The Serpent of Eridor (13 page)

Smuddy Binks sprinted back the way he'd come with his mind wrenched in two directions at once. Unable to run and think at the same time, he stopped and lay under a chest of drawers to mull.

I like Flick, but do I have good enough reason to side with her? I made a major mistake by giving loyalty too early to Tevo
.
Maybe I'm overreacting to the situation with the goblins
, he thought.
Maybe they don't really think I'm stupid. Perhaps if I go back and report the information about Ravenscraig's floor plan they would respect me more. Once we've broken out of the castle I could sneak away, not trying to sever from them and Ravenscraig all in one go. Doing either will probably be fatal: doing both together will definitely be the end for me
.

‘Well done, Smuddy Binks,'
he imagined them saying.
‘You've been amazingly brave.'

Mentally propped up by the vision, he made his way back to the kitchen. As he squeezed back through the hatch the goblins and animals stopped talking. Cold eyes turned to stare at him.

‘Where have you been?' shot out Tevo, the icy hardness of steel in his voice.

Rectoria crossed the room to grab Smuddy Binks by one ear. Viciously, painfully, she shook him. ‘Who said you could go?'

Smuddy Binks glared back at their hostile, suspicious faces. Hatred of all of them cascaded through his mind like a shower of fire. Anger washed out reason. He opened his muzzle to yelp out a stream of abuse.

He caught Hebor's smirk. This was exactly what that filthy dog wanted: Smuddy Binks to be suffering and in serious danger. A few unwise angry words would be followed by the smell of roasting badger. Smuddy Binks's mind cleared, as if a freezing wind had blown through his head. He let his body sag, head droop.

‘My ear,' he squealed, overplaying the pain. ‘Please let me go.'

Rectoria shook him even harder. ‘No chance. Where did you go?'

‘I went to the main part of the house. Spying.'

‘What, you, a stupid badger?' asked Tevo. ‘Snooping? What exactly did you hope to learn?'

Smuddy Binks tried to wrench away out of Rectoria's grip. Her nails dug in harder, blood welling up where the ragged tips had cut into his flesh as he pulled away. Smuddy Binks stopped struggling as it increased the agony.

‘I thought I could find out who was here and how many guards… ' His voice tailed off as he looked at their stony faces.

‘Crass idiot,' spat out Rectoria, taking his other ear and shaking his whole head violently.

‘Stop. It feels like my brain is banging around inside my skull.'

Rectoria continued to shake him. ‘You could have blown our cover. It has cost us much to get this far. We'll not have it all thrown away by an insignificant fur ball like you.' Rectoria flung him across the kitchen, as if she were a shot-putter.

Smuddy Binks crashed into the stone wall. Agony shot through his head as points of white light floated across his darkened vision. The animals' laughter seemed to be coming from a long distance away. He shook his head to clear his mind, but only made himself want to hurl. He swallowed hard and took a couple of deep slow breaths. Gradually his vision cleared, although his skull still felt as if it had been cut in half with a meat cleaver.

The other animals stared at Smuddy Binks. Not one had lifted a paw to help him, not even Grut.
Each was suspicious because he'd escaped: each grateful that it wasn't them in Rectoria's firing line
, he reasoned. He felt that by lying he had already betrayed the pack. This gave him a swell of pride.

A faint smile hovered at the corners of Hebor's mouth, as if he was loving seeing another animal suffer. Smuddy Binks held his gaze and let his hatred of the dog cascade through him, hardening his heart. It was exactly the spur he needed to keep his mind focused on pretending to still be loyal, although he was dying to bury his right front paw into Hebor's smug face.

Whining, he started again. ‘But I wasn't caught. And I did find some information.'

‘Yeah, sure. Like where to find some edible food, I hope,' said Rycant.

Everybody laughed.

It seemed impossible to believe
, Smuddy Binks thought.
Hours before we were comrades – brothers in arms – a team. Now, with minimal encouragement from Tevo and a faint whiff of suspicion, they are ready to ridicule me, to stand back and watch me suffer. Right. I'm on Flick's side now, but I'll be dead if they know. Keep acting.

