‘Hold on tight,’ Pegs cackled, slamming the gear stick down between his feet.
The cart rolled into motion, gently at first, before abruptly lurching forwards, inciting surprised outbursts from the Regals.
‘What are you lot complaining about?’ Gabe shouted back. The Lycan had a look of pure elation on his face, holding his arms aloft as they neared a tunnel, light spilling faintly round the corner.
‘Are you mad?’ Nathaniel yelled in return, distinctly aware of how pale he must have looked.
‘This is–’
The rest of Gabe’s words were drowned out by the echo of the rails inside the tunnel.
To-and-fro, they swerved. Through wide open spaces and passages, so low, they had to duck their heads, pushing their chins into their chests.
The tunnel was punctuated with other entrances, from which the rails split off into various directions. Sometimes Pegs would point at one, mentioning the name of the mine, or Dún, as the Dwarves called it, to which it led.
‘HOLD ON TO YOUR KNICKERS!’ Pegs roared, as the cart rolled round another corner.
Nathaniel felt his stomach drop, the moment he looked past the Dwarf’s thick brown mane. At the end of the tunnel, looming closer with every second, was oblivion. The rails bent down, at such a sharp angle, disappearing into the void, it defied all logic and reason.
‘We’re going to fall!’ Nathaniel cried.
‘Nonsense!’ the Dwarf snorted.
‘Where’s the rest of the rail?’ Brey said concernedly.
‘Oh there’s plenty left!’
‘Master Dwarf…’ Zaine said hesitantly.
‘Oh don’t tell me with all the beasties and Fogspawn you batter, you’re scared of heights, Hunter? It’s just a teeny dro–’
The mine cart fell.
Screams tore through the air, although they raced down at such a pace, Nathaniel wasn’t entirely sure who they belonged to.
He must have been gripping the side of the cart for a while. Indeed, by the time he realised the cart had stopped, Pegs, Zaine, and Gabe were already out.
A stone gateway, of similar design to that they’d encountered earlier, framed by braziers either side, sat before them. Still dizzy from the excursion, Nathaniel eased himself out of the cart, gingerly. Samir looked positively green from the experience, clutching his bag of books tightly for comfort, whilst Vaera looked more tight-lipped than usual.
‘That was blazing brilliant!’ Gabe punched the air excitedly. ‘Let’s do that again!’
‘NO!’ Nathaniel, Samir and Vaera roared simultaneously.
‘Come, come,’ Pegs chortled away merrily. ‘Even us Dwarves struggle with the carts sometimes. Why, my cousin Humber, of all the blighted buggers, was found dangling out of his cart on the way in last week…’
The Dwarf’s voice trailed off into the distance as they passed under the stone gateway. What lay beyond was nothing short of astonishing.
It was as if a great city, of the likes of Obsidia or Dalmarra, had been buried underground and blended into the earth, rocks, and gems hidden underneath. Great domed tops sat alongside hard-edged buildings, with an earthy, almost bronze-like, shade to them. Every house they passed held a forge proudly at the fore. Every strike of hammer on anvil sounded like a ringing symphony of iron and steel. It was how Nathaniel imagined Morne once was.
Where a sky should have watched them, from above sat a shadowed, cavernous roof supported by a hundred or more columns of colossal height. Yet more rails weaved in and out of the pillars, with dozens of carts at a time – some unmanned – flying above. There was so much chaos, yet everything clicked into place like a well-oiled machine.
‘Are you sure the Dwarves will grant us passage through the mines?’
Nathaniel jumped. How had the Hunter managed to double-back without him noticing?
‘I don’t see why not?’ Nathaniel said. ‘My family knows Pegs well.’
‘And what if your father, or any other Regal for that matter, has shared with them news of the Emperor’s death?’ Zaine said.
‘Um… well he doesn’t seem to be aware of it…’
‘If Morne is already aware, I do wonder how the Düns have managed to avoid the news.’
Nathaniel was not sure what to say. Had they not tried the mines, there was little else they could have done other than battle the Regals head on.
Just what the Szar would want, Nathaniel thought bitterly. An Emperor murderer and Lycans fighting side by side.
‘Be wary,’ were Zaine’s parting words, before striding away.
Of what?
‘Friends and guests!’ Pegs punched out his arms proudly before them. ‘Welcome to Dün Moine!’
