Deltora Quest #3: City of the Rats (4 page)

B
arda shrugged. “The City of the Rats has an evil reputation, and an Ak-Baba was seen in the skies above it on the morning the Shadow Lord invaded. We can be almost sure that one of the Belt’s gems has been hidden there.”

“So,” said Jasmine, still in that hard voice, “we must go to the place, but we know little of what we will find there. We cannot prepare or plan.”

“We could not prepare or plan for the Lake of Tears or the Forests of Silence,” Lief put in stoutly. “But still we succeeded in both. As we will succeed in this.”

Jasmine tossed her head. “Brave words!” she retorted. “Perhaps you have forgotten that in the Forests you had me to help you, and at the Lake of Tears we had Manus to guide our way. This time, it is different. We are alone, without advice or help.”

Her plain speaking irritated Lief, and he could see that it irritated Barda also. Perhaps she was right in what she said, but why lower their spirits?

He turned away from her and stared straight ahead. They rode on in silence.

Shortly afterwards the road ahead of them split into two, as Tom had told them it would. There was a signpost in the middle of the fork, one arm pointing to the left, the other to the right.

“Broad River!” exclaimed Lief. “That is the river on which the City of the Rats stands! Why, what a piece of good fortune!”

Excitedly, he began turning Noodle’s head to the right.

“Lief, what are you doing?” protested Jasmine. “We must take the left-hand path. Remember what the man Tom said.”

“Don’t you see, Jasmine? Tom would never have dreamed that we would go willingly to the City of the Rats,” called Lief over his shoulder, as he urged Noodle on. “So of course he warned us against this path. But, as it happens, it is the very path we want. Come on!”

Barda and Pip were already following Lief. Still unsure, Jasmine let Zanzee carry her after them.

The track was as wide as the other, and a good, strong road, though showing the marks of cart wheels. As they moved on, the land on either side became more and more rich and green. There were no parched spaces or dead trees here. Fruits and berries grew wild everywhere, and bees hummed around the flowers, their legs weighed down by golden bags of pollen.

Far to the right there were hazy purple hills, and to the left, the green of a forest. Ahead, the road wound like a pale ribbon into the distance. The air was fresh and sweet.

The muddlets snuffled eagerly and began to pick up speed.

“They are enjoying this,” laughed Lief, patting Noodle’s neck.

“And so am I,” called Barda in answer. “How good to ride through fertile country at last. This land, at least, has not been spoiled.”

They bounded past a grove of trees and saw that not far ahead a side road branched off the main track and led away towards the purple hills. Idly, Lief wondered where it led.

Suddenly, Noodle made a strange, excited barking sound and stretched out her neck, straining against the reins. Pip and Zanzee were calling out, also. They began leaping ahead, covering great distances with every bound. Lief tossed and bounced on the saddle. It was taking all his strength just to hold on.

“What is the matter with them?” he shouted, as the wind beat against his face.

“I do not know!” gasped Barda. He was trying to slow Pip down, but the muddlet was taking not the slightest notice. “Snuff!” he bellowed. But Pip only ran faster, neck outstretched, mouth wide and eager.

Jasmine shrieked as Zanzee thrust his head forward, ripping the reins violently from her hands. She slipped sideways, and for a terrifying moment Lief thought she was going to fall, but she managed to throw her arms around her mount’s neck, and pull herself up on the saddle once more. She clung there grimly, her head bent against the wind, as Zanzee bolted on, the stones of the road scattering under his flying feet.

There was nothing any of them could do. The muddlets were strong — far too strong for them. They thundered to the place where the side road branched, swerved off the main road in a cloud of dust, and bolted on up, up towards the hazy purple hills.

His eyes streaming, his voice hoarse from shouting, Lief saw the hills rushing towards them in a purple blur. There was something black in the midst of the purple. Lief blinked, squinted, tried to see what it was. It was coming closer, closer …

And then, without warning, Noodle pulled up short. Lief shot over her head, his own cry of shock ringing in his ears. Dimly he was aware of Jasmine and
Barda shouting as they, too, were thrown from their mounts. Then the ground rushed up to meet him, and he knew no more.

