Medar by S R Manssen

Author:S R Manssen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: S R Manssen
Published: 2022-07-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Escape

The gnomes dragged Freya off down a side passage, whilst chaos reigned in the great throne hall. They shoved her into a cage of sturdy poles lashed together. The sound of the gnomes’ feet slapping on the cave floor echoed all around as they ran about searching for Saff, mingled with the Queen’s agitated voice, issuing commands to her hapless subjects.

A squat gnome with tufts of hair poking out of his nostrils locked the cage with a heavy chain and padlock.

“At least she’ll save us making that wretched trip to Yawbridge for fresh meat,” one of the gnomes sniggered.

Then five gnomes stationed themselves around the cage, alert and armed with spears. Freya sat down on the floor of the cage, wondering how Saff was going to get her out—if he was going to get her out.

Everywhere, the caves and passages were illuminated by the glowing lights, which Freya now knew were actually glow-worms—giant glow-worms, Freya noted, as she peered up through the bars of the cage. Silky threads dangled down from them, and glistening drops glittered on the threads. One dripped onto her cheek—she wiped it off with her finger, and found it was very sticky. She sniffed it—ugh! That was obviously where the odour she’d noted previously came from. She sighed and leaned back against the cage bars. Saff was taking his time to rescue her. She hoped he would come soon.

But he didn’t come. Freya lay down on the floor of the cage. She was exhausted, and despite her discomfort, she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Hours later, stiff, and sore, Freya jerked awake. Something had woken her. She strained her ears. Yes, there was the noise again. She scrambled to her knees and peered through the bars. The sound was coming closer. She held her breath in anticipation ... and then fell back in dismay, as five more gnomes marched into the small cave where she was being held captive. They spoke briefly to the gnomes guarding her, then unlocked her cage and dragged her out. Saff, where are you?

The gnomes marched her back out through the main cavern, which was now mostly deserted, and into another passageway. She emerged into a spacious cave to see a large number of gnomes gathered around a pit in the floor. The Queen was seated on a slightly less impressive throne at the opposite end of the pit. Freya was brought to stand at the edge, while two guards gripped her arms. Freya looked into the pit. It was seething with massive grubs, their pale bodies writhing over one another. But it was their heads that caught Freya’s attention: no eyes, just a gaping hole for a mouth, containing a multitude of sharp fangs all pointing inwards, designed to draw their victims into their soft bellies.

“Well,” the Queen called, “I trust you have had time to think about my proposition. If you will tell me why that tablet is so important that you risked entering the desert, I will let you go.

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