The Shadowlands by Emily Rodda Read Free Book Online Page A

eyes widened with horror as full memory flooded into his mind.
    ‘Stay still, Emlis,’ said Lief quickly, tucking the red bag inside his shirt once more. ‘Gather your strength. We must move on very soon.’
    ‘Indeed,’ Barda muttered, glancing over his shoulder at the outcrop, which was still too near for comfort. All was silent behind the outcrop now. Lief repressed a shudder. He did not want to think about what was happening there.
    Jasmine was also looking back, but for a different reason. ‘Our way to the east is barred now, unless we want to risk crossing the beast’s territory once more,’ she said, frowning. ‘Why were you so intent on moving west, Lief?’
    Lief leaned forward, eager to explain. ‘Because I remembered Doom,’ he said. ‘Doom escaped from the Shadow Arena. From there he went straight through the hills into Deltora, and was pursued up Dread Mountain by the Grey Guards. So…’
    ‘So the Arena must be very near the border—and near the western slopes of Dread Mountain!’ exclaimed Barda. ‘Yes! Why did I not think of it? If we keep moving west, we should find it easily.’
    ‘And surely the Shadow Arena must be where many of the prisoners are,’ said Lief, turning to Jasmine. ‘If they are to be put to death as the bird told you…’
    He paused, and Jasmine nodded uneasily. It had not been a bird, but Faith, who had told her that the prisoners were in danger.
    It does not matter, she told herself. The truth is the truth, whoever tells it.
    Barda clambered to his feet. ‘West it is, then,’ he said. ‘Not that we have a choice. I, for one, do not wish to cross that beast’s path again.’ He glared at Jasmine, daring her to disagree.
    But Jasmine had been thinking rapidly. Lief was right. The Shadow Arena had to be near the border, and near Dread Mountain too. And she had remembered something else. Poison for the Grey Guards’ deadly blister weapons had been carried through a pass that led from Dread Mountain into the Shadowlands.
    No-one would move glass jars of lethal poison any further than necessary. So almost certainly the factory where the blisters had been made was close to the pass, on the Shadowlands side.
    The Shadow Arena
and
the factory. Both very important sites. Both near Dread Mountain. It made perfect sense for one of the Shadow Lord’s main bases,at least, to be in the same place. And Faith, perhaps, very near.
    She bowed her head so that Barda would not see the flash of hope in her eyes. ‘Very well,’ she murmured. ‘If you think it right, we will continue moving west.’
    Barda frowned at her suspiciously. Jasmine was not usually so agreeable. But he did not waste time in questioning her. He was already helping Emlis to his feet, anxious to be gone.
    Lief stood beside them and peered out onto the plain. It was flooded with light, but no moon, no stars could be seen through the thick cloud. The mark of the Shadow Lord dominated the sky, burning with cold white fire.
    ‘We will have to go carefully,’ he murmured, turning to look at the ragged line of rocks that straggled away to the west. ‘There is little cover. If we are seen—’
    ‘You have been seen already, you fool!’ croaked a harsh voice at his feet. And before he could move or speak, claws had seized his ankles, and were dragging him down.

8 – Claw
    S crabbling helplessly at the hard earth, Lief felt the scrape of stone on his legs. With a surge of panic he realised that he was being dragged feet-first into a hole that had opened beneath the rock.
    Desperately he flung his arms forward. Gasping with shock, Jasmine, Emlis and Barda seized them, trying in vain to hold him back. He tried to kick, but the scaly talons that gripped his ankles merely tightened their hold and pulled more strongly. He felt as if he was being torn in two. He yelled in pain and terror.
    ‘Shut your mouth or you will kill us all!’ barked the harsh voice.
    There were grunts and curses from below. Then, suddenly,