There were pains in Lief’s legs and back, and his head ached. Something was nudging at his shoulder. He tried to open his eyes. At first they seemed gummed shut, but then he managed to force them open. A faceless red shape was looming over him. He tried to scream, but all that came from his throat was a strangled moan.

The red shape drew back. “This one is awake,” a voice said.

A hand came down, holding a cup of water. Lief lifted his head and drank thirstily. Slowly he realized that he was lying with Barda and Jasmine on the floor of a large hall. Many torches burned around the stone walls, lighting the room and casting flickering shadows, but they did little to warm the cold air. There was a huge fireplace in one corner. It was filled with great logs, but unlit.

An overpowering smell of strong soap mingled with the smell of the burning torches. Perhaps the floor had been recently scrubbed, for the stones on which Lief lay were damp, and there was not a speck of dust anywhere.

The room was full of people. Their heads were shaved, and they were strangely dressed in close-fitting suits of black, with high boots. They were all staring
intently at the companions on the floor, fascinated and fearful.

The one with the water backed away, and the towering red figure that had so frightened Lief as he returned to consciousness moved once more into his view. Now he could see that it was a man, dressed entirely in red. Even his boots were red. Gloves covered his hands, and his head was swathed in tight-fitting cloth that covered his mouth and nose, leaving a space only for the eyes. A long whip made of plaited leather hung from his wrist. It trailed behind him, swishing on the ground as he moved.

He saw that Lief had regained his senses, and was watching him. “Noradzeer,” he murmured, brushing his hands down his body, from shoulders to hips. It was plainly a greeting of some kind.

Lief wanted to make sure that, whoever these strange people were, they knew he was friendly. He struggled into a sitting position and tried to copy the gesture, and the word.

The black-clad people murmured, then they too swept their hands from their shoulders to their hips and whispered, “Noradzeer, noradzeer, noradzeer …” till the great room was echoing with their voices.

Lief stared, his head swimming. “What — what is this place?”

“This is Noradz,” said the scarlet figure, his voice muffled by the cloth that covered his mouth
and nose. “Visitors are not welcome here. Why have you come?”

“We — did not mean to,” Lief said. “Our mounts bolted, and carried us out of our way. We fell …” He winced as pain stabbed behind his eyes.

Jasmine and Barda were stirring now, and being given water in their turn. The red figure turned to them and greeted them as he had greeted Lief. Then he spoke again.

“You were lying outside our gates, with your goods scattered about you,” he said, his voice cold with suspicion. “There were no mounts to be seen.”

“Then they must have run away,” exclaimed Jasmine impatiently. “We certainly did not throw ourselves upon the ground with such force as to knock ourselves senseless!”

The man in red drew himself up, lifting the coiling whip menacingly. “Guard your tongue, unclean one,” he hissed. “Speak with respect! Do you not know that I am Reece, First Ra-Kachar of the Nine?”

Jasmine began to speak again, but Barda raised his voice, drowning her words.

“We are deeply sorry, my Lord Ra-Kachar,” he said loudly. “We are strangers, and ignorant of your ways.”

“The Nine Ra-Kacharz keep the people to the holy laws of cleanliness, watchfulness, and duty,” droned Reece. “Thus is the city safe. Noradzeer.”

“Noradzeer,” murmured the people, bending their
bare heads and brushing their bodies from shoulder to thigh.

Barda and Lief glanced at each other. Both were thinking that the sooner they could leave this strange place, the happier they would be.

J
asmine was clambering to her feet, looking fretfully around the great room. The black-clad people murmured, drawing back from her as though her tattered clothing and tangled hair could somehow contaminate them.

“Where is Kree?” she demanded.

Reece turned his face towards her. “There is another of you?” he asked sharply.

