Chronicles of Gilderam: Book One: Sunset Read Online Free PDF Page A

Wait!” Shazahd called after him. “Where are you going?” He escaped the meager light of the heartroot and vanished into the shadows of the passage.
    “I’ve got to get to the engine room!” his voice called back.
    “But how will you find it? You can’t see!”
    “Shazahd, I drafted this passage. I know every twist and t–”
    Smack!
    “Galif…?!”
    “…Ow.”
    “Are you all right?”
    “I’m fine. Your mlec father keeps making his own additions. You keep going. Left up ahead, and then just a bit further down.” His voice was getting distant. “I’ll see you on the other side!”
     
     
    Gilderam’s observation deck was a round room with a glass dome for a ceiling at the very top of the ship. A young midshipman named Gantas was stationed there, alone, and paced around the quiet, empty room. When the explosion went off, it rumbled the floor beneath him so suddenly he had to grab onto a railing to keep from falling. He paused, braced for another explosion, but none came.
    Gantas ran up the stairs encircling the round room, to the top of the observatory, and searched out the windowed dome for an attacking ship. He saw nothing, but noticed the hum of the engines had disappeared.
    He ran around the circumference of the observatory intent on finding the attacking ship. He encircled it completely without finding a thing. Frustrated, Gantas arrived back at the aft end where he had started.
    There was nothing out there.
    That’s when it hit Gantas. He didn’t see the escort ship either. Something must be very wrong.
    And then, behind Gilderam , he saw the bows of two airships emerge from a cloud, entering the light of the night sky on a gentle approach. They flew identical brown flags, each with the image of a white tricorn in the center. The sight dropped his heart to the floor.
    He ran to the speaking tubes and yanked out the one labeled, “Bridge.”
    “Observatory to bridge! Observatory to bridge!” he cried. “Two Tricorn ships on approach, bearing one hundred eighty degrees! Repeat, two Tricorn ships, directly astern, maybe sixty entilum out and closing. Bridge, do you read me?”
    But there came no reply.
    He repeated the message, but heard nothing but the airy whistle of an idle speaking tube in return. He muttered a grievous curse under his breath before rushing back down the stairs and sprinting out of the observatory.
     
     
    Owein and his entourage arrived at the bridge, where they met Aroda, a few crewmen, and Chief Steward Pawl.
    “Oh, thank the gods!” said Pawl when he saw them. “They’ve commandeered the bridge. The door is locked, and they are holding Captain Breld hostage!”
    “ Cizeeth …” Owein swore under his breath.
    “We got here too late,” said Aroda.
    “There’s also been some kind of an explosion,” said Pawl. “I think it might have come from the engine r–”
    “Yeah, I noticed,” Owein said, and pushed his way past him to get to the door.
    “I’ve already tried negotiating,” Aroda reported. “But they won’t talk.”
    “I guess you didn’t say the right things.” Owein knocked on the door.
    “Master Maeriod, –” Pawl objected, but Owein shushed him. He put his ear to the door and listened. He was sure he could hear two voices from within. They were whispering to each other.
    “This is Commander Owein Maeriod, Chief of Security aboard Gilderam ,” he called through the door. “Unlock this door immediately and I’ll spare your lives.” He waited, listening to more whispering. Then there was silence.
    “There’s two of them!” a voice shouted from within. “With kniv–!” But the voice was cut off by an audible smack . Owein smiled.
    “Brave man,” he said to himself, and turned back to the others. “Have we heard back from the escort yet?”
    “Negative,” said Aroda. “I sent Shaesh out to rendezvous with Maiath and Thebulin on the main deck and signal them, but he hasn’t returned.”
    “How long?”
    Before Aroda could