Freya's Freedom (The Tower and the Eye Book 3) (7 page)

“Good morrow, Lady Freya. Vox informed me that you were awake and what to order for you to break your fast.” The Urakh smiled.

Freya was mildly surprised to find that she no longer thought of Kraarz as strange looking. “Thank you, Kraarz.”

“Your brother and the Paladin have gone out to inspect Korettln. I think Vrenstalliren is still trying to get you what he calls
a more suitable mount for a maiden
.” Lin told her, looking mildly amused.

Freya laughed.

“I suspect that Kore will have something to say about that.” She sat beside Lin and thanked the barmaid who brought her porridge over.

A comfortable silence settled over the table as they ate. Even Vox seemed disinclined to say anything.

“Freya!” Grald burst into the room.

She looked up.

“What’s wrong?”

“Your stallion has gone crazy! I’m going to get the local Farrier to put it down,” her brother said.

Freya rolled her eyes and looked at Vox who had curled up in her lap.

“Vrenstalliren is trying to ride Korettln. Korettln is trying to unseat him.”
The Flixen purred.

“Don’t tell me. Vrenstalliren is insisting that Korettln is an unsuitable mount for a delicate maiden such as myself and decided to try and ride Kore to prove his point.” Freya sighed. “Don’t bother with the Farrier. I’ll deal with this.”

“Freya, the animal is frothing at the mouth. It’s mad!” Grald tried to block her as she picked up Vox and made for the stableyard door.

“That horse is as intelligent as you or I, Sir Grald,” Kraarz said. “The Lady has proved on more than one occasion that she can control him.”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion,
Urakhiiz,
” Grald snapped.

Lin’s hand dropped to her sword hilt, but Kraarz shook his head at her and shrugged.

“Urakhiiz? I haven’t heard that one since I was an Urakhling,” he laughed.

“Come on, Grald. Let me show you what I can do, before you decide to have
my horse
put down.” Freya pushed her brother aside and strode out.

In the stable yard, the Inn’s grooms and stableboys had gathered to watch the show.

In the centre, Korettln was on his hind legs and Vrenstalliren held on grimly.

“I’ll tame you, beast,” the elf prince snarled.

“You’ll do no such thing,” Freya called out, noticing that the Paladin had spurs on and there was blood on the points. Her eyes narrowed. “Get off my friend.”

Korettln dropped to the ground, sparks flying out from beneath his hooves.

“I’m glad you’re here. Can I get rid of this pest please?”

“Yes, you can. Just make sure he lands somewhere soft,”
Freya replied.

Korettln tossed his head.

“I have just the place.”

The black stallion spun his mane, tail and feathers flying out. Vrenstalliren gasped and tried to keep his seat, but as he slipped sideways, Korettln bucked sharply.

Vrenstalliren sailed through the air. He landed face down in the Inn’s manure pile.

The watching crowd burst out laughing and cheered as Korettln settled and trotted over to Freya. He nuzzled her hair.

She examined his flanks.

“At least these are just scratches.”

“I have a wonderful ointment that will soothe them,” Kraarz said. “And if I use a small incantation, he will be as good as new in a few moments.”

Freya stroked Kore’s nose.
“Will you let him?”

“Yes. Just don’t let those two brutes near me again.”
Korettln neighed and bared his teeth at Grald who took a step back.

“Go with Kraarz and Lin please, Korettln,” Freya said aloud.

Lin took Korettln's reins and the three of them went back into the stables.

Freya waited until the crowd had dispersed and then she rounded on her brother.

“I am not four anymore, Grald. Since you left I have had to protect myself and I can do without all this male intervention.”

“Vrenstalliren wanted me to approve your horse. I didn’t touch him!” Grald held his hands up palm out.

“That’s not the point.”

“Hah. It was him who suggested the spurs,”
Vox said.

Freya shuddered. “Spurs, Grald? It was always you had to use spurs to control horses when we were children. Not me.”

Grald said nothing.

“Now, as soon as Kraarz has finished healing my friend, I am going out riding in the woods. You can come along too; if you think you can keep up.” Freya left him and headed for the stables.

Grald’s jaw dropped open for a few seconds, and then he snapped it shut.
Who knew you had such a strong will?
He smiled and a thin ribbon of gold surrounded his pupils.
However, little sister, you have given me the perfect opportunity to advance my Lord’s plans.
He turned and went into the inn.

* * *

“Well now, Lord,” the Jar said with a pleased smile. “It seems that Sir Grald has managed his mission so far with aplomb.”

The Aracan Katuvana nodded, watching the girl, Elysian, Urakh and freshly bathed elven Paladin ride out of the village palisade. Another window showed Sir Grald as he rode out of a secret gate at the back of the village.

“Do you wish to add anything to the mix? A little surprise for our Emperor’s sister?”

The Aracan Katuvana considered the suggestion, head on fist and hood turned toward the girl’s window. Then he shook his head.

“Very well, Lord. This promises to be an interesting ride anyway.” The Jar turned its gaze back to the windows.

* * *

The sunlight filtering through the multiple autumn hues of the leaves above dappled Lin’s white mare with golds and reds. The birds sang of winter and berries as the group passed along the track, heading towards a small waterfall that the Mayor had told Freya about before they set out.

“This is dangerous, Lady Freya,” Vrenstalliren said sullenly.

She ignored him, stroking Vox who had draped itself on Korettln’s neck.
The air around here is so fresh and clean. So different to Jira’s dirty streets.

