spider had not come any closer. It didn’t look as if it planned to attack her; in fact, it seemed nervous, rubbing its mandibles together in what Sara thought was a worried fashion. Then a third and a fourth dropped from the ceiling and began scurrying about the chamber. Sara gripped the hilt of the sword with both hands, swinging the blade slowly back in forth in the ruddy light as she took in the new abundance of creatures joining her.
She had a sudden, horrible thought that if the spiders were falling to the floor, there might be a round, black body poised to drop onto her head, directly above her. She raised her head very slowly, almost too terrified to check. Instead of a spider, fire met her eyes, what looked to be the beginnings of an inferno, already blazing overhead. The deep blue of her eyes reflected flames dancing through the jumble of webs, burning through the silvered cords. Black shapes scuttled furiously through the chaos as long filaments loosed and arced through the air, some of the creatures clinging to the ends as they slammed into stone walls and fell dazed to the floor.
The entire ceiling seemed be lowering, a white roof sinking, as if the chamber were becoming squatter. With a start, Sara realized the flames were burning the last vestiges of the strands which bound the main web to the walls. A large chunk of web in the center of the room broke free first, falling into the pool and sinking, golden droplets splashing over the floor in its wake.
The fire appeared to be creeping down the walls. The cloak of the skeleton which held the staff was now ablaze at the bottom. This must be some sort of magical fire, Sara thought, burning down stone with no apparent fuel. But it was hot as a real fire and she was sweating, her skin reddish, her dress clinging to her, discomfort tightening her throat.
The entire webbing was sagging further, flames still licking up and down the strands, bits of charred fibers floating through the air like cinereal snow. She could almost reach up and touch the mass with her arm outstretched. It looked sticky. If it collapsed on her, she would surely be trapped in it and die as the fire consumed her.
Sara looked again toward the pool in the center of the chamber and groaned. It looked as if entering it again would be her only option. She ran to the cistern and peered in. She could see the web which had fallen in earlier far below in the water. It seemed to be rustling, as if with a current. She had no idea what she might face in there.
It was growing almost unbearably hot in the chamber. A spider fell close behind her.
Sara brushed at her back as she felt its furry legs clutching at her hair and neck, trying to use her body to check its own descent. All around her, agitated arachnids clicked their mandibles, darting about furiously, trying to find a means of escape.
Sara looked back at the pool. She was going to die if she didn’t jump in. The cistern was narrow, just wide enough for a person and she would have to go in headfirst if she wanted to see where she was going. She took a deep breath, put the sword in first, and then tipped over, following it down into the water.
CHAPTER 8 The Price of Escape
Sara swam strongly down a long, straight shaft which seemed to have no end. The water was pleasantly warm and a soft light suffused the stone passage. Finally, she saw a wall ahead of her and realized that the shaft took a bend. She was a good swimmer and could hold her breath a long time, but hoped that the tunnel would end soon, especially if she had to use her energy to maneuver through twists and turns.
She gave a hard kick and made to swim through the curve when she was abruptly thrown back by what felt like a solid wall although she had seen nothing in her way. Stunned, she reached forward with her free hand. There was definitely something blocking the passageway. The shaft was very narrow, but Sara twisted just enough to look back up at the opening and saw that
She had a sudden, horrible thought that if the spiders were falling to the floor, there might be a round, black body poised to drop onto her head, directly above her. She raised her head very slowly, almost too terrified to check. Instead of a spider, fire met her eyes, what looked to be the beginnings of an inferno, already blazing overhead. The deep blue of her eyes reflected flames dancing through the jumble of webs, burning through the silvered cords. Black shapes scuttled furiously through the chaos as long filaments loosed and arced through the air, some of the creatures clinging to the ends as they slammed into stone walls and fell dazed to the floor.
The entire ceiling seemed be lowering, a white roof sinking, as if the chamber were becoming squatter. With a start, Sara realized the flames were burning the last vestiges of the strands which bound the main web to the walls. A large chunk of web in the center of the room broke free first, falling into the pool and sinking, golden droplets splashing over the floor in its wake.
The fire appeared to be creeping down the walls. The cloak of the skeleton which held the staff was now ablaze at the bottom. This must be some sort of magical fire, Sara thought, burning down stone with no apparent fuel. But it was hot as a real fire and she was sweating, her skin reddish, her dress clinging to her, discomfort tightening her throat.
The entire webbing was sagging further, flames still licking up and down the strands, bits of charred fibers floating through the air like cinereal snow. She could almost reach up and touch the mass with her arm outstretched. It looked sticky. If it collapsed on her, she would surely be trapped in it and die as the fire consumed her.
Sara looked again toward the pool in the center of the chamber and groaned. It looked as if entering it again would be her only option. She ran to the cistern and peered in. She could see the web which had fallen in earlier far below in the water. It seemed to be rustling, as if with a current. She had no idea what she might face in there.
It was growing almost unbearably hot in the chamber. A spider fell close behind her.
Sara brushed at her back as she felt its furry legs clutching at her hair and neck, trying to use her body to check its own descent. All around her, agitated arachnids clicked their mandibles, darting about furiously, trying to find a means of escape.
Sara looked back at the pool. She was going to die if she didn’t jump in. The cistern was narrow, just wide enough for a person and she would have to go in headfirst if she wanted to see where she was going. She took a deep breath, put the sword in first, and then tipped over, following it down into the water.
CHAPTER 8 The Price of Escape
Sara swam strongly down a long, straight shaft which seemed to have no end. The water was pleasantly warm and a soft light suffused the stone passage. Finally, she saw a wall ahead of her and realized that the shaft took a bend. She was a good swimmer and could hold her breath a long time, but hoped that the tunnel would end soon, especially if she had to use her energy to maneuver through twists and turns.
She gave a hard kick and made to swim through the curve when she was abruptly thrown back by what felt like a solid wall although she had seen nothing in her way. Stunned, she reached forward with her free hand. There was definitely something blocking the passageway. The shaft was very narrow, but Sara twisted just enough to look back up at the opening and saw that
Similar Books
