The companions saw the old woman, Nols, glaring at them through the bars of the cage.
‘You must not speak ill of Doran in this place,’ she repeated in a lower voice. ‘He was a friend to us in ages past. Before The Fear grew.’
‘Come away, Grandmother,’ muttered Clef, pulling her back.
‘They said an evil thing of Doran,’ complained Nols. ‘I could not let it pass.’
‘Doran is only a character of legend,’ said Clef impatiently. ‘It does not matter what they say of him.’
‘Doran was not a legend!’ exclaimed Nols. ‘Was it not Doran who told us to beware of Longhairs and other creatures from above? Was it not Doran who said that some of them were servants of the Shadow Lord? How else did we know?’
‘Doran was real enough. And he was right to warn you,’ Jasmine burst out urgently. ‘But we are the Shadow Lord’s enemies, not his friends.’
The two faces, old and young, turned to look at her in surprise.
‘We came here only to find the secret way to the Shadowlands,’ Jasmine hurried on. ‘Many of our people—our loved ones—have been taken captive by the Shadow Lord. We must reach them, and save them. We must! Before it is too late.’ Her voice trembled as she said the last words.
Lief and Barda glanced at her quickly, surprised by the desperation in her voice. Jasmine had always been determined to free the slaves. But this strong feeling seemed far more personal. And why had she said, ‘before it is too late’?
The expression on Nols’ wrinkled face had changed from anger to something like pity.
‘If that is true, your journey was always in vain,’ she said, shaking her head sadly. ‘The Glimmer is the only gateway to the far seas, and it has been sealed by The Fear.’
Jasmine bowed her head, biting her lip. As she did so, the singing in the background rose to a climax, then died away.
‘Clef! Nols!’ Worron called harshly. ‘Get back! The Giving is about to commence.’
15 - The Bargain
Clef took his grandmother’s arm and pulled her gently away. At the same moment, the carved panel behind the cage began to slide silently aside.
Through the gap the prisoners could see a narrow band of shore and a sheet of scarlet water. On the other side of the water the cavern ended in a natural wall of high, sheer rock, gleaming red. And in the rock, directly opposite the cage, yawned the entrance to a cave.
Ropes attached to the top of the cage spanned the water and led directly into the cave. Lief saw, to his horror, that several members of the crowd had taken hold of one of the ropes. The cage lurched and began moving towards the water.
‘Stop!’ Lief shouted. ‘We can help you! Use us not to feed The Fear, but to destroy it!’
The goblins pulling the rope hesitated.
‘Do not listen to the Longhair!’ roared Worron. ‘The ceremony must continue!’
The cage jolted and began to slide again.
‘We are warriors!’ Lief shouted. ‘Together we have defeated many monsters—some of them the servants of the Shadow Lord. Free us, return our weapons, and we will rid you of The Fear forever!’
Again the cage stopped moving. The goblins who had been pulling the rope began arguing in low voices.
‘I say we let them try!’ called Azan from, the middle of the crowd. ‘They are Longhairs—tall and strong and skilled in battle. Their weapons are of steel. If they could destroy The Fear—think what it would mean to us!’
‘No!’ Worron’s face was twisted with anger. ‘Are you mad? If we free the Longhairs, they will turn on us, and the power is not strong enough to hold them all.’
‘We will not harm you—we swear it!’ called Barda. He pointed to Lief. ‘This is the king of Deltora. The magic belt he wears is proof of it. Did Doran tell you no tales of its power?’
Many in the crowd pressed forward curiously as Lief pulled aside his cloak to show the belt at his waist. Plainly they had indeed heard of the Belt of Deltora.
Worron’s eyes narrowed with suspicion as he, too, peered through the bars of the cage.
‘It resembles the belt in the tales,’ he said slowly. ‘But I see no magic in it.’
‘Perhaps your feeble eyes are not worthy, goblin!’ roared Glock, ignoring Barda’s efforts to quiet him.
Lief’s heart sank as he saw Worron’s face harden and draw away.
‘You see?’ Worron cried, turning to face the crowd. ‘Longhairs lie and cheat as easily as they breathe. Did you hear what that one called me? Does it not remind you that Longhairs killed the traitors who went to seek the sun in ages past, calling them “goblins” to excuse the slaughter?’
Glock’s lip curled. ‘If you are not goblins, what are you?’ he muttered under his breath.
‘We are not liars, Worron!’ shouted Jasmine, desperate to undo the damage Glock had done. ‘We will keep our word! We have good reason to do so. We need to pass through The Glimmer. We need to reach the other side. And for that we must face The Fear in any case.’
‘I believe she is speaking the truth,’ quavered Nols. As heads turned in her direction, she lifted her chin and continued more loudly. ‘Whatever you say, Worron, we cannot turn our backs on the chance to rid ourselves of the Fear. Such a chance may never come again.’
‘And if the Longhairs betray us?’ sneered Worron. ‘If they run, steal boats, and take to the seas? What of The Giving? We have already had the final warning.’
Nols looked at him proudly. ‘I was the chosen Gift before the strangers came here. If they fail us, I will take their place in the cage.’
‘If Nols is willing to trust them, then so am I!’ called a high-pitched voice in the crowd. Many other voices shouted agreement.
But Worron shook his head, frowning. ‘The Fear cannot be destroyed,’ he said, folding his hands. ‘The sacrifice it demands is hard, but suffering is the way of the world. And if The Glimmer is sealed, so much the better. We have no wish to know those who live on the other side.’
‘Now we come to it!’ shouted Clef passionately. ‘A hundred deaths or one, it is all the same to you, Worron. As long as nothing changes!’
He ran to the cage and began opening the lock.
‘Stop!’ Worron shouted in rage. He raised his hand. There was a flash, the light dimmed, and Clef was struck motionless.
There was a moment’s tense silence. Then Nols walked slowly to her grandson’s side.
‘Free him, Worron,’ she said quietly. ‘Or we will take back the power we gave you.’
Worron bared his teeth. ‘You cannot—’
‘We can,’ said Nols. ‘We can, and we will.’
Struck dumb with fury, Worron’s eyes raked the crowd. He saw no sign of support there. Instead he saw anger, determination, and—hope.
Sulkily he raised his hand again. The light returned to normal. Clef stumbled slightly, shook himself, and without a word began fumbling once more with the lock on the door of the cage.
In moments the door was open. One by one Lief, Barda, Jasmine and Glock hobbled to freedom. They stretched their arms and legs in relief as Clef and Azan cut their bonds. Others in the crowd brought their weapons.
‘Now we will see,’ sneered Worron, standing well back.
‘I think I will warm my sword on him before we go,’ Glock muttered, flexing his cramped hands.
‘Save your sword for the beast!’ snapped Jasmine. She measured the distance to the cave with her eyes. ‘How best should we reach it?’
‘I have a plan,’ Lief began. ‘The cage—’
‘I know what you are thinking, and I agree,’ Barda interrupted. ‘But you are no part of this, Lief. You must go to high ground, and wait.’
Lief shook his head. ‘I cannot do that. I will not.’ The thought of Marilen waiting anxiously at home flashed into his mind, but he thrust it away.
‘Do what Barda says, Lief,’ said Jasmine. ‘You have no choice.’