Free Jalia and the Slavers (Jalia - World of Jalon) by John Booth Page A

gold in the river ahead. He shouted and everybody ran to get to the gold first.
    The first man was falling over the edge of the waterfall in front of twenty of his companions before they realized what was happening. By the time they did, it was too late, and their momentum carried all sixty men over the falls and into the lake.
    For a few moments nothing happened. Marcus was treading water in darkness wondering how they were going to find a torch when the screaming started.
    The creatures in the lake had never had such a bountiful harvest. It was in their nature to kill without regard as to whether they had need or not and in the next ten minutes, all but one of the men were dead. Bits of their bodies floated in the pool as the creatures nibbled on the tastier bits and spat out the rest to eat later.
    A lone survivor lay on the ledge on the wall and panted with exhaustion from his efforts. He had trodden on his men to climb to this spot, but then Marcus al’Tren was a born survivor.
    At that moment, he recognized he had lost and would never see the gold again. The other members of the Association would lynch him when they found out what had happened. He had just lost half his men and suspected the other half would meet a similar fate in these damnable tunnels. In some ways, it was fortunate he was the only Mine Owner here as it would give him a chance to extract revenge on the people of Brinan who had helped the traders.
    He had good evidence Karn a’Debal was involved with this trader and his bitches. He was going to go back down the tunnel and make sure that Karn died nastily. But only after he saw his daughter raped and slain before his eyes. After that Marcus would go back to the hotel and take care of Patrus a’Bran and his family.
    The thought of multiple rapes and bloody murder sustained Marcus as he dragged himself to his feet. His clothes were torn and he bled in a few places, but nothing mattered to him but to go and find someone to kill.
    Marcus found the steps up to the tunnel by groping in the dark. He climbed them, and set off back up the tunnel. He was unaware how lucky it was that he had chosen the right tunnel. As far as he was concerned, many people were going to die horribly, and not one of the dead was going to be Marcus al’Tren.
     
    By the time Marcus reached the hotel it was late afternoon. The two guards that remained behind were shocked by his appearance and the madness in his eyes. Neither chose to ask where the other men were. They knew that to ask Marcus what had happened would cost them their lives.
    Marcus ordered them to follow him and set off towards Karn’s town house. In the house, the family had relaxed as the day had worn on. Sam was at the mansion and the city was unusually quiet. As far as they knew, Daniel, Jalia and Talla had met at their mansion and left the city. Karn’s daughters had taken over the lounge and were practicing unarmed combat, having given instructions to their father not to enter the room. They had decided to carry on with their practicing the way they had with Jalia and were naked.
    Karn dozed in his office when he was woken by a loud knocking at the door. Mindful of Daniel’s warning, he looked out of his window and saw Marcus’s men standing outside. Karn was certain that if Marcus came against him he would be bring at least a squad with him, so he assumed these two guards were out on some errand. He didn’t see Marcus, who stood close to the door in his eagerness to begin.
    As he began to open the door he was pushed aside as Marcus forced it open. Off balance, he fell heavily and before he could even think of drawing his sword, one of the two guards had a sword pressed against his throat.
    Marcus drew his sword and the guards dragged Karn to his feet. He was pushed into the lounge in front of them, falling to the floor. The girls stopped their training aghast at the intrusion of armed men and their father. They tried to cover their bodies with their