“Kree is a bird,” Lief explained hurriedly, as he and Barda stood up also. “A black bird.”

“Kree will be waiting for you outside, Jasmine,” Barda muttered under his breath. “Be still, now. Filli is safe, isn’t he?”

“Yes. But he is hiding under my coat and will not come out,” Jasmine hissed sullenly. “He does not like it here, and neither do I.”

Barda turned to Reece and bowed. “We are most
grateful for your care of us,” he said loudly. “But with your kind permission we will be on our way.”

“It is our time to eat, and a platter has been prepared for you,” said Reece, his dark eyes sweeping their faces as if daring them to object. “The food has already been blessed by the Nine. When food has been blessed, it must be eaten within the hour. Noradzeer.”

“Noradzeer,” echoed the people reverently.

Before Barda could say anything else, gongs began to sound, and two great doors at one end of the room opened to reveal a dining hall beyond. Eight tall figures, dressed in red as Reece was, stood at the opening, four on each side. The eight other Ra-Kacharz, thought Lief.

Long, leather whips hung from the Ra-Kacharz’ wrists. They watched sternly as the black-clad people began shuffling past them.

Lief’s head ached. He had never felt less hungry in his life. He wanted more than anything to be out of this place, but it was clear that he, Barda, and Jasmine were not to be allowed to leave until they had eaten.

Unwillingly, they walked through to the dining hall. It was as clean and scrubbed as the other room had been, and so brightly lit that every corner was visible. It was filled with bare tables, arranged in long rows. The tables were very high, with tall, slender metal legs. A plain cup and plate stood at every place, but there were no tools for eating, and no chairs. The people of Noradz, it seemed, ate with their fingers, standing up.

At the far end of the hall, a set of steps led to a raised platform. There another table stood alone. Lief guessed that this was where the Ra-Kacharz would eat, their high position giving them a good view of all that went on below.

Reece showed Lief, Barda, and Jasmine to their table, which was set a little apart from the others. Then he went to join the other Ra-Kacharz, who, as Lief had expected, were all standing at the table on the platform, facing the crowd.

When he had taken his place in the center, Reece lifted his gloved hands and surveyed the room. “Noradzeer!” he called. He swept his hands from shoulders to hips.

“Noradzeer!” echoed the people.

With one movement, all the Ra-Kacharz pulled away the cloth that swathed their mouths and noses. Immediately, gongs sounded once more, and more people in black began entering the hall, carrying huge, covered serving platters.

“I cannot think of a more uncomfortable way to eat!” Jasmine whispered. She was the smallest person in the room, and the tabletop barely reached her chin.

A serving girl came to their table and put down her burden, her hands trembling. Her light blue eyes were scared. Serving the strangers was plainly frightening for her.

“Are there no children in Noradz?” Lief asked her. “The tables are so high.”

“Children eat only in the training room,” the servant said in a low voice. “Children must learn the holy ways before they can grow to take their places in the hall. Noradzeer.”

She removed the cover from the serving platter and Lief, Jasmine, and Barda gasped. The platter was divided into three parts. The largest held an array of tiny sausages and other meats, threaded on wooden sticks with many vegetables of every shape and color. The second was piled with golden, savory pastries and soft, white rolls. The third and smallest was filled with preserved fruits, little pink-iced cakes covered with sugar flowers, and strange-looking round, brown sweets.

Barda picked up one of the sweets and stared at it, as if amazed. “Can this be — chocolate?” he exclaimed. He popped the sweet into his mouth and closed his eyes. “It is!” he murmured blissfully. “Why, I have not tasted chocolate since I was a Palace guard! Over sixteen years!”

Lief had never seen such luxurious food in his life, and suddenly, despite everything, he felt ravenous. He picked up one of the sticks and began chewing at the meat and vegetables. The food was so delicious! Like nothing he had ever tasted before.

“This is so good!” he murmured to the serving girl, with his mouth full. She gazed at him, pleased but a little confused. Plainly, she was used to the food of Noradz, and did not know any other way of eating.