“I see no threat,” she said at last.

“So the horde of dragon spawn that attacked me yesterday isn’t a threat?” Vrenstalliren moved up beside Freya. “There has to be a nest around here to have so many attack that fast.”

Freya looked at him and batted her eyelashes.

“I have you to protect me.”

He groaned and pulled his horse ahead of her.

“Can I bite him?”
Korettln asked, lunging slightly as Vrenstalliren’s leg passed his head.

Freya held him back.
“Don’t you dare!”

Korettln snorted.

Kraarz exchanged a look with Lin, who had dropped back to ride beside Freya, allowing Vrenstalliren to take point.

“He has a point, Lady. These woods are supposed to hold a Dungeon of Doom.”

“What’s that?” Lin asked.

“You know about The Black Tower War don’t you?” Kraarz sounded surprised.

Freya looked at Lin.

“I know it didn’t reach beyond Jinran, but that was because the Empire protected the border.”

“Oh yes, we are taught about it in school. Sadly, none of my teachers mentioned anything about Dungeons of Doom,” Lin shrugged.

“They were the Aracan Katuvana’s strongholds and staging points for his invasion. I believe the furthest east the Aracan Katuvana achieved was Jisira.” Kraarz looked around. “There was supposed to be one around here that had been created as part of the Aracan Katuvana’s northward thrust.”

“Why don’t we go look for it?” Freya asked.
It’s bound to be more exciting than a normal ride.

“Freya, that’s a bad idea. Not all the dungeons were cleansed. Some just had their Custodians destroyed,” Vox said aloud, patting Freya’s hand with its paw.

“Shush. What happens if Vrenstalliren hears you?” Freya tapped Vox’s nose gently with one finger.

“He can’t. He’s in a cave.” Vox pointed with one paw. “Behind the waterfall over there.”

“Can you sense a dungeon around here, Vox?” Kraarz asked.

“The Dark Gods shield them from the likes of me. Only a true Deity would be able to tell you.”

“Look, let’s just go find out why Vrenstalliren is in this cave. He’s supposed to be protecting me, not exploring.” Freya nudged Korettln in the direction that Vox had indicated.

The cave began to one side of the waterfall. The falls themselves were just as pretty as the mayor had said, so Freya and Lin left their horses with Ohtár who cropped the grass under a large oak tree.

“He doesn’t look after his animals properly,” Freya murmured, taking the war stallion’s saddle off and spreading Ohtár’s blanket out over his back. Ohtár snorted and tossed his head.

“I thought you were scared of him,”
Korettln snorted.

“I was at one point. Then I met you.” Freya finished by stroking Ohtár’s nose. “He’s tame compared to you.”

“He says thank you,”
Korettln told her as she made him comfortable.

Lin did the same for the mare.

“I hope they’ll be safe here.”

“I’ll look after them,”
Korettln told Freya.
“Just hurry up and come back would you? I don’t like this place.”
He stamped and snorted.

“Korettln is right. There is a peculiar taint in the air and I can see a strange aura around the cave mouth.” Vox jumped to her shoulder, its green eyes glowing slightly. “We need to hurry.”

Lin and Kraarz moved in front of Freya as they entered the cave. The ground was damp and in places where moss had grown, the footing slippery and difficult.

“Vrenstalliren! Where are you?” Freya called out and her voice echoed. Of the Paladin, there was no sign.

“This isn’t a cave, it’s a tunnel mouth,” Kraarz murmured. “The echoes are too distorted to be just a cave.”

They walked further in. As soon as they got away from the entrance cave, the floor became dry sand and muffled the sound of their footfalls. There was a pale light emanating from the walls.

“Where is that coming from?” Lin reached up and ran her hand along the wall. It came away dusty and when Kraarz looked at Lin’s hand he frowned.

“That’s the scales of the Cloud Moth. They often inhabit deep caverns in the mountains and they’re poisonous. You’d best wash your hand.”

Lin rinsed the scales away with some of her water.

“Thank you. I had a friend who died of Cloud Moth venom. It’s not a pretty death.”

“What death is?” Freya murmured.

“You have a point,” Kraarz said.

Lin shrugged. “I’d prefer a quick and painless stab to a lingering death while your insides liquefy, any day.”

Freya was speechless.
But they’re so pretty.
She flinched as one fluttered toward her. Vox snapped at it and the large pale winged creature drifted away.

“Thank you Vox.”

“Vren! Vrenstalliren!” Freya called again as they kept moving. They’d been walking down the tunnel for nearly an hour. “Where is he?”

She stopped as the others halted in front of her.
Lin had her hand on her sword and Kraarz had conjured a ball of light to the head of his staff.

“The flooring in front of me is paved,” Lin said. “I am beginning to think this may be that dungeon you were talking about.”

Vox dropped down to the ground.

“I’ll scout ahead. Where there are Dark influences, there are usually traps.” Its paws made no sound, even on the paving.

The rest of them waited on the sand.

Vox snorted.

“Typical of the Dark Gods really, they never change their ways, even when they are defeated time and again.” Its voice echoed with derision.

“This happened before?” Freya watched the Flixen sniff around the first few slabs.
Has Vox got bigger?

“When the world was new and the inhabitants young,” Kraarz began, “the Gods walked openly upon the surface of Quargard. The Dark Gods gathered all those creatures who were inclined to them and made war upon the Gods of Light.”

“Needless to say, they were eventually defeated and imprisoned,” 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?