Conan The Indomitable Read Online Free PDF Page B

seconds. “On second thought, I
think perhaps your plan lacks merit. Let us both draw our blades and run
directly at it.”
    “Aye, better than to die a frozen statue. Ready?”
    “As I shall ever be.”
    “Your sword, then.”
    As Conan and Elashi unsheathed their weapons, the watching monster came to
its feet. Its striped fur bristled and it uttered several more barks, followed
by a rumbling growl. The two were starting to run, when they heard another
sound.
    “There they are!”
    Conan glanced over his shoulder to see a horde of horsemen bearing down upon
them.
    “Crom! What is this?”
    Elashi did not question her fortunes, however. She merely took off at a
right angle to the trail, diving behind a clump of scraggly brush. Conan
understood. He duplicated the desert woman’s dive and crouched down behind the
weedy cover in time to see the watchbeast go sprinting past, heading straight
for the approaching horsemen.
    The bearlike cries and growls joined the yells of startled men and the
whinny of terrified horses.
    The watchbeast leaped, knocked three riders from their mounts and began to
claw and chew the downed men, rending them as easily as a wolf does a hare. The
other men began throwing pikes, some of which struck the monster, injuring and
enraging it.
    Conan saw at the rear of the pack of men and animals none other than the
Harskeel itself, gesturing and screaming at its men.
    “I think it best that we depart,” Conan said, pointing at the
fracas.
    “For once I agree.”
    Quickly, the two of them hurried away from the fight.
     
    Ten minutes away from the battle behind them, Conan and Elashi slowed their
pace somewhat. “I think the Harskeel will have its hands full binding
wounds,” he said. “Besides, they will not be able to follow us in the
dark. Nightfall is only moment away. We are safe for now.”
    Elashi nodded. “The Harskeel must indeed consider you a prime candidate
for its magic.”
    “Aye, but… who knows? Mayhap it considers
you
a candidate as
well. You also bear a sword.”
    That thought made her stop and think for a moment.
    “We shall continue walking through the night,” Conan said.
“By morning we should be clear of the mountain and able to take any
direction we choose on the plateau. They won’t be able to follow us if we take
pains to cover our trail.”
    “Then you feel we are in no danger?”
    “I have no doubt of it,” Conan said, smiling. Just then the ground
opened beneath them, swallowing them like the maw of some giant creature.
    ----

Four
    The length of their fall was nearly five spans; fortunately, the bottom of
the descent was watery. Conan splashed into an icy pool and sank, quickly
touching the bottom. He pushed away and broke the surface, realizing that he
could easily stand as the depth was equal only to his chest. Elashi’s head
appeared briefly above the surface as she came up yelling; then she began to
sink again. Apparently her rearing in the desert had not included instruction
in the art of swimming. Conan grabbed one of Elashi’s wildly waving hands and
pulled her to him. She immediately clamped her legs around his waist and wound
her arms tightly around his neck, sputtering incoherently.
    The Cimmerian took stock. The pool was no more than a small pond in size,
occupying a portion of what was obviously a tunnel in a cavern. The walls of this
rock tube appeared to be as smooth as a child’s face, and curved upward in
tight arcs that, combined with the lack of projections, offered no means by
which to climb. Cimmerians learned to climb almost as soon as they learned to
walk, and if one of them could see no way of ascending something, likely it
could not be done. Were the ceiling closer, he could perhaps toss Elashi up to
the hole there, and she might then dangle knotted clothing or a vine down to
Conan for him to climb up. Yes, and were lizards winged, why, then they would
be birds.
    The thickening night above offered less light with every moment. Best