The Hunter Page 26

  Braldt looked at Keri in amazement, astonished that she had been able to turn the Madrelli’s fatalistic mood around so easily. Keri looked up at him and grinned as though she had read his thoughts. Slinging her pack over her shoulder, she stood there ready to leave, as though chiding them for moving so slowly.

  Beast was more than anxious to be on his way and ran back and forth between them, dashing a short distance ahead and then returning, clearly unwilling to venture forth on his own. The ground continued its steady shaking, ceasing for a moment and then beginning anew. It was so constant that the infrequent lapses of inactivity and silence felt strange and unnatural.

  As they continued it became apparent that they were entering an area that had been more severely affected by the movement of the mountain. Destruction was apparent on all sides. Panels had fallen from the walls and the ceiling and even the floor was dislodged in places. Footing was treacherous, the ground slick with oily viscous fluids dripping from the multitude of broken coils. Steam and noxious gases spewed into the air in numerous locations and Beast suffered a scorched back and singed tail when he did not heed their directions and rushed headlong through a dangerous stretch of corridor. The lights had been extinguished in many places and they were forced to depend on their torches, which burned fitfully in the bad air and added unwelcome clouds of noxious black smoke to the air.

  They picked their way through the debris noting the strange glyphs inscribed on plaques where corridors intersected. Batta Flor studied them carefully and made his choices. It appeared that they were descending farther, rather than rising, a fact that did not reassure Braldt, but he held his silence for it would serve no purpose to express his doubts. Surely the Madrelli knew what he was doing.

  “Is it my imagination or is it getting hot?” Keri asked as she set her pack down and wiped her face with the end of her skirt. “It’s getting harder to breathe too.”

  “It is not your imagination.” Batta Flor swung his own pack down from his shoulder and settled himself on a rock. The black skin that framed his features was dotted with beads of perspiration that he brushed away with the fur of his forearm. His ear jutted out at an unnatural angle, giving him a rakish air. It was as though a child had molded his head of clay and done it poorly.

  Braldt wrenched his thoughts away from the Madrelli’s ear and addressed the matter at hand. “Have you noticed the odd glow between the broken partitions? And the ground feels hot as well. I do not know what is the cause, but I do not like it. Are you certain that we are going in the right direction? Where is it that we are going? Do you recognize any of the glyphs?”

  “Yes. I have noticed the heat and the glow as well,” Batta Flor replied. “And yes, I think I know where we are. It is a section of corridors that I have never traveled before. I do not know anyone who has. These are old corridors, driven by my ancestors, when the masters first came to this place. I did not know that they still existed or were still maintained. They serve no purpose but to get from one level to another. If I am reading the glyphs correctly, I believe that they will lead us to the level of the chamber that is the only exit I know other than the way by which we entered.”

  “But how can we do that?” Keri asked in dismay. “That level is flooded. How will that do us any good? What about the entry to the launching pad? I thought we were going to try to reach that chamber?” For the first time since losing Carn, distress was clearly evident in her voice.

  “The launching pad and the control chamber are side by side on the same level,” Batta Flor explained in a calm tone, holding Keri’s hand in his great paw and stroking it gently to calm her. “I do not know if the entire level is flooded. I only know what happened inside the chamber after the river broke through. We will have to see. It is our only hope unless you wish to return the way we came.”

  The mountain began to shake violently, rumbling and growling beneath their feet as though it were alive. The entire corridor shook spasmodically from side to side, shedding panels loose with the same ease that dogs shook water from their pelts. Keri shivered and shook her head. “No, I could not do it, could not go back the way we came. I don’t want to see those things again. The monster…the place where Carn…” Her voice trembled and faded away.

  “Good.” Batta Flor smiled grimly. “Our only hope is to go forward. Come, we are not advancing ourselves by sitting here.”

  But before they could go any farther, it was necessary to fashion another pair of leather wraps for Beast’s feet. He had long ago chewed the others free, and the floor of the chamber was too hot for him to go on without some form of protection.

