Whisper Gatherers by Nicola McDonagh Read Free Book Online Page B

catch my breath. On one occasion, Elijah caught up with me. He spoke low into my ear, “You are well? Not suffering from fright at all things dark, deep and confined?”
    “Nope, just find it a tad difficult to fill my air sacs. Do you have a phobe about such things?”
    He shook his head vigorously and gulped. I could tell by the droplets of fear-wet on his brow that he was not telling the truth. I admired his pluckiness in the face of such a trial as this, and patted him on the shoulder. “Stay up close with me. If you slip or falter, then I will be a buffer. You shall not fall.”
    If he had been taller or stouter than myself, I would not have offered to use my bod to protect him, but seeing as he was as lean as a twig and most bereft of muscle power, I felt secure in making him the offer.
    “I accept your most generous proposal in the good spirit it is given and will endeavour to not use it.”
    This Carnie/Praisebee was different from the rest. He did not exude the meat raving antsy of the other cravers. I wondered if he were all Praisebee and not much Carnie after all. All curious in the extreme, I sucked in as much air as was available, and continued the precarious descent to who knows where.

Chapter Seven  
    Beneath Cityplace

    I could hear Elijah’s rapid breathing become strained the deeper we plunged below the city, and hoped that we were close to our destination. I feared that he might collapse before we reached it, so turned my head to see if he was well. He gulped many times, holding tightly onto the rail. On seeing my concerned expression, he attempted a tiny smile. I raised my eyebrows, showed him my teeth, and looked over his shoulder to the shadowy figures of Orva and Lilith. She had long dark hair that fell to her waist. Although it looked somewhat unwashed, it was thick and straight. In the half-light, she resembled an image I had seen in worshipclass of what the Christians call, ‘The Virgin.’
    Orva raised her torch. “There, look Adara, we are almost at the bottom.”
    I took a few steps down and peered into the gloominess. Dreng stopped, waved his light at the space before him and lit up a vast cavern with many arched grottos that I assumed led to more tunnels. I quickened my pace and was soon by his side, closely followed by a panting Elijah, Lilith, and Orva. “We are below Cityplace, utterly out of sight. These are secret tunnels that only a few know about.”
    “How come you do?”
    “All S.A.N.T.S. know about these, Adara.”
    “What even Santy Breanna?”
    “It wa she who sent us down here.”
    “You intimated others are aware of this wondrous place,” Elijah said.
    “I am not at liberty to divulge such info. Ye must know that we cannae allow ye to blab of this to anyone once we have left.”
    Elijah looked at Lilith who shook her head. “In all faith, we cannot promise such a thing. This is such an important find. One that will give us great standing with our own.”
    “Who are? Praisebees or Carnies?” I said folding my arms all-haughty like.
    Elijah scratched his matted hair, blew air though his teeth, then looked to Lilith. She squinted and said, “We are Praisebees, first and foremost. True, some have taken to Carnie ways, but none have veered from the path of righteousness.”
    “Really? Would it be right then to blab about this place? If so, for what purpose?”
    “So many questions, Adara, too many to answer now. Know that we detest secrecy and this place, kept only for a select few, is wrong by our faith values. It should be open for all in times of Agro aggression.”
    In truth, I could not find anything wrong in what Lilith said. This cavern and its potential as a hideout from threat should indeed be accessible for all.
    Orva bowed her head for a sec, then gave us a serious look. “Do not question further. Dreng and I have nothing against you, or your people so long as you abide with the laws we live by. Today you and yours broke these rulings. Those left behind