The Shadowlands by Emily Rodda Read Free Book Online Page B

Lief felt another pair of hands seize his legs and heave. His arms slipped from his companions’ grasp, and he slithered under the rock, falling with a thud onto hard ground.
    Instantly he was lifted up and slammed against awall, a vast hand around his throat. Dazed, halfstrangled, he saw that the rock had not been a loose boulder at all, but part of the roof of a large cave. A torch flickered on rocky walls and floor. Water trickled in the shadows. A small group of strangely ill-assorted beings were peering at him.
    There was a bearded scarecrow of a man whose hands were scaly claws, like the talons of a bird of prey. Beside him stood a woman—young and tall but gaunt with sunken eyes, the brand of the Shadow Lord burned cruelly into her brow. And pinning Lief to the wall, scowling, filthy, with an iron band around his neck, was—Glock!
    Lief gaped at the brutish face snarling so close to his own. This could not be! He was dreaming! Glock was dead—dead and buried in a hero’s grave on the island of Plume. Had an Ol taken the shape of Glock to deceive them? A Grade 3 Ol, that could mimic even the warm touch of a human being?
    But if that was so, surely the Ol would pretend to recognise him, would greet him by name, in Glock’s voice. No flicker of recognition showed in this man’s eyes.
    The enormous paw around Lief’s throat tightened as Jasmine thudded through the hole in the cave roof, with Barda and Emlis close behind. His companions’ weapons were in their hands. They sprang forward, then saw Lief pinned against the wall, and froze.
    ‘Move another step and I will snap his neck like atwig!’ growled the being who looked like Glock.
    ‘Put down your weapons,’ snapped the talon-handed man, stepping forward. ‘We are friends!’
    ‘You may call dragging our companion into this place the act of a friend, but we do not,’ growled Barda, raising his sword a little.
    The man put his head on one side and regarded him curiously. ‘Brianne, close the trapdoor!’ he ordered over his shoulder.
    Frowning furiously the tall woman went to do his bidding. ‘You were a fool to bring them here, Claw!’ she said sharply, as the light in the cave abruptly darkened. ‘Did I not tell you?’
    ‘Was I to leave them to the Wild Ones?’ the talon-handed man drawled. ‘You were glad enough to be saved when
you
were wandering the plain, Brianne. I tell you, I heard them talking! They are harmless.’
    The being who looked like Glock spat disgustedly. ‘Harmless? You are mad! At best they are decoys, at worst, spies. Look at them! Do they look like escaped slaves? They show no sign of the Sadness.’
    ‘And they came from the east, Claw,’ Brianne exclaimed. ‘All the slaves are in the west. With our own eyes we saw them trekking across the plain, chained together and under heavy guard, with Ak-Baba flying overhead. With our own ears we heard the guards taunting them, telling them they were going to the Shadow Arena. How could these four have escaped?’
    Jasmine drew a sharp breath. Lief could imaginewhat she was thinking, and it was all he could do to keep his own face expressionless. He had been right. All the slaves were being herded into the Arena. Some terrible plan was afoot. They had to get away from here, and quickly.
    Lief met Barda’s eyes and blinked. Barda’s mouth tightened very slightly.
    ‘Well, strangers?’ Claw said crisply. ‘You have heard my friends’ opinions. Explain yourselves!’
    ‘We do not have to explain ourselves to you,’ Lief gasped. ‘We do not desire your help or your company. We merely wish to go on our way.’
    ‘Indeed!’ said Claw, bowing mockingly. ‘And why should we allow you to do that?’
    In seconds he had his answer, for before he could blink Barda had sprung forward, and Barda’s sword was at his throat.
    A strangled groan burst from Lief as the powerful hand that gripped his neck tightened viciously.
    Barda merely smiled. ‘Will it be a life for a life,