"You're spoiling it all!" wailed Glew. "I shall have to catch one of you myself. Why are you making me do this? I thought you understood! I thought you wanted to help me!"
Wind whistled over Taran's head as Glew snatched at him. He threw himself down among the sharp rocks. To one side he heard Fflewddur shout, "Great Belin, the little monster can see better in the dark than we can!" Until now the companions had clung together, but Taran's sudden movement had torn him away from the others. He groped to rejoin them and, at the same time, to escape Glew's frantic lunges.
He tumbled against a pile of stones that gave way with a clatter, and went sliding into a stream of noisome liquid.
Glew wailed in resounding despair. "Now you've done it! You ve upset my potions! Stop it, stop it, you're making a mess of everything!"
What must have been Glew's foot came stamping down nearly on top of him, as Taran lashed out with his sword. The blade rebounded in his hand, but Glew yelled horribly. Above Taran an almost invisible shadow seemed to be hopping on one leg. The bard was right, Taran thought in terror; the greatest risk from Glew lay in being trampled. The ground shook under the giant's feet and Taran leaped blindly from the sound.
Next thing he knew, he fell with a splash into one of the pools dotting the cavern. He thrashed wildly and flung out his arms, seeking a handhold on the rocky edge. The water glittered with a cold, pale light. As Taran scrambled out, bright, luminous droplets clung to his drenched garments, his face, hands, and hair. Escape for him was hopeless now; the glow would betray him wherever he sought refuge.
"Run!" Taran shouted to the companions. "Let Glew follow me!"
In one stride the giant was at the pool. By the light of his own dripping body, Taran could make out the huge shape. He thrust forward with his blade. The eager hand of Glew brushed it aside.
"Please, please, I beg you," cried Glew, "don't make things worse than they are! Even now I shall have to boil my potion again. Have you no consideration? No thought for anyone else?"
The giant reached to seize him. Taran raised his sword high above his head in a last futile gesture of defense.
Golden rays burst around him, brilliant as noonday.
With a scream of pain, Glew clapped his hands to his eyes. "The light!" he shrieked. "Stop the light!"
Screaming and roaring, the giant covered his head with his arms. His earsplitting bellows rang through the cave. The stone icicles trembled and crashed to earth; the crystals split and showered Taran with fragments. Suddenly Glew was no longer standing, but stretched full length, half covered by the shards, lying motionless where a falling crystal had glanced off his head. Taran, still dazzled, leaped to his feet.
At the entrance to the chamber stood Prince Rhun, the bauble blazing in his hand.
Chapter 14
The Empty Book
HULLO, HULLO!" CALLED RHUN, hastening to the companions. "I've never been so surprised in my life. I didn't mean to disobey orders, but after I'd crawled out the passage, I― I .just couldn't leave you there to be cooked up; I simply couldn't do it. I kept thinking to myself that none of you would have gone running off…" He hesitated and looked anxiously at Taran. "You aren't angry are you?"
"You saved our lives," replied Taran. He clasped Rhun's hand. "I only reproach you for risking your own."
"Joy and happiness!" cried Gurgi. "Poor tender head is spared from stampings and trampings! And kind master is safe from brewings and stewings!"
"But the most amazing thing was the bauble," Prince Rhun went on, beaming proudly. "The light didn't go out, even after I'd got hold of it. Astonishing!" He stared curiously at the golden sphere, whose rays had already begun to dim, and handed it back to Taran. "I don't know what happened. It suddenly started getting bright and brighter, all of itself. Unbelievable!"
"It's the one thing that stopped him," said Fflewddur. Hands on hips, the bard was looking down at the prostrate form of Glew. "He'd been here so long he couldn't stand the brightness, the repulsive little grub. There, I'm calling him little again," he added. "But l still say for a giant he's remarkably small-natured." He knelt and peered at Glew's face. "He's had a good crack on the head, but he's still alive." Fflewddur put a hand to his sword. "We might be wise to― ah― make sure he doesn't wake up."
"Leave him," said Taran, staying Fflewddur's arm. "I know he tried to do us ill, but I still pity the wretched creature and mean to ask Dallben if he can help him."
"Very well," said Fflewddur with some reluctance. "He wouldn't have done as much for us. But, a Fflam is merciful! Quick, now, let's be off."
"How did you climb down?" Taran asked Rhun. "Did you find vines long enough to reach us?"
Prince Rhun's jaw dropped and he blinked with alarm. "I― I'm afraid I've done it again," he murmured. "I didn't climb. I jumped. I somehow never thought of getting out again. Surprising, it simply never occurred to me. I'm sorry, I've put us right back where we were."
"Not quite," replied Taran to the despondent Prince. "We can hoist you up as we did before, and this time you can lower something for the rest of us. But we must make haste."
"There's no need for us to stand on each other's heads," Fflewddur suddenly cried. "I see an easier way. Look there!" He pointed upward to where a large crack yawned in the cavern wall. A shaft of sunlight fell over the stones and fresh air whistled through the crevice. "We can thank Glew for that. With all his roaring and screaming he's shaken the rocks loose. We shall be out in no time! Bless the repulsive little monster! He said he wanted to make Mona tremble," he added, "and, Great Belin, so he did― after a fashion!"
The companions hurried to the wall of the cave and began picking their way through the rubble of broken stones. Prince Rhun, however, halted abruptly and began fumbling with his jacket.
"I say, that's surprising," he cried. "I know I put it there." With an anxious frown he began searching his garments once again.
"Hurry," Taran called. "We dare not be here when Glew comes to his senses. What are you looking for?"
"My book," answered Rhun. "Where can it be? It must have fallen out while I was crawling through that hole. Or perhaps…"
"Leave it!" Taran urged. "It is worthless. You've risked your life once. Don't risk it again for a book of empty pages!"
"It was a handsome keepsake," said Rhun, "and would be useful. It can't be far. Go ahead, I'll join you. I shan't be a moment." He turned and trotted back toward the tunnel.
"Rhun!" Taran shouted, racing after him. The Prince of Mona disappeared into the chamber. Taran found him on hands and knees groping over the rough floor.
"Splendid!" cried Rhun, glancing over his shoulder. "A little light is what I needed. Now, surely, it's bound to be here. Let me see, first, where I was climbing up. If it dropped out then, by all rights it should be close to the wall."
Taran was determined, if need be, to lay hold of the Prince and drag him bodily from the cell which had so nearly become a tomb. He strode forward just as Rhun gave a cry of triumph.
"And there it is!" shouted the Prince, He picked up the book and carefully examined it. "I hope it isn't damaged," he remarked. "All that scrambling about might have torn the pages. No, it seems…" He stopped and shook his head in dismay. "I say, that is a shame! It's ruined. All covered with scratchings and markings. Whatever could have happened?"
He put the leather-bound volume into Taran's hand. "Look," he said. "What a pity. Every page is marred. It's really useless now."
Taran was about to cast the book aside and carry out his first intention of collaring the Prince, but his eyes widened at the sight of the pages. "Rhun," he whispered, "these are more than scratchings. It is carefully written. I had thought the pages empty."