Lair of the Skaven Read online

  ‘Where’d he go?’ Alish’s voice was close, startling him. ‘I nearly had him then he just vanished.’

  They stepped into a round chamber with thin shafts of light filtering through cracks in the ceiling, from a crystal buried in the rock overhead. There were six tunnels branching off; some were arched passages, others just clawed-out burrows.

  The others joined them, skidding to a stop. ‘Which way now?’ Kiri asked.

  Alish shook her head. ‘I lost him. He could have gone down any of these.’

  ‘Stop talking for a moment,’ Kaspar said. ‘Let me listen. I hear… yes, I hear something.’

  ‘The boy?’ Thanis asked.

  Kaspar shook his head slowly. ‘No, something bigger. It’s coming towards us. I think it’s the same thing as before, the thing the Skaven were chasing. We need to get out of sight.’

  In the mouth of one of the larger tunnels Elio could see a green glow, bouncing from the walls. He heard the thunder of footsteps, and beneath it the cry of the Skaven. He looked around desperately. All of the tunnels looked the same.

  Then there was a loud, insistent hiss, and Elio twisted round. There in the entrance to one of the tunnels crouched the ragged boy, beckoning fiercely.

  ‘Come on,’ Alish said. ‘He wants us to follow him.’

  They hurried into the low tunnel, crouching down and peering cautiously through the entrance as the footsteps drew closer, the green glow filling the chamber.

  It came from a warpstone torch, held aloft by a running Skaven. His eyes were wide with panic as he burst into the open, skidding to a halt. His fur was black but for a grey stripe down the centre of his head, and he was breathing hard. The crash of feet was loud behind him, making the ground and the walls shake.

  Then a huge black shape burst from the tunnel, roaring like something from a nightmare. It was covered all over in dense fur, with curved white claws as big as broadswords. The tip of its snout was twitching and hideous, a star-shaped knot of tentacles sniffing the air. Elio felt a flicker of recognition, remembering the Beastarium that Vertigan had given him. He was sure he recognised this creature.

  The Skaven whipped a sack from his belt, covering up the warpstone torch. The beast stopped in its tracks, snorting with confusion. For the first time Elio noticed that there was something on its back – the second Skaven, clinging on desperately with both hands. He wore a brown cloak and his tail was little more than a stump, wagging like a finger in the air.

  The black monster pawed the ground, digging furrows with its mighty claws. Its nose writhed like an enraged kraken as it advanced on the first Skaven, dipping its head and preparing to charge. But the figure on its back was already moving, slipping down between the creature’s eyes, grasping something in both hands. It was a net made of leather straps, unfolding as he flung it outwards.

  There were metal loops on all four corners, weighing the net down. It dropped over the creature’s snout and the second Skaven ran in, pulling the muzzle tight over that sensitive pink nose. The beast froze instantly, its eyes wide and fearful. The ratmen slung ropes through the net, tying it to a collar around the creature’s neck. So they’d already caught it once and it had escaped, Elio realised. Somehow, the thought gave him hope.

  The creature sank to its knees, completely docile now. The stump-tailed Skaven dealt it a sharp kick but the beast barely responded, blinking and cowering.

  ‘Leave it, Krat,’ grey-stripe said. ‘These creatures are dumb-dumb, they never learn.’

  ‘We better get moving, Scowlish,’ said stump-tail. ‘If we don’t get those pelts to the packlord there’ll be trouble, yes-yes.’

  They forced the beast to its feet, prodding and shoving it back into the tunnel. The ground shook as the creature lumbered away, then they were gone.

  ‘Did you hear what they said?’ Elio whispered as they crouched in the alcove. ‘Something about the packlord. If we follow them they’ll lead us to Kreech.’

  ‘And what about our new friend?’ Kiri asked. ‘Maybe we should make sure he’s safe at the Arbour before we…’ She trailed off, looking around. Elio followed her gaze, but the boy was gone.

  Alish started down the tunnel. ‘Come on, we have to get him back.’

  ‘Wait,’ Elio said. ‘We’ve got a lead on Kreech, and if we find him we find Vertigan. We have to follow those two Skaven.’

  ‘But that boy saved us,’ Alish insisted. ‘He’s the seventh mark. Vertigan would want us to get him back.’

