Island of Fog Set 4 by Keith Robinson

Author:Keith Robinson [Robinson, Keith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Action & Adventure, Boys, Fantasy, Friendship, Magic, Young Adult
Publisher: Unearthly Tales
Published: 2018-08-13T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Two

The Exchange

Brodon sprawled on the coast north of Bad Rock Gulch, the collapsed mines where the fabled Chamber of Ghosts now lay buried under tons of rock. Timber-framed homes crowded the narrow, cobbled streets and leaked columns of smoke into the clear sky. A river zigzagged from one end to the other, cutting past the market square. Forestland surrounded the town to the south and west, a calm bay and narrow beach bordered the north, and a wall of craggy rocks and high cliffs stood to the east. It was on these cliffs that Castle Brodon perched.

This was the first and only castle Hal had ever seen, and it was smaller than he’d imagined, though still pretty spectacular. Much of it was blocky and square, including the grand entrance hall with windows along its sides and a huge archway in the courtyard. A short, fat tower stood at its rear, so close to the cliff edge that Hal couldn’t help seeing it as a frightened stone gargoyle standing on a narrow ledge with his toes sticking out over the side.

“Land in the courtyard,” Miss Simone told him.

A road cut into the inland side of the craggy mountain. This allowed Brodon residents steep but easy access to the castle. Hal descended toward the courtyard at the top. At least a dozen statues stood around, all calcified scrags thanks to Molly’s gorgon death-gaze the day before. The iron gates were busted open where Robbie had forced his way in.

Five large wooden cages also littered the place. Carried here by enormous roc birds, these cages had been used to transport the fifty-two hostages to the castle. Hal envisioned the cages being used again soon, only this time for scrags. He kept that happy thought in mind as he thumped down.

Scrags appeared at once, four of them brandishing spears as they rushed out of the castle’s main entrance. As with the courtyard’s iron gates, Robbie had busted open the huge oak doors the day before while Hal had been busy smashing his way in through a side window. The debris had since been cleared up, but the doors still hung in pieces off their hinges.

The scrags took up a defensive posture with spears pointing his way. More scrags appeared, mostly men but a few women, and they joined the ranks so that now ten of them stood between Hal and the castle entrance.

He let out a bellowing roar and playfully seared the air with a burst of flame. The scrags ducked, two of them yelling and scuttling backward. Hal stomped forward, and all ten retreated toward the doorway, clearly uncertain about what they were supposed to do next.

Then Queen Bee appeared. She weaved through her jumpy gang and, looking annoyed, gave one of the most frightened guards a smack on the back of his head. “Stand your ground like the man you’re supposed to be. That goes for the rest of you, women included.”

The scrags immediately halted and stood up straight and stiff, their posture suggesting fearless bravery but their wide, darting eyes saying otherwise.

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