Mossbelly MacFearsome and the Dwarves of Doom by Alex Gardiner

Author:Alex Gardiner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Andersen Digital
Published: 2019-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

Fifteen

The crack of the rifle made everyone stop fighting. Lord Goodroom gave a small shout, stumbled a few steps and fell face down on the floor.

‘Penrose!’ Lady Goodroom dropped her crossbow and knelt at her husband’s side. ‘Tobias! What have you done? You’ve shot Penrose by mistake!’

‘No mistake,’ said a voice from the patio.

A dwarf with a heavy cloak around his shoulders limped his way through the crowd of gorefiends. He had a battle-axe strapped to his back, and resting on his shoulder was a gleaming silver sword. Apart from his red eyes he looked remarkably like Moss. He stood over the body on the floor and stared at Lady Goodroom. ‘I have learned that you have in your possession the only artefact that could foil my plans,’ he said, then swung the Doomstone Sword from his shoulder and pointed it at Lord Goodroom’s neck. ‘Give me the hammer, if you want to save him. He might still be alive.’

‘B-but...’ stammered Lady Goodroom, looking at the dwarf. ‘I don’t understand. What—’

‘The hammer!’ yelled the dwarf, placing the tip of the sword against the back of Lord Goodroom’s neck. ‘Quick, or I’ll separate his head from his body.’

Lady Goodroom got to her feet, tears running down her face. She looked at the butler and shook her head. ‘Why?’

Tobias shrugged his massive shoulders. ‘Why? Why not? My master made generous offers to several of us, to report on the Watchers. Money, power, I’m going to be very rich now I have delivered his sworn enemy into my master’s hands.’

‘You dumpling-headed human,’ said Moss. ‘You believed promises from Leatherhead Barnstorm?’

‘I am a dwarf. I keep my promises,’ thundered Leatherhead. ‘He’ll be well rewarded, as will the others who watch the Watchers.’ He pointed at the butler. ‘But he will be my second in command for delivering you.’

‘You hear that, ladyship?’ said Tobias, closing the patio doors and turning the key. ‘I’ll have servants for a change.’

‘Slaves, more like,’ said Moss.

Tobias shrugged again. ‘Whatever. Slaves will be acceptable.’

‘Enough,’ screamed Leatherhead, still pointing the Doomstone Sword at the back of Penrose’s neck. ‘No more bluttering. Now, or he loses his head.’

‘All right! All right!’ Lady Goodroom moved through the gorefiends until she reached the picture of the duck.

‘Moss?’ hissed Roger, his eyes flitting from the gorefiends to Lady Goodroom.

There was no reply.

‘Moss!’ Roger looked at Moss.

The dwarf appeared to be holding his breath. His body was trembling and sweat was pouring down his face. As Roger watched, Moss tried to raise his sword. But his arm shook violently and his sword fell to the floor.

‘Moss!’ screamed Roger.

Moss blew out a huge puff of air. ‘I... can do... nothing,’ he gasped. His shoulders slumped and his arms flopped uselessly by his sides. ‘The Doomstone Sword is too powerful.’

Lady Goodroom swung the picture away from the wall and put her hand on the dial.

Tobias stepped forward and pressed the muzzle of the rifle to her head. ‘Be very careful or I’ll put a bullet through your brain.’

Lady Goodroom looked contemptuously at the butler as she turned the dial.

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