Sebastian Darke: Prince of Explorers by Philip Caveney Read Free Book Online Page B

generous gulp. At first it tasted deliciously sweet, but this was followed by a sensation of being punched in the stomach; his vision seemed to waver and shimmer as though he'd imbibed several flagons of the strongest ale. He gasped, then disguised it as a cough.
     
'Wow!' he said. He glanced around at the crowd behind him, who were just sitting there, watching in silence. 'Is nobody else having any?' he asked.
     
Maccan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. 'Icara is too precious to give to just anyone,' he said. 'It's harvested once a year from a secret grove and then allowed to ferment for many moons before it is ready. You like?'
     
'Very nice,' said Sebastian. 'Very . . . refreshing.'
     
'Refreshing? It's sensational!' said Max. 'You must let me have the recipe!' He was licking the last dregs from the bowl as he spoke.
     
Cornelius rolled his eyes in despair. 'I believe the great chief just told us that it's a very special drink,' he said. 'So I don't think he'll want to give you the recipe, will he?' 'Pity.'
     
Max looked up and caught the eye of one of the serving women. 'Hey, love! A drop more over here, if you don't mind!'
     
'Max!' hissed Sebastian. He smiled at Maccan. 'You must forgive him, he's . . . very excitable!'
     
'He's a comical creature,' enthused Maccan. 'He speaks as well as any man. Are there many such creatures where you come from?'
     
'Not like him,' murmured Cornelius, watching in disbelief as the bowl was filled for a second time. 'For goodness' sake, Max, take it easy,' he whispered.
     
'Make your mind up,' said Max. 'A moment ago you said—'
     
'I know what I said!' Cornelius tried to mask his anger with an unconvincing laugh. 'Great Chief, we were talking with Keera the other day about the threat of the Gograth.'
     
'Ah yes.' Maccan was getting his own refill from one of the women. 'Yes, it's a worry.' He reached out a hand and patted his daughter on the shoulder. 'Keera and the others are valiant in the way they take on those beasts, but we cannot hope to prevail for much longer. They are so savage. I cannot begin to tell you the horrors they have visited upon my people. Warriors slaughtered by the score – even women and children. They are merciless and it seems they are intent on persecuting us to extinction. You promised to help us fight them, but my warriors tell me that you are training them to kick balls around.'
     
'Umm . . .well . . . that's just part of what we're doing. You see, although your warriors are excellent hunters and they fight very well as individuals . . . even in small teams . . . the Jilith must learn to fight as an army.'
     
'This has never been our way,' said Maccan.
     
'I understand that, but you must fight fire with fire. General Darvon has a powerful army and the Jilith cannot hope to defeat it unless they have one too. So I am teaching your people to fight as one. We have already made great improvements and I have formulated an ingenious plan to defeat the Gograth. I would like your permission, Great Chief, to begin preparations for a final conflict. One that will rid you of their threat for ever.'
     
Maccan looked thoughtful. 'I admit it sounds like a wonderful thing – and it is foretold in the old stories that the Chosen One will come to rid us of our enemies.' He glanced at Danthus. 'What say you, shaman? Can the Chosen One and the little general do what they promise?'
     
Danthus frowned. He reached into the animal-skin pouch that hung around his neck and pulled out what looked like a series of strangely shaped bones. He crouched down and threw the bones onto the ground. Then he stared at them intently, as if puzzling them out.
     
'What's he looking for?' muttered Max ungraciously. 'A weather forecast?'
     
'Shush!' hissed Sebastian.
     
Now Danthus was waving a gnarled hand over the bones, his eyelids fluttering. 'Okrin, the goddess of the forest, speaks to me,' he announced.
     
Max glanced around. 'I didn't hear anything,' he