Menagerie - Martin Day [82]
Extract from Trial of the Pendulum Scientist by Grand Knight Himesor.
Sixteen
Cosmae and Kaquaan walked slowly through the castle, marvelling at how quickly the authority of the knights had turned to dust. There seemed to be as many guards patrolling the corridors and hallways as followers of Kuabris. The knights had given up without a fight, many of them perhaps having sensed for a long time that something was profoundly wrong. Zaitabor's name was whispered in banqueting halls and servants' quarters, but no one even challenged the couple as they approached Araboam's room.
Kaquaan had told her tale of recent events with great vigour, embellishing a little, making jokes at Jamie's expense, nudging Cosmae in the ribs every time she mentioned his recent predicament. Cosmae's story on the other hand had been short and muted, as there was little to say and his head hurt. He had been taken by the knights to a set of cells far beneath the castle. He instinctively knew that he was in the hands of the Brotherhood of Rexulon. There was no guard outside his strong cell door, and only very occasionally did a knight bring him food. He had been told that he could shout for as long as he liked, but he would never be heard. He believed this to be quite true.
From further down the corridor there had come an intermittent sound that reminded him of grasshoppers on a summer's day. This he now knew to be the native language of the Taculbain Queen, and the dismal brotherhood cells had been her sad abode for a number of years.
Cosmae continued his recollections. 'I was given some sort of herb to eat,' he said. 'The leaves were bright yellow. I was determined not to eat the stuff, so I chewed and pretended to swallow. When no one was looking I spat it out again.'
'Perhaps that's what I was given,' said Kaquaan. 'Perhaps that's what made me sleep, ready for the sacrifice.' She shivered.
'How much further is it?' ask Cosmae.
'Not far,' she said.
'Well, I think . . .' Cosmae stopped walking, and rubbed his head. 'I'm really not feeling too well,' he explained.
Kaquaan placed her hands on his cheeks and stared into his eyes. 'You look poorly,' she said. 'You'd better go home.
I'll meet you there when I've checked up on our friend with the wandering hands.'
'But I can't leave you — just in case he's still in there.'
Do not worry,' said Kaquaan, resting a finger on his lips.
'I've still got his sword. And I'm sure the City Guard will help, if it comes to that.' She raised the blade to the light.
'You know,' she smiled, 'I am quite enjoying this.'
'Very well,' said Cosmae. He turned to leave. 'A few days ago I could think of few things worse than being rescued by a woman. But it's different with you.'
Kaquaan smiled. 'I know. I'll catch you up before you're even home. You'll see.'
She watched the young man walk back down the corridor and past a pair of chattering guards, staring in awe at the rich designs patterned along the ceiling. Then she moved away in search of Araboam's quarters.
'I wouldn't have thought it possible,' said Jamie, 'but this place is worse than the city. At least there I can see where I'm going.'
'If you have always lived somewhere you get used to it,'
said the Dugraq scout. 'It takes me a long time to adjust to the bright light on the surface.'
Defrabax followed behind at a distance, his eyes wide to capture every element of what he saw. Before him, and beneath an oppressive solid sky of rock, sat the old city he had seen previously only in his dreams. Even in the dim light he found the place magical and tantalising.
'Magnificent,' he said at last. 'The men that produced such a place must have walked amongst the gods.'
The Dugraq snorted. 'From what we know of the people here they probably came from the other place.'
'To finally be able to see what before I could only imagine,' continued Defrabax. 'To be able to walk the streets I thought that only my homunculus would ever walk.'
'Our worker,' corrected the Dugraq.
The man threw his arms into the air. 'Oh, this is wondrous!'
'It's dark