The Silver Door by Emily Rodda

now!’
    â€˜They’re spies, you dunderhead!’ the haggard woman said in a low, rasping voice. ‘More of the Master’s spies!
Now!’
    As she shouted the last word, she and the two men flanking her snatched their knives from their belts and threw themselves at Rye, Dirk and Sonia.
    The attack was so sudden, and so violent, thateven though Rye had been half expecting it, he found it impossible not to flinch. But his terror lasted only a split second. One moment his ears were ringing with Cap’s angry shout and Bones’ shrieks of protest, and all he could see were bared teeth, red-stained hands and the wicked points of knives. The next moment the three attackers had bounced backwards and were sprawling in the dust at his feet.
    Cries of fear and amazement rose from the crowd. Many people fell to their knees, crossing their fingers and their wrists. Bones howled with delight.
    â€˜Bones told you!’ he yelled, capering around the three on the ground, his dusty cloak flapping like the wings of some tall, bony bird. ‘Magic ones! Come out of the Saltings to save us, as was foretold!’
    â€˜Shut your mouth, you crazy old fool!’ the woman snarled. Sullenly she clambered to her feet, dusting her hands on her filthy skirt, which seemed to have been made from the remnants of many other garments roughly cobbled together. The two men stood up, too, glowering and rubbing their heads.
    â€˜Sorcerers!’ one of them said bitterly. ‘You’ve brought death to us all, Bones—death, or worse. They’re servants of the Master!’
    â€˜We are no one’s servants!’ cried Sonia, her eyes blazing in fury, her face still pale with the shock of the attack. ‘How dare you say so? Your tyrant master is as much our enemy as he is yours!’
    The kneeling people cowered, darting terrifiedlooks at the sky. Bones whimpered, rattling his beads in agitation.
    â€˜There!’ shrieked the haggard woman. ‘She’s trying to trick us into betraying ourselves! Only see the magic crackling in her hair and sparking from her witch’s eyes!’
    â€˜You have nothing to fear from us, I swear it,’ Rye said, glancing angrily at Sonia, who tossed her head and turned away. ‘We mean you no harm!’
    â€˜If we did, we would have done far more than simply defend ourselves when we were attacked, I assure you,’ Dirk added quietly, raising the skimmer hook.
    In the dead silence that followed, the one-legged man called Cap limped forward, leaning heavily on his stick. He pushed aside his straggly hair and peered first at Dirk, then at Sonia and Rye. His eyes were grey and very shrewd.
    â€˜You see it, Cap?’ Bones begged. ‘You see how it was right to bring them up-along? You feel the wonder of them?’
    â€˜Yes indeed,’ Cap said slowly, his eyes still fixed on the visitors. ‘You can leave them in my care now, Bones. Take the sled over to the Den, there’s a good fellow. Four-Eyes will be by very soon and we don’t want to miss him, do we? Not tonight.’
    Bones hesitated, glancing uncertainly from Rye, Sonia and Dirk to his loaded sled as if he could not decide which he valued more.
    â€˜Go, Bones,’ his leader coaxed. ‘You’ll move more quickly alone. If Four-Eyes comes, let him look, but on no account agree to a trade. I’ll be with you as soon as I can.’
    Bones gave a shuddering sigh, and nodded. He bowed to Rye, Dirk and Sonia and backed between the shafts of the sled. As he turned the vehicle around, the watching people gained a clear view of the great pile of bones and the mighty skull of the bloodhog for the first time. The sight seemed to drive everything else from their minds. They all jumped up, exclaiming in excitement.
    Bones’ hollow chest swelled. His face split into a gummy grin. ‘Told you!’ he bellowed over his shoulder. ‘Told you ol’ bloodhog were a