Free The War for the Waking World by Wayne Thomas Batson Page B

would like to see your downfall.”
    â€œBut who?”
    There came a soft shuffling from the hall outside the cell. And then, on the other side of the bars, a shadow appeared.

ELEVEN
    T HE S IXTH D OOR S INISTER
    W HEN K ARA HAD AT LAST LEFT R IGBY ALONE AND THE door to the Karakurian Chamber shut, Rigby spun on his heels and practically leaped down into his prison. He hoped his act of pitifulness had convinced Kara he was done. He’d laid it on thick, projecting a wimpy, broken will that was sure to please her highness .
    Truth was, Rigby Thames was far from done.
    Rigby raced around the chamber’s great stone pillars and ducked under arches. He blew by the massive—but now virtually empty—bookshelves, and darted down the hall of many doors. At the sixth door on the left—the Sixth Door Sinister he called it—he entered and found a grand desk strewn with parchments, quill pens, and a few squat bottles of ink.
    Chains jangling like mad, Rigby flew to the desk. He crashed into the chair, grabbed up a quill, and stabbed it into a bottle of ink. “Okay, Scath!” he cried out. “Come to me!”
    There came from behind a slithering and a whispering. The torchlight flickered. “We need not follow its command!” one Scath rasped.
    â€œDisappointed us.”
    â€œWeaker than she.”
    â€œI am not weaker than Kara,” Rigby fired back. “Now, cut your nonsense. If you ever want to be set free . . . I mean, really free, get over ’ere.”
    â€œPromised us once, you did.”
    One of the Scath suddenly appeared at Rigby’s shoulder. “Liar!” it hissed.
    In one swift motion, Rigby dropped the quill pen and threw his arms up and over the Scath’s shadowy head. He drew his fists together, tightening the chain around the creature’s neck like a noose.
    â€œWhatever Kara did to these shackles to cripple me,” Rigby growled, “might just be enough to unmake you, Scath.”
    The chamber exploded into a swarm of shrieking, spitting-mad Scath, streaking around Rigby like they were hornets and he had just hit their hive with a bat. Their scowling faces passed within inches of Rigby’s, but he did not yet relent.
    â€œLet us go!”
    â€œIt betrays us!”
    â€œNow it kills us!”
    â€œWe will tear the Walker apart!”
    Rigby tightened his chains. “No,” he said bluntly. “No, you won’t. If I feel so much as a pinprick from you, I’ll pull these chains so tight his little Scath noggin will pop off.”
    â€œIt mustn’t!”
    â€œThe Walker wouldn’t dare!”
    â€œI would,” Rigby said. “But I don’t want to. I mean for us to work together to the betterment of us both. Now, stop flitting about and be civil. We have a plan to discuss.”
    Slowly, the storm of Scath decelerated. When at last they formed a huddle around him, Rigby uncrossed his wrists and released his captive.
    â€œWhy should we listen to you?” the Scath asked.
    â€œThe Walker is not master.”
    â€œNo,” Rigby said, picking up the quill pen. “I’m not, but I plan to be again soon.”
    â€œHow does it?”
    â€œIt is trapped like we are.”
    â€œ Trapped is the key word,” Rigby said, beginning to sketch on the parchment. “You will recall that when I took the Shadow Key, I kept my end of the bargain. I set you free, and I wanted it to be permanent. I tossed the key into Xander’s Fortune.”
    â€œThe cauldron of undoing?” a Scath asked.
    â€œImpossible!”
    â€œNothing survives within that volcano. The Walker lies again!”
    â€œEnough!” Rigby pounded his fist, splattering black ink across the parchment. “I did not lie to you, and I am not lying now. I threw the blasted key into Xander’s Fortune and meant for it to be gone forever. ’ow was I to know it landed on a ledge, saving it from ultimate