Freya's Freedom (The Tower and the Eye Book 3) by Kira Morgana Page B

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,”