The Silver Door by Emily Rodda Read Free Book Online

followed her into the room beyond.
    The waiting room looked exactly as Rye remembered it. There was the fireplace, its hearth lightly sprinkled with soot. There were the chairs ranged around the walls, the long red curtains, and the polished table with its inkwell and the carved box inwhich all the Volunteer Statements were kept.
    â€˜Good!’ Sonia sighed with relief. ‘From here it should be easy.’
    â€˜Who is that?’ a cracked voice cried from a dim corner.
    As Rye, Dirk and Sonia froze, a small, crabbed figure jumped up and limped forward, scowling ferociously.

6 - The Doors
    W ith a shock, Rye recognised Tallus the healer. The events of the night before had made him forget completely that Sholto’s old master was at the Keep.
    Tallus was wearing a rubbed green velvet coat, brightly checked trousers, enormous walking boots and an ancient black broad-brimmed hat. These garments—the healer’s travelling costume, no doubt—made him look strange enough. But the really odd thing about his appearance was the large hand-lettered sign stuck into the hat’s band.

    â€˜Show yourselves!’ Tallus shouted, shaking his fist. ‘I know you are there!’
    The door on the other side of the room flew open and the Warden rushed in, his pale eyes bulging, his scanty hair flopped limply over his forehead.
    â€˜What is the meaning of this uproar?’ he demanded. ‘I am only a trifle late for our meeting, Master Tallus. There is no need to shout!’
    â€˜Aha!’ cried Tallus, swinging round to confront him. ‘So, you have set spies on me, have you, Warden? I might have known!’
    â€˜S-spies?’ spluttered the Warden. ‘What do you mean?’
    â€˜Someone came in!’ Tallus roared. ‘I saw that door over there open and close! And then I heard a voice! Someone is hiding in here!’
    He glared around the room. The Warden eyed him nervously, clearly wondering if soldiers should be called to subdue this madman. Rye, Dirk and Sonia stood stock still, not daring to move.
    â€˜Well, what does it matter?’ snapped Tallus. ‘The more people who hear what I have to say, the better! Warden, I have developed an important theory regarding the skimmers. You must listen to me!’
    â€˜Yes, well, I am listening, Master Tallus,’ the Warden said peevishly. ‘But I am very pressed for time this morning, so—’
    He broke off as Tallus held up a bony finger.
    â€˜I have been blind,’ the healer announced.‘Blind—ha, that is a good one! But a few days ago I saw it all in a flash.’
    â€˜Did you, indeed?’ the Warden muttered.
    Tallus nodded. ‘I was examining a skimmer—a very fresh specimen, the best I have ever had. A young friend had called by just before I began. He wanted my advice about … about something that need not concern us here.’
    Rye felt a little jolt. Tallus was talking about him! For an instant he was back in the healer’s workroom. He was back with the steam and the smell. He could see the dead skimmer lying on the table, its goat-sized body covered in pale, velvety fuzz, its leathery wings outspread, its rat-like snout snarling …
    He shivered. He felt Dirk and Sonia glance at him curiously, but did not look at them.
    â€˜The boy mentioned the specimen’s eyes,’ Tallus went on. ‘He had never seen a dead skimmer’s eyes in such good condition before. The eyes are fragile and usually bleed you know, when—’
    The Warden shuddered. ‘Spare me the details, if you please,’ he said. ‘I have just had breakfast.’
    Tallus snorted. ‘The point is, when my young friend had left, I looked at my specimen’s eyes more closely. In all our researches my apprentice and I have paid little attention to the eyes—’
    â€˜Well, of course not!’ the Warden broke in impatiently. ‘Skimmers are as good as blind, as I