Doctor Who_ Lungbarrow - Marc Platt [64]
'I don't know the rules,' Chris said quietly.
'Then play solo, dear. That's the only way to learn Sepulchasm.'
Chris threw the die again. It showed a spiral ed glyph, which somehow he knew to be the Gal ifreyan equivalent of a 7.
One once-green counter shuffled along the requisite number of places.
Chris threw again and a brown counter moved along four squares. 'Is this al ?' Chris asked. 'What's the objective?'
'You'l see,' she said, so he threw again and again. As he watched the counters tussling round the board, he listened to Innocet and the Doctor, who had reached the fireplace at the distant end of the room.
'But Maljamin was the second to go today,' she protested.
92
'That's a very emotive analysis of events,' the Doctor said. 'And very unlike you, Innocet.' He lowered his voice, but Chris could still hear clearly. 'Arkhew was murdered. He's not going anywhere. But that's a separate problem for us to deal with. So where's Maljamin gone?'
Innocet paused. 'He's taken the path into oblivion. They all take it when they can't endure the dark any longer.'
'What dark? The dark that Satthralope's inflicted on you al and blamed on me?' Irritation was needling into the Doctor's tone. 'Where are all the rest of my Cousins? Do you mean they've left the House?' She was silent. 'Were they all here when this nonsense started?'
'They were,' she said.
'All forty-four? Then how many are left?'
'Six.'
The Doctor pulled off his hat. 'Six? Which six? How can it be only six?'
'Owis, Jobiska, Rynde and myself,' she listed. 'Glospin and Satthralope.'
'And Quences,' said the Doctor.
'Yes, Quences of course,' she said quickly, turning to glance at the door.
'And the Doctor,' cal ed Chris. 'That makes eight.'
The die came up forty-five.
'So where are the others, Innocet?'
'I don't know.'
'I think you do. What have they been saying about me? Worst of all, what's Satthralope been saying?'
Chris turned to see the Doctor fix her with that stare again. But after a few seconds, he scowled and looked away.
'Innocet, you have a mind of adamantine marble. It's like taking tea with a monument.'
'Play,' insisted Jobiska and poked Chris with a finger.
'Just a second,' he said.
The Doctor was making his way back across the room. He straightened his tie and waistcoat. 'I'm going to see Satthralope. On my terms, not hers.'
Innocet was following. 'You can't go. She'l set the Drudges on you the first opportunity she gets.'
'And break her own rules? Thanks to you I'm an honoured guest, Cousin. Besides which, Chris will keep an eye on me.'
Thanks, thought Chris. I feel fine now.
'Sepulchasm!' called Jobiska and started to laugh. The mountainous game board had cracked across and yawned. Chris's counters hovered mockingly in the air over the wide crack. Then they slowly tumbled into the depths. The board snapped shut.
'You're supposed to hover them,' complained Jobiska.
'All consigned to the pit,' said the Doctor. 'How apt.' He went to the door and scrutinized the Drudge outside. 'Let's see how far the sacred rules of Housepitality will stretch.'
93
He stepped out into the passage and up to the waiting servant.
His nose was just below the level of the Drudge's carved cummerbund. The only movement from the creature came from two curving images of the Doctor reflected in its mirrored eyes.
'Ah, there you are,' he said. 'My friend and I would like some breakfast, please. I'm a vegetarian and my friend is allergic to dead rodents. Since the reputation of the kitchens at Lungbarrow is justly fabled, I leave the choice of delicacy up to you. But please, no mushrooms.'
The servant never moved.
'And when you've done that, I noticed a nasty mess in the North annexe. You'l need a mop, I expect.'
The Drudge remained indifferent.
'Run along now,' instructed the Doctor. 'Chop, chop.'
That, thought Chris, is surely the last thing you say to anything made of wood.
The Doctor,