‘So what did you find out?' Tevo dropped his mirthless laughter like a mask. ‘Not that it's going to help us.'

‘Not very much,' muttered Smuddy Binks, keeping his face bland and stupid.

‘How many soldiers did you see?' barked out Rectoria.

‘None,' he replied. Instantly, he realised that this didn't help Flick. He added, ‘You see, I crawled under a chest of drawers and fell asleep.' He looked round at the other faces as if seeking understanding. Stony eyes met his own.

Hebor's malicious smile deepened. ‘You must be either lazy or stupid to doze off on when spying.'

‘Both,' laughed Rycant.

‘Is that all you have to report?' growled Rectoria, grabbing his ear again like a clamp.

‘Yes,' replied Smuddy Binks, allowing genuine pain to show in his face. ‘I suppose it is.' He dropped his gaze, silent.

Rectoria hung on, digging her nails in harder. ‘Obey or die,' she hissed at him. Letting go, she aimed a kick at Arnak and Ferox who were watching the display of emotional fireworks. ‘Get out of my way. I want that spot.'

Leaping to their feet the foxes sloped off, glaring at the badger.

Smuddy Binks slunk away to a dark corner where he could lie undisturbed. He pressed one of his aching ears to the cool floor, mind in overdrive, working out how he could help Flick.

*

Two floors above them, Flick watched their conversation on her crystal. As Smuddy Binks lied about falling asleep under a chest of drawers she knew that he was protecting her, hiding the fact that they'd met. Could he now be her ally, ready to betray the other side? she wondered. But she couldn't yet trust him. After all, he'd probably set off round the castle spying. If he was now on her side, he might turn back again.

‘Extalo.'

The crystal went blank. Flick sank to the floor and sat cross-legged, thinking. She'd seen Smuddy Binks emerging from the log store hatch into the kitchen as she had switched the crystal back on. Presumably he had gone back the way he had escaped. The opening was fairly small – but if a largish badger could get through, doubtless several of the other animals could – including the foxes, though not the goblins. She needed the door to be guarded immediately.

Swiftly she went and scanned Mondia for Benix. The white Pyrenean mountain dog lay on a lush emerald mountainside chatting to two turquoise curly-horned rams. As he saw Flick's hand reaching down to him he stood up and stretched.

‘It seems I'm off.'

‘No problem,' replied the older ram. ‘See you later.'

From the perspective of his present size Flick's fingers seemed to be those of a particularly tall giant. The vast hand approached, blotting out the sun, throwing Benix and the goats into deep shadow. Two massive fingers dropped a small bubble over Benix, then whisked him into the sky. He felt an amazing rush, like being launched into space.

A few seconds later he landed on Flick's bedroom carpet. Flick popped the bubble, reversing the weightlessness spell; Benix sprang to full size. Waist height, solid muscle, he leapt at Flick, knocking her flat. Planting his feet either side of her, Benix licked her face with his great wet rasping tongue.

‘No time for a cuddle,' said Flick, failing to push the ninety-kilo dog away. ‘This is an emergency.'

‘Excellent.'

She wrapped her arms round his warm soft neck to pull herself back up to sitting. ‘I need you savage, not friendly.'

‘How's this?' He bared his teeth, planted his feet, his tail straight up. From deep inside his barrel chest rose a menacing growl.

‘Perfect.'

With a snap of her fingers his silky white fur changed to spiky dark brown and his eyes became red. Benix sloped across to the mirror. As he admired himself, Flick explained about the goblins, including how a badger had already gained access to the main house.

‘Guard the log chute. Let no one escape through it. I'll show you the target.' She instructed the crystal wall, ‘Pictal kitchen.'

The silver-blue crystal clouded, flickered silver sparks – then cleared, displaying an empty room.

Horrified, she called urgently, ‘Pictal intruders.'

The screen split into several pictures: Tevo aiming for Zorrin's study; Rectoria running towards the basement; the other animals scattering as they crept softly round Ravenscraig.

