Dragonback 03 Dragon and Slave Read Online Free PDF

the gate. After that, you will
report to the Guard Master."
    The Brummga's mouth was hanging slightly open now, his breath
coming in heaving surges like a drowning man coming up for the third
time. "Yes, Panjan Gazen," he managed. "Uh . . . your
identification?"
    Gazen waited another two seconds, then slid a wallet from his
inside pocket and handed it over. The guard opened it, looked inside,
then handed it back. "Thank you, Panjan Gazen," he gulped. "You
may proceed."
    Still staring at the guard, Gazen gestured the driver forward. The
car pulled through the gate and headed down the winding driveway.
    Jack studied the terrain carefully as they drove, looking for the
hidden guard stations Draycos had pointed out from the air. With only
muted accent lights scattered around the garden, though, they were
completely invisible.
    "And what about you?" Gazen asked, half turning to look at Jack.
    "Sir?" Jack asked.
    "You like our wall, do you?" Gazen said. "You were studying it on
our way in."
    Jack had thought he'd been subtle enough in his examination that
no one in the car would have noticed. But even from the front seat,
Gazen had caught on.
    That made him both very observant and very smart. Not a good
combination to go up against.
    Definitely not a good combination to lie to. "It's very
impressive," he said. "Kind of looks like a really big ocean wave. I
don't think I've ever seen anything like it before."
    "And just like a really big ocean wave, it will kill you if you
try to challenge it," Gazen said pointedly. "Remember that."
    "Sure," Jack said. "What . . . uh . . . what are you going to do to me?"
    Gazen turned back around to face front. "We'll discuss it inside."
    Like the wall, the main house was more impressive at ground level
than it had looked from the sky. Earlier, Jack had noticed that the
place had been designed to look like a section of rocky cliff face.
Now, up close, he could see that it had also been designed to be a
fortress. The front door was flanked by armed Brummgas, most of the
windows were protected by thick rock overhangs, and a dozen gun barrels
peeked out from slits just below the roof line.
    Either the guards at the door were smarter than the ones at the
gate, or else the word had been hastily passed ahead of the incoming
cars. Whichever it was, Gazen and his whole group were made to show
their IDs before they were allowed inside.
    The entryway was huge, extending two stories up, with nearly
enough floor space for a small freighter like the Essenay to
fit inside. The walls and angled ceiling were covered with paintings,
layer-portraits, light-twists, and other works of art. Sculptures and
elaborate decorated pillars were scattered around the floor, their
weight sinking into a thick blue carpet. At the far end a double-curved
wooden staircase led up to a second-floor balcony.
    He caught glimpses of other expensively decorated rooms leading
off the entryway, but Gazen didn't pause long enough for him to get a
good look at any of them. He led the boy across the room, up the
staircase and across the balcony, and down a corridor that was only
slightly less elaborate than the rooms downstairs. Coming to a plain,
unmarked door, he pushed it open and gestured Jack inside.
    The room was just as plain as its door. A small desk, a padded
desk chair, a metal guest chair facing the desk, and that was it.
    That, plus a pair of rings set in the floor for anchoring a
prisoner's legs. The whole place had the unpleasant look of an
interrogation room. "Sit," Gazen ordered, circling the desk and sitting
down.
    Gingerly, Jack sank into the other chair. "The rest of you wait
outside," Gazen added to the guards, his eyes steady on Jack.
    The Brummgas obeyed without comment. Gazen waited until he and
Jack were alone, then leaned slightly forward, his arms resting on the
desktop. "Well," he said, his tone almost casual. "I don't suppose I
have to tell you the kind of trouble you're in. Breaking and entering
is a serious crime