Chapter 34
Pegs insisted that they break bread and ale with him as he led their party to the Lower City. They circled around one of the towering dome-topped buildings, which seemed a structural feat beyond the capabilities of beings so small.
‘The Heart of Stone,’ Pegs pointed at the bronze coloured building. ‘The seat of the Thün. Well… it was anyway. Our high-borns are still arguing in there, about who should be the next Thün… when they’re not sleeping off the night’s wine.’
‘What happened to the old Thün?’ Nathaniel inquired.
‘Dead,’ the Dwarf replied with a rueful shake of his head.
‘Dead?’ Nathaniel repeated.
‘In his sleep, stone rest his soul,’ Pegs said. ‘At least, that’s what we’ve been told.’
‘You suspect foul play?’ Zaine pitched in.
‘I don’t suspect it lad, I bleedin’ know it,’ Pegs said gruffly. ‘Lot of high-borns sniffing round that throne.’
Another stone gateway was tucked behind the Heart of Stone. Iron brackets held torches along the staircase that ran down past the gateway into a blind corner. More stairs followed, and more after that, until they must have descended at least few hundred metres. There were no earthy walls, only a square passage fitted with grey stone blocks lining the floor, ceiling, and walls. Several doors were sporadically fitted along the walls, mounted in alcoves. Though, other than their bronze handles, they seemed to blend into the rest of the wall.
Pegs stopped by one of the doors on the left of the passage and began running his hands up and down the stone. ‘Bah, I know it’s here somewhere… Aha!’
One of the stone blocks ground its way into the wall with a satisfying click. At first, nothing happened but then what must have been several gears, judging by the sound, began rattling behind the wall and the door slowly swung inwards to admit them entrance.
They came across another Dwarf sitting in the hallway inside, scrubbing furiously at the rug covering the floor. The Dwarf’s head came up as Pegs approached, eyes flashing open. She had a rather thick brow, much like her kin but was unmistakeably feminine.
‘Master Muriel!’ she blinked, ‘I–’
‘Easy, Caster,’ Pegs winced. ‘The cleaning can wait. Would you see if the others would be so kind as to fetch some food and refreshment for our friends?’
‘Of course, Master Muriel,’ Caster said, bowing deeply. Then, giving curious looks to Nathaniel and his companions, she sprinted down the corridor shouting out calls to action.
‘Muriel?’ Nathaniel sniggered.
‘Now you know my terrible secret,’ Pegs chuckled. He grimaced suddenly, ‘I’ve told that girl so many times to drop the “Master”.’
Pegs followed Caster down the corridor and took a right into a small room, dominated by the long dining table in its centre. The table and adjoining chairs looked like they had been carved out of the room rather than placed there. The plump cushions covering the seats being the only things, other than the wall-mounted lamps, that had been added. Pegs sat in the chair at the end of the table and spread his hands out for them to join him.
‘So, I believe congratulations are in order, my friend,’ Pegs said.
‘What do you mean?’ Nathaniel frowned.
‘Well, you’ve
long since tied the knot, haven’t you?’ Pegs winked at him. He turned to incline his head toward Vaera. ‘And this would be your lovely bride, I take it?’
‘You would be very mistaken,’ Vaera replied stiffly. Her eyes had gone even wider than Peg’s servant, Caster, when they had first arrived and looked in danger of popping out of her head.
‘Oh.’ Pegs sat back against his chair and looked confusedly between the two. ‘Forgive me, I thought–’
‘That’s alright, Pegs,’ Nathaniel butted in hastily, hoping to move the conversation elsewhere, before Vaera added more detail. ‘I was actually hoping you might be able to help us with something.’
The Dwarf was still looking at Vaera through narrowed eyes, as if he couldn’t quite make her out.
‘You remind me of someone, lass,’ Pegs murmured.
Vaera met the Dwarf’s inquisitive look with pursed lips.
He shrugged after a moment and switched his gaze back to Nathaniel. ‘I’m sorry lad, you were saying?’
‘I–’
‘Master Muriel! Master Muriel!’ Caster burst into the room, her cheeks aflush. ‘Master Muriel! There’s some–’
‘Caster, for the love of stone, don’t worry about the bleedin’ carpets, I’ll get some new ones!’ Pegs growled.