Flick felt as if her heart had fallen like a brick into her stomach. ‘They've escaped.'

‘Didn't you lock them in?'

‘Yes, but only with a key. Their magic must be more powerful than I'd thought.'

She took his muzzle in her hands, holding his face close to hers. ‘The situation is grave. The goblins must be stopped at all costs. I'll tackle the goblins: you deal with the rest. Trap but don't kill the badgers. One may be on our side. Take Myth.'

‘I'll work alone. Keep the kitty.' The massive dog bounded off.

‘Come, Myth. The battle has begun.'

At Makusha, black clouds hung in thick banks, chucking out snow and hail. Bitter wind slammed around the side of the mountain, flinging splinters of ice into the faces of the group struggling up from the Modo. Craggy slate-grey rocks jutted out of the deep snow, razor-sharp edges clawing at the sky. No sheltering tree broke the landscape. Zorrin's use of the word inhospitable was proving to be a massive understatement.

Alex trudged with his eyes screwed up against the wind, his field of vision down to narrow slits. Even so, his eyeballs stung unbearably, as if they were rough metal marbles rammed into his head. His ears felt like frozen lumps of flesh attached painfully to his skull. Yet his body remained warm, thanks to Zorrin's magic. Unfortunately Zorrin hadn't been able to make a seal round their heads, as they would have suffocated.

‘Alive and cold,' he'd said as they set out, ‘Is better than warm but dying.'

Stating the obvious had earned him a thump on the shoulder. The retaliatory cuff on the head had nearly started a war as Myth piled in, until Tariq had pointed out that they were trying to save Eridor – so shouldn't they get going?

Setting off from the Modo had been awful, but the further they'd climbed up Makusha's flank the worse the conditions had become. Within a half-hour's trudge the wind had stiffened up into a blizzard.

Beside their narrow path the ground fell in a sheer cliff on to vicious pointed rocks hundreds of metres below. On the other side the mountain face rose steeply.

‘See that ledge above us?' asked Skoodle.

Yup,
transferred Alex.

‘Packed with snow.'

Yup.

‘Ripe for an avalanche.'

Which could be set off by sound. Which is why I'm not talking.

Oh. Something funny, by the way. Check out Zorrin.

Pulling his foot out of another deep snow hole Alex paused and glanced across to Zorrin, whose long hair was tumbling down his back encased in ice as if it were a frozen waterfall.

Sherpa. Sherp quicker or we'll freeze.

Snail pace is max. Want to walk?

Thanks, but no.

‘This is not so bad,' said Ikara from the ground near Alex's feet.

Alex halted and stared at her wondering.
How anyone could describe this as anything less than horrendous?

No wind at snake height: heated snow proof cap; great spells from Zorrin,
returned Skoodle.
Not so terrific for us.

Some reptiles get all the luck
, returned Alex, as hail hammered on to his head.

And food
, Skoodle added, as a fat snow beetle veered into Ikara's path.
That stupid creature will make a tasty snake snack
.

Ikara's tongue snapped out and coiled around the beetle, but the wet tip froze to the ice. As she yanked to rip it away, the force of her contraction whipped her body forward. She landed sprawling on the side of the path. The beetle slid from beneath the loop of frozen tongue and scuttled off behind a rock.

‘Help me,' Ikara said. ‘My tongue ith thtuck.'

Zorrin stopped and looked back.
‘Relashio velk.'

The tip of Ikara's tongue began to steam then flew off the ice, whipping backwards like released elastic. There was a small crack as tongue met teeth at speed.

‘Death to all beetles,' she said, pushing her cap back in place with her tail. ‘And if any of you laugh… '

‘No. Serious business,' said Zorrin, the creases at the sides of his eyes deepening. Tariq turned round with Keeko to stare at the landscape. Alex bit his lip hard. But in Alex's pocket a hamster lay on his back kicking his legs and whooping with laughter, tears streaming down his furry face, thoughts suddenly blocked.

