02. Andre Norton, Jean Rabe by Return to Quag Keep (Greywatch Quag Keep Book 2)

Author:Return to Quag Keep (Greywatch Quag Keep, Book 2)
Format: epub
Published: 2014-01-07T00:00:00+00:00

17

Sand and Scales

“Here, Bert.” The sand dragon crooked its talon, beckoning to the thief. “Here. Here. Here.” The words became a rumble that chased through the cavern floor, causing more sand to sift down from the hole.

Berthold of the Green shook his head and backed up a step. “Now, that wouldn’t be a prudent idea on my part, would it? Might as well just march right into your ugly toothy mouth and—”

Under him the ground heaved and Berthold fell. Yevele might have joined him, but Ingrge was there to steady her. The elf seemed to have no trouble keeping his balance.

“I hope that’s not its stomach growling,” Yevele whispered.

Ingrge shook his head and tugged Yevele back toward the hole in the cavern’s ceiling. “No,” he said, his voice so soft she barely heard him. “It’s something much worse. Now, I’m going to boost you up.”

“I’ll not leave you or the thief,” she said, no longer bothering to keep her voice down.

“If you don’t get out of here right now,” the elf cautioned. “There’ll be no one to rescue this supposed wizard.”

“He’s right, you know,” Berthold said. “Much as I agree with you, he’s speaking some sense. I think we should—”

The rumbling deepened. This time Yevele was pitched to the ground. The three dragons, heads swinging, looked to the darkest part of the cavern, where the shadows were thickest and where the rumbling was the loudest. Then one crept forward and lowered its snout, sniffing at Yevele and Ingrge.

“Here, Bert,” it purred. “Here. Here. Here.”

“I’m Bert!” the thief called, trying to lure the dragon toward him, as he moved toward a far side of the cave. “I’m Bert. Berthold of the Green.”

“Here, Bert,” the second dragon persisted. It flicked a tongue out and touched the elf’s face.

“Get behind me,” Ingrge told Yevele.

Despite the closeness of the dragon, she bristled. “You should stay behind me, elf.” She had sword in hand now as she got to her feet, bending at the knees and keeping her balance, though the floor con­tinued to tremble. “I don’t need your chivalry.” Then she swept her blade up, intending to bring it down on the dragon’s snout.

“Stop!” The word was like a clap of thunder, deafening in the cav­ern and bouncing off the stone walls.

Yevele staggered again, but she kept her grip on her weapon.

“You will not threaten my children!” One tremor after another raced through the cavern, and spiderweb cracks danced along the walls. Stone dust drifted down. A massive head followed the voice out of the darkest part of the chamber.

They couldn’t see all of this dragon, but its head alone was as large as the three other dragons in the cavern put together. The eyes were wide and slitted like a cat’s, and they cast a hellish yellow glow across the stone floor. From its open maw the stench of something burning escaped. Brutal and overpowering, Yevele, Berthold, and Ingrge choked and fought against a rising aura of fear which pulsed from the beast.

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