if something was looking at him but he was not sure from where. A cloud of bubbles disturbed the stagnant water of the canal. He stared at it for a long time but nothing emerged.
    Buzzing clouds of insects filled the air. They were large as hummingbirds and their forms were distorted. Their wings glistened with oily colours, catching the sun’s light and reflecting it. Huge pad-like flowers floated in the water, along with masses of congealed algae.   Heavy splashes sounded in the distance. The water surface rippled. Not once did they see any sign of what had caused the disturbance.  
    A crawling sensation erupted between Kormak’s shoulder blades. He knew he was being watched by something malignant, yet no matter which way he turned or how quickly he did so, he could find no sign of any stalker.
    All around he heard stealthy sounds; splashes, the ripple of water, the whistle of wind. It was as if the city was slowly, almost imperceptibly mobilising against them.
    The marines remained silent as they walked, crossbows at the ready, swords loose in their scabbards. Captain Zamara stood in their midst, ready to give orders. Kormak led the way, flanked by Frater Jonas who seemed to feel safest when he was in closest proximity to the Guardian.
    “I can see why the elves told you to avoid this place,” Jonas said. He tilted his head to one side and contemplated the scummy water. “It stinks of the Shadow. There are signs of blight everywhere.”
    “There are,” said Kormak. He pulled out the wraithstone amulet again. The white surface was notably darker. “If we stay here more than a few days it will start to affect us.”
    Jonas nodded. He had already told the troops the same things that Kormak would have—drink no water collected within the city, eat nothing they found there. Not that there was much danger of the latter. Nothing they had seen since entering the city looked appetising. He could not imagine even the hungriest man wanting to eat anything they found here.
    “How old do you think this place is?” Zamara asked. He studied