Menagerie - Martin Day [40]
Both knights laughed loudly, the noise chasing around the stone columns and buttresses.
'So, has the young lady been apprehended?' The voice —
presumably Zaitabor's — was thick with sarcasm, as if the words were intended for public consumption, but the real meaning was altogether different. Jamie felt the hairs on the back of his neck rising.
'No, Commander. The lady must have escaped from the castle.'
'What, escaped from Castle Kuabris?' There was a quieter, sniggering laugh. 'That cannot be possible!'
'As jailor, I throw myself on your mercy!'
There was a pregnant pause, and then another storm of laughter.
When it had subsided Zaitabor said, 'It is time.' His voice was cold now, all trace of humour gone.
'Yes, Commander,' said the jailor quietly.
Jamie and Cosmae watched as the two knights marched past their hiding place, oblivious to their presence. A few moments later Jamie set out to follow them. The muffled sound of chattering teeth reminded Jamie that his young friend was not far behind.
The bottom part of the ladder was bolted on to the brick wall of an expansive chamber of echoes and reflecting water. From the far end of the room there came the sound of a constant downpour of water, the source of which the Doctor shuddered to contemplate. The lamplight played weaving strands of silver on to the ceiling, but could not even begin to illuminate the full extent of the chamber. The Doctor estimated from the echoes that the room was roughly circular, and a full hundred feet in diameter.
He turned to Himesor. 'You have the map?'
Himesor nodded. 'Despite the legends of the Menagerie occasional inspections were made in the past, before the fumes became too noxious.' Himesor angled the parchment towards his lamp. The Doctor could see his look of concentration through the helmet.
'You spoke of past events,' said the Doctor. 'A sin for a Knight of Kuabris, surely?'
Himesor ignored him, staring at the parchment. After a moment he nodded. 'Ah, Doctor, I see the reasoning behind the route you propose. I wondered at first what complicated scientific process had so accurately plotted a course through the myriad interconnected tunnels and pipes of the sewer.
But now I see. As in the castle, the secrets are always downwards.'
The Doctor nodded, 'Well, it's one possible approach. I don't guarantee that we'll find your Menagerie, but —'
'No matter.' Himesor splashed through the water and towards one of the dark tunnels that led off from the chamber. He could just about fit into it without crouching, but the group would have to move through it in single file.
Himesor drew his sword. Scratches along the edge of the keen blade indicated that, unlike much of the Kuabris armour, this weapon had seen battle.
The Doctor heard the other knights draw their weapons.
He followed Himesor into the tunnel. It descended quickly and was reasonably dry. The brickwork seemed a few hundred years old, no more. There were occasional signs of more recent repair, of mismatching bricks and bright mortar.
The Doctor was about to comment on this when he heard shouts behind him. Two of the knights were poking about their feet with their swords. One was laughing. There was an animal cry, and a rat-like thing shot down the tunnel and past the Doctor and Himesor.
'No real monsters yet,' the Doctor said as Himesor turned to see what all the fuss was.
'This tunnel doesn't go much further,' said Himesor, trudging onwards. 'Then we should be able to —' The Grand Knight stopped for a moment, and looked around him.
'Doctor. These walls.'
'Hmm?' The Doctor walked up to Himesor, and quickly saw the source of Himesor's concern. The rough brick tunnel came to an untidy conclusion, replaced over a few yards by walls of polished and coloured metal. The Doctor ran his hands over them. 'The metal's as smooth as when this corridor was first constructed.'
'Which was?'