  Batta Flor led them to the next intersection of corridors and turned right once again. No sooner had he done so than the sound of running water was clearly heard. This new corridor was a ramp that led upward at a steep angle. The sound of the flow did not decrease as they climbed but grew steadily louder until it was impossible to be heard unless they shouted. Keri and Beast were clearly frightened and even Braldt had a difficult time keeping his fears in check. It was all too easy to envision the race of water pouring past them at a dizzying rate of speed, held back by only thin walls of rock and broken metal panels. Many of the walls glistened with water, almost appeared to be sweating. It was not in the least bit reassuring.

  And then, suddenly, Batta Flor came to an abrupt halt. He raised his hand and pointed. They followed the direction of his finger and saw, glowing in the distance of the darkened corridor, a bright red light, shining at them like the single wicked eye of a predator gleaming from the depths of its dark lair. There was an unmistakable feeling of menace in the air.

  Keri cried out and clutched Braldt’s arm. He held her to him in a tight embrace and together they stared at the ominous red glow. Beast sat on Braldt’s feet and whined, then rose up on his hind legs and scratched at Braldt’s arm. He too wanted to be held. Braldt stroked the pup’s head, knowing that his fear was justified. He turned to Batta Flor for an explanation. The space beside him was empty. Braldt looked behind him, wondering, but the Madrelli was not there, either. Braldt held his torch high and looked in all directions. But nowhere did he see anyone or anything. Hard as it was to believe, Batta Flor had disappeared.

  Carn was desperate. He could hear Keri’s and Braldt’s voices and sometimes he even caught sight of them in the distance, but try as he might, he could not catch up with them. His voice, a rough raspy croak, would not carry more than a few yards. What if they disappeared and left him all alone! The thought lent speed to his feet and he hurried through the dark corridors, almost weeping with desperation. Then his vision blurred with tears of frustration and he slammed into a fallen panel. Reeling with pain, he staggered from one side of the corridor to the other. Blood coursed down his face and streamed into his eyes. He cursed and cried aloud, blinking his eyes and trying to stumble on, but the pain was too great and he sank to his knees and wept.

  By the time the flow of blood was stemmed and his vision cleared, they were gone. He had known that it would be so and accepted it with a calm resignation, chiding himself. How had he dared to doubt? How could he have been so weak as to think that the gods would abandon him? Had they not given him the greatest gift of all? There must be a reason for this, even if he could not understand it. His faith had carried him through greater trials than this; he had only to place his trust in Mother Moon and she would show him the way.

  He settled himself at the base of the fallen panel and waited calmly, absolutely certain now that his god would not desert him. After a while, he began to hear the murmur of voices. They were faint, distant, but they were unmistakably the sounds of his vanished companions. He had to listen closely to hear them above the constant mutter of the mountain, but they were there to be heard. He began to follow the thread of their voices, cautiously avoiding the many pitfalls that littered the broken corridor, certain now that he would find them.

  There was a sick feeling in the pit of Braldt’s stomach. Had the Madrelli betrayed them after a
ll? It had always been a possibility, but after all they had gone through together, it was hard to believe. Still, there was no doubting the fact that he was gone. Keri had turned to one side and was now picking at what appeared to be a solid wall. She gave a small cry of amazement and called to Braldt. Just then, she took a step backward and Batta Flor rose up before her, appearing magically out of nowhere.

  Braldt moved forward, angry words on his lips, but before he could speak, Batta Flor grabbed him by the wrist and began dragging him toward the narrow opening. “I’ve found it, found what we were looking for. Hurry, there may still be a chance!”

  “Where were you and why did you slip away from us like that?” Braldt said angrily, pulling free of Batta Flor’s grasp, realizing then how completely they depended on him and how utterly lost they would be without him.

