The Fallen World

Escape - Part 3

     The reading room had walls lined with bookshelves, decorative ornaments and pot plants, and had about a dozen comfortable looking leather chairs, some of which were arranged about two small tables. Only one of the chairs was occupied, by a small, mousy looking man reading a large, heavy book. Parkus gently closed the door behind them before stepping softly forward.

     He was three paces from him before Bantrey realised he had company and looked up to see the evil looking guard creeping up on him with terrible purposefulness. He leapt out of the chair with a shriek and made a mad dash for the door, but Parkus grabbed him easily, slapping one hand over his mouth and holding a knife to his throat with the other. “One sound and you’re dead! Understand?”

     Bantrey tried to nod against the force of the guard’s hand.

     “Good.” Parkus released him but kept a tight hold on his shoulder in case he tried to run again. “Don’t worry. Just do as you’re told and you won’t get hurt.”

     “What do you want?” quivered Bantrey fearfully with a pleading glance at the Tharians. “I’ll do whatever you want, I promise!”

     “We want the keys to the treasure rooms.”

     Bantrey turned as white as milk. “I can’t!” he pleaded. “Lord Basil would have me executed! You’re asking me to commit suicide!”

     “He needn’t find out,” replied Parkus. “Come on, I know you’ve done it for other people. How many people have you let into the treasure rooms over the years? How many people have taken the odd little trinket for their own use?”

     “It’s a lie!” exclaimed Bantrey desperately. “I’d never betray my Lord’s trust in me!” He looked towards the Tharians again. “Tell him!” he begged. “Tell him I’d never do a thing like that!”

     “Were you visited by another guard a couple of weeks ago?” asked Lirenna. “A guard named Duncan?”

     The small man stared in astonishment and then slumped in hopeless despair. “All right, you win,” he said, his head lowered. “I’ll lend you the keys, but you must give them back to me as soon as you’ve finished with them, or I’ve had it.”

     “I promise,” replied Parkus. He then turned to the Tharians. “You’d better wait here,” he said. “If you’re seen near the treasure rooms, it really will be over.”

     The questers agreed, and so remained in the reading rooms as Parkus and Bantrey left.

     “What a strange man to have such an important job,” said Diana when they were alone. “Weak willed and easily bullied. Not the sort of man I’d choose to keep the keys to my treasure rooms.”

     “Lord Basil must know that he lets people in to steal things,” agreed Thomas. “He can read his mind with that ring of his. What in the world is he up to?”

     “Who knows how his mind works,” replied Jerry. “Maybe it’s his way of finding out who he can trust. After all, you may be able to steal something, but you couldn’t take it very far away. He can get it back any time he wants.”

     “Who cares,” said Lirenna. “Whatever the reason, it gives us a chance to get our things back and that’s all that counts.”

     “While we’re waiting,” said Jerry, “would this be a good time to pop down to the kitchens and grab a few provisions? After all, we don’t know how long we’ll be wandering around in the caverns before we find the moon trogs, assuming they exist at all.”