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Feverfew hesitated as Mangus reached to take her hand again.
“Feverfew, you must go down into the very depths of the Keep. The amulet is there... waiting.”
In a daze, Feverfew allowed Mangus to lead her along the path and through a narrow door. As he did she was in a panic. Was the druid really telling her the truth? Was the Tarsis Amulet really far beneath the Wizard’s Keep? Was Mangus really the Lady's grandfather, or did he lie to gain her confidence? She knew, as did all the Special, that druids often lied to get people to do what they wanted. Was Mangus lying? She stared down the long narrow steps into the darkness. There was nothing else for it. She would have to trust Mangus... for now, and hope that if she was in danger, her magic would show itself to protect her.
****
Meanwhile, the Lady and Ferol were slipping through the dark streets, heading in the direction of the tower. All around them they could hear the hissing, roaring, screeching of the beasts.
As they slowly approached a small park that was roughly the size of the inside of a Cathedral, the Lady stopped.
“What is it?” whispered Ferol, looking around.
“I don't know,” whispered the Lady, putting her finger to her lips to tell him to be quiet.
Looking around they headed across the park. They were about halfway when the Lady screamed and suddenly shoved Ferol aside. She was just in time, for a crow-like beast, about the size of a horse, screeching with frustrated anger, flew past. With it, it carried a tuft of the Special's hair.
Now, as it flew back to dive-bomb at them again, the Lady shot a ball of magic up at it. The magic hit the bird beast in the face, shattering its curved beak. With a shocked screech, it shot back up into the air and disappeared into the darkness.
“Hurry!” hissed the Lady and raced across the park, heading for the apparent safety of the entrance to a long street.
Gasping with fear, and looking all around, Ferol raced after her.
****
Down, down they went into the dank dampness of the Keep until they came to the bottom of the steps. There, Mangus reached to a wall and pulled out a long piece of wood with some sort of straw or oiled strings fixed to the end of it. Waving a hand in front of it he caused it to light.
Ahead, Feverfew could see a wide cave that she guessed went far inside the hill that the Wizards Keep was built on.
“Follow,” whispered Mangus.
With a pounding heart, Feverfew followed the Lady's grandfather along the winding tunnel. As she walked along behind the druid, Feverfew studied the markings and paintings that lined the tunnel. She knew they were ancient. Some of the crude drawings depicted a woman and a girl. Both appeared to be on fire. Other actual paintings showed a girl staring into the back of a deep cave at a shining object. All around the object were gathered grotesque-looking monsters.
****
A short time later, when Mangus stopped, he pointed to a stone slab that lay on one side of the tunnel. “We'll rest here, have something to eat. I'm sure you're hungry.”
“No, I... ” But Feverfew suddenly realized, she was hungry. She watched as Mangus pulled a small cloth-wrapped bundle from inside his long garment. As they sat side by side he handed Feverfew a piece of bread. Then pulling a long leather-skin vessel from inside his cloak, he handed it to her. “Drink,” he said. “The sweet water will invigorate you.”
After drinking some of the cool liquid Feverfew smacked her lips and smiled. “Delicious,” she said. “Thank you.”
As she chewed on a piece of bread she asked, “Mangus, how did you know we came here to find the amulet? Do you know about, Batach and his army of monsters?”
Mangus stared at her. “Oh, girl,” he said smiling. “It has been known for hundreds of years that you would come to the Silver City to search for the amulet.”
“Known?” exclaimed Feverfew, frowning. “Hundreds of years?”
“Yes,” said Mangus, suddenly pushing the stopper into the leather-skin liquid container and standing up. “Come, it's time to move on. We have quite a ways to go yet.”
With a million questions filling her head, Feverfew followed the mysterious druid.
****
By then, the Lady and Ferol were about a hundred meters from the tower.
“The tower is just up this street and around the next corner is the park,” whispered the Lady looking all around.
They moved on into the long narrow street. As they hugged the darkest side of the street they could hear growling.
Near the top they stopped.
“What now?” whispered Ferol. He could almost hear his heart pounding with fear, but he took comfort from the feeling of his magic building up, aching to do as he willed it.
