so pleased you seemed to enjoy my song.”
Iriya knew instinctively that this woman was evil. Her alluring singing voice, the spectacularly acrobatic entrance she’d made, and more than anything, the sensuousness and air of the supernatural that billowed from her captivating form were proof of that. She had to get Meeker to a safe place so she could counterattack. However, that notion dissolved in the powerful acids of her brain, changing, keeping Iriya from fighting.
Still, on seeing the Huntress’s hand beginning to creep toward the scabbard on her hip, the woman—Lorelei—smiled alluringly.
“Even a full-fledged warrior can’t move a muscle when he hears my song. You’re really something special. It’s no use, though. Hear it once, and you’re my slave. Now, come with me.”
The woman took Iriya’s horse by the bridle and was about to walk away when she halted. Looking behind Iriya, she said, “Can’t have any unnecessary baggage. I have no use for you, so I’ll do away with you here.”
Gesturing with one arm to the end of the stone slab she’d occupied, she said, “There’s something interesting just over there. See it—and die.”
Though her tone was businesslike, there was enough seductiveness in Lorelei’s voice to make up for it. Even a grown man would do whatever she said without being under her spell, and no other man would blame him for it.
Nodding, Meeker got down off the horse.
Watching the diminutive figure skillfully scramble up a rock shelf, the beauty who called herself Lorelei twisted her lips into an evil grin and then started down the road Iriya had come by. And as she did, the terrible siren song once again began to issue from her vermilion lips.
The same song reverberated in Meeker’s brain. And as it did, the suggestion he’d just received—to see what was over there and die—became a powerful compulsion. He didn’t have strength enough left to fight it.
Reaching Lorelei’s slab of stone, the boy climbed to the top and looked over the other side. And there he stood, rooted. A scene spread before him. Though interesting, it could hardly be called fascinating. In his present state of mind, nothing Meeker saw would move him, but even if he’d been in his right mind, he probably wouldn’t have comprehended what he was seeing. Or not so much what as where .
The rock had been cleanly cut away to a depth of three feet in an area almost thirty feet square. On the midpoint of each side just beyond the edge of the nearly square depression were holes for what must once have been pillars, and judging by the face that remained on a ten-foot-tall religious icon that stood before the hole on the northern side, this had been, if not a temple, then at least a place for some sort of religious rituals. However, it was undoubtedly something other than this that Lorelei had described as interesting.
In the carved-out section were steep stone steps, a huge stone altar, some sort of washing area, and rust-covered machines whose purpose was unknown, and bizarre creatures were wriggling on or around all of these things. A human adult might barely be able to get their arms around the thick, ten-foot-long body of one of these creatures. In form they resembled colossal leeches, while their supple movements called to mind a smaller version of the great worms. There seemed to be dozens of them, and the way they writhed in the sunlight, twitching and twisting, was so horrible it would’ve caused the boy to run away screaming had his will been his own. In fact, Meeker’s feet became rooted for an instant, Lorelei’s suggestion forgotten. However, it was only for an instant, and erasing the vision of terror that filled his eyes, the boy walked toward the awful workroom of death without further hesitation.
The creatures infesting the work area were carnivores. While most similar species usually inhabited dark, swampy areas, this kind could also operate in daylight, which aided them in gathering
Iriya knew instinctively that this woman was evil. Her alluring singing voice, the spectacularly acrobatic entrance she’d made, and more than anything, the sensuousness and air of the supernatural that billowed from her captivating form were proof of that. She had to get Meeker to a safe place so she could counterattack. However, that notion dissolved in the powerful acids of her brain, changing, keeping Iriya from fighting.
Still, on seeing the Huntress’s hand beginning to creep toward the scabbard on her hip, the woman—Lorelei—smiled alluringly.
“Even a full-fledged warrior can’t move a muscle when he hears my song. You’re really something special. It’s no use, though. Hear it once, and you’re my slave. Now, come with me.”
The woman took Iriya’s horse by the bridle and was about to walk away when she halted. Looking behind Iriya, she said, “Can’t have any unnecessary baggage. I have no use for you, so I’ll do away with you here.”
Gesturing with one arm to the end of the stone slab she’d occupied, she said, “There’s something interesting just over there. See it—and die.”
Though her tone was businesslike, there was enough seductiveness in Lorelei’s voice to make up for it. Even a grown man would do whatever she said without being under her spell, and no other man would blame him for it.
Nodding, Meeker got down off the horse.
Watching the diminutive figure skillfully scramble up a rock shelf, the beauty who called herself Lorelei twisted her lips into an evil grin and then started down the road Iriya had come by. And as she did, the terrible siren song once again began to issue from her vermilion lips.
The same song reverberated in Meeker’s brain. And as it did, the suggestion he’d just received—to see what was over there and die—became a powerful compulsion. He didn’t have strength enough left to fight it.
Reaching Lorelei’s slab of stone, the boy climbed to the top and looked over the other side. And there he stood, rooted. A scene spread before him. Though interesting, it could hardly be called fascinating. In his present state of mind, nothing Meeker saw would move him, but even if he’d been in his right mind, he probably wouldn’t have comprehended what he was seeing. Or not so much what as where .
The rock had been cleanly cut away to a depth of three feet in an area almost thirty feet square. On the midpoint of each side just beyond the edge of the nearly square depression were holes for what must once have been pillars, and judging by the face that remained on a ten-foot-tall religious icon that stood before the hole on the northern side, this had been, if not a temple, then at least a place for some sort of religious rituals. However, it was undoubtedly something other than this that Lorelei had described as interesting.
In the carved-out section were steep stone steps, a huge stone altar, some sort of washing area, and rust-covered machines whose purpose was unknown, and bizarre creatures were wriggling on or around all of these things. A human adult might barely be able to get their arms around the thick, ten-foot-long body of one of these creatures. In form they resembled colossal leeches, while their supple movements called to mind a smaller version of the great worms. There seemed to be dozens of them, and the way they writhed in the sunlight, twitching and twisting, was so horrible it would’ve caused the boy to run away screaming had his will been his own. In fact, Meeker’s feet became rooted for an instant, Lorelei’s suggestion forgotten. However, it was only for an instant, and erasing the vision of terror that filled his eyes, the boy walked toward the awful workroom of death without further hesitation.
The creatures infesting the work area were carnivores. While most similar species usually inhabited dark, swampy areas, this kind could also operate in daylight, which aided them in gathering
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