Anthony shrugged and sipped his drink. It turned out to be a sort of hot chocolate, but with a much nuttier flavour. It had the consistency of a thick milkshake and was topped with something that looked like whipped cream, but was somehow warm. Once they started drinking, the children found it was so delicious that they couldn’t stop.
As Anthony stood in the corral and watched Toby, his brow wrinkled into a frown. Destiny and Boff both perched on the fence, watching silently. Anthony looked back at them and then once more at Toby. Something just wasn’t right.
For the moment Toby was nibbling contentedly at the small, pale yellow, buttermilk flowers that blanketed the coral grass like creamy custard over an apple tart. Anthony took a step towards him, without being entirely sure why he did so.
Immediately, the mild, peaceful scene altered. Toby’s head whipped up instantly alert. His bright amber eyes bored into Anthony’s and his lips creased menacingly upwards at the corners, revealing vicious, gleaming fangs. Toby’s tail began to lash wildly from side to side. He pawed with a front hoof, all the while staring intently at Anthony. Mesmerising his prey.
Just like a cat might.
But Toby wasn’t a cat, was he?
Anthony looked desperately back at Destiny and Boff. They were pointing furiously towards Toby; mouths contorted in silent screams that nonetheless slashed the air with their meaning.
Painfully slowly Anthony turned once more. Toby was still now, apart from a slight pleasurable quiver of his whiskers. On his back sat a tall, imposing figure with a stunning face and a wide, cruel smile. For reasons Anthony couldn’t fathom, he seemed startlingly familiar.
There was an odd rumbling sound that Anthony couldn’t place. And then he realized … it was a purr. Toby was emitting a deep, contented, rumbling purr. And the figure on his back grinned and his grin grew wider and wider …
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Anthony was cold. He was stiff and he could hear a disturbing groaning sound. His head ached and his mouth was unpleasantly dry and sour. He shifted his weight in an attempt to sit up from his cramped position on the hard floor. The groaning noise increased in intensity and he suddenly realized that it was coming from him.
Defeated for a moment, he lay back and drifted into a light doze before waking once again. This time he stayed still until his eyes began to accustom themselves to the gloom. Cautiously raising himself up on one elbow, he tried to make sense of his surroundings. He appeared to be in some kind of room, full of objects that he couldn’t make out as yet. Not too far away were two bundles that looked like heaps of rags in the murky dimness. One moved slightly and there was another groaning sound, this time not coming from him.
‘Destiny?’ His voice croaked with dryness. Head throbbing, Anthony stiffly eased himself to his feet. He approached the two bundles cautiously and realized that they were indeed Destiny and Boff.
They were obviously still fast asleep and so Anthony decided that he would explore the surroundings. He knew there was light filtering through from somewhere otherwise they would have been in complete darkness. He felt his way carefully along rows of what appeared to be shelves. Turning a corner, the light increased a little, which was when Anthony espied a small, grimy window, set high in the wall at the far end of the room.
It was also when everything clicked into place.
The shelves were actually wine racks. The other indiscernible objects turned out to be crates and barrels and there were all kinds of other odds and ends.
Of course! They were in the cellar of the pub; the pub that the monkey had led them to! Was this another of Crevitos’s tricks to waylay them? And the corral – was that a bizarre hallucination or just a dream?
Right now, Anthony had two more pressing problems. He needed to figure a way out and he needed a drink. He searched through the crates and found some bottles that looked as though they might contain water. Gratefully he untwisted the cap and sniffed at the contents. Reassured he gulped down the refreshing liquid, feeling it soothe his parched mouth and throat. Grabbing a couple more, he made his way carefully back to where Boff and Destiny still lay.
Boff was beginning to stir, his light bulbs flickering on and off as he struggled to come to consciousness.
Gently, Anthony held a bottle of water to Boff’s lips and encouraged him to drink. After a few moments, Boff’s eyes opened fully. Before he could say anything, Anthony put a warning finger to his lips.
‘We’re in the cellar of the tavern. Do you remember what happened?’ he whispered softly.
