Tyler's Dream Read Online Free Page B

too precious a thing?”
    “Do not concern yourself, Agatha. I will get it back one way or the other.” With that Hargill rolled the pebble between the bars. The ghatu ducked quickly and grabbed it from the floor, never once slipping its attention away from Hargill and his sword. Then with complete lack of reverence, it chucked the precious artefact into the back of its gaping black mouth. “I have done as you have asked.” The ghatu’s voice retained its foreign savageness; it was deep and powerful.
    “And I, in return, shall keep to my promise,” Hargill turned about. “Tyler! Fetch some food and drink. Quickly bring as much as you can.”
    Tyler scrambled off, happy to be useful. He scavenged the hall and found a loaf of bread, an apple, and a flask of wine. Hargill accepted these discoveries with a nod and passed them through the bars of the cage, careful not to allow the ghatu the opportunity to bite off a finger or a hand. Tyler withdrew to the side once more and watched the ghatu devour its meal. It almost swallowed the apple whole and drained the entire flask in three long gulps; wine spilt over its face and trickled onto its dusty clothes. With a grunt, the ghatu flung the flask to the other side of its cage so that it smashed against the bars. It then stretched one arm up towards the ceiling and let out a loud, hard laugh.
    “So, mukwa , do you have names? I need a laugh. I have been travelling all night with… rotten company.”
    “Do not jest about those who are now dead, ghatu,” hissed Glivin. “Or I will kill you myself.”
    The ghatu surveyed him with its animal eyes. “Ah yes, a warrior ,” it said, smiling. “But would you really strike down even one such as myself, unarmed and wounded?” The creature smirked as it motioned to its left arm, which was bound with bits of cloth obviously ripped from the rest of its clothes.
    Glivin snarled. “You have slaughtered friends of mine without mercy or remorse, and yet you talk of honour?”
    “They were hunting me , mukwa . Is it not right to defend oneself?” replied the ghatu. “I’ll have you know it was more than a fair battle. Something you would not understand, I see, threatening an unarmed creature while you yourself have a sword.” Its lip curled with hate. “How brave.”
    Glivin roared with fury and thrust out with his sword, but Hargill was there and caught Glivin’s murderous hand before the blow was struck. “Calm yourself, Glivin. Now is not the time for revenge.”
    Glivin grit his teeth, and although he lowered his sword, there was a thirst for blood smouldering in his eyes. “Be warned, ghatu: the words you have spoken will be avenged. I swear it.”
    “Good, I’m looking forward to it,” the ghatu said. It grinned a row of inch-long teeth, and Tyler noticed most were capped around their base with welds of silvered metal. “Now, since you all must have unworthy, shameful names because you do not tell them to me when I ask, I at least will give you mine.” The ghatu straightened as much as was possible. “My name is Varkon Kar Tavernev, sixth born of Tirimu Kar Tavernev, who was first of Rivon Kar Tavernev before him, proud descendant of an ancestry that can be traced back to when the earth was still warm and the sun cold, before the first tree sucked its roots into the ground, so long and famous that half the stars bear the name of my kin, of Kar Tavernev.”
    “Greetings, Varkon Kar Tavernev. my name is Hargill John Rohorn. Remember that you are in our lands now, and the reason I did not ask your name before is because I already knew it. Your name is prisoner , is it not? Or trespasser ? Or would murderer suit you better? Now, there is only so much insult I can bear before I let Glivin here have his way with you. I have many questions, Varkon Kar Tavernev. If you answer them, you will live; if not, Tirimu Kar Tavernev will lose one of his sons. Do you understand?”
    “Hargill Rohorn, you speak well. But why –?”