‘Onwards,' said Zorrin. Alex could have sworn that there was a smile buried in the long wizard beard, but his tone was serious.

Ikara glanced suspiciously at him, unsure whether to believe the serious tone of his voice or the lines beside his eyes. Pursing her lips in irritation, she set off at a fast slither. Raising his eyebrows and grinning back at the others, Zorrin trudged off after her.

Skoodle's voice floated up to Alex. ‘Thtupid thnake.'

Trudging onwards, Alex leaned into the wind, trying to walk in Zorrin's tracks. At each step he sank up to his knees in the snow. Each leg had to be wrenched out before he could attempt another achingly slow pace forward.

We may not make it,
Alex transferred to Skoodle.
I'm exhausted.

You've dealt with more difficult stuff, like running from crocodiles.

Marginally worse. Must lie down for a bit.
Halting, he transferred to Zorrin,
Can we rest for a bit?

Deeply unwise. We'll freeze to death if we stop moving, despite the spells.

But the snow looks so soft and comfortable… it might be warmer than you'd think. I'll try it out for all of us.

As Alex's knees started to sag Zorrin cut in,
Keep going. There's a cave ahead. We'll shelter there. You're getting a soggy brain. Snow fever.

Sharp hamster claws dug into him.
Keep walking or I'll savage you.

Alex lifted a heavy leg again, staggering forward, mind slightly focused by the pain of eighteen claws. Five minutes later they found the cave. They stumbled through the tall oval entrance into a wide tunnel. Icy wind roared past the opening but could not touch them. Alex leaned against the cold rock wall, eyes closed, panting. No hail stinging his face and no head-freezing ache felt blissful.

‘Follow me,' said Zorrin, lighting a small fire in the palm of one hand. ‘We'll move down the tunnel, then I'll make a hot drink before we go back out.'

The relief that Alex had been feeling blew away in a sudden rush of irritation at the whole wizarding world. Why did it have to be so tough? He'd done nothing bad, yet now he had to fight to save his and his friends' lives. Why did they all have to wade through a spine-chilling blizzard? Stuff the fact that the Xo force stopped them transparticulating into the mountain. There had to be another way. Anything had to be better than tramping through this horrendous storm.

Zorrin reached into his robes and brought out a large steaming mug of hot chocolate.

‘Looks terrific,' said Keeko, almost snatching it from Zorrin.

Feeling even more irritable at Keeko getting hers first, Alex took the next one and drank deeply. At the first gulp he could feel warmth cascading through his body, like a warm balloon bursting inside him.

‘Snow fever gone?' asked Zorrin, handing out drinks to the others.

‘That desire to lie down, whatever the cost? The foul mood? Yes, both gone. How did it happen?'

‘Your brain got cold. It happens more to humans than other animals except toads, which have been known to lie down and die in relatively mild hailstorms.'

‘Yummy,' murmured Ikara. ‘Frozen toad.'

‘No. This must be better,' whispered Skoodle, voice thick with contentment. ‘Chocolatably wonderful.'

‘Fabulous,' Keeko murmured, licking chocolate off the fur round her mouth.

‘Ice,' said Alex, relaxing.

Zorrin raised his eyebrows. ‘Steaming hot? Warm?'

Wrapping his fingers more tightly around his cup, Alex replied, ‘About seventy-five degrees Celsius.'

‘Seventy-one, but close,' said Zorrin, taking a long drink.

‘Whatever.' Alex couldn't argue. All the fight had gone out of him. He felt like a boneless body bag, unable to think or reason, capable only of the sensation of molten pleasure.

Zorrin waved his free hand in an arc, murmuring a few words, then sat down on air.

Mug in hand, Keeko scampered across and sat next to him. ‘Clever,' she said.

‘Basic structural spell, which is one of the five divisions of magic.' Zorrin pointed to the air next to each one then added, ‘Go on, sit down. Now you've all got a seat.'