Boff nodded.
‘I’m not sure anyone would hear us down here, the walls seem pretty thick – but just in case we’d better keep our voices down. All the while they think we’re still out for the count, I guess we’ll be left alone.’
‘Who’s they?’ whispered Boff.
‘I’m not sure. The barman? The old man with the monkey? Maybe even Crevitos! What I am sure of is that somehow we’ve got to get out of here and find Saddler.’
Boff nodded his head. His brain wobbled and he grimaced and reached for the bottle of water again.
‘There’s a small window,’ Anthony continued, ‘just at the back there. It’s too small for me, but if we can get it open, you might be able to squeeze through.’
Boff scrambled to his feet. ‘What are we waiting for?’ he said.
Anthony left a bottle of water beside Destiny hoping that, if she woke before he got back, she would realize he had put it there and not panic at finding herself on her own.
Quickly, he and Boff worked their way to the back of the cellar. Anthony surveyed the window. It was quite high up, but there were plenty of crates they could use to climb on. What concerned him, even if they could get the window open, was what the drop would be like on the other side. There was only one way to find out. As stealthily as they could, he and Boff began to stack some of the crates so that they formed a kind of stairway up to the window.
Anthony climbed up first, testing the way carefully to make sure that the crates were secure. Reaching the window, he peered out through the grime. From what little he could see, the window gave out onto a small courtyard that thankfully looked as though it was deserted. The cellar was obviously below ground level and so in fact there would be hardly any drop at all from the window to the ground outside – so far, so good. Now all they had to do was get the window open.
Tentatively, he gave it a push to see if there was any give in it at all or whether it was solidly wedged. To his utter astonishment the window shifted slightly. He pushed again, a little harder this time. With just the smallest of creaks, the window opened a crack.
Anthony looked back down at Boff. This was too easy. Something didn’t seem quite right. Anthony waited, breath held, but there was nothing. The courtyard remained deserted. He climbed down off the crates again and looked at an enquiring Boff.
‘I don’t like this! Looking at the dirt on that window, you’d think it would be jammed solid.’
‘Maybe it’s used regularly, just not cleaned?’ Boff suggested helpfully.
‘But why would you leave it unlocked? It’s an obvious escape route!’
‘Maybe they didn’t expect us to wake up so soon … or maybe they thought it was too small for any of us to get through … or maybe they just forgot? It can’t have been easy shifting three sleeping bodies down here, especially with all those other folk in the tavern!’
‘Unless they’re all in it together!’ said Anthony grimly.
‘Whatever the reason, we have to get out of here and the window appears to be our only option.’
‘You’re right. We’ll just have to risk it!’
Climbing nimbly up the crates again, Anthony peered out into the courtyard once more. Nothing. He gave the window a hard shove, wobbling dangerously on the crates as he did so. The hinges creaked once and then light was flooding through the small aperture into the cellar below.
He clambered back down.
‘It’s up to you n
ow. Just be careful okay!’
Boff grinned. ‘If I get caught the chances are they’ll only put me back in here again!’
He shinned up the crates and in a flash of tartan shorts had disappeared through the window. Anthony climbed up after him and pulled the window to, leaving it just open enough in case Boff needed to get back in that way. He felt the gloom settle back on the cellar now that the light had all but been extinguished. Then he made his way back to Destiny to see how she was doing. He had no idea whether Boff would be able to find Saddler, but he figured that he and Destiny were probably in for a long wait.
Destiny was just beginning to stir. Anthony felt a pang of guilt as he knelt down beside her. She hadn’t been happy about any of this and it was he who had persuaded her to go along with it. It was his fault they were here; his fault they were in this mess. And he knew why. The Natorqua fascinated him, just as the horses back home did. And if they could fathom out what was going wrong with the Natorqua’s minds, what a challenge! But he had been wrong to involve Destiny …
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud groan from beside him. Destiny opened her eyes and winced.
‘Erg,’ she muttered huskily.
Anthony helped her to sit up and offered her the bottle of water. She drank greedily.