  Batta Flor turned toward him with shining eyes, his excitement obvious. Seeing Braldt’s glowering face, he faltered and the joyful look vanished, replaced by the somber, guarded expression that was the norm.

  “I was gone for but a moment,” he replied stiffly. “I saw the cracked edge of the door and slipped inside to see if my suspicions were correct.”

  He fell silent then and Braldt could do nothing but ask the question. “And what did you find?”

  “It was as I hoped, a stairway, with glyphs that have some meaning to me. They will lead us to the level above the chamber.”

  “What good will that do?” Keri asked.

  “Don’t you see.” Batta Flor turned to her, his eyes bright with barely suppressed enthusiasm. “This is a serviceway! It will give us access to the floor above the flooded chamber as well as the heating and cooling and fresh air ducts in the ceilings. It is possible that we can find an entry to the chamber or some way of shutting off the flow of water!”

  “Do you really think so?” Braldt asked, berating himself for suspecting the Madrelli of foul play.

  “Yes,” said Batta Flor. “There is no doubt that it will lead to the right levels. whether we can enter safely is another matter entirely. Nor will we know the answer until we see with our own eyes. Come, let us go now. Sooner begun, soonest done!”

  It was good to see Batta Flor in such good spirits and for the moment, he seemed to have forgotten about his injury. Keri noticed that the ear had come unstuck from the medicinal adhesive and was twisted forward at a strange angle. She raised her hand to press it back in place, but Batta Flor stopped her before she could touch it.

  “No,” he said softly. “Leave it, it does not matter anymore. It is a useless thing like a broken twig hanging from a tree.” To her horror, he reached up and ripped the ear from his skull, tearing away the strip of flesh and fiir that formed the fragile connection, and threw the severed ear down. It lay on the floor between them like the corpse of a small animal, rather than a portion of his living body.

  Braldt gasped sharply and Keri bit back a cry and looked up at Batta Flor with wondering eyes. His own small, dark eyes glittered feverishly in the smooth, dark skin that framed his face. The thick fur seemed to crowd inward, compressing his features, making him appear more animallike, and Keri realized that it was because of the loss of the ear.

  The ears had served to make his features more natural, more like a Duroni than an animal. She closed her eyes briefly and tried to remind herself that this was Batta Flor, her friend, with whom she had shared heartbreak, sorrow, and her most private thoughts. He was no animal but a stalwart and loyal friend.

  “Don’t you see,” he said softly, taking her hands in his own and speaking directly to her. “It doesn’t matter anymore. None of it. There is nothing left for me, I have no future, I cannot return. It would have been better if I had died back there, instead of dying in bits and pieces. No, please,” he said, laying his fingers on her lips as she tried to speak. “Listen to me, our lives, our cultures, are different. I know what I am saying. I know what is best for me and for Sytha Trubal and the tribe.”

  “But you are giving up without even giving her the chance to speak for herself!” Keri said impatiently. “It’s not fair, don’t you see that! You men are always doing stupid things, making these dumb noble decisions when it is we women who must live a lifetime with the consequences. I will not let you do whatever it is that you are planning! I won’t! And I speak for Sytha Trubal as well! Don’t you dare go and do something dumb!”

  “How like her you are,” said Batta Flor with a sad smile.

  “I don’t know what either of you is talking about,” said Braldt. “But don’t you think that we should do whatever it is that needs to be done? We don’t really have the time to stand around talking; the tremors are coming closer and closer together. We would do well to be away from this place if it is possible.”

  “The serviceway may have exterior outlets,” Batta Flor replied and Braldt could not help but notice that the fur on his shoulder and chest was already matted with fresh blood.

  Beast had slipped through the narrow crack and was whining softly. His huge scooped ears twitched back and forth as though catching sound from all directions and his muzzle quivered as well. He lifted his front paws, treading nervously as if there were water on the floor, and looked to Braldt for reassurance. Braldt ruffled the thick fur on the nape of his neck, and disturbed at the air of indecision that seemed to be affecting his companions, he opened the narrow door and stepped inside.

