The Eternal Dungeon: a Turn-of-the-Century Toughs omnibus of historical fantasy novels by Dusk Peterson

Author:Dusk Peterson
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: friendship, prison, dungeon, gay romance, dungeons, historical fantasy, prisoner, prisons, prisoners

CHAPTER THREE

The queue to the hot water fount was long; the journey back to the table was crowded. Layle kept being jostled on all sides, both by those who could not see that he was carrying a cup and by those who could. He tried looking coolly upon the people around him, and this was as effective with the torturers here as it had been with the inhabitants of the Eternal Dungeon. A path opened for him.

One brawny fellow, though, met Layle's cool gaze with a cold stare of his own. He stood his ground and deliberately elbowed Layle as he passed. Some of the water from Layle's cup spilled upon the other torturer's sleeve. The man cursed and drew back his fist.

Layle felt a rush of heat enter him, such as he had not felt since the early days of his apprenticehood, when custom required that he defend his place to the other apprentices by physical means. The trial had not lasted long, alas, and after that short but pleasurable period, Master Aeden had kept Layle well leashed with his discipline, as the master torturer would have leashed a dangerous dog.

Layle's swift mind had already sped ahead to the moment when he cracked the aggressor's spine . . . and then just as swiftly sped back, reeled in by his conscience. Before he had the opportunity to form a second plan, though, someone grabbed his opponent's arm and whispered in his ear. Layle heard the words, "High Seeker," and then, "Hidden Dungeon," and then, as though reaching the culmination of this recital of his great deeds, "Fourteen murders. Started when he was twelve. Not to be trifled with."

The aggressor raised his eyebrows in appreciation of this litany and stepped back. Layle glanced round at the remainder of the crowd, who looked disappointed, as though they had been hoping for a demonstration of Layle's powers. Layle ignored them and made his way over to the table where Master Aeden awaited him. The master torturer gave him a quick smile, as he had on the occasions in Layle's youth when his apprentice had resisted temptation, but he remained silent as Layle lifted the half-empty cup to his lips.

It had almost reached its destination when his hand jerked. His other hand went up to touch his face, and then the back of his head.

"What's wrong?" asked Master Aeden, raising his voice to be heard amidst the shouting nearby.

"My hood. It's gone." He tried to keep the panic out of his voice, though his nakedness stung at him. He felt once more the eyes of the crowd, watching him, looking at his face.

"I was wondering when you'd notice. You don't think they would have let you keep that, do you? It will have been taken from you during your searching. . . . A pity. I would have liked to have seen you in the full uniform of a Seeker."

Layle said nothing as he sipped at the water, which was bitter with minerals. He had only the vaguest memory of the process by which he had entered this dungeon.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.