Final Kingdom by Gilbert L. Morris

you see that?”
    â€œYes, it was the sun on a shield or spear, wasn’t it?”
    â€œThey’re coming up. We’ll have to go on even if Sarah is hurting.”
    They hurried back to the others, and Beorn looked at Glori defiantly. “We’ve got to move.”
    â€œSarah’s not able to travel,” she said coldly.
    â€œShe won’t be any better if the Dark Lord’s henchmen get their hands on her. That leg wound will be nothing compared to what they’ll do to her.”
    The coldness between the two, which had always lain just beneath the surface, was now out in the open.
    Glori said, “You were the leader to the Land of Ice, Beorn, but the Sleepers must follow me now. Either take my orders or leave!”
    Beorn said nothing. He settled himself back on his heels and glared at her. He knew what Goél had said. Until now, it had been his task to guide the Sleepers— but she knew these mountains, and he did not.
    â€œWhat should we do, Glori?” Reb asked.
    â€œJust try to lose them. I know a pass up ahead. Wemay be able to take that, and maybe they’ll lose us. Can you walk, Sarah?”
    â€œI can make it.” Sarah painfully got to her feet.
    Beorn thought she was trying not to let the pain show on her face.
    The little procession wound upward, all stumbling as they went. Two long hours later, Glori led them off the main trail.
    â€œWait!
I know this part of the trail at least!” Beorn said. “It’s a dead end.”
    â€œI know a way out.”
    Beorn tried to argue, but Glori said sharply, “Be quiet, Beorn. We haven’t got time to discuss it. Just follow me!”
    Wearily they forged forward for another hour until they came up against a solid rock wall that barred their path.
    â€œWe can’t climb that!” Dave exclaimed. He turned to Glori.
    She gnawed her lip. “I must’ve taken a wrong turn,” she said.
    Beorn looked back down the path. “Those men are trackers. They’ll find us here. They’re probably right on our heels, so we can’t go back the way we came.”
    All the Sleepers appeared overcome with dismay.
    Sarah slumped to the ground, as though her wounded leg was unable to bear her weight. “What can we do? We’re too weak to fight. We’ve got to hide.”
    â€œHide
where?”
Jake demanded. He looked up at the sheer wall. “There’s no way to go but back.”
    â€œThat won’t do,” Beorn said. “Those trackers are on their way to this spot right now.”
    But Glori said, “We’ll
have
to go back. There’s no other choice. Maybe they missed our tracks.”
    â€œNo,” Beorn said slowly, “there
is
another way out.” When they all stared at him in shock, he said, “I recognize this place. I was here only once before, and it was many years ago, but I do remember this one spot.” His dark eyes glowed with sudden fire. “We can go through the Caverns of Doom.”
    The very sound of Beorn’s words visibly sent a chill through every Sleeper.
    â€œThe Caverns of Doom!” Wash exclaimed. “That don’t sound like nothin’ I want to go through.”
    â€œWe can’t go through that place!” Glori exclaimed.
    â€œHave you ever been there?” Beorn demanded.
    â€œOf course not! No one goes there—except renegade dwarfs.” She turned to the Sleepers. “The Caverns of Doom are caves made partly by nature, and they became the home of wicked dwarfs.”
    â€œThey were not
wicked!”
Beorn cried. “They were my forefathers, and that was their home until the Dark Lord sent traitors among us.”
    â€œI won’t argue about it,” Glori said. “We’re not going through the Caverns of Doom!”
    â€œWait a minute, Glori,” Dave said suddenly. He cast a wary glance at the path they had taken to this dead end. “We’ve got to