Caves of Challenge by JennaKay Francis

Author:JennaKay Francis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Writers Exchange E-Publishing
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Vantann opened his eyes slowly, a low groan escaping his lips. He started, coming violently awake as a small hand was clamped over his mouth. A young boy, his dirty round face framed by a dark halo of curls, stared down at him, then put one finger to his own lips. "Beval," he whispered. "He's awake."

Vantann turned his head, barely able to make out a slight, dark figure separating from the gloom beyond and approaching. A boy, looking to be several years his senior, sat down beside him with a smile.

"Are you all right?" he asked in a soft voice. Vantann nodded and sat up, his head spinning. Beval peered at him closely. "Durriken, I left some pottage in my bowl. Fetch it, will you?"

The little boy whom Vantann had wakened to scurried off into the dark. Vantann watched him go, his gaze taking in his surroundings. It appeared to be a cavern of some sort, lit only by a cold, gray light that seeped in through a heavy, iron grate high overhead. Water dripped somewhere in the distance, echoing eerily in the stillness. Vantann shivered as much from fear as from cold.

"Where am I?" he whispered. "And where's my friend?"

"The girl?" Beval asked. "She's still asleep. We found her in the water. She's not breathing very well."

"What?" Vantann's heart skipped a beat and he clutched at Beval's arm. "Where is she? I need to see her!"

"All right." Beval studied him. "Is she your sister?"

"No. Just a friend," Vantann replied. "But I...she...she's a very good friend."

"Here's your pottage, Bevel," Durriken said, returning with a small wooden bowl.

The contents looked thoroughly disgusting to Vantann and he pulled back, wrinkling his nose. "You eat that?"

"It's that or starve," Beval answered. "The gnomes don't give us anything else."

"The gnomes?" Vantann's voice was barely audible. "Where are we?"

"In Lord Spak's Keep," Durriken answered.

"Oh, gods!" Vantann almost collapsed. He had unwittingly brought them to the very place they had tried to avoid.

"Come on," Beval said. "I'll take you to your friend. Follow close and stay quiet. The gnomes don't know you're here and it's in your best interest to keep it that way." He paused. "Do you want this stew or not?"

"No, thank you."

Beval shrugged, handed the meal to Durriken and motioned for Vantann to follow. They crept along a wet, slimy wall, carefully stepping over scores of sleeping children. Vantann was both appalled and amazed at the sheer numbers. They seemed to be of all ages, from those Beval's age to those who looked no more than eight or nine. But all of the ones Vantann could see clearly were images of Shuri. Clan. Pale skin and wild, dark curls. Beautiful children all, and Vantann wondered how they'd gotten here and how many died in the fetid conditions. He shuddered and pressed closer to Beval.

A few moments later, Beval stopped and quietly addressed a young girl close to his age. "Ena, he wants to see the girl."

"Her name is Shuri," Vantann offered. "Mine is Vantann.

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