Читать книгу Blackfire: The Rise of the Creeping Moors - James Daniel Eckblad - Страница 7

Starnee, consistent with having been only half asleep, awoke feeling only half refreshed, and glanced quickly down at Childheart and Thorn, the one still asleep and the other still unconscious. He dropped next to Childheart, who was immediately awakened. The unicorn also felt less than fully refreshed by his sleep, although less because of any ineffectiveness of his slumber, or any residual exhaustion from their recent battle, than by being away from the Forest of Lament, but he said nothing to Starnee. The condor gently nudged Thorn, and, as he expected, received no response. Nevertheless, the wound remained closed and Thorn’s breathing was steady and more evident; Starnee announced to a still drowsy Childheart that it was time to leave. He promptly gathered Thorn’s “sticks” into his talons and took flight, circling twice overhead until Childheart was on his way.

Both Starnee and Childheart were encouraged as they headed back toward Taralina’s castle, but wondered what they would find there and what the ensuing hours would bring. If they found the castle enemy-free, or requiring them to make it that way, they had already agreed that Childheart would resume the search for Jamie and Alex.

Starnee flew ahead and scouted the compound, returning to declare no signs of life anywhere about the castle, enemy or otherwise. He added, however, that all entrances to the seemingly undisturbed castle were shut, leaving him uncertain about what if anything might be waiting for them inside. They agreed that the only suitable place to attempt access was the vast set of double doors forming the principal entrance atop the lengthy outside staircase; it was also the only place that provided Starnee the possibility of entering the castle.

Within minutes the condor and unicorn had together reached the compound. Starnee circled with his limp cargo while Childheart jumped the slight remains of the outer and inner walls and trotted with forced ardor up the length of the staircase. On reaching the top, Childheart poked his horn through one of the latch rings, turned it, and pushed hard against the door. When it didn’t budge, he employed the same technique with the other door, but to no avail. So Childheart reared up on his hind legs and brought his front hooves down violently against the doors, forcing them open with the sounds of clanging iron and splintering wood. If anything at all was already inside the castle, it now knew of the unicorn’s harsh presence. Nevertheless, Childheart walked stealthily into the castle, as if his entry was still a secret. After a few minutes, he returned to the open door and motioned for Starnee to set Thorn onto a rug that Childheart had found inside and dragged through the doorway, spreading it on the broad landing. Once Thorn was on the rug, Childheart pulled it back inside, Starnee walking into the castle behind them.

The two friends stood in the middle of a large hall serving as an anteroom, the only light in the place being the pale one from the outside streaming across the threshold and cutting the darkness just enough for them to see that all the other doors and windows had been boarded over, apparently for a long time; the only exception was an iron gate that was furthest from the main entrance, resting slightly ajar. Dust was thick on everything, which seemed to have been left undisturbed, as if a sole occupant many years ago had departed abruptly and without forethought, leaving the boarding up to someone else. There was no evidence on the inside of the castle of the battle that had raged only hours earlier on the outside.

“I suggest we close the doors and bar them with furniture, and then take the boards off several of the smaller windows for light,” said Starnee.

“Why don’t you take care of that while I see what’s beyond the gate,” replied Childheart.