Iron Horsemen by Brad R. Cook

Author:Brad R. Cook
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Treehouse Publishing Group
Published: 2014-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

THE HEART OF THE HORSEMEN

The underground river had receded and settled into its banks, and Genevieve and I made our way back up toward the door to reconnect with Captain Baldarich and the crew of the Sparrowhawk.

It didn’t take long to find the passage down which Kannard had taken my father. I stopped at the entrance, held back by the putrid odor of death and decomposition mixed with the musky smell of dust and ancient stone. Everything around me seemed bizarre and otherworldly. So much had happened in such a short time that nothing felt real. I focused on my dream, on the beating hearts bound by iron bands atop the pillars. They couldn’t truly exist, could they?

Light filled the chamber as Captain Baldarich stepped forward with his kerosene lamp. The passage’s rough walls descended ever deeper into the rock. Staring into the darkness I knew my father, Kannard, and the secret of the four horsemen lay within its depths. With the nightmare vision fresh in my mind, the last thing I wanted to do was step into the darkness. But it was either that or admit my terror. And abandon my father. Looking into Genevieve’s determined eyes, and seeing the captain and the rest of the crew willing to confront the unknown dangers before us, I felt less afraid. With Baldarich illuminating the way, I forced myself to take the first step.

I heard the hooves of the iron horse before I saw it. The sound of Col. Hendrix barking orders and my father’s excited calls echoed up the passage and let me know we were on the right path.

We arrived at the end of the descending passage where the ground flattened out beneath our feet. We were at the bottom, and just like in my nightmare, the teeth of hell stood in our way. Beyond the gaping mouth of jagged stalactites and stalagmites and on the other side of a steaming fissure slicing through the bedrock, I could see the arch of cut stone looming over Lord Kannard and his henchmen. My father, his back to us, stood studying the symbols carved into the arch. Col. Hendrix had his rifle-arm pointed at my father’s chest.

Lord Kannard turned on his bronze-plated steed and locked eyes with me. “So glad you could join us, boy.”

“Let my father go!”

Lord Kannard threw back his head and laughed. “Ah, you are endlessly entertaining. When are you going to realize you’re not in control here?”

“Father!” I called out. “Don’t help them!”

My father started to turn toward me, but Col. Hendrix pulled back his sleeve, and gears twisted and clicked as the serrated blade slid into place. He pushed the knife’s edge up against my father’s throat.

“You are a brave young man, I’ll give you that,” Kannard said, “but I hold all the cards. Now tell those annoying shipmates of yours to lower their weapons.”

Captain Baldarich holstered his lightning cannon and motioned for everyone to do the same. Genevieve sheathed her saber as Mr. Singh secured his Katar in his sash.

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