The Lake of Souls Read Online Free PDF Page B

the ex-Chief Inspector was wary. Mr. Tiny took a seat and removed a boot to empty dirt out of it. I saw the strange, six webbed toes I’d glimpsed once before. “I see you survived your run-in with Master Leonard,” he drawled, putting his boot back on.
    “No thanks to you,” I sniffed angrily. “You knew Steve was the Lord of the Vampaneze. You could have told us.”
    “And spoiled the surprise?” Mr. Tiny laughed. “I wouldn’t have missed that fatal confrontation in the Cavern of Retribution for anything. I haven’t enjoyed myself so much in years. The tension was unbearable, even though I guessed the outcome.”
    “You weren’t in the cavern,” I challenged him. “And you didn’t
guess
the outcome — you
knew
how it would end!”
    Mr. Tiny yawned insolently. “I might not have been there physically,” he said, “but I was there in spirit. As for knowing the final outcome — I didn’t. I suspected Larten would fail, but I wasn’t sure. He
could
have won.
    “Anyhow,” he said, clapping sharply. “That’s in the past. We have other fish to fry.” Looking at Harkat, he spun his watch so that it caught the light shining in the window of the van and reflected it into Harkat’s round green eyes. “Been sleeping well, Master Mulds?”
    Harkat stared straight back at his master and said blankly, “You know only too damn … well that I haven’t.”
    Mr. Tiny tucked his watch away without taking his eyes off Harkat. “Time to find out who you used to be,” he murmured. Harkat stiffened.
    “Why now?” I asked.
    “His nightmares have intensified. He must come with me and search for his true identity, or stay, go mad — and perish.”
    “Why can’t you just tell him?” I prodded.
    “Doesn’t work that way,” Mr. Tiny said.
    “Will I be gone long?” Harkat asked quietly.
    “Oh yes,” came the answer. “Forever, if things don’t go well. It’s not a case of simply finding out who you were and returning. The road is long and dangerous, and even if you struggle along to the end, there’s no guarantee you’ll make it back. But it’s a road you must tread — unless you’d rather go loopy and die.” Mr. Tiny let out a fake sigh. “Poor Harkat — trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
    “You’re all heart,” Harkat grumbled, then faced me with a look of disgust. “Looks like this is where … we part company.”
    “I could come with you —” I began, but he cut me short with a wave of a rough grey hand.
    “Forget it,” he said. “You have to lead Debbie and … Alice to Vampire Mountain. Not just to guide them, but to … protect them — it’s a hard trek.”
    “We could wait until you returned,” Debbie said.
    “No,” Harkat sighed, “there’s no telling how long … I’ll be gone.”
    I gazed helplessly at Harkat. He was my best friend, and I hated the thought of leaving him. But I loved Debbie and didn’t want to abandon her.
    “Actually,” Mr. Tiny purred, stroking the top of his heart-shaped watch, “I think young Shan
should
accompany you — assuming you value your life.”
    “What do you mean?” Harkat barked sharply.
    Mr. Tiny studied his fingernails and spoke with a deceptively light tone. “If Darren accompanies you, your chances of survival are fair. Alone, it’s practically certain you’ll fail.”
    My eyes narrowed hatefully. Mr. Tiny had set Mr. Crepsley and me on the trail of the Vampaneze Lord, knowing it was a journey bound to end in death. Now he wished to launch me on another.
    “Darren’s not coming,” Harkat said as I opened my mouth to lay into Mr. Tiny. “He has problems of his own … with the vampaneze. This is my quest, not his.”
    “Of course, dear boy,” Mr. Tiny simpered. “I fully understand, and if he chooses to go with the beautiful ladies, I won’t say anything to stop him. But it would be terribly wrong of me not to let him know in advance of the awful —”
    “Stop!” Harkat snapped. “Darren goes