The Traitor Queen Read Free Page A

growing humid, and from time to time the sound of running water came
     from a side passage or behind the walls. Then theystepped out into a cavernous room filled with the rush of water, and it all made sense.
    A forest of columns surrounded them, each splaying out to form a brick archway that joined with its neighbour. The whole network
     formed a low ceiling that suggested draped fabric or a faren’s web. Below this was no floor, but the reflective surface of
     water. Their guide was now walking along what appeared to be the top of a thick wall. The water flowed past on either side.
     It was too dark to tell how deep it was.
    Fortunately the path was dry and not at all slippery. Glancing back, Cery saw that the water flowed into tunnels which, by
     the slant of their roof, descended even further under the city. On either side he saw other wall tops, too far away to reach
     by leaping. The only illumination came from the lamps they carried.
    The water itself was surprisingly free of floating matter. Only the occasional oily slick passed them, mostly smelling of
     soap and fragrance. The walls bore patches of mould, however, and there was an unhealthy dampness to the air.
    A cluster of lights appeared ahead and Cery soon began to make out some sort of large platform bridging two of the walls.
     Several people were sitting on it, and a low murmur of voices echoed in the vast room. Beyond the platform Cery made out dark
     circles within a lighter area, and eventually picked out enough detail to see that they were more tunnels, this time set higher
     up and with water spilling out into the vast underground pool.
    Their footsteps set the platform creaking as they followed Worm onto it. Looking at the people, Cery saw that none were older
     than their mid-twenties. Two of the young women nursed babies, and a toddler was tethered by a rope to the closest column,
     probably so that he did not scamper off the platforminto the water. All stared at Cery, Gol and Anyi with wide, curious eyes, but none spoke.
    Worm glanced at Cery, then gestured at the water outlets.
    “This lot come from the Guild Baths,” he said. “Further south there are sewer pipes and those up north are both sewers and
     drains from the kitchens. But here the water is cleaner.”
    Cery nodded. It wasn’t a bad place to settle, if you didn’t mind being underground and constantly surrounded by dampness.
     Looking to either side he made out other platforms, populated by more Sligs, and narrow bridges linking them.
    “I never knew this was here,” he admitted.
    “Right under your nose.” Worm smiled, and Cery realised how right the man was. This part of Slig territory ran under Cery’s
     own area. Cery turned to face him.
    “Your people hid us from people who wanted to kill us,” he said. “Thanks. I would never have trespassed if I’d had another
     choice.”
    Worm tilted his head to one side. “Not the Guild tunnels?”
    So he knows I have access to them
. Cery shook his head. “It would have shown them to my enemy. I’d have had to warn the Guild about that, and I don’t expect
     to like what they’d do about it. I’m guessing you would not like them snooping around down here either.”
    The man’s eyebrows rose. “No.” He shrugged, then sighed. “If we’d let the one who sent the hunters after you find you, he
     would find us too. Once he takes your things there is nothing stopping him from taking ours.”
    Cery regarded Worm thoughtfully. The Sligs were far more aware of the goings-on in the world above than he’d have expected.
     They were right about Skellin. Once he held Cery’s territory he’d want control of the Sligs too.
    “Skellin or me. Not much of a choice,” Cery said.
    Worm shook his head and scowled. “He won’t let us ’lone, like you do.” He nodded toward the tunnels. “He will want those because
     he wants what they lead to.”
    The Guild
. Cery shivered. Was this a smart guess by the Slig leader, or did he know