  Elio frowned. She had a point. ‘Okay, we’ll split up. Alish, go after the boy. Thanis, go with her. Me, Kaspar and Kiri can follow those Skaven and hope they lead us to Vertigan.’

  Kiri frowned. ‘Are you sure that’s a good idea? This is a big place, we don’t know if…’

  But Alish was already hurrying off into the tunnel, throwing a glance back over her shoulder. ‘He can’t have gone far. We’ll find him and meet you back at the gnawhole.’

  She vanished into the dark, and Thanis squeezed Kiri’s shoulder. ‘Don’t worry,’ she said. ‘I’ll keep her safe.’

  Then they were gone.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The Cart

  Elio, Kaspar and Kiri crept along the tunnel, following the bickering ratmen and their giant captive. The floor sloped down and there was an acrid smell, like rotten meat and animal waste. The light grew and soon the tunnel opened out into the vast central cavern, the walls rising steep and black on either side. Elio could hear that sound again, the busy chattering of countless Skaven. He could see the tower of rock in the heart of the cave, topped with that strange wooden structure. Hold on, Vertigan, he thought. We’re coming.

  They crouched in the tunnel’s mouth, watching as the Skaven led the docile beast down a short slope to a wooden paddock, opening a gate and driving it inside. In the paddock Elio could see more of the creatures, lowing and grumbling like a herd of huge cattle. One of them moved towards the newcomer, dropping its head and rubbing a muzzled snout against its side. There was something affectionate about it, and suddenly Elio remembered.

  ‘Delvers mate for life,’ he said, recalling a passage from his beast book. ‘That’s what they’re called. Deepearth Delvers. Though in some realms they name them Burrowing Blackpelts. They’re ferocious when cornered, but otherwise placid. And they love warpstone, as we saw.’

  Kiri shook her head in amazement. ‘How do you remember all this stuff?’

  Elio blushed. ‘I just like learning about different creatures. It’s interesting.’

  ‘Look at that,’ Kaspar said, gesturing. ‘I wonder what that place is for.’

  The Skaven had crossed an open courtyard beside the paddock, entering a large wooden shack. The iron door banged behind them.

  ‘We have to get closer,’ Elio said. ‘Do you really think the disguises will work?’

  ‘It’s all about confidence,’ Kaspar said. ‘That’s the trick to sneaking around, you need to look like you know where you’re going. The disguises are good, but try to move like a Skaven, all quick and shifty. Keep your arms sort of hunched up under your chest and keep your head low, like this.’

  Elio gave it a try, scuttling forwards with his head down. Kiri followed suit, and Kaspar nodded encouragingly. ‘You’re both a bit tall, but I think you’ll pass.’

  They scurried forwards, circling through the shadows towards the hut. Elio tried to make every movement as twitchy as possible, feeling slightly ridiculous as he bowed his legs and narrowed his shoulders. But then a band of Skaven passed a short distance away, making for the tunnel, and barely even glanced their way. Elio felt his confidence grow. It was working.

  They reached the shack, pressing against the rickety wooden wall. There was a window set into it, and Kiri craned up to peer through. Her mouth turned down in disgust.

  ‘What are they doing?’ Elio asked. ‘Cutting up meat?’

  Kiri shook her head. ‘They’re drying skins. Delver skins. They must keep them for the fur.’

  Elio frowned. ‘I really hate those Skaven.’

  Between the wall of the shack and the side of the cave was just enough space for them to squeeze through. They crept alongside, foul smells leaking from the shack. Peering around, Elio saw that a ramp led down from the shack and at its base was a wooden table.

  Beside the table stood the largest Skaven Elio had seen so far. He wasn’t tall or muscular, he was just very fat, his leather waistcoat stretched over a round, brown belly. He wore a red felt hat, tipped back on his oversized head.

  ‘Hey, I’ve seen him before,’ Kiri whispered, looking over Elio’s shoulder. ‘Back at the theatre. He was with Kreech – he’s his assistant or something.’

  The door to the shack swung open and the first two Skaven emerged, their arms heaped with black furry objects. ‘Many-many apologies, oh great Major-Domo Lesh,’ said stump-tailed Krat as he deposited the skins on the table. ‘We had some trouble with one of the beasts, yes-yes.’

