The Wrath of the Lizard Lord Read online

  ‘I detest failure,’ Stefan said, planting the skull back on the pole. ‘It is infectious. My men know not to come back to me if they have failed a mission. They succeed or die trying.’

  A flight of stairs led them to a cleaner, busier corridor. Men marched past, saluting Stefan. Light flooded in through the tall windows, dazzling Dakkar at first. He looked out over a wide space dotted with huts and buildings. A line of soldiers mounted on lizards paraded across a drill square in formation, wheeling and turning as the lead rider barked commands.

  ‘Can you imagine the horror of the British, the Dutch and the Prussian soldiers when they encounter my lizard cavalry?’ Stefan said, his voice hoarse with excitement. ‘They’ll tear any conventional army to pieces.’

  ‘You intend to fight the armies of Europe?’ Dakkar said. ‘I thought Cryptos liked to be unknown and mysterious.’

  ‘Unknown until the moment we strike! It will be Napoleon’s armies that do the bulk of the fighting, but when the time is right my lizard legions will be unleashed,’ Stefan said, grinning. ‘The time and place has been decided. With France victorious and under our control, the rest of the continent will fall.’

  ‘And then what?’ Dakkar said, watching a gigantic lizard with a body bigger than an elephant and a huge long neck thunder past, dragging a load of sawn logs behind it. ‘You will rule in the place of kings?’

  ‘I will revenge myself on those who destroyed my inheritance and my family,’ Stefan said, gripping Dakkar’s shoulder with whitened knuckles. ‘I will plunge the nations of Europe into anarchy and carve a new empire for Cryptos from the ruins.’ Dakkar remembered the story of the Brothers Oginski. They were noblemen who had vied for the affections of the beautiful peasant girl Celina. They each went on a quest in order to decide who was worthy of her hand. But when they returned, they found their land plundered by Russian soldiers, their parents slain and Celina gone. In their grief they pledged vengeance on the tsar and, ultimately, on all empires of the world.

  The tower shook a little and the deep rumbling sound echoed through the tunnels. Dakkar looked at the stone walls nervously.

  ‘Don’t worry, Prince Dakkar,’ Stefan said, snapping out of his manic stare and laughing. ‘What you hear is the harnessed power of the earth itself. Come.’

  He led Dakkar through another set of doors and into a metal cage with a thick cork mat. This is like the cage we came down here in, Dakkar observed. It was almost identical – metal runners up the side of the shaft wall housed greased wheels.

  ‘I call this my Ascender Cage,’ the count said, grinning.

  He turned a red wheel that stuck out of a copper pipe. Steam hissed beneath them and then, suddenly, Dakkar’s stomach lurched. He nearly fell over as the cage shot upward.

  ‘We are powered by pressured steam,’ Stefan shouted above the clatter of the cage and the hiss of vapour. ‘It’s heated by the earth itself – no coal needed. Mother Nature provides the heat and the water.’

  Dakkar gripped the side of the cage as it flew past floor after floor. Nausea twisted his gut and he stared down at his feet.

  Stefan had closed his eyes, and stood with his hands clasped in front of him.

  Seizing his chance, Dakkar leapt forward and snagged the lever down, making the cage stop with a jerk. The count gave a shout but Dakkar wrenched the cage door open and ran out into a dark passage.

  Dakkar’s feet slapped on the stone floor and he panted for breath. The sudden stop had made him feel sick and running didn’t help. The corridor curved round the outside of the tower. Spotting a door, Dakkar swung it open and dived through.

  The heat hit Dakkar first, a dry warmth that enveloped him. He found himself in a dimly lit, musty-smelling room lined with shelves. Straw filled each shelf and row upon row of eggs rested on the straw. Large eggs.

  ‘You can’t hide up here for long,’ Stefan called down the passage.

  Dakkar pressed his ear to the door. He could hear the count’s footsteps coming closer, then another noise behind him caught his attention. A sharp crack.

  He turned to face the rows of eggs. His heart pounded as, to his horror, a jagged line appeared in the shell of the egg directly in front of him. Fascinated but wary, Dakkar backed away until he bumped into the door. A claw picked at the splintering shell from inside the egg. Then another, ripping frantically at the brittle casing.