‘Not that,’ the Dwarf shook her head furiously. ‘There’s someone at the door and they won’t go away.’
‘Impeccable timing as always,’ Pegs sighed. ‘Very well, tell them I’m coming.’
Pegs roused himself from his seat, splaying his hands out by his sides apologetically, and departed.
The mechanical creak of the door sounded from down the corridor. Leaning forward in his chair, Nathaniel caught a few words, from voices other than Pegs’. However, the conversation was largely out of earshot. Nathaniel quickly settled back in his seat the second he heard the door closing and occupied himself with the dirt under his nails.
When Pegs returned, a fresh goblet in hand, there was a grave look to his lined face that instantly troubled Nathaniel.
The Dwarf shuffled back into his seat and placed the goblet in front of him. He bent his head to finger his top knot before lifting the goblet to his lips. Pegs wiped his beard afterwards with the back of his arm and fixed Nathaniel with a level look.
‘Nathaniel, lad, what’s this I hear about you having murdered the Emperor?’ Pegs asked quietly.
Nathaniel gulped. How long had he known?
‘Uhhhh–’
‘–before you ask, those were your folk at the door,’ the Dwarf jutted his thumb behind him. ‘They seemed to be under the impression that I’d be harbouring this Kinslayer of theirs. Now–’
‘I–’
‘–don’t get me wrong, lad. I’ve got a soft spot for you. Damn me, I do. But I liked what I heard about that Tolken fellow too and I don’t usually like these fancy arse ponces.’
‘I didn’t do it, Pegs,’ Nathaniel said.
He gulped, waiting for the Dwarf to contradict him with a raised eyebrow.
Pegs leant forward in his seat and gave Nathaniel a shrewd look, then shrugged. ‘Alright, lad.’
That’s it? Nathaniel looked at the Dwarf strangely.
‘What?’ the Dwarf raised the palms of his hands. ‘You said you didn’t do it and I believe you.’
‘Then what did you say to those Regals at the door?’ Kaira inquired curiously.
The Dwarf grinned slyly.
‘I told them that you’d come here briefly, that I’d sent you back on your merry way to Tal’Shaelan, and that, if they were quick enough, they could catch you.’
Gabe barked out a laugh and Nathaniel smiled gratefully.
‘So, I assume, what with all these accusations being levelled against you, this isn’t a social call?’ Pegs said.
‘Afraid not, Pegs. I need a favour. Are any of the old mine tracks to Obsidia still open?’
Vaera looked dismayed. ‘This is your plan?’
‘You have a better idea?’ Nathaniel asked her.
She glared back at him silently. Probably angry at me for Peg’s ‘wife’ comment, Nathaniel surmised.
Pegs shook his head solemnly. ‘Nathaniel, lad… those tracks have been closed for almost a century. We’ve had no need of them since the end of the Shadow War.’
Nathaniel slumped hard against the back of his seat, utterly deflated.
‘So this was a giant waste of time!’ Gabe pounded his fist on the table. ‘We should have just gone through Tal’Shaelan while we had the chance! The bloody Szar’s going to have his blazing army by the time we get there.’
Nathaniel sighed. He hadn’t the strength to disagree with the Lycan.
‘We had to try!’ Brey said defiantly.
‘Tell that to our Brothers and Sisters when the Regals reach Dalmarra!’ Gabe roared.
Pegs smacked his goblet against the table and the clamour of voices settled. ‘There is another way,’ Pegs interjected quietly.
‘What way?’ Brey said first.
‘Perhaps he means to smuggle us in his barrels?’ Gabe snorted.
The Dwarf did not appear to see the humour in his words, given how his moustache bristled wildly, as if a fierce wind had caught it. ‘Don’t take me for a fool, boy,’ the bushes of the Dwarf’s eyebrows met in the middle, as he narrowed his eyes at Gabe.
‘Perhaps we should we hear what Master Pegs has to say?’ Zaine interjected loudly over Gabe who was muttering something to himself that sounded distinctly like ‘giant ears.’
With a deep ‘harumph,’ which blew out the two sides of his drooping moustache, the Dwarf then nodded towards the Hunter appreciatively. ‘Well, like I was saying’ the Dwarf began, shooting Gabe a dark look, ‘there is indeed another path you could take. It wouldn’t get you inside Obsidia but it would get you close to the mountain walls… although, it would not be without considerable risk.’
