The People of the Crater Read online

  _CHAPTER SEVEN_

  _Kepta's Trap_

  Thrala arose to face them. Forgetting the disguise he wore, Garin drewback, chilled by her icy demeanor. But Dandtan sprang forward and caughther in his arms. She struggled madly until she saw the face beneath hercaptor's hood, and then she gave a cry of delight and her arms wereabout his neck.

  "Dandtan!"

  He smiled. "Even so. But it is the outlander's doing."

  She came to the American, studying his face. "Outlander? So cold a nameis not for you, when you have served us so." She offered him her handsand he raised them to his lips.

  "And how are you named?"

  Dandtan laughed. "Thus the eternal curiosity of women!"

  "Garin."

  "Garin," she repeated. "How like--" A faint rose glowed beneath herpearl flesh.

  Dandtan's hand fell lightly upon his rescuer's shoulder. "Indeed he islike him. From this day let him bear that other's name. Garan, Son ofLight."

  "Why not?" she returned calmly. "After all--"

  "The reward which might have been Garan's may be his? Tell him the storyof his namesake when we are again in the Caverns--"

  Dandtan was interrupted by a frightened squeak from the Ana. Then came amocking voice.

  "So the prey has entered the trap of its own will. How many hunters mayboast the same?"

  Kepta leaned against the door, the light of vicious mischief dancing inhis eyes. Garin dropped his cloak to the floor, but Dandtan must haveread what was in the flyer's mind, for he caught him by the arm.

  "On your life, touch him not!"

  "So you have learned that much wisdom while you have dwelt among us,Dandtan? Would that Thrala had done the same. But fair women find meweak." He eyed her proud body in a way that would have sent Garin at histhroat had Dandtan not held him. "So shall Thrala have a second chance.How would you like to see these men in the Room of Instruments, Lady?"

  "I do not fear you," she returned. "Thran once made a prophecy, and henever spoke idly. We shall win free--"

  "That will be as fate would have it. Meanwhile, I leave you to eachother." He whipped around the door and slammed it behind him. They heardthe grating of the bar he slid into place. Then his footsteps died away.

  "There goes evil," murmured Thrala softly. "Perhaps it would have beenbetter if Garin had killed him as he thought to do. We must getaway...."

  Garin drew the rod from his belt. The green light-motes gathered andclung about its polished length.

  "Touch not the door," Thrala advised; "only its hinges."

  Beneath the tip of the rod the stone became spongy and flaked away.Dandtan and the flyer caught the door and eased it to the floor. Withone quick movement Thrala caught up Garin's cloak and swirled it abouther, hiding the glitter of her gem-encrusted robe.

  There was a curious cold lifelessness about the air of the corridor, thelight-bearing motes vanishing as if blown out.

  "Hurry!" the Daughter urged. "Kepta is withdrawing the living light, sothat we will have to wander in the dark."

  When they reached the end of the hall the light was quite gone, andGarin bruised his hands against the stone portcullis which had beenlowered. From somewhere on the other side of the barrier came ripplinglaughter.

  "Oh, outlander," called Kepta mockingly, "you will get through easilyenough when you remember your weapon. But the dark you can not conquerso easily, nor that which runs the halls."

  Garin was already busy with the rod. Within five minutes their way wasclear again. But Thrala stopped them when they would have gone through."Kepta has loosed the hunters."

  "The hunters?"

  "The morgels and--others," explained Dandtan. "The Black Ones havewithdrawn and only death comes this way. And the morgels see in thedark...."

  "So does the Ana."

  "Well thought of," agreed the son of the Ancient Ones.

  "It will lead us out."

  As if in answer, there came a tug at Garin's belt. Reaching back, hecaught Thrala's hand and knew that she had taken Dandtan's. So linkedthey crossed the guard room. Then the Ana paused for a long time, as iflistening. There was nothing to see but the darkness which hung aboutthem like the smothering folds of a curtain.

  "Something follows us," whispered Dandtan.

  "Nothing to fear," stated Thrala. "It dare not attack. It is, I think,of Kepta's fashioning. And that which has not true life dreads deathabove all things. It is going--"

  There came sounds of something crawling slowly away.

  "Kepta will not try that again," continued the Daughter, disdainfully."He knew that his monstrosities would not attack. Only in the light arethey to be dreaded--and then only because of the horror of their forms."

  Again the Ana tugged at its master's belt. They shuffled into the narrowpassage beyond. But there remained the sense of things about them in thedark, things which Thrala continued to insist were harmless and yetwhich filled Garin with loathing.

  Then they entered the far corridor into which led the three halls andwhich ended in the morgel pit. Here, Garin believed, was the greatestdanger from the morgels.

  The Ana stopped short, dropping back against Garin's thigh. In theblackness appeared two yellow disks, sparks of saffron in their depths.Garin thrust the rod into Thrala's hands.

  "What do you?" she demanded.

  "I'm going to clear the way. It's too dark to use the rod against movingcreatures...." He flung the words over his shoulder as he moved towardthe unwinking eyes.