  With a yell, Dakkar covered his head with his arms as the egg exploded and the thing inside burst out, throwing itself at him.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Gweek

  Something fluttered and flapped around Dakkar’s head and then moved away to the shelf close to him. Peering between his fingers, Dakkar could see what looked like a miniature Gacheela, preening itself with its long beak. It stretched its wings and gave them a flap.

  Dakkar watched warily. The creature was a perfect copy of the huge monster that had nearly killed him at the caves. He edged forward. It fluttered its wings, sending Dakkar scurrying back two paces. It’s so smooth. It looks harmless.

  ‘Hello there,’ he said in a gentle voice.

  The creature made a tiny squeak and turned its head to fix a beady eye on Dakkar. A long crest sprouted from the back of its head. Dakkar extended a finger and the lizard hopped forward.

  Swallowing hard, Dakkar resisted the urge to pull his finger back as the creature crept clumsily towards him.

  ‘Don’t be afraid,’ Dakkar whispered, and made some gentle clicking noises.

  ‘Gweek!’ squeaked the lizard, and launched itself forward.

  Dakkar gave a cry as it landed on his head. Tiny claws scratched his scalp and tangled in his hair and he swatted at the thing.

  ‘Gweek!’ it croaked again, and landed on his shoulder.

  Dakkar raised his fist, his left eye closed and his head tilted away from the beast, expecting it to peck at his face. He froze and gradually opened his eye. The creature trembled on Dakkar’s shoulder.

  Slowly, Dakkar lowered his hand to the lizard and it hopped on to his thumb. Then, with a flap and a bounce, it jumped on to his head again. Its claws prickled Dakkar’s scalp and he laughed as it ran its beak-like jaw through his hair.

  ‘Gweek,’ it said, and flapped its wings.

  ‘Gweek,’ Dakkar repeated. ‘As good a name as any. I call you Gweek then.’

  The door swung open and Stefan peered in. ‘That was a foolish thing to do,’ he said. ‘Ah, I see you’ve found our incubation room. The reptile has bonded with you.’

  ‘Bonded?’ Dakkar said, narrowing his eyes at the count.

  ‘The lizard will bond with the first creature it sees after hatching. This is how our riders control their beasts. At first we used wild lizards and tried to break them like horses. It worked to a degree but when the giants showed us how to create the bond we realised it was a much better way to control them.’

  ‘Ruling through fear and cruelty rarely works,’ Dakkar said, hardening his face. ‘But then I suppose you wouldn’t understand that.’

  ‘Your flying pet will follow you unto death now,’ the count said, ignoring Dakkar’s jibe and pulling a pistol from his belt. ‘He will grow no bigger than he is now. We use them for messages as they have an uncanny knack of finding their masters. It is quite magical. Come, I have one more thing to show you. Please don’t try to run away again or I will shoot you where you stand.’

  Dakkar followed the count back into the passageway, Gweek fluttering behind them.

  ‘Can you feel the slightest sensation of movement?’ Stefan said.

  Dakkar nodded. ‘It feels as if the tower is swaying,’ he said, trying not to show his alarm.

  ‘It is,’ the count said, giving a grin. ‘Even though it was built by giants, at this height the structure moves in the breeze.’

  ‘Why does it have to be so high?’ Dakkar said, scowling at Stefan. ‘To match your soaring ego?’

  ‘Oh! Very good, my princeling!’ The count laughed, clapping his hands. ‘A trip to
the very top of the tower will reveal all.’

  Dakkar looked out of the window and down on the ranks of riders massing below. They looked tiny. The count stopped by the Ascender Cage again.

  ‘My armies gather,’ Stefan said, grinning and rubbing his hands. ‘The first squadrons will soon be on the surface awaiting my orders. And I will choose the right moment!’ He opened the door to the cage and stepped in.

  Dakkar followed reluctantly. The cage sped upward, making Dakkar’s head swirl. He shivered as the air cooled.

  ‘The tower goes through the gas cloud here,’ the count explained. ‘Most of the upper tower is empty apart from the pipes and mechanisms that power the lifts. The cloud is quite poisonous. Many of my workers died building this section.’

  ‘Slaves, you mean,’ Dakkar said, watching the walls flash by.

  Stefan pursed his lips and slammed the stop lever down so that the cage rattled to an abrupt halt. Dakkar stumbled forward against the metalwork, making Gweek squawk with alarm.