  ‘Not good enough, foul-foul Krat,’ the big Skaven rumbled. ‘Or you, feeble Scowlish. You keep the master wait-waiting, yes you do.’

  Scowlish bowed too, pressing his clawed hands together. ‘Forgive, oh Lesh. Admire the fine-fine skins.’

  The fat Skaven snatched the nearest pelt, stroking the black fur appreciatively. ‘These will do,’ he said, reaching into a pouch and pulling out a glowing crystal. It looked like warpstone, Elio thought, but instead of the usual green this was a deep, rich violet colour. Krat received it gratefully, bowing almost to the floor.

  ‘I think-wonder,’ the large Skaven asked, ‘have you seen the master’s pet? Lord Kreech has been wondering where he might have escaped to. He cares so for the little scrapling.’

  Scowlish bowed again. ‘We smelled it,’ he said. ‘Didn’t we, Krat? A foul stench, up in one of the tunnels.’ He gestured back the way they’d come.

  Lesh frowned. ‘I’ll send a search party. Fool-fool creature, always scurrying away.’ He looked down at the skins. ‘Have these loaded into the rail-cart and brought to the packlord’s chambers, quick-quick. You can pay for your tardiness by pulling the wagon yourself.’

  He marched away into the cave leaving Krat and Scowlish staring after him, their expressions somewhere between hurt and anger.

  ‘Pull it ourselves,’ Krat muttered, his stump of a tail bobbing furiously. ‘I told you that disgusting delver would cause us trouble, Scowlish.’

  Scowlish snarled. ‘It shall pay, though, oh Krat. We shall take its skin, yes-yes.’

  They gathered up the pelts, carrying them to a wooden cart on the far side of the yard. It had large metal wheels, resting on steel rails. They dropped the pelts inside then retreated to the shack, the door slamming behind them.

  ‘Quick,’ Elio said, slipping out of hiding. ‘Let’s go.’

  ‘Where?’ Kiri asked, looking around.

  Elio gestured to the cart. ‘You heard him. They’re taking the delver pelts to Kreech. This is our chance to find Vertigan.’

  He ran to the cart, the others close behind him. Elio lifted one of the pelts, wrapping it around his shoulders. It was huge, enveloping his entire body. Then he climbed into the cart, pulling the skin over his head. Kaspar clambered in, burying himself up to the neck, and Kiri squeezed in beside him, crouching in the pile of furs.

  ‘Of all the crazy things we’ve done today,’ she said, ‘this is by several leagues the craziest.’

  ‘And another terrific smell,’ Kaspar muttered.

  ‘It’ll work,’ Elio whispered. ‘Trust me.’

  He heard Krat and Scowlish returning, grumbling bitterly. Elio raised his head cautiously to see them strapping a leather harness around their shoulders, and hooking it to the cart.

  ‘Ready-ready,’ Krat rasped. ‘One, two-two, three!’

  They strained on the ropes and the cart ground forwards, wheels screeching. The rails were bolted to wooden sleepers, lifting them off the rocky, uneven floor. The axles creaked as the Skaven pulled, dragging the cart to the top of a shallow incline, cursing with every step. Then they rolled over the top and down the other side, Krat and Scowlish forced into a jog as the cart picked up speed.

  ‘Quick-quick,’ Scowlish squealed. ‘The pelts are heavy today.’

  ‘Fine-fine craftsmanship is always more weighty,’ said Krat knowledgeably.

  Elio peered out as the wagon rolled through the sprawling warren. On either side were mounds of soil and dark holes leading down into the earth. Skaven swarmed everywhere – he saw warriors in leather and copper; slaverats dragging barrows piled with earth, metal and meat; priests with their smoking censers, chanting prayers to the Great Horned Rat.

  The rails rose onto an elevated wooden scaffold high above the floor of the cave, and a few Skaven peered up as they rattled overhead. Elio saw one of them shaking his head, obviously not convinced by this new-fangled technology.

  Then the cart slowed, and he ducked lower as they drew to a halt beside a rickety platform built from timber and planks. A group of Skaven climbed onto the tracks, tying a second carriage to the first. It was heaped with crates and bottles, clinking and rattling as Krat and Scowlish put their heads down and began to pull again, straining with the increased weight. The second group of ratmen watched, cackling gleefully. The carts rolled deeper into the cavern.

