Giantslayer (Gotrek and Felix Book 7) by William King

Author:William King [King, William]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Black Library
Published: 2011-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The men of Crannog Mere brought the barge coasting to a halt just out of bowshot of the island. They did it by the simple expedient of driving the poles down into the water and tying the ship to them with long hempen ropes. One man apiece stood watch at prow and stern. The others broke out meat and bread and cheese from the knapsacks and began to sip whisky from their flasks, mixing it with what smelled like beer from huge leather skins. Murdo offered Felix some.

‘Best take it, the water here is oft undrinkable and haunted by the foul spirits of plague.’

Felix helped himself. It was small beer, malty and watered. He had heard some claim that the process of brewing purified water. He was quite glad to have it anyway. Teclis stood at the prow examining the ruins. The mist had parted slightly and the moons were wanly visible overhead. Just looking at the stonework, Felix could tell that the structure had not been built by men. There was something about the construction he could not quite put his finger on.

‘The gates are too low and square,’ said Gotrek, as if reading his thoughts. ‘The stonework is carved with runes. You can see them near-buried beneath the moss.’

‘If you can see in this gloom like a dwarf,’ said Felix, although he did not doubt the Slayer was correct.

‘This place was not built by my people or yours,’ said Gotrek. ‘Nor by the elves. I have never seen anything like it.’

‘I have,’ said Teclis. ‘On the coasts of Lustria. One of the abandoned cities of the slann, overgrown by the steaming jungle.’

‘I thought the slann naught but a legend,’ said Felix.

‘You will find that there are truths behind many legends, Felix Jaeger.’

‘I was taught they became extinct long ago. Scourged from the earth by the gods, wiped out by fire and flood and plague for their sins.’

‘I believe they still live,’ said the elf carefully, as if considering his words. ‘I believe that in the heart of Lustria there are still cities where they practise their ancient rituals.’

‘Why would there be a slann fortress here? We are a long way from Lustria.’

‘I do not know. The slann prefer places that are warm. They are a cold-blooded race and chill makes them sluggish. This place is very old – perhaps when it was built the climate was different. Or perhaps there are other reasons.’ The elf looked as if he might have some idea of what those reasons were, but did not want to discuss them. ‘I would never have guessed we would have found such a thing here in the heart of Albion.’

‘You did not find it,’ said Murdo. ‘We have known about it for centuries.’

‘I wish to take a closer look at this,’ said the elf.

‘In the morning,’ said Murdo. ‘There will be more light and it will be safer.’

‘I do not need light,’ said Teclis. ‘And I do not fear anything we might find here. And tomorrow we need to start moving again.

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