Read Online Freya's Freedom (The Tower and the Eye Book 3) by Kira Morgana - Free Book Online
Authors: Kira Morgana
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Vox interrupted. “We don’t have time to go through all that, Kraaz. The Paladin is somewhere down the end of this corridor and there are traps to be disarmed. I can deal with the magic ones, but Lin will have to disarm the physical ones.” The Flixen jumped up onto Lin’s shoulder and she grunted under its weight.
“You’ve been overeating, Vox,” she grumbled. “You’re heavy.”
“Never mind that. We have to get moving!” Vox snapped in her ear.
Freya looked at Vox. The Flixen had grown and was now the size of one of the cats Jetara had. How fast do real Flixen mature?
Moving onto the paving, Lin and Vox began to disarm traps. Freya and Kraarz followed cautiously behind. Some of the traps were simple pitfalls and spikes, others more elaborate with more than one swinging blade. At one point, they had to run down a side passage to escape a massive boulder that had been released by a careless footfall on Lin’s part.
The group stopped, Kraarz gasping for breath as Vox checked the area for traps.
“We’re all clear, although I have no idea where we are now.” The Flixen pattered off into the darkness.
Kraarz swallowed half his water bottle’s contents.
“See why I said Vox causes trouble when it takes physical form?”
Freya shrugged.
“It’s helped so far.”
“It’s just getting started.” Kraarz grumbled.
Lin stretched.
“This place is like one of the Imperial Labyrinths the Late Empress had built.”
“Maybe she was influenced by the Dark Tower?” Freya raised one eyebrow.
“No, by that time your grandmother had lost any sense of propriety,” Lin winced. “The labyrinths were built as death sentences for upper class criminals.”
They lapsed into silence, Freya beginning to wonder if her family was as good as her mother had always told her.
“I’m beginning to think that there is something else working here,” Vox said as it reappeared. “There are no traps at all down here and the corridor ends with a plain door; no Magic or traps. Not even an alarm on the door.”
“Are you saying the Dungeon is still inhabited?” Freya asked. “All the stories I’ve heard, say the creatures in them were made of evil magic and it dispersed when the Aracan Katuvana was defeated.”
“Don’t be naïve, Freya.” Vox wandered over and rubbed up against her legs. “The creatures are as mortal as you. They were created in the same way and live in the same way. Its how they are raised and managed that makes them Evil.”
“Too true,” Kraarz said sadly. “The Urakh were a part of that evil for thousands of years before The Black Tower War. It is only since we were freed of the Aracan Katuvana that we have become peaceable.”
“So what do we do now?” Freya looked worried. “We have to find Vrenstalliren.”
“Why?” Lin raised an eyebrow. “He’s insulted you, hurt one of your companions and steadfastly refused to even contemplate that you are intelligent enough to know what you are doing.”
“He’s the first man to treat me like a human being and not an object to be admired or played with,” she replied. “He has protected me at the cost of his own life and delayed his own journey home to do so.”
“Then he is honourable and deserving of our help,” Kraarz said, from where he had sat down. He hauled himself up, using his staff as a lever. “We shall take the inhabitants of this dungeon at their invitation and enter through the unguarded door.”
Vox purred in agreement.
“Lin, you and I shall go first; to make sure there is no danger. Kraarz, can I count on you to shield Freya if there is trouble?”
“Yes, Vox. I shall indeed do as you request.” Kraarz pulled out a green cord with a ceramic spiral pendant. “Wear this, my lady and Magic shall bounce away from you.”
She took the pendant and slipped its cord over her head.
“Thank you, Kraarz.” Taking a deep breath, she smiled at Lin. “Shall we move on then?”
* * *
The Jar watched the
“You’ve been overeating, Vox,” she grumbled. “You’re heavy.”
“Never mind that. We have to get moving!” Vox snapped in her ear.
Freya looked at Vox. The Flixen had grown and was now the size of one of the cats Jetara had. How fast do real Flixen mature?
Moving onto the paving, Lin and Vox began to disarm traps. Freya and Kraarz followed cautiously behind. Some of the traps were simple pitfalls and spikes, others more elaborate with more than one swinging blade. At one point, they had to run down a side passage to escape a massive boulder that had been released by a careless footfall on Lin’s part.
The group stopped, Kraarz gasping for breath as Vox checked the area for traps.
“We’re all clear, although I have no idea where we are now.” The Flixen pattered off into the darkness.
Kraarz swallowed half his water bottle’s contents.
“See why I said Vox causes trouble when it takes physical form?”
Freya shrugged.
“It’s helped so far.”
“It’s just getting started.” Kraarz grumbled.
Lin stretched.
“This place is like one of the Imperial Labyrinths the Late Empress had built.”
“Maybe she was influenced by the Dark Tower?” Freya raised one eyebrow.
“No, by that time your grandmother had lost any sense of propriety,” Lin winced. “The labyrinths were built as death sentences for upper class criminals.”
They lapsed into silence, Freya beginning to wonder if her family was as good as her mother had always told her.
“I’m beginning to think that there is something else working here,” Vox said as it reappeared. “There are no traps at all down here and the corridor ends with a plain door; no Magic or traps. Not even an alarm on the door.”
“Are you saying the Dungeon is still inhabited?” Freya asked. “All the stories I’ve heard, say the creatures in them were made of evil magic and it dispersed when the Aracan Katuvana was defeated.”
“Don’t be naïve, Freya.” Vox wandered over and rubbed up against her legs. “The creatures are as mortal as you. They were created in the same way and live in the same way. Its how they are raised and managed that makes them Evil.”
“Too true,” Kraarz said sadly. “The Urakh were a part of that evil for thousands of years before The Black Tower War. It is only since we were freed of the Aracan Katuvana that we have become peaceable.”
“So what do we do now?” Freya looked worried. “We have to find Vrenstalliren.”
“Why?” Lin raised an eyebrow. “He’s insulted you, hurt one of your companions and steadfastly refused to even contemplate that you are intelligent enough to know what you are doing.”
“He’s the first man to treat me like a human being and not an object to be admired or played with,” she replied. “He has protected me at the cost of his own life and delayed his own journey home to do so.”
“Then he is honourable and deserving of our help,” Kraarz said, from where he had sat down. He hauled himself up, using his staff as a lever. “We shall take the inhabitants of this dungeon at their invitation and enter through the unguarded door.”
Vox purred in agreement.
“Lin, you and I shall go first; to make sure there is no danger. Kraarz, can I count on you to shield Freya if there is trouble?”
“Yes, Vox. I shall indeed do as you request.” Kraarz pulled out a green cord with a ceramic spiral pendant. “Wear this, my lady and Magic shall bounce away from you.”
She took the pendant and slipped its cord over her head.
“Thank you, Kraarz.” Taking a deep breath, she smiled at Lin. “Shall we move on then?”
* * *
The Jar watched the
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