  It took a moment for his eyes to adjust for the staircase was even more dimly lit than the corridor had been. Below him and off at an angle, a single light shed a pale cone of luminescence on a square bit of flooring. Even farther below in the distance there were other pricks of light like tiny white stars in a night sky. He could see nothing else.

  Batta Flor and Keri appeared beside him; leaving the door open behind them to allow in as much light as possible, the three of them moved silently forward. Batta Flor moved into the lead, which Braldt did not contest. The wall was on their left and a slender waist-high rail ran along the right-hand edge of the stairs, which were both steep and narrow. Batta Flor dropped to all fours and moved more easily than his Duroni companions.

  They reached the first light without incident and stood there for a moment waiting for their eyes to adjust to the deeper darkness, hoping to discern something of their surroundings. There was another of the now-familiar plaques affixed to the wall and Batta Flor stood up on his hind legs to inspect it, his keen eyes capable of reading in the near darkness.

  “Two levels to go,” he said in a soft tone.

  “Is there another door here? Should we look and see what is to be found?” asked Keri, peering over Batta Flor’s shoulder.

  Batta Flor shrugged. “No reason to do so, a waste of time. I think that these were excavated when the place was first built, when they were still searching for the rhodium, exploratory shafts that they paneled over for safety when they were done. I don’t think any of them really go anywhere. We were lucky to stumble on them the way we did or we’d still be wandering around back at the lake. No, this is the way we want to go.”

  “Shouldn’t we light some torches?” Keri asked, looking out at the almost total darkness.

  “No again. We won’t be able to carry torches with us in the ducts, they’re too narrow and the metal would hold the heat and burn us. It’s best to become adjusted to the darkness now.”

  “You seem so certain of what we will find,” Braldt said, wondering if it could really be so.

  “I am sure,” said Batta Flor. “These glyphs are known to me. We are on the right path.” Braldt might have spoken again, questioned the Madrelli, but Batta Flor stepped forward into the darkness and began descending the next set of stairs in a smooth, swinging glide. Soon, he was lost to their sight. Beast whined and trotted down the stairs followed almost immediately by Keri. Braldt hesitated for a moment and then he too followed their lead.

  They did not stop at the next landing, pausing only long enough for Batta Flor to run his fingertips over the glyph panel and grun
t enigmatically. They plunged onward, taking the final set of steps with growing excitement, so caught up in their own rising hopes that they failed to notice the light dim three levels above them as a dark figure slipped through the doorway and stood there for a moment listening to their voices before it vanished in the darkness.

  Beast yipped with nervous agitation and danced up and down on his hind legs, easily divining the mood of his companions. The small band hurried down the final few steps and then came to an abrupt halt. Before them was an expanse of dark water that shone bleakly in the dim light from above and lapped at the foot of the stairs. They looked at one another, their eyes filled with dismay, knowing, now that the hope had been stripped from them, how very much they had counted on this avenue of escape. Their eyes returned to the sight of the dark water, felt the tremors beneath their feet, and knew that there was nowhere left to go.

  27

  Keri sank down on the lowest step and rested her head on her arms, unwilling to let the others see her tears that she could not hide. She was tired and hungry and afraid. She was tired of the overwhelming darkness and her heart still ached with the loss of Carn. More than anything she wanted to be home, to feel her mother’s arms around her. Still, she could not complain, for she had won Braldt and that was reason enough for all that she had endured. Although nothing, not even Braldt, could ever make up for the loss of her brother.

  She was still sitting there with her head bowed, trying to compose herself, when Batta Flor moved past her and stepped into the water. “What are you doing, where are you going?”

  “Going to see what there is to see, girl,” Batta Flor replied with a flash of white teeth. “That is, unless you feel like swimming and want to stay here for a while.”

  “Oh, no!” Keri cried, leaping to her feet. “It’s just, I saw this water and—and I figured…”