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.She’s different.And then I’ll go right through this door you see before us – right out into the garden and beyond.’Cullayn snapped his fingers, laughed.‘See, I’ve planned my exit, Elliott.It’ll have some poetry, I promise you that.I intend to stop a moment to smell the garden fragrances, something small and trivial and innocent like that, something Janey might have done to comfort the ghost children.And then, do you remember that white steed beneath the knight? That impressive horse? Well, that will be me.I’ll pass like Pegasus himself over the gathered ghost-children.They probably won’t even try to stop me, they’re such weak wretches, but even if they do it’ll be too late.With Ben and Janey inside me I’ll outfly them, soar over them, and they’ll be left behind knowing that they stayed here all this time for nought.That’ll be something worth dwelling over, won’t it? That’s an exit!’Cullayn stood, smiling.‘Anyway, I don’t really need you, that’s what I’m coming to in this little chat.Ben and Janey are enough.You can go.’ He gazed down at Elliott.‘Well? What are you waiting for? I never make an offer twice.’Elliott didn’t move.He knew by now there must be conditions attached.Cullayn laughed.‘I like you, Elliott.You haven’t whined yet.That’s what’s kept you alive, not your speed.So then, here’s the charity I’m offering.Leave freely now, or try to make it back to my secret room.That’s where your father and Ben are.They’re both still alive.The room’s not far from here.It’s never far from wherever you are in here, eh? And if you make it there before me, I’ll let you all go.I promise.I’ll even free Janey.Oh yes,’ Cullayn said, when he saw Elliott’s eyes widen.‘I caught her.’Course I did.’‘What if I don’t get there before you?’Cullayn grinned good-naturedly.‘Do you really need to ask that?’Elliott shook his head.‘That’s it, then,’ Cullayn said, tightening his belt.‘I’ve given you plenty of chances, Elliott, and so far you’ve not availed yourself of any.What do you say to a gallant ending? Or do you just want to leave? Take my first offer? Save your skin?’Cullayn flicked his hand towards the opening into the garden – a you-may-go gesture.Elliott could hear singing birds out there.He could smell the grass Dad had mown yesterday.He turned to face Cullayn.‘Excellent!’ Cullayn rasped, seeing the decision he had made.‘Good boy! No wonder your father’s so proud of you.Let’s make him even prouder, eh?’‘No tricks if I race you back to the passage?’ Elliott said, knowing how pointless a question it was.Cullayn’s eyes twinkled.‘I can’t promise that.’‘I want a head start.’‘I’ll bet you do.I’ll give you one minute.I’ve already given you more time than you deserve.’‘My leg’s broken,’ Elliott said, finding it hard to speak because of his shattered cheek.‘What kind of contest is it unless you give me a fair start?’ He rose, testing his swelling left knee.The ligaments pulled, knifing pain up his thigh, but nothing was broken.He’d lied, hoping to gain a few more seconds.And another thing: he didn’t remember much about the spider-map, but he thought he recalled the details of how to get back to the dark passageway.‘Broken?’ Cullayn tutted disinterestedly.‘You’ll have to hop, then.A man did that once, a sort of hobble to get away from me.’ He stood up to show Elliott what it had looked like.Elliott practised the gait once, and limp-strode up the corridor.As soon as he was out of sight, he ran as hard as he could.Three teeth on the left side of his jaw felt loose, but he ignored the pain, desperately trying to recall the details of the spider-map.Time passed – a haze of minutes – and suddenly Elliott felt the corridor descending.There it was, ahead of him: the small set of steps.Elliott lunged forward.Only to find Cullayn jauntily trotting beside him.‘Amazingly, you did go the right way,’ Cullayn said.‘That poor broken leg must hurt.Let me give you a hand.’He lifted Elliott roughly by the scruff of the neck, hauling him into the narrow dark passageway.‘See this?’ Cullayn said, opening a concealed door in the wall.‘It hid me when they came to string me up.Came for a hanging they did, and got diddly-squat.’ Cullayn showed Elliott the absence of rope-marks on his neck.‘By the way, you failed, boy.Time’s up.You’re mine now, your life’s forfeit, and you’ll watch your father die before Ben sees me despatch you on the hunting ground.’The wall opened fully.Cullayn threw Elliott inside and jumped in after him, drawing the door shut.26THE DARK PASSAGEInside, Elliott saw several things at once.He saw Ben kneeling on the stone floor.He saw Dad lying on his side, barely conscious.And he saw Janey.She sat stiffly against a wall, looking as if she was about to have a heart attack – or was holding one at bay only by force of will.From Ben’s inconsolable expression, Elliott could tell that whatever influence Cullayn had once had on him was relinquished.Of course it was.Cullayn didn’t need that version of Ben any longer.He wanted him as frightened as everyone else.Elliott limped across.It was hard to believe how much blood from Dad’s head was pooled on the floor.After making him as comfortable as he could, Elliott hunkered down next to Ben and whispered in his ear, ‘Are you all right?’Ben nodded tightly, containing his fear.‘Look what’s behind you.’Elliott turned.Inevitably a large portrait of Cullayn dominated the view.Even in this most secret of rooms Cullayn hadn’t been able to resist decorating the walls with images of himself.This particular portrait, however, was unique.It showed the owner in smiling close-up but, behind him, the hunting ground was victimless [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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