barely missing Palimak.
He was so astonished at not being attacked that he forgot to tread water and went under once more. But this time when he pulled himself up he did it slowly and without panic.
Palimak started treading water, clearing his eyes. To his astonishment and supreme delight he saw the sharks and crocodile speeding away after the panicked sea serpent. All jumping high out of the water to achieve maximum speed.
'What did you do?' Palimak gasped.
'It was easy, Little Master,' Gundara said.
'We made the sea serpent think he was food,' Gundaree explained.
'And we made the sharks and the crocodile think he'd taste better than you,' Gundara continued.
'Like the song we just made up,' Gundaree said. 'You know: a€?Everybody's somebody's food … a€?'
'I wish you'd shut up,' Gundara said. 'You're making me hungry and everything the Little Master has in his pockets for us to eat has been spoiled by the water.'
'I won't say, a€?You shut up, too,'' Gundaree replied in a surprisingly reasonable voice. 'We still have that truce, right?'
'I'm sorry,' Gundara said to his twin. 'I forgot about the truce. Which we really need right now.'
'That's all right,' Gundaree said. 'I know you didn't really mean it. You were just distracted because of the storm and all.'
This time Palimak's heart descended to his bowels, forming an embarrassing lump of fear.
'What storm?' he asked.
At that moment rain pelted down. And a strong wind exploded the calm, whipping up waves of fearful height.
'That storm, Little Master,' Gundara answered.
'What with the sharks and the crocodile and the sea serpent,' Gundaree said, 'we didn't think it was a good time to mention it.'
'But there's still good news, Little Master,' Gundara said. 'We're really, really close to land right now.'
From a distance, Palimak could hear the sound of waves booming across an obstruction.
'Is that a reef I hear?' he asked.
'You're so smart, Little Master!' Gundaree said. 'That's exactly what it is. A big, sharp coral reef.'
'You'll probably be torn to pieces by it,' Gundara said. 'But at least you won't have to worry about us.'
'That's right,' Gundaree said. 'This time when you're killed we won't be stuck at the bottom of the ocean.'
'We'll be washed up on the reef,' Gundara further explained. 'And only have to wait maybe a hundred years or so before a new master finds us.'
'Doesn't that make you happy, Little Master?' Gundaree asked. 'Knowing we won't get bored?'
Palimak's heart jumped as realization sank in.
'You mean,' he said, 'that you don't have the faintest idea on how to get me over that reef?'
'Well,' Gundaree said, 'we
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
The moment Safar plunged into the jungle he knew he'd made a potentially fatal error.
Biting insects swarmed up all around him. Above, there was an explosion of wings and a chorus of shrill warning cries as birds took flight.
There was a scatter of motion in the trees, like errant winds bursting forth in every direction and he saw enormous apes swinging away from his entry point, jabbering simian curses.
A huge snake fell in his path, rising up on threatening coils, spitting poison at his eyes.
But all his alarm bells were already ringing and he brought his shield up just in time for the poison to splatter against it.
Jooli shouted something he couldn't make out, but he instinctively leaped to the side and an arrow from her bow pinned the snake to the ground.
Leiria rushed in, severing the snake's head with her sword. It fell on the black leafy ground, hissing and spitting its poisonous hate.
Safar heard shouts of dismay from the soldiers and whirled around to see thorny vines and branches shooting forth to bar the entrance into the jungle.
Somewhere not far off an ape hooted in triumphant glee.
Safar raced to the closing gap, hacking at the vines with his sword. Leiria and Jooli crowded in to help.
But as fast as they cut, the vines grew back at double the speed and thickness.
Then he heard an explosive
Crying a warning to the others he stumbled back, only to find himself caught in the sticky tendrils of a frighteningly strong web.
He fought his way out, then slashed at the thick strands entangling Leiria and Jooli.
Freed, they dashed out of the gap, which healed itself with such blinding speed that soon there was no sign of the path by which they'd entered.
Instead, Safar found himself confronted by an enormous black spider-big as a royal banquet platter.
Poison oozed from large fangs set in a mouth large enough to grip a child's head.
Several strands of web shot out of tubes along its bloated body. The thick threads wrapped around branches on either side of Safar and the spider rushed along them to attack.
Jooli's arrow hissed past Safar's ear, knocking the spider to the ground and killing it. But then other spiders- just as big and fierce-popped out of nothingness and scuttled toward them.
Safar ordered a hasty but orderly retreat along the narrow path. The squad of soldiers led the way, wary of new dangers. Jooli acted as rearguard, firing arrow after arrow into the spiders, while Leiria and Safar used their swords on those that got through.
Gradually, the number of spiders diminished and then they seemed to vanish altogether. Safar called a halt to reconnoiter but, as far as he or any of the others could tell, there were no other paths except the one they'd taken.
The trees were so tall and dense it seemed like twilight under their canopy instead of the middle of the day. The forest was strangely silent. There were no bird or insect sounds. Even the apes were quiet. It was hot and humid and the air smelled of rotting things.
The Kyranians moved on, treading lightly and keeping their voices to a whisper.
Then Sergeant Hamyr, who was a bit older than the other soldiers and a skilled tracker, found Palimak's footprints in the carpet of decaying leaves.
'At least we know we're on the right trail,' Leiria observed.
'The question, of course,' Jooli said, 'is whether it'll eventually take us out of this place. After we find Palimak, that is.'
Safar shrugged. 'If we can't find a way to walk out,' he said, 'all we have to do is start climbing.' He gestured at the towering trees. 'Biner is ready to pick us up with the airship anytime we're ready.'
There were murmurs of relief from Sergeant Hamyr and the others. Rattled by the events of the past hour, they'd forgotten the fall-back plan.
'We can also rely on Biner to send us reinforcements if we need them,' Safar added-further comforting his soldiers.
He patted a hefty pouch on his belt. 'I have plenty of signal powder. So I only have to find an open space, or get high enough into the trees, to let Biner know what's happening.'
Everyone felt much better after that, talking in normal voices and enjoying a quick meal of parched corn and