  ‘Out here,’ the count murmured, opening the door. ‘We have reached the top.’

  Dakkar’s eyes widened as he stared through the door. A brisk wind plucked at Dakkar’s hair even inside the cage. The flat top of the tower stretched around for hundreds of feet in all directions. No fence or railing marked the edge. Ranks of guards stood on this flat rooftop with their muzzled lizards at their sides. Row upon row stood waiting to enter another, larger cage at the end of the flat roof of the tower. This cage led up into solid rock.

  ‘That is the bedrock of the upper world – our ceiling down here, hidden by cloud,’ Stefan said, dragging Dakkar out of the cage by the arm. ‘A final Ascender Cage takes them up to the surface. I believe you’re familiar with the Mole Machines that were developed by my late brother – we used them to dig the tunnel to the surface.’

  Two cylindrical machines with huge pointed drills at their noses stood to one side of the lines of cavalry. Dakkar’s head spun; the sheer height made his stomach rise to his throat. The wind whipped at his hair and buffeted his ears. The count pulled him to the edge of the tower. Dakkar swallowed hard and tried to control his breathing.

  ‘Look around you,’ the count shouted above the wind. ‘I already rule this inner world. I would have killed you when I found you unconscious in my pits but Georgia said you had potential. I’m giving you one chance.’

  ‘You want me to join you?’ Dakkar shouted back.

  ‘I would never make the same mistake my brother made,’ the count said, pushing his thick, black hair from his face. ‘You would be guarded night and day. The men who watched you would have orders to kill you at the slightest suspicion. But, yes, I see something in you – a spark of genius and energy that it would be a shame to snuff out.’

  ‘I’d never join you,’ Dakkar spat. ‘I’d rather be dead.’

  ‘As you wish,’ Stefan said with a shrug.

  Dakkar felt the man’s large hand hit his chest and then the world spun. Dakkar’s stomach lurched. He found himself falling backward, looking at his feet and beyond that the count’s leering face as it vanished above him.

  He pushed me off, Dakkar thought, not quite believing it. He just pushed me off the tower!

  Time slowed down. Dakkar watched the stone blocks of the wall pass him by. He picked out every detail despite the real speed at which they flew past. Moss filled the crevices between each block; cracks crept across some stones, while others were smooth and unblemished. The air roared in Dakkar’s ears and pulled at his hair and clothes. He panted, desperately catching breaths of air as he fell. Dakkar was dimly aware of Gweek’s frantic squeaks and cries. The little creature flapped around him, trying to rest on his twisting and turning body. Below Dakkar, the bank of cloud grew closer, lightning flashing inside its rolling mass.

  A dark shadow passed underneath Dakkar, making him blink. Gweek’s cries grew shriller as they tumbled on. Dakkar squinted, trying to see as the rushing wind pressed at his eyeballs. Gweek circled again and then a deafening cry cut above the howl of the air.

  Dakkar stared at the enormous creature. It resembled the Gacheela in shape, with its pointed head and stunted body. But its wings stretched on forever, the leathery membranes between its body and bony arms rippling like the sails of a galleon. This beast was enormous. It swooped around, responding to Gweek’s alarmed cries. Its wing tip grazed Dakkar’s shoulder and then it wheeled suddenly, as if searching for Gweek. It brought itself under Dakkar and stabbed at him with its long beak, prodding and probing for the little flying lizard. It heard Gweek’s cries and thought it was food! Dakkar realised.

  Not wasting another second, Dakkar arched his back and straightened his body into a dive, trying to increase the speed of his descent. He crashed into the giant Gacheela, gripping his arms around its neck and his legs around its body. Gasping and panting, Dakkar ignored the bristly skin that rubbed against him like sandpaper. The monster tried to peck at him but its long head prevented it from hitting him with any force. It twirled, trying to shake him off, but Dakkar gripped tightly. All this time Gweek clung to his jacket and squawked in panic.

  Dakkar felt his scalp prickle and realised that they had lost height. Clearly the beast didn’t have the strength to support them both. Dakkar took a deep breath, holding it as the cloud grew thicker.

  The giant Gacheela flapped its wings but still couldn’t shake Dakkar loose. As it struggled to free itself, the creature plunged deeper into the cloud bank. Dakkar squeezed his eyes shut. His skin stung as if a thousand needles had been stuck into it. The static charge that the clouds generated made his hair stand on end. His breath tightened in his chest. If I breathe in now, the cloud will burn me inside.

