Challenge of Antares

Chapter seventeen

Chapter seventeenFoliage before my face parted silently under gentle fingers. I peered out across the open space fronting the cliff. Camouflage mud smeared my features. Around a sputtering fire a dozen or so men lolled, half the guard posted here. The other half stood around, I fancied somewhat helplessly, doing all the fruitless things men do when standing sentry.

This was a side entrance into the mountain lair and, like the main entrance around the front, had a segment of a Wall created by W’Watchun to prevent entry. Khon the Mak’s guards could not get in. Equally, no one was coming out without a fight.

The entrance itself gaped like a risslaca’s mouth. Chekaran was proven right: there was room for the lifters to fly in.

A couple of varters, one each side, were going to make that cour