Both the Lady and Ferol knew that whatever was growling, was hidden just beyond the street they were on.
“We have to go this way,” whispered the Lady.
She was about to move on when Ferol stopped her.
“Lady... the tower. It wouldn't let either of us approach it. The wards...”
“Ferol, I know,” hissed the Lady, almost at once regretting her anger. Ferol was right. What was the point of going to the tower, if they could not seek safety inside it? The wards wouldn't let them. The magic binding the tower was too powerful for her and the boy. She frowned. There has to be a way inside, she thought. There just has to be. If there isn't, then we'll perish. She regretted now she had brought Ferol with her. But making up her mind she whispered, “Come on.”
****
Around that time, Feverfew and Mangus were entering a massive hall. The ceiling was in darkness. Feverfew couldn't see how high it was. But the hall was at least a hundred meters long and almost as wide. Tall statues lined both walls. Statues of men with crocodile and bull's heads. Each wore a broad belt around their waists. Feverfew guessed that the glittering stones that lined the belts were diamonds.
They moved quickly through the hall, the sound of their footsteps echoing all around them.
“What is this place?” whispered Feverfew.
“The hall of the ancients,” replied Mangus. He grinned. “Scared?”
Feverfew studied one of the more grotesque statues.
“No,” she said, and she wasn't scared. In fact she was looking forward to Mangus showing her where the Tarsis Amulet lay. When I have it she thought, I'll soon be reunited with the Lady and the others. Then we can all return and save the land. She smiled. They must be wondering what's keeping me.
****
By then, the Lady and Ferol, were slowly approaching the top of the street. The growling sound had subsided.
Ferol was thinking, that perhaps whatever it is is moving off. And sure enough, when they came to the top of the street and peeked around the corner there was no sign of any danger.
“Come on,” whispered the Lady looking all around. “The park is around yonder corner.”
****
Mangus and Feverfew had stopped at the entrance to another wide cave.
The druid turned to her, a frown of his face. “When we go in there,” he warned, “it might be better if we didn't speak. Sound travels a long way. They might hear.”
Feverfew was about to ask, “They?” when Mangus strode off again, quickly leading the way into the cave. This time he didn't make a light. In the semi-darkness Feverfew thought she heard hissing away ahead.
They quickly made their way along the cold cave. Water was trickling down the dark green walls. Their footsteps didn't make a sound. Shivering with cold, Feverfew could feel that the floor of the cave was made of a spongy type of material. And all of a sudden they were there... and now, in the brighter area, they saw a woman... a very old woman. She was wearing a druid’s cloak.
“Is this her?” she hissed, glaring at Feverfew.
Feverfew studied the old crone, for that's what she appeared to be. Her face was almost as haggard as Mangus's. Feverfew could see some strands of the woman's stringy white greasy hair hanging around her wrinkled face, making her look more frightening.
“Yes, it is, Maeve,” said Mangus. He indicated the old woman. “Feverfew, meet Maeve, the oldest woman in the Land, on all the lands. Why, she's almost twice my age,” he laughed.
Maeve scowled. “Enough of the insults, druid.” She studied Feverfew, then reached out a hand to touch the top of the girl's head.
Feverfew shivered at her touch.
Hissing, Maeve drew back, saying, “She has powerful magic indeed.” Her dark eyes bored into Feverfew's face. “But will it be powerful enough to take the amulet from them?”
From them? Feverfew thought. She didn't like the sound of that.
“We'll see. We'll see,” said Mangus. “Well, I'll leave her with you.”
As he suddenly walked away from the frightened girl, Feverfew called, “Mangus, wait! Where are you going? Aren't you coming with us?”
Mangus turned. “I couldn't, even if I wanted to. Maeve will show you the way now. But, I'll see you later.” Perhaps, he thought, as he walked quickly away, eager to get out of the dark place and back above where it was light.
****
By then the Lady and Ferol were approaching the park where the tower stood. At the far side they could see it. Looking around, they hurried towards the door. But just when they were about ten meters from it, the wards reacted. Gasping with pain, unable to get any nearer, the Lady and Ferol backed away. As they quickly recovered, a sudden noise behind had them turning and gasping with fear.