The Fabled Beast of Elddon by David Barber Read Free Book Online

But
then I didn’t pick the spot. This here rogue tossed in with me is called Tristan.
He’s better with a lute than a sword, but he’s a good fellow despite that.”
    “Thanks
for that ill-favored praise,” Tristan said, taking Loth’s hand in turn.
    “So,”
Ander said, folding his massive arms across his chest, “what brings you to
Elddon’s fine dungeon?”
    “A
misunderstanding,” Loth smiled ruefully.
    “Ah,
misunderstanding is it?” Ander laughed. “We have some experience with that,
don’t we, Tris?”
    “Aye,”
Tristan said simply.
    “I
stumbled upon a farm that was being attacked by the fabled beast of Elddon,”
Loth said, “and tried to help.”
    “You’ve
seen it then?” Ander said, his face growing serious.
    “I
put two arrows into it,” Loth said, “but it didn’t seem to matter.”
    “Perhaps
you missed.”
    “I
don’t miss.” Loth said, giving Ander a disapproving scowl.
    “At
any rate, I pulled a woman from the ruins of her cottage. She died soon after,
but before she did I swore an oath to find her three sons, who she told me had
been taken by demons.”
    “Demons,
aye,” Ander shook his head, turning away and beginning to pace, “devils and
monsters is all I’ve heard of since we came to this backward village.” He put a
hand against the wall, feeling along it as if hoping to find some flaw in the
stone work.
    “Tris
and I have been fighting in the Dark Lands. He received a letter from his betrothed,
a girl called Ryia, telling him of the strange happenings in this wretched
kingdom--”
    “I’m
from here,” Tristan added. “I grew up here. The only reason I joined the border
guard was so we could marry.”
    “Him
and the girl, that is. Not he and I,” Ander added helpfully. “We traveled for
three weeks to get here--”
    “And
when we arrived, we discovered that Ryia was on trial for witchcraft, accused
of summoning the beast to Elddon. Her father is dead and there was no one to
defend her--”
    “So
we tried,” Ander said, rubbing at his bearded chin with one hand. “And you can
see how that worked out. The girl is gone, taken as a sacrifice, and the village
is no closer to being rid of its monster than it was before.”
    “Ryia
is alive,” Tristan said, gazing up at the barred grate. “We have to get out of
here. We have to save her.”
    “Aye,”
Ander agreed. “I’m in favor of getting out, but how?”
    “It
appears,” Loth said, “that we have a common purpose. It is said that the beast
has its lair in the mountains--”
    “There’s
a city up there,” Tristan said, “a ruin. I have never been there, but I know
the road well enough, if only we can find a way to escape. It is said the
elluen are masters of magic. Can you not free us?”
    “Sadly,
no,” Loth said. “All elluen know a little magic, but I am no magician and my
spell craft cannot help us here, unless...”
    “Unless
what?” Ander said.
    “Do
either of you know how to pick a lock?” Loth asked.
    “I’m
a fair hand,” Tristan said. “If I have tools.”
    Ander
turned to the bench. Without preamble he picked it up, twisting the wood until
it broke. Wrenching one of the legs free he extracted a long iron nail.
    “Will
this do?” Ander asked
    “Aye,”
Tristan said, smiling. “It just might.”
    Loth
watched as Tristan took the nail and tucked it beneath his belt. “Alone, I
could do nothing, but with your help we might accomplish a great deal.” He
gazed up at the cross hatch of bars above them. “I believe I have the makings
of a plan, but first, I’ll need to get up there.”

 
 
    “You
sure they’re asleep?” Tristan whispered. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he
was going to poke his arm out between the bars only to have it crushed beneath
a boot heel or, worse yet, lopped off by some overzealous guardsmen.
    “Yes!”
Loth’s voice came up from below. “But you best hurry. I’m getting a cramp in my
leg.”
    “Get
on with it,” Ander’s voice