  ‘I wish Alish could’ve seen this,’ Kiri whispered. ‘She’d have loved this contraption.’

  Elio frowned. ‘I hope they’re okay. Maybe we shouldn’t have let them run off like that.’

  ‘It was the right thing to do,’ Kaspar assured him. ‘It’s like Alish said, that kid with the seventh mark is important. Anyway, Thanis’ll keep her safe. She’s tougher than she looks.’

  Elio squinted at him. ‘But she looks really tough.’

  Kaspar grinned. ‘Exactly.’

  There was a clunk and the cart came to a sudden halt. Peering up Elio saw Krat and Scowlish unstrapping their harnesses with groans of relief. Had they reached their destination? Behind them the warren sprawled, murky in the base of the cavern. To one side was a rugged cliff of black stone – the wall of the cave? No, he realised, it was the spire in the centre, stretching up and out of sight. Far above he could see a white glow tinged with green. The tracks kept going, turning along the side of the cliff and rising out of sight. So why had they stopped?

  Krat crouched on the tracks, his stump twitching as he fumbled with some sort of mechanism. He stepped back, nodding to Scowlish, who tugged on a large wooden lever. With a jerk, the cart started forwards again. But now there was no one pulling.

  Elio leaned over the front. Between the rails was a chain made from interlocking steel segments, locking into cogs on the cart and hauling them uphill.

  ‘Ingenious,’ Kaspar said.

  Kiri pursed her lips. ‘We could’ve used one of these in the slave camp, for lifting rocks. Rather than forcing people to do it.’ For a moment her eyes were far away and Elio knew she was seeing the place in her memory, reliving the horrors she’d witnessed. Slavery had taken her mother’s life, and Kiri herself had barely escaped.

  The incline grew steeper, the cogs clicking as they ground jerkily up the face of the cliff. ‘I guess we’re going all the way up there,’ Elio said uncertainly, gazing at the rickety manse high above.

  ‘I think so,’ Kaspar agreed. ‘The best thing is not to look down.’

  But Elio couldn’t resist. He peered over the edge, and the view made his head spin. The tracks were fixed to beams bolted to the cliff; below them was nothing but empty air. The cavern floor was already far beneath them, the chain dragging them link by link up the wall of rock. Elio ducked back, a little too quickly. The cart shuddered ominously.

  ‘I think we should try not to move about too much,’ Kaspar said. ‘These wagons aren’t exactly stable, and we really don’t want to go over the edge.’

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The Barracks-Nest

  Up and up the carts climbed, hugging the side of the cliff. In several places the track divided, with branch lines running horizontally along the rock face, supported by lengths of rickety scaffold. But the main track kept ascending, the chain beneath them clanking and protesting.

  Suddenly the sound changed, and looking down Elio saw that they were rolling over solid rock, the rails bolted to a level outcropping halfway up the rock face. The chain vanished into a hole in the cliff and the rails sloped briefly downhill, sending the cart around a sharp bend until it latched on to a new chain on the far side. Then they were rising again, switching back across the face of the precipice.

  Looking up he could see the mansion clinging to the peak high above them. It was built on iron stanchions hammered into the rock, supporting the weight of the main structure. It was sort of impressive in its way, presiding proudly over the cavern. If only it didn’t look like it was ready to fall apart at any moment. It reminded Elio of a child’s drawing, a half-finished scrawl of a place.

  They rattled through another bend and into the final stretch, passing beneath the ring of warpstone braziers on the slopes below the peak. Beside each one stood a pair of armoured Skaven, facing out into the cave. Elio wondered what they were supposed to be guarding against, all the way down here. Or perhaps they were just for show, to make Kreech feel powerful.

  ‘What’s the plan when we get up there?’ Kiri whispered.

  Elio shrugged. ‘Find Vertigan. Don’t let them catch us.’

  She smiled. ‘Simple but effective.’

  There was a clunk and they were back on the flat, the cart trundling along the exterior edge of a wooden outbuilding that clung to the rock. The tracks dipped and they slid smoothly through an opening in the side, clunking to a stop.