Behemoth (The Jharro Grove Saga Book 6)
Page 46
“Where are you going?” she said, frowning. As much as she despised the man at least she knew how much he could be trusted. Lewd as he was, the Dark Voice didn’t let him touch her. Could the same be said for whoever he passed her off to?
“Wherever the Voice wants me, Love,” he replied. He closed the door behind them and produced a glowing orb as he led her down a long meandering passageway.
The walls were crudely carved rock and the floor uneven. In several places she had to duck down to avoid a rock bulging down from the ceiling. That fancy door thing bothered her again. What was to keep anyone from scraping the jewels off with a knife?
There had to be enough of them to live on for a long time. Perhaps even hire servants and a carriage to take a person wherever they wanted to go. Elise tried to keep the location in mind. If she ever escaped from this situation, she might stop by that door and do just that.
“Not much farther, Sally,” said Nod, stopping at another door. This one was just as fancy as the last. Even more so. The jewels didn’t seem to have a purpose. They weren’t part of the runes even.
“Do you have to keep calling me Sally? We’re in some kind of mine, after all. Sure it might be a mine owned by the richest miners in the Known Lands, but no one’s going to hear you call me by my real name.”
Nod paused before opening the door.
“Alright, Elise,” he said and that odd accent that he had used ever since the first day they met disappeared. “Listen close and listen good. I like you. I didn’t think I would, but that can sometimes happen after a journey as long as we’ve had together. So I’m going to give you some advice. Whatever happens next, roll with it. You may feel entitled to complain or refuse to do the Dark Voice’s bidding, but I can tell you from long and painful experience that it never works. You will end up doing what he wants anyway.”
Elise blinked at him and suddenly she felt very scared. “Do we have to go in?”
“What did I just say?” he replied with a frown and opened the door.
Elise stepped inside to a room made of polished black marble. Every surface was dark with only small swirls of green and gray. In the middle of the room was a slight depression and at the center of it was a pedestal that held up a wide bowl of purest silver. It was full of clear water.
Welcome, Elise, said the Dark Voice, echoing from her mind for the first time in many weeks.
“M-Master,” she said.
You may go, Nod, the voice said and Nod exited from the door they had come in.
Elise, take out the orb.
Swallowing, Elise reached into the pockets of her dress and pulled out the white moonrat eye that she and Nod had stolen from that cave in Malaroo. “What do you want me to do with it?”
The voice didn’t answer right away and she heard a click as a door on the other side of the room opened. A man entered. He was older than Elise, probably in his forties, and had a handsome, but angular face. He had dark unforgiving eyes and a short pointed goatee. He wore a dark fur cloak and a jeweled sword hung in a scabbard at his waist. Maybe he was the owner of the ridiculous doors?
“Hello,” she said to the man but he just arched an eyebrow at her.
Elise Muldroomon, rightful Queen of Dremaldria, this is Karl Drelbach, prince of Khalpany, second in line to the throne, soon to be the first.
“Tonight,” said the man, his voice arrogant.
Go before the Dark Bowl.
Elise’s eyes widened. This was the Dark Bowl? Here? In a mine? But she did not balk. She moved to the bowl and noticed that while the interior surface of it was polished smooth the underside was carved with tortured faces.
Karl walked to stand across from her. He removed the black glove that covered his hand. Elise noticed with disgust that the ring finger on his hand was black and wrinkled, almost as if he had been inflicted with a severe case of frostbite but never had the digit removed.
Elise hold out the orb.
She did so and Karl reached out to cover her hand and the orb with his.
Place it into the water together.
They did so and when they let go, the orb began to roll around inside the bowl, the water bubbling and hissing around it.
The two of you shall be wed in secret tonight.
Elise paled. Married? To this foul man?
Yes, Elise, said the Dark Voice, answering her innermost thoughts and this time she was certain that what he said was for her thoughts alone. You will conceive again and this time you will not lose the child. You will have the honor of becoming my mother.
Thus ends the Jharro Grove Saga
The Bowl of Souls series will continue with:
The Dark Prophet Saga
Book One: Sir Edge
This will take place sixteen years after the events of the Jharro Grove saga.
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two
Chapter Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty Four
Chapter Twenty Five
Chapter Twenty Six
Chapter Twenty Seven
Chapter Twenty Eight
Chapter Twenty Nine
Chapter Thirty
Epilogue