Clara put out her hand and drew it back swiftly as she touched a rocky wall that wasn’t only icy cold but ran with moisture. Were they in a cave, perhaps?
At that moment, Kalman hexed up a couple of burning torches and stuck them into cracks in the wall. They looked round in wonder at their prison as the flaring flames flickered and glowed. It was, as they had suspected, a cave; a big cave with a towering ceiling that disappeared into gloomy darkness over their heads. The openings of tunnels were outlined against the surrounding walls but on the far side, a stretch of water rippled and lapped against the cave’s rocky shelf.
Even as they looked, the ripples surged and splashed as a huge head broke the surface and a monster reared its long neck up out of the waves. Its face had a sly, predatory look and its scaly skin was a blackish, grey colour mottled by patches of livid green. Neil and Clara clutched at one another in horror mixed with sudden understanding, and knew instantly where they were. They had seen this particular monster before and they hadn’t much liked her then, either.
“Nessie!” Clara mouthed at Neil.
“The Loch Ness Monster!” he whispered in awe as more and more of the enormous beast appeared, dwarfing the cave with her size. They clung together, shivering with cold and fright. No wonder Kalman was so sure they’d never be found! These must be Nessie’s caves, hundreds of feet under the mountains!
The monster dragged her great bulk out of the water, sending waves surging in powerful ripples across the floor until she finally managed to heave herself onto the rocky platform.
“Prince Kalman!” she sounded surprised and more than a little suspicious. “What brings you here?”
“Am I not welcome, then?” the prince said with a low bow. “Grechan always speaks well of you and I have come to ask you a favour, milady.”
The monster didn’t exactly preen herself but, Neil thought shrewdly, the prince certainly knew how to handle her.
“A favour, is it? Well, what do you wish of me, Kalman?” Then she saw Neil and Clara. “Who are those children?” she demanded.
Neil and Clara moved forward. “Bow!” Neil muttered, as he bent at the waist. “Go on, Clara, as low as you can!”
Kalman looked at them sourly. “Two children that I want to hide from the eyes of Sulaiman the Red.”
“The Sultan?” Nessie said, impressed. She eyed them interestedly. “But they’re surely too young to pose a threat to you?”
“They’ve meddled in my plans and need punishing,” he said. “I’d be glad if you’d keep them here until Grechan arrives. Then, he can take charge of them. They’ll be no bother. Feed them sparingly and they’ll behave!”
Neil’s heart sank at his words. This didn’t sound too good!
Nessie moved towards them and so awed were they at her towering bulk that they failed to notice the arrival of several other strange creatures that had bobbed to the surface of the water in her wake. The mention of Grechan should have warned them that they’d be around and as the grey, shiny little creatures hoisted themselves effortlessly into the cave, Neil nudged Clara. Their noses wrinkled at the musty smell that emanated from them. Both knew immediately what they were — water goblins!
Attracted by the shining colours of their Ali Baba costumes that glowed brightly in the light of the torches, the water goblins flapped forward on webbed feet, their red eyes gleaming in their dome-like heads. They crowded round, fascinated by the glittering silk of their costumes and as their long fingers stretched out curiously, Neil and Clara shrank away from them. Nessie, however, saw what was happening and as her tail lashed threateningly, the goblins immediately backed off, looking resentful.
Nessie stared at Neil and Clara thoughtfully. “Do you know, Prince Kalman,” she said, her expression suddenly turning very unpleasant indeed, “I think I recognise these children.” Her huge head on its long neck bent over Neil. “You know the MacArthurs, don’t you?” she hissed. “Weren’t you both with Lady Ellan when she brought my Arthur to Loch Ness?”
They cowered back, nodding, too scared to speak.
“And you know that my Arthur came here and then left without even saying goodbye to me and quite broke my heart,” she said, her voice rising. “I’ll never forgive him, never!” Her tail lashed the floor of the cave angrily, sweeping several unwary goblins into the water. “And, let me tell you,” her voice lowered threateningly, “that if you’re his friends, I’ve a good mind to keep you here for ever and ever!”
She was so furious that, had she been a dragon, she’d probably have burnt them to a cinder there and then. As it was, she looked so fearsome that Neil and Clara took to their heels and ran, helter-skelter, into the first tunnel they came to.