‘What’s going on?’ she said at last. ‘Is this real, or was the corral real? What was that animal? I thought it was Toby to start with, but then – then there was …’ She shuddered.
‘I think we had the same dream,’ Anthony said quietly. ‘And I think it might have been some kind of message or warning!’
‘We need to find Saddler! Where are we?’ Destiny asked, taking stock of her surroundings at last.
Anthony explained. He was just saying he hoped that Boff could find Saddler, when there was an ominous creaking sound from the top of the cellar steps.
Slowly, the cellar door began to open.
CHAPTER FORTY
There was no time to hide. Anthony looked around frantically for something they could defend themselves with. Destiny however pulled him down roughly.
‘Pretend you’re still sleeping,’ she hissed, ‘it’s our only chance!’
Feigning deep slumber, they waited breathlessly. Would whoever it was notice that there were now only two of them? Would they be fooled by the motionless bodies?
They waited.
‘Cor, sleeping on the job, whatever next!’
‘Saddler!’
Destiny and Anthony both sprang to their feet, overjoyed to see Saddler again.
‘But how …?’
‘Oof …’ Destiny’s legs crumpled beneath her and her look of joy turned to one of complete surprise.
‘Destiny?’
At once, Saddler and Anthony were at her side. They helped her to her feet and sat her down on one of the crates. She thanked them and smiled wanly.
‘Just came over a bit weak for a moment. I’m fine!’
‘Hmm,’ said Saddler, ‘just left young Boff sitting outside for the same reason. Best we get out of ‘ere I reckon, then you can fill me in.’
‘What about the barman?’
‘You’ll see,’ said Saddler grimly.
Destiny and Anthony followed Saddler warily up the cellar steps. It was odd that he didn’t seem to be showing any caution at all. At the top of the steps the door gave way to into a smaller room, obviously some kind of storage area.
With no hesitation at all, Saddler marched through the storeroom and pushed the far door open. Anthony tensed, unsure what to expect as their eyes adjusted to the muted daylight in the pub.
He and Destiny looked around nonplussed. The tavern was deserted. Chairs stacked on tables looked as though they had been there for some time judging by the vast cobwebs strung between them. There was dust everywhere. The whole place looked neglected and forlorn.
Destiny leaned hard against the bar. She swayed a little and Saddler steadied her. Anthony rubbed his eyes, a nagging throb beginning to form at his temples once again. Without a word, Saddler helped Destiny across the floor to the swing doors, which creaked loudly as he pushed them open.
They blinked in the bright sunlight and then gazed in disbelief at what they saw. The tavern itself was one of only a handful of derelict looking buildings. There were no stalls and the cobbled streets were unrecognisable under the littered remains of charred and wrecked dwellings.
‘Bamboozled again!’ said Saddler angrily, and without another word he strode off in the direction of the trees leaving Destiny, Boff and Anthony to struggle after him.
By the time they had caught up with him, Saddler had lit a small fire and, although he still looked grim, was whistling softly under his breath while he made some tea.
At first, they all sat in silence, each mulling over the events of the last few hours.
Then Saddler said wearily, ‘Seems like Crevitos ‘as managed to delay us yet again! I found Nebiré’s chap exactly where she said ‘e would be and guess what? ‘E told me the town ‘ad been burnt to the ground more than a year ago. Been rebuilt, ‘asn’t it, but about three miles in that direction!’ He pointed with a finger that shook with worry and frustration.
‘So how …’ began Boff
‘Don’t ask me. Seems like this ‘ere Crevitos is getting stronger by the day if ‘e can make a ‘ole town appear where it isn’t! Now, you’d better tell me what ‘appened to you!’
Anthony told Saddler their story, missing out nothing. He took full responsibility for encouraging the others to eat and drink at the tavern.
Saddler just grunted. ‘Seems like Crevitos would ‘ave found some way of making it ‘appen anyway.’
By now the sun was at its zenith and they were glad of the tendrils of warmth that filtered through the mottled leaves.
