Cyrus fell to his knees, winded and shaken. Without Fibian’sprotection, he had killed his attackers.He felt only relief and fear. Would he be so lucky next time?
Another scream rang out deep within the fortress.
“We have to hurry,” Edward said.
Cyrus picked up his bow and made for the stairs. There were three other matching stairways leading down from thenorth, south and east ramparts. As Cyrus descended the steps, a fourth ratappeared on the far staircase. Cyrus froze. So did the rodent. Cyrus grasped anarrow. The creature began to sprint forward. Cyrus nocked the arrow and pulled.There was something odd about the way this beast ran. It was not snarling andfrothing like the others.
“It’s making for the trap door!” Edward shouted, from Cyrus’ shoulder,“It’s going to warn others.”
No! They would lose their onlytrue weapon; the element of surprise.Cyrus took aim and breathed deep. Thecreature was at least forty yards away. Cyrus fired. The arrow arched throughthe air, more towards the door than the rat. The rat dove for the hatch. Thearrow missed its lungs, but pierced its tail, pinning it to the door’s woodframe. Cyrus hesitated. He had not actuallythought he could make the shot.
“Quick, kill it,” Edward shouted.
Cyrus pulled another arrow and ran for the door. The tail whipped andsnapped, then became still. Cyrus and Edward reached the hatch and found thetail still pinned to the frame, but no rat. The creature had pulled free from itsappendage, leaving a bloody trail in its wake.
“What do we do now?” Edward asked.
“We go after it.”
Chapter 33
RUN
CYRUS DASHED DOWN thestairway, nearly breaking his ankles. The stairs twisted like a corkscrew,ending in a long, torch-lit corridor. The air was cool; the torches few and farbetween. Cyrus squinted, adjusting his eyes.
“Edward, you see anything?”
“It looks like the passage leads left,” Edward said, clutching Cyrus’shoulder.
Cyrus moved quickly and quietly along the stone flags, doing his best toavoid the thick trail of blood. He reached the brick bend and peeked around thecorner. In the torchlight, he made out two klappencrouched over a still shape on the ground. The creatures hissed and clicked. Hadthe rodent spoken before it had died? Could it speak?
“Edward,” Cyrus whispered, “What if you crawl over there and bite them?”
“I- I can’t,” Edward replied.
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t just ignite it like a match,” Edward stammered, “It’s not somethingI control. It’s a reflex. Something’s trying to kill us, and it just happens.”
One of the klappen rose and turned in theirdirection. It wore a wolf’s head on its crown. The remainder of the pelt drapedits shoulders like a cape. The second creature hissed and bared its broken teeth.
Willing himself to stay calm, Cyrus crouched to one knee, drew an arrowand charged his bow. He steadied his shaking hands and aimed for the center ofthe one on the left. It moved. Cyrus fired. The klappenyelped, then dropped. The other fiendshrieked. His heart pumping, Cyrus pulledanother arrow. The creature charged.
“Hurry!” Edward shouted.
Cyrus raised his bow. The creature struck him to the ground. Edwardcried and the bow split. Cyrus tried toscramble away. His back hit something solid. The klappenbarged forward and clutched Cyrus’ throat, lifting him up the wall. It was greyand gaunt and covered in coarse, dark hair. It bared its black fangs and glaredat him through pale orbs. Its breath reeked likecompost. With a machine-like grip, it began to crush Cyrus’ neck. Cyrus felthis eyes bulging, and his vision began tofade. Fibian’s lessons flashed through his mind. Withprecious seconds left, he drew his knife and stabbed it into the creature’sarmpit. The klappen gasped and flinched, its kneesbuckling, but still, it squeezed. Cyrusagain punched the blade into the reeking pit. The villain screamed, its fingersbiting into Cyrus’ neck. Cyrus slashed the inside of the fiend’s exposedforearm, severing tendons and veins. The grasp broke, and the monster fell against the wall, shuddering. It clutched itswounded arm and slid down the brickwork wheezing. A smear of brown bloodillustrated its descent. Then its head lolled and it moved no more.
“You okay?” Edward asked.
The spider’s voice seemed to come from somewhere ahead in the darkness.
“Yes,” Cyrus said, catching his breath, “where are you?”
“I got knocked to the ground. I’m at your feet.”
Cyrus felt along the cold stone. He found Edward. The tiny spider’s usuallysoft fur bristled. Cyrus collected him up and then reached for his shatteredbow. It was irreparable. He discovered his fleece cap lying at his feet. Hebrushed back his greasy hair and replaced the hat. Another of Fibian’s cries echoed down the corridor.
“We have to hurry,” Edward said.
Cyrus gritted his teeth and continued on.He passed the klappen with the shaft through its chest.It still wore the wolf pelt.
“A disguise,” he said.
He removed the headdress and placed it over his cap.
“It stinks like a rotting corpse,” Edward said, fleeing into Cyrus’shirt pocket.
They sped down the passage and descended several stairs that opened intoan even larger hallway. Pillars lined the corridor and rubble littered thefloor. The ceiling above had partially collapsed exposing a darkened chamber.Cyrus stepped into the corridor. He felt as if the hallway behind him was closingin. There was no turning back…
A silver chandelier loomed overhead, glowing with candlelight. Cyrusspied a large golden picture frame on the wall. The canvas had been torn out.
“I hear whispers,” Edward said, in a hushed voice.
Cyrus drew his knife and stepped forward. He caught the whiff of dungand wondered if it was the pelt. Then he noticed a dark, mud-like substancestaining the floor. Ahead and to the left, a rat skittered out of a darkenedpassageway. It vanished under a tattered red rug. A klappenfollowed close behind, scrabbling in the wreckage. It looked up and sensedCyrus. Cyrus felt exposed. He kept his face low, hidden under the wolf’smuzzle. The monster took no notice and continued its hunt. Cyrus pressedforward, his blade ready. Another of Fibian’s shrieksrang out. It seemed to come from the next room. Cyrus flinched. The klappen peered up, roused by the reaction. Cyrus felt his breathquicken. After