Nervously she stretched out her hand to take the heavy cover from the table. As she lifted it over the serving platter, her fingers trembled and the cover’s edge caught one of the bread rolls, and knocked it from its place. The bread rolled onto the table and, before she or Lief could catch it, bounced onto the floor.

The girl screamed — a high, piercing scream of terror. At the same moment there was a cry of rage from the high table. Everyone in the room froze.

“Food is spilled!” roared the Ra-Kacharz as one. “Pick it up! Seize the offender! Seize Tira!”

Several people from the table nearest the guests spun around. One of them darted to the fallen bread and picked it up, holding it high. The others seized the serving girl. She screamed again as they began to drag her towards the high table.

Reece moved towards the steps, uncoiling his whip. “Tira spilled food upon the ground,” he droned. “Spilt food is evil. Noradzeer. The evil must be driven out by one hundred strokes of the whip. Noradzeer.”

“Noradzeer!” echoed the black-clad people around the tables. They watched as Tira, sobbing in fear, was cast down at Reece’s feet. He raised the whip …

“No!” Lief darted out from his table. “Do not punish her! It was me! I did it!”

“You?” thundered Reece, lowering the whip.

“Yes!” called Lief. “I caused the food to fall. I am sorry.” He knew that it was foolhardy to take the blame.
But whatever the strange customs of these people, he could not bear for the girl to be punished for a simple accident.

The other Ra-Kacharz were muttering together. The one nearest Reece moved to his side and said something to him. There was a moment’s stillness, broken only by the sobbing of the fallen girl. Then Reece faced Lief once more.

“You are a stranger, and unclean,” he said. “You do not know our ways. The Nine have decided that you are to be spared punishment.”

His voice was harsh. Clearly, he did not approve of this decision, but had been outvoted by the rest.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lief sidled back to his table as Tira scrambled from the ground and ran, stumbling, from the room.

Barda and Jasmine greeted him with raised eyebrows. “That was a near thing,” Barda muttered.

“It was a risk worth taking,” Lief answered lightly, though his heart was still thudding at his near escape. “It was a fair chance that they would not punish a stranger as they would punish one of their own — at least on the first occasion.”

Jasmine shrugged. She had taken vegetables from one of the sticks, and was holding them up to her shoulder, trying to coax Filli out to eat. “We should leave here as soon as we are able,” she said. “These people are very strange. Who knows what other odd laws — ah, Filli, there you are!”

Tempted by the smell of the tidbits, the little creature had at last ventured to poke his nose from under the collar of Jasmine’s jacket. Cautiously he crawled out onto her shoulder, took a piece of golden vegetable in his tiny paws, and began to nibble at it.

There was a sudden, strangled sound from the high table. Lief glanced up and was startled to see all the Ra-Kacharz pointing at Jasmine, their faces masks of horror.

The other people in the room turned to look. There was a moment’s shocked silence. Then, suddenly, shrieking with terror, they stampeded for the doors.

“Evil!” Reece’s voice thundered from the platform. “The unclean ones have brought evil to our halls. They try to destroy us! See! The creature crawls there, on her body! Kill it! Kill it!”

As one, the Nine Ra-Kacharz ran from the platform and plunged towards Jasmine, using their whips freely to slice their way through the panic-stricken crowd.

“It is Filli!” gasped Barda. “They are afraid of Filli.”

“Kill it!” howled the Ra-Kacharz. They were very close now.

Barda, Lief, and Jasmine looked around desperately. There was nowhere to run. A press of people struggled at every door, trying to get through.

“Run, Filli!” Jasmine cried in fear. “Run! Hide!”

She threw Filli to the floor and he darted away. The people screamed at the sight of him, stumbling
back, falling and trampling one another in their terror. He scampered through the gap in the crowd and was gone.

But Lief, Barda, and Jasmine were trapped. And the Ra-Kacharz were upon them.