Saddler had been given clear instructions by Nebiré’s friend to get to the existing town and he proposed that he would go and stock up on provisions for the rest of the journey. The others weren’t too sure about being left again, but Saddler was adamant.
‘An hour there and an hour back. Three hours all told and I’ll be back well before it gets dark.’
‘I really think we should stay together,’ said Destiny, jumping to her feet. The sudden movement made her head spin and she sat down again in a hurry.
‘Think I’ll be quicker on my own,’ said Saddler. ‘You lot need to get your strength back and drink plenty of water. Whatever you were given ain’t out of your systems yet!’
‘We could use Destiny’s ring,’ suggested Boff excitedly.
‘But we’re not really ill,’ said Anthony. ‘Just a bit …’
‘Woozy,’ supplied Saddler wryly. ‘Anthony’s right, anyway I think it’s best if you lot steer clear of towns for a bit. I’ll be as quick as I can. Just don’t go anywhere, eat or drink anything that isn’t yours or talk to any strangers!’
‘No, Sir!’ chorused the others, which earned them a very withering look from Saddler.
He shouldered his bag and turned to go.
‘Saddler,’ Destiny called after him. He turned and she slipped the ring the Prof had given her off her finger.
‘Take this with you. I’m not sure why, but just in case …’
With a short nod of thanks, Saddler turned and disappeared into the trees.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
For a while, Saddler strode purposely through the forest, intent only on reaching his destination, his mind full of all the events that had occurred since he had met Destiny and Anthony. They were a tough pair of cookies and already he looked upon them as friends. He could barely even admit to himself how worried he’d been when he’d returned to find a shell of a town and no sign of them or Boff.
The dappled sunlight teased the leaves and the undergrowth. Everything was still and calm. And quiet. Too quiet. It suddenly dawned on him that there were no sounds in the forest at all. Even Nebiré’s woods had seemed less eerie than here.
Without warning, he stopped dead in his tracks
and swung around to glance behind him. He thought he caught the flicker of a movement out of the corner of one eye, but it could have just been his overwrought imagination. Shrugging his shoulders, as if to dismiss his thoughts, Saddler began to walk again being careful to maintain the same pace he had before. But he was wary and his eyes flickered constantly from side to side, ready to pick up the slightest disturbance in the trees.
After a short while, he stumbled deliberately, casting a furtive glance behind him. And there, a definite shadow, slipping noiselessly behind the shelter of a nearby tree. Grim faced, Saddler marched forwards once again, heading for an area just ahead where the foliage was denser. As soon as he was sure he must be out of sight, he ducked down behind a thick shrub and waited.
He didn’t have to wait long before a surprisingly portly figure crept into view. From the description Anthony had given him, Saddler was in no doubt at all that this must be the infamous barman.
The barman stopped and looked around, listening intently. He stood no more than a few steps away from where Saddler crouched, but as he turned to look in the opposite direction, Saddler took a chance. He picked up a hefty stone and lobbed it as hard as he could up ahead. By pure chance, it landed on a small twig, which cracked with much the same effect as if it had been trodden on. The barman’s head whipped round and, with no hesitation, he slipped forwards into the trees. Saddler was after him like a shot and now the hunter had become the hunted – or so Saddler believed.
The barman continued to forge his way ahead, slipping nimbly from tree to tree as though he knew exactly where his quarry was. Under different circumstances, it might have struck Saddler as odd that the barman kept moving steadily on with no certainty, now that he obviously couldn’t see Saddler, that he was actually going in the right direction. But Saddler didn’t have time to muse on the whys and wherefores. He was focussed entirely on seeing where the barman was going.
After some while, the trees thinned a little and Saddler had to hang back to avoid the risk of being seen. Suddenly, without warning, he stepped out into a patch of wild, purple ferns that waved serenely around his waist, although Saddler could feel no breeze. The area he stood in was circular, no more than a hundred feet across and right in the middle stood the most enormous tree he had ever seen. Its girth alone took up nearly half the clearing and it towered up so high that its tallest branches disappeared from view amongst the clouds.
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