Deltora Quest #3: City of the Rats Read Online Free PDF Page B

had been recently scrubbed, for the stones on which Lief lay were damp, and there was not a speck of dust anywhere.
    The room was full of people. Their heads were shaved, and they were strangely dressed in close-fitting suits of black, with high boots. They were all staringintently at the companions on the floor, fascinated and fearful.
    The one with the water backed away, and the towering red figure that had so frightened Lief as he returned to consciousness moved once more into his view. Now he could see that it was a man, dressed entirely in red. Even his boots were red. Gloves covered his hands, and his head was swathed in tight-fitting cloth that covered his mouth and nose, leaving a space only for the eyes. A long whip made of plaited leather hung from his wrist. It trailed behind him, swishing on the ground as he moved.
    He saw that Lief had regained his senses, and was watching him. “Noradzeer,” he murmured, brushing his hands down his body, from shoulders to hips. It was plainly a greeting of some kind.
    Lief wanted to make sure that, whoever these strange people were, they knew he was friendly. He struggled into a sitting position and tried to copy the gesture, and the word.
    The black-clad people murmured, then they too swept their hands from their shoulders to their hips and whispered, “Noradzeer, noradzeer, noradzeer …” till the great room was echoing with their voices.
    Lief stared, his head swimming. “What — what is this place?”
    “This is Noradz,” said the scarlet figure, his voice muffled by the cloth that covered his mouthand nose. “Visitors are not welcome here. Why have you come?”
    “We — did not mean to,” Lief said. “Our mounts bolted, and carried us out of our way. We fell …” He winced as pain stabbed behind his eyes.
    Jasmine and Barda were stirring now, and being given water in their turn. The red figure turned to them and greeted them as he had greeted Lief. Then he spoke again.
    “You were lying outside our gates, with your goods scattered about you,” he said, his voice cold with suspicion. “There were no mounts to be seen.”
    “Then they must have run away,” exclaimed Jasmine impatiently. “We certainly did not throw ourselves upon the ground with such force as to knock ourselves senseless!”
    The man in red drew himself up, lifting the coiling whip menacingly. “Guard your tongue, unclean one,” he hissed. “Speak with respect! Do you not know that I am Reece, First Ra-Kachar of the Nine?”
    Jasmine began to speak again, but Barda raised his voice, drowning her words.
    “We are deeply sorry, my Lord Ra-Kachar,” he said loudly. “We are strangers, and ignorant of your ways.”
    “The Nine Ra-Kacharz keep the people to the holy laws of cleanliness, watchfulness, and duty,” droned Reece. “Thus is the city safe. Noradzeer.”
    “Noradzeer,” murmured the people, bending theirbare heads and brushing their bodies from shoulder to thigh.
    Barda and Lief glanced at each other. Both were thinking that the sooner they could leave this strange place, the happier they would be.

J asmine was clambering to her feet, looking fretfully around the great room. The black-clad people murmured, drawing back from her as though her tattered clothing and tangled hair could somehow contaminate them.
    “Where is Kree?” she demanded.
    Reece turned his face towards her. “There is another of you?” he asked sharply.
    “Kree is a bird,” Lief explained hurriedly, as he and Barda stood up also. “A black bird.”
    “Kree will be waiting for you outside, Jasmine,” Barda muttered under his breath. “Be still, now. Filli is safe, isn’t he?”
    “Yes. But he is hiding under my coat and will not come out,” Jasmine hissed sullenly. “He does not like it here, and neither do I.”
    Barda turned to Reece and bowed. “We are mostgrateful for your care of us,” he said loudly. “But with your kind permission we will be on our way.”
    “It is our time to