Nathaniel leant in closer, ‘we must get in, Pegs, we have to.’
The Dwarf chuckled, ‘you would not be the first to underestimate it, lad.’ He took a deep swig from his goblet, before adding, in a more serious tone, ‘but perhaps you will be the first to come back sane… or even alive.’
A deep hush stole its way into the dining room. The cocky grin had drifted from Gabe’s mouth, and everyone, but Pegs and Zaine, paled.
‘What… what do you mean by that?’ Brey asked quietly, the shake in her voice suggesting she did not particularly want the Dwarf to elaborate.
Pegs’ eyes met Brey’s for a moment, then he waved a hand dismissively at his guests. ‘Bah!’ the Dwarf thumped a fist against the table, ‘there may only be seven of you but with a Divine Son among you, you may as well number a hundred!’ The Dwarf chortled as he raised his goblet to Zaine. Though, another long sip did little to reassure Nathaniel.
‘Demon trouble?’ Zaine suggested, posing the question, as nonchalantly as one would inquire about the weather.
The Dwarf’s goblet dropped against the table with a resounding CLANG, causing half their party to jump in their seats. Servants rushed in, laden with towels and wet cloths, but Pegs quickly brushed them aside. ‘Lads, it be barely a spit on stone,’ he said, amidst their protests, herding them back out of the dining room before returning to his seat, with a grim expression etched upon his face.
‘Demons? This far from the Foglands?’ Pegs chuckle had little mirth in it. ‘No, it cannot be… not even with the things some of my clansmen claim to have endured.’
The Dwarf shuddered, and, with a glance at his empty goblet, signalled a servant at the door who returned with a flagon of wine, slices of bread and cheese, and a small barrel under his arm, presumably containing more ale. ‘Please, my friends, eat, drink!’ Pegs took the barrel, setting it in the middle of the table… after first re-filling his own goblet to the brim.
Zaine politely waved the offer of food and drink aside, as the Lycans swarmed over the wine, ale, and food. Vaera, on the other hand, merely wrinkled her nose in distaste and sa
t back with her arms folded tightly against her chest.
Nathaniel reached for a goblet and caught Vaera frowning at him from the corner of his eye. What does she expect me to do? Die of thirst? Still, he felt the odd need to bury his head into his chest as he poured himself a drink.
‘Did any mention a demon, shaped like a woman, Master Dwarf?’ Zaine inquired, ‘with curled horns, perhaps?’
‘It is as I said, Hunter,’ Pegs replied, ‘nothing has crawled from the Foglands in many a year, and certainly ne’er as far as Dün Moine.’
‘And yet, Master Dwarf, some of your clansmen return mad.’
‘Aye, lad. But if it were demons, none would return at all.’
Chapter 35
The tunnel that would take them close to Obsidia was an especially narrow one, much to the chagrin of the travellers. To make matters worse, there seemed to be an endless supply of ladders and shafts that had to be climbed, just to continue on the right path. But Pegs had assured them all that the tunnel would take them just inside the Black Mountains. If they survived the journey, Nathaniel felt the Dwarf had been reluctant to add.
Indeed, he had passed on the task of escorting them through part of the mine to another - a wide-eyed Dwarf by the name of Humber. However, their new companion did little to help the growing apprehension Nathaniel felt, as they went deeper into the mine.
‘Gibberish they spoke, Hunter, but frightenin’ gibberish it was,’ the Dwarf spoke quickly to Zaine, as they trudged along the cart worn path.
They must have been getting closer, for the minecarts were scarce on this new trail, and the tracks cutting across the mud fewer. Zaine attempted to extract details of what the Dwarf’s clansmen had said but Humber, like Pegs, would only stubbornly shake his head in reply to the Hunter’s probing.
Samir had not spoken a word throughout the entire descent and, bar a couple of grumbles about preferring to ride through a hundred Regals, Gabe had remained uncharacteristically quiet also. Anywhere else, Nathaniel would have poked fun at Gabe, but here… he found he had not the courage to do so, for there was something gnawing at him too. It had been subtle at first, a general sense of foreboding that had now become so thick in the air, it harried his every breath.
Nathaniel Grey and the Obsidian Crown Page 22