Alex sat, finding the air solid yet soft – like a cushion, but warm. Ikara curled up, head lolling over the edge of her pillow, drinking from a low wide bowl on the ground in front of her.

‘Tongue OK, Ikara?' asked Zorrin, a half smile playing on his lips.

‘Fine,' she replied, licking her mouth. ‘Pity none of you bothered to grab that insolent insect. It would have gone well with this: beetle dunked in chocolate.'

After a few minutes Alex found that the ice in his hair was melting, trickling down his neck. He leaned forward and put both hands in his sandy blond hair, scruffing it up, shaking out the water like a dog.

‘Hey, stop,' said Skoodle. ‘You're getting me wet.'

‘Sorry. It's fine on the beach.'

Skoodle shook his head. ‘Location malfunction.'

Zorrin rose, holding his cup flat on the palm of his hand. He raised an eyebrow at it. The cup vanished. From inside his robes he pulled a long yellow parchment and smoothed it flat on to an air table. With a leather-clad finger, he pointed at the map of Makusha. ‘We're at this point. Following this narrow path, we need to get a kilometre further around the mountain.' Zorrin indicated a thin dotted line. ‘The rock sides above and below us will be vertical, but we'll probably be safe.'

‘Probably is not comforting,' said Skoodle. ‘How about definitely or undeniably?'

‘Take your pick. Both are wrong.' Zorrin folded the map. ‘Onwards.'

Involuntarily, Alex shuddered.

‘Not you, Alex, nor Keeko,' said Zorrin, placing a hand on their shoulders. ‘We'll go on alone and collect you on the way back.'

‘No way,' Alex said, getting to his feet. ‘I'm part of the expedition too. I'm coming.'

‘And me,' said Keeko, standing up on her cushion and glaring at Zorrin. ‘I'm going to the centre of this mountain or dying in the attempt.'

‘It's better that you don't,' said Zorrin, his tone gentle. ‘You're already weakened and exhausted. If Alex gets snow fever again it will be a disaster. The others will be fine. Tariq is built for these conditions; I have made Ikara impervious.'

‘But—'

‘No buts. It could wreck the whole expedition. There's no point in taking the risk, Keeko. It'll be safer if we remain in groups.'

‘Alex and Skoodle are a group,' said Keeko. ‘I'm coming.'

‘It's better that you stay, Keeko,' said Tariq, crouching to place an enormous arm around her shoulders. ‘If we needed an extra fighter we'd take you – but this is only information gathering: speaking with stone, gossiping with granite, reminiscing with rock.'

Keeko looked into his deep brown eyes. ‘You sure?'

‘Never been more positive.'

‘Nor more negative about the weather. Odd combo,' commented Ikara. ‘Totally positive plus totally negative. That makes you an emotional blank.'

‘Watch the compliments,' said Tariq, rising, ‘or I may never get my swollen head back out of this tunnel. Ready, Ikara?'

‘Suppose so. I'm so going to keep this spell once we're off this living rock brain.'

‘It's a very difficult hex,' said Zorrin, as he glanced over at the snow drifting at the end of the tunnel. ‘It took some time to make as well as a wad of mental effort. Enjoy it while it lasts.'

‘Or while I last,' she said. ‘We may yet die on this mountain with its meteorological black curse.'

Tariq grinned. ‘Optimism will get you everywhere. Ever tried it?'

‘No. I'm giving it up.'

‘You can't give up something that you've never tried,' said Tariq.

‘Watch me. Learn a life lesson. Welcome to ultra-cerebration theory.'

‘Theory is fine. What about practical applications?'

‘Practical ultra-cerebration? Look, if I'm inventing something I'll make up what I like. I didn't create a practical bit.'

Tariq set off towards the mouth of the tunnel, Ikara beside him. ‘Let's define ultra-cerebration… '

Alex felt a surge of loyalty as he watched his friends forcing their way into the storm, tackling this elephantine task: protecting Keeko, Skoodle and himself, yet not making a big thing out of it. The credit-rating of favours lay heavily against him. He'd have to do a whole heap of rescuing them all to get even.