Final Kingdom by Gilbert L. Morris Page A

do
something.
Is it really a dangerous place, Beorn?”
    Beorn did not answer for a moment. Then he said, “Yes, it is dangerous. Foul things lurk there these days —and underground rivers that could sweep us away. But I say
that
danger is not so great as falling into the hands of the Dark Lord. I would throw myself off a cliff before I would be captured by him!”
    Another debate followed then. Glori firmly argued that it would be suicide to go into the Caverns of Doom. Beorn stubbornly urged that it was their only hope.
    Finally Jake declared, “Look,
I’m
not going to be caught by those fellows back there. They’d have us in the torture chamber in the Dread Tower before it was over. I vote for the Caverns.”
    â€œSo do I,” Abbey said, surprising Beorn. He’d thought her a timid girl, but apparently she had been given courage for this.
    She came and put a hand on his shoulder. He was shorter than she and, of course, much wider. Summoning up a smile, she said, “I’ll trust you, Beorn. Do you know the way?”
    â€œIf you vote to go, I will do my best to bring you through safely,” Beorn said simply.
    Immediately Reb said, “I’m for the Caverns. Let’s get going.”
    â€œMe too,” Dave said, and Wash quickly echoed his vote. That left it up to Sarah, who rose with a grimace of pain. “Yes, I’ll try anything to stay out of their hands.”
    Glori glared at the Sleepers. “It is the wrong thing to do,” she said, “but I vowed to Goél to do my best for you. So I will go—though we all go to our deaths.”
    â€œWe do not know that,” Beorn said. His eyes glowed with eagerness. “I know the Caverns will be dangerous, but Goél will be with us, and I think I remember the way. Come—there is a hidden entrance.”
    For the next half hour they scrambled through broken rock along the cliff wall until they reached a small valley.
    â€œHere,” Beorn said. “Just as I remember. The entrance is right behind that big boulder.”
    â€œWe can’t move that!” Dave exclaimed. “It’s too big.”
    â€œIt’s balanced,” Beorn said. “Look!” He stood under the rock and braced his back against it. Shovingwith both of his powerful legs and grunting, he rolled the stone to one side.
    â€œThere,” he said, panting. He motioned to the mouth of an exposed cave. “Get your torches ready. We will burn only one at a time to make sure that they last. Everyone stay as close to me as you can. Dave, you bring up the rear. We go for Goél,” Beorn said. Then he plunged into the dark cavern.
    At first the blackness in the Caverns seemed as thick as the surrounding rock out of which they were carved. Only the flickering light of the torch held aloft by Beorn lit the way. However, Sarah, who followed immediately behind him, discovered that after a time her eyes adjusted to the intense dark. The pathway was wide and flat, as if beaten by many feet. Above, the cave roof arched upward nearly ten feet at the highest point.
    Beorn gave them an encouraging word from time to time. When they came to a fork, he said, “I remember. That way—” he motioned to the right “—leads to a trap. No one comes out again from that passage.”
    â€œAre you sure it’s the
right
one that’s the trap?” Glori asked. She stared into both darkened ways and appeared unhappy about the whole thing. “It’s not too late to turn back . . .”
    â€œWe can’t do that,” Sarah said wearily. “Go on, Beorn.”
    Beorn plunged down the left passageway.
    The cavern trail gradually began to lead downward. Sarah felt the tilt of the path beneath her feet. Down, down, down they went. Then she began hearing the gurgle of an underground river, and finally they came to it. Fortunately the stream was very narrow.
    â€œWe must fill up our