  They were descending fast now. Gweek had somehow crept on to Dakkar’s chest and inside his jacket. It croaked feebly. Even the giant flying reptile seemed weakened by the cloud and its heavy load. It spread its wings and tried to glide down through the cloud. Dakkar’s lungs felt as if they would burst. His head throbbed and his grip weakened.

  Then Dakkar saw the green of the jungle through the thinning mist. It grew clearer and he let out a huge gasp, drawing in fresh air. The Gacheela seemed to awaken too, swooping down towards the trees and then beyond to the sea.

  The jungle became a green blur as they whipped across the treetops, then it vanished to be replaced with steel-grey water. Spray and salt water slapped Dakkar’s face as once more he fought for breath. He thought about letting go but the impact at this speed would break every bone in his body. The Gacheela was taking him far out to sea!

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Dead Man Walking

  Clinging tightly to the underside of the Gacheela, Dakkar tried to think quickly. Every second took him further and further out to sea. He looked across the slate-grey water to the horizon. He could see the land curving round the edges of this huge expanse of water. In the far distance, massive water spouts curled up into the clouds. Admiring the scenery isn’t going to help me now! he thought, wondering what he could do to save himself.

  If he tried to pull the creature down, he would be plunged into the depths with no way of getting back. The swell of the waves rolled a few feet away from him, hissing and snapping at his back like a wild animal eager to pull him in and devour him. Gweek’s cries of alarm had grown louder since they had left the cloud.

  I’ve got to turn this beast round, he thought, gritting his teeth against the ache in his arms and legs. He reached out and shifted his weight slightly to the left of the Gacheela, bringing a flurry of squawks and attempted pecks. The beast was gliding over the waves rather than flapping now and so, gradually, Dakkar’s weight began to ease it into a slow arc. The Gacheela quietened and kept low to the waves.

  Eventually, they faced land again. By dangling his head down, Dakkar could see the upside-down strip of jungle on the horizon with the tower poking up into the clouds. The reptile tried to turn but Dakkar eased his weight over, making a crooked line back for shore. Each time t
he Gacheela changed direction, Dakkar swung himself to the left or right, forcing it to hold the right course.

  Soon, Dakkar risked dangling down again and could see individual trees dotting the shoreline. A colossal shadow just under the surface killed the whoop of joy in his throat. With a yelp, Dakkar dragged himself up on to the side of the Gacheela’s body, dragging it round and making it wheel back towards the seas. It snapped at him, its toothed beak snagging on his ragged jacket.

  Then the sea erupted. A huge whale-like creature exploded from the depths below. The smell of the sea, rotten fish and seaweed engulfed them. Dakkar saw enormous, gaping jaws, a red mouth, row upon row of sharp ivory teeth, before he found himself flying unaided across the waves. Gweek croaked and squealed as they skipped across the water like a stone skimmed by a giant child. The tiny flying reptile fluttered up off Dakkar and squeaked its complaint above him. Cold water soaked into Dakkar’s thick woollen jacket, making him gasp and pulling him down.

  He caught a last glimpse of the enormous whale, the giant Gacheela crumpled in its jaws as it boomed back into the water behind him. Then a massive wave from the creature’s re-entry into the sea swelled up towards them.

  Turning on his stomach, Dakkar began to thrash at the water in a vain attempt to outswim the wave, but he felt himself lifted and powered along. Looking up, he saw how incredibly close the shoreline actually was. Then the wave broke, turning him head over feet. Water flooded his nose and mouth. A bubbling roar filled his ears and he found himself plunged deep beneath the surge into calmer waters below.

  Dakkar opened his eyes. Ever since Oginski had taken him and introduced him to the sea, Dakkar had found he could see well underwater. Now he stared at the rocky bed below him, teeming with strange fish. Some had long filaments waving from their heads, others had pronounced lower jaws and legions of needle-sharp teeth. Strange worms wriggled among the vivid red seaweed and the black, volcanic rock. Here, too, creatures preyed upon each other with an insatiable hunger.

  Glancing round for any larger fish, Dakkar kicked his way to the surface, gasping for breath as he hit the cool air. Gweek fluttered above him, croaking.