The League of Doorways (A Book of Vampires, Werewolves & Black Magic) (The Doorways Trilogy - Book Two) by Tim O'Rourke Page B

cloak of spiderpedes trailed behind him. Zach Black and his friends were getting dangerously close to the Outer- Rim. But dangerous for who? For Zachary Black, he hoped. But to hope wasn’t good enough and he rung his bony hands together. He had spoken to the one who traveled with the boy, and Throat had been assured that he was being led into the trap which had been set for him.
    “None of them will return,” the other had said, as Throat watched them in the swirls of black dust he had created.
    It circled and swirled before him like a miniature sand storm. Throat stared into it from beneath his decaying hood and said, “Are you sure?”
    “Yes,” the other replied. “The boy and the others do not suspect a thing. They trust me.”
    “Good. Good,” Throat smiled, and he was comforted by the words that were spoken through the dust. “You will be rewarded well.”
    “I’m not looking for rewards,” the other said. “I just want you to set my people free.”
    “And I will,” Throat rasped, coughing up a globule of blood. He spat it from the corner of his mouth, where it festered on the cold stone floor at his feet.
    “What about the key?” the voice spoke through the swirling dust.
    “Just keep it safe,” Throat said. “I have another coming to relieve you of that worry. Just make sure that you lead the boy to Cribbot’s. Then lead them into the Craggy Canyons. They will have a surprise waiting for them there.”
    “I will do my best,” the voice said.
    “I know you will,” Throat chuckled, as if gargling on a mouthful of nails.
    “Are you going to kill Zachary Black?” the other asked.
    “That is not your concern,” Throat spluttered.
    “You said you just wanted the box…”
    “Have you developed feelings of friendship for the boy?” Throat asked.
    “I am fond of him, yes,” the voice wavered.
    “Well don’t become too attached,” Throat said with a smile. “Grief is such an unpleasant thing, as you well know.”
    “But why kill Zach…?” the other started. “That wasn’t part of the deal. I would never have agreed to help you if I’d known…”
    “Just make sure they head for the Canyon,” Throat rasped. “I will have my army of dead peacekeepers waiting for them. It won’t be me who kills the boy – it will be the very people he has come into Endra to lead.”   
    The dust fell out of the air and settled on the floor before him. With one skeletal foot, he brushed the dust away, scattering it to the four corners of the Queen’s chamber.
    That had been some hours ago, and he waited for more news. It would come in time. With his cloak being carried behind by the thousands of spiderpedes that thrived over it, Throat went and stood before the Queen.
    He stood and watched her sleep like he had so many times before. Then sighing deeply he rasped, “My only mistake was not snapping your neck the moment our mother brought you into this world.” 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Eighteen
     
    They walked in silence, the ash growing deeper, and now almost to their knees as it now fell from the sky like giant snowflakes. It settled in their hair and on their shoulders. Bom clawed it from his beard and grumbled. Faraday’s jet-black hair now looked grey where the powdery ash had settled. The wind whipped it up into small flurries as the Seek-Wasp headed through the falling ash, every few minutes calling out, “Thiz way! Thiz way!”
    Then, Zachary noticed something sparkling in the distance. The light almost seemed to dazzle and spin like a Catherine Wheel firework. As he drew closer, his heart began to quicken as he realised it was the sun starting to rise over the burnt-out remains of Clockwork City.
    “Neanna,” he breathed , looking back at her. She trudged through the ash-snow, her cloak pulled about her shoulders, head down, and hair covered white with ash. Then looking over at Faraday, he said, “How long to that building? We don’t have time for any detours, Faraday.