The Missing Kin by Michael Pryor Read Free Book Online

side of him.
Simangee looked furious, but Targesh's expression
was a mixture of shame and great sadness. He lifted
his head and shook his neck shield at the old female.
'What of the Way of the Horn?'
    For an instant, the old female's eyes flicked wider.
Then the dull mask fell into place again. 'The Old
Way is the only way.'
    Before Adalon could say anything he was lifted
off his feet again and thrust through the doorway
into a vast open space.
    He was surprised at the light. Twisting his neck,
he was able to see that much of the roof was missing.
At first, he assumed it had simply fallen, but the
perfectly circular gap looked too deliberate for that.
    Pulling himself around as much as he could,
he tried to see where he was. Tiers of stone seats
surrounded a flat area in the middle of the huge room,
and these seats were filled with silently watching
Horned Ones. Pillars stood evenly around the space,
supporting the roof. He tried to guess the purpose of
the place. A governing chamber? A hall of debate?
A theatre?
    His heart pounded as he was dragged further into
the room. In the soft light he could see that the floor
gave out onto a wide, circular area like a gigantic well,
its sides made of stone. He was thrown to the floor.
    Adalon strained every muscle to break free. He
arched his back and sought for any slack in the ropes.
    The old female came into Adalon's vision, but
she ignored him. She turned to the opening in the
floor. She raised her hands. 'Old One! Your people
have gifts for you!'
    She ascended the stairs, joining the rows of bleak-faced
spectators. The timber doors boomed closed
and Adalon heard the iron clanking of a large bolt
being drawn shut. 'Targesh!' he called. 'Simangee!'
    'I'm here!' Simangee cried, a distance to his left.
    'Me too,' Targesh rumbled nearby on his right.
    Adalon squirmed until he could bring his thumb-claws
to work on the ropes. They were hard to
shred, the fibres being damp and dense, but he
applied himself energetically. He didn't like being
bound and helpless, unable to use his Clawed One
speed or agility. He tried not to think of himself as a
neatly wrapped present, but the thought refused to
vanish. He ignored it as he hurried, certain that at
any minute the strange Horned Ones would appear
and bind him again.
    Finally, he used his teeth along with his thumb-claws.
The rope was rank and sour in his mouth, but
he managed to stop it slipping about. He worked
his claws deep into the heart of the rope – slicing,
sawing, his thumbs aching – until he was through.
    He struggled, shrugging the loosened ropes over
his shoulders, then he was free. He winced at the
bruises and rolled to his feet. They won't catch me
again , he thought.
    Adalon's tail sagged. The Horned Ones hadn't
moved. They remained in place, tier upon tier, gazing
down at Adalon as if his struggles and escape were
of no interest at all.
    For an instant, Adalon wondered if he were in
a dream, so strange was this behaviour, then he
shook off the feeling. His friends were in trouble. He
hurried to Targesh, who was trying to bite the net.
    'Stay still,' Adalon ordered and in an instant he'd
freed his friend.
    'Good,' grunted Targesh, climbing to his feet. He
glared at the rows of blank faces. They stared back
at him, barely blinking. 'What do they want?'
    Adalon rushed to Simangee, but she'd managed
to free herself. 'How . . . ?' he began.
    She plucked a dagger from the folds of her tunic.
'I was prepared,' she snapped.
    'I thought we were supposed to leave our weapons
behind.'
    'I thought a knife would be handy,' Simangee said.
With a flick of her wrist it disappeared up her sleeve.
'I wish I could have reached it earlier. They would
have regretted dragging me around like that.'
    Targesh growled, loud in the silent arena.
'Trouble.'
    Adalon turned and saw that his friend was
standing on the edge of the well-like opening, looking
at the water below.
    'The door, Simangee,' Adalon said. She raced to
it. Adalon joined Targesh.