irritation as she staggered to a halt beside him. But Neridah did not look at him. She was staring straight ahead, her eyes dark with fear and confusion.
Their tormentor was rubbing his hands.
“Who are you?” Lief demanded.
The man smiled mockingly.
“I?” he purred. “Why, have you not guessed? I am the Guardian.”
With a swirl of his robes, he turned and began walking away into the mist. Just before the companionslost sight of him, he carelessly lifted one hand and crooked the index finger.
And, unable to help themselves, feet dragging as they fought to resist his command, Neridah, Lief, Jasmine, and Barda stumbled after him.
T he mist swirled about them as they walked. Ferns and vines brushed their legs and faces. Shadows flickered at the edge of their vision. The valley’s people were watching, but not daring to come near.
In front of them strode the Guardian, straight-backed and tall.
“If this Guardian is taking us to his cave, or hut, or wherever he lives, so much the better,” whispered Jasmine. “That will be where he keeps —”
She broke off, glancing at Neridah, who tossed her head angrily. “I know about the great diamond!” she said, in a high voice. “Why do you think I followed you here? For the sake of your fine company?”
She stared fearfully at the Guardian’s back. “I thought you would be bound to succeed, no matter who else had failed,” she went on, her voice trembling. “I didnot dream that you would have us captured and helpless within moments of setting foot in the valley!”
“We have been captured before, and saved ourselves,” hissed Jasmine. “We will do it again. We still have our weapons.”
“He spoke of games,” Lief said slowly. “He likes games. What do you think he means?”
Barda grimaced. “Nothing pleasant, in any case. But surely it proves, at least, that he is a man, not an Ol or some other beast in human shape. It is humans who like games.”
“And if he is only a man we can defeat him, for all his magic,” said Jasmine. “Defeat him, and take the gem. We have only to wait, and learn his weaknesses.”
Lief hesitated. He, too, believed that the Guardian was human beneath the trappings of his magic power. But he was not so sure that this would make their task any easier. And something was still nagging at his memory. Something that made his skin prickle with warning whenever he thought of the diamond.
They walked for what seemed a long time, crossing a deep stream and moving at last into a clearing. Abruptly, the Guardian stopped and held up his hand. Lights began to glow through the mist. As the companions drew closer, they saw that the lights were shining inside a domed glass palace.
Mist tumbled outside the glass walls, shining eerily in the reflected light. Hundreds of shadowy grey figuresshuffled in the haze. But within the palace, rich colors glowed. The many rooms were full of fine furniture, bright rugs and paintings, gold and silver statues, silken cushions and hangings. The whole glittered like a jewel.
The Guardian had stood aside so that his prisoners could better see the palace’s wonder. Now he smiled proudly at their astonished faces.
“A dwelling fit for a king, you will agree,” he said.
When none of them answered him, his smile disappeared and a scowl took its place.
“We will go inside,” he snapped. “Perhaps that will loosen your tongues and make you more agreeable.” He tugged the cords that he held in his hands and four shapes lumbered from behind him, out of the mist.
Lief heard Neridah gasp. And indeed his own breath caught in his throat as he saw the creatures emerging from the swirling grey.
Hairless, gross, and misshapen, covered in sores and boils, twisted arms hanging almost to the ground, the monsters grinned and slobbered as they stared at the prisoners. The rubbery cords that bound them to their master coiled from puffy red centers in the backs of their necks. Sickened, Lief realized that the
Their tormentor was rubbing his hands.
“Who are you?” Lief demanded.
The man smiled mockingly.
“I?” he purred. “Why, have you not guessed? I am the Guardian.”
With a swirl of his robes, he turned and began walking away into the mist. Just before the companionslost sight of him, he carelessly lifted one hand and crooked the index finger.
And, unable to help themselves, feet dragging as they fought to resist his command, Neridah, Lief, Jasmine, and Barda stumbled after him.
T he mist swirled about them as they walked. Ferns and vines brushed their legs and faces. Shadows flickered at the edge of their vision. The valley’s people were watching, but not daring to come near.
In front of them strode the Guardian, straight-backed and tall.
“If this Guardian is taking us to his cave, or hut, or wherever he lives, so much the better,” whispered Jasmine. “That will be where he keeps —”
She broke off, glancing at Neridah, who tossed her head angrily. “I know about the great diamond!” she said, in a high voice. “Why do you think I followed you here? For the sake of your fine company?”
She stared fearfully at the Guardian’s back. “I thought you would be bound to succeed, no matter who else had failed,” she went on, her voice trembling. “I didnot dream that you would have us captured and helpless within moments of setting foot in the valley!”
“We have been captured before, and saved ourselves,” hissed Jasmine. “We will do it again. We still have our weapons.”
“He spoke of games,” Lief said slowly. “He likes games. What do you think he means?”
Barda grimaced. “Nothing pleasant, in any case. But surely it proves, at least, that he is a man, not an Ol or some other beast in human shape. It is humans who like games.”
“And if he is only a man we can defeat him, for all his magic,” said Jasmine. “Defeat him, and take the gem. We have only to wait, and learn his weaknesses.”
Lief hesitated. He, too, believed that the Guardian was human beneath the trappings of his magic power. But he was not so sure that this would make their task any easier. And something was still nagging at his memory. Something that made his skin prickle with warning whenever he thought of the diamond.
They walked for what seemed a long time, crossing a deep stream and moving at last into a clearing. Abruptly, the Guardian stopped and held up his hand. Lights began to glow through the mist. As the companions drew closer, they saw that the lights were shining inside a domed glass palace.
Mist tumbled outside the glass walls, shining eerily in the reflected light. Hundreds of shadowy grey figuresshuffled in the haze. But within the palace, rich colors glowed. The many rooms were full of fine furniture, bright rugs and paintings, gold and silver statues, silken cushions and hangings. The whole glittered like a jewel.
The Guardian had stood aside so that his prisoners could better see the palace’s wonder. Now he smiled proudly at their astonished faces.
“A dwelling fit for a king, you will agree,” he said.
When none of them answered him, his smile disappeared and a scowl took its place.
“We will go inside,” he snapped. “Perhaps that will loosen your tongues and make you more agreeable.” He tugged the cords that he held in his hands and four shapes lumbered from behind him, out of the mist.
Lief heard Neridah gasp. And indeed his own breath caught in his throat as he saw the creatures emerging from the swirling grey.
Hairless, gross, and misshapen, covered in sores and boils, twisted arms hanging almost to the ground, the monsters grinned and slobbered as they stared at the prisoners. The rubbery cords that bound them to their master coiled from puffy red centers in the backs of their necks. Sickened, Lief realized that the
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