Valkeryn 2: The Dark Lands Read Online Free Page A

strength so we may cross the mountain.’
    [He’s too heavy. Cut him loose or he’ll kill you both]
    Arn felt one of his hands slip just as Grimson shifted his weight, the youth leaning back even further as he yelled more prayers to the sky.
    [Who will know? Who will care?]
    This time the voice ended with a small, cruel laugh.
    No, please, no. Arn squeezed his stinging eyes shut after the silent plea. His eyes burned, either from the sweat or from tears that were starting to form. Help me!
    Tuweni Iyayekiy.
    Arn opened his eyes.
    TUWENI IYAYEKIY!
    The furious words pulled Arn’s face back from the rock. It was his grandfather’s voice, deep, confident, angry. The old man’s words were in the ancient tongue.
    Tuweni Iyayekiy – never surrender.
    ‘I will never surrender.’ Arn tensed, then sprang, leaping across five feet of space to the next handhold. His teeth were gritted and his lips pulled back. He roared as he willed a bolt of aggressive energy into his fatiguing muscles. His body slammed hard and he clung to the rock, his fingers digging into the tiniest of cracks.
    ‘There.’ Grimson pointed with his long nose to the next small shelf. Arn swung again while he had the will and a few ounces of strength. He could feel his overworked heart slamming against his ribs, but he dare not stop now. He looked along the rock face, and waited while Grimson searched out the next foot or handhold he could use.
    They’d make it; he knew in his soul now that the worst was over. While he clung, waiting, a shadow passed over him.
    Arn frowned. It had moved far too quickly for it to be a cloud – a bird maybe? He pulled his head back, and as he half turned, the youth clinging to his back screamed. The darkness flicked by him again, this time catching an impression of something dark and leathery soaring past.
    ‘What was that?’
    Grimson clung to him even tighter. ‘I don’t know, but it’s big and it’s coming back.’
    ‘Hang on.’ Arn scrabbled up a few feet to another fissure in the stone, but resisted the temptation to rush. He couldn’t afford to get jittery now – one small slip, and it’d be all over for both of them. ‘Keep watching it.’
    ‘I need my blade.’ Grimson was becoming frantic on his back.
    ‘Stay still!’ Arn remembered he had tied the Wolfen’s hands together so he could not let go and fall, but the kid obviously felt he needed his silver blade to protect himself against whatever was taking an interest in them.
    With a thump something landed on the rock face beside Arn. He sucked in his breath, and his overworked heart felt like it missed a few very vital beats.
    Long claws dug into the stone, and glistening obsidian eyes were fixed on them from within a gargoyle face. Greasy dark fur surrounded a leaf-shaped nose, and a mouth filled with needle-like teeth. As big as a man, it clung to the rock beside Arn. Its enormous arms were cloaked with membranous wings, now hanging beneath its body.  Arn saw it lift its head in their direction and he heard it sniff the air, taking in more of their scent. It scrabbled a few inches closer.
    ‘Get outta here! Shoo!’ Arn worked his mouth and spat at the creature. The giant bat-thing just dipped its head, and flicked out a thin black tongue to lick at the spittle. It edged closer.
    Arn half turned his head. ‘What the hell is it?
    Grimson was shivering on his back. ‘I don’t know, but it has the smell of a meat eater. It’s going to attack us, I need my arms free.’
    Arn’s whipped his head back the way they’d come. His brain whirled; he couldn’t move back, and the creature blocked their path. He couldn’t use his arms to fight the thing, as he was barely hanging on as it was. He was loath to untie the youth’s arms. One slip, and he’d lose him.
    There was scrabbling on the rock face again, as the creature edged closer. Arn was out of options. He doubted the thing would be able to lift them from the rock face, but judging by its teeth,