Freya's Freedom (The Tower and the Eye Book 3) by Kira Morgana Read Free Book Online Page A

with one gate being opened cautiously. Two guards stepped out, their halberds pointed at Kraarz. A third man in a red robe and gold chain stood behind them.
    “We were told to expect you, Lady Freya, but not with these two strangers. Sir Grald said you were travelling with an Elven Paladin.” The third man said.
    “My brother is here?” Freya caught her breath.
    “No, my Lady. He went on a mission for the village. We shall allow your companions to enter the fortifications, as you have vouched for them.” The red robed man bowed “Be welcome to Jinra. I am Mayor Headstoner.”
    * * *
    “Everyone is almost in place, Lord,” the Jar said as they watched the elven Paladin elude the dragon and head back towards the road. “Would you like to contact Sir Grald?”
    The Aracan Katuvana shook his head and moved a piece on his game board.
    “Hmm. An interesting manoeuvre. I shall set it in motion at once.” The goblin carried the Jar into the next room.
    The Aracan Katuvana listened to the shouting and cursing that filled the air for several moments before snapping his fingers. The heavy oak door shut with a crash, dulling the noise. He moved back to the window showing the Paladin reach the palisade around Jinra.
    As the Aracan Katuvana watched, a horde of dragon spawn swarmed out of the surrounding woods, overpowered the Paladin and was about to carry him away when Sir Grald rode into the horde’s midst.
    * * *
    “So he freed me and we defeated the Dragon Spawn together,” Vrenstalliren boasted, downing his tenth cup of Copperberry wine. “Must have been nearly two hundred of them. I accounted for at least half of the bodies.”
    “There were seventy and he killed twenty,” Grald murmured to Freya.
    She giggled and laid her head against his shoulder, sighing happily.
    “I’m glad you’re here, brother. I was worried about you.”
    “When have I ever let you down, Lil Sis?” Grald slipped his arm around her and kissed her forehead. “I’ll always be with you from now on.”
    Vrenstalliren poured another cup of wine and toasted Grald with it.
    “Here’s to Sir Grald, a veritable powerhouse of a knight, with the loveliest sister in existence.”
    The whole common room cheered and cries of “Sir Grald!”; “Sir Grald the Brave!”; “Sir Grald and Lady Freya of Jira!”; “To the Lovely Lady Freya!” rang off the rafters.
    Freya blushed rosily.
    Grald grinned at his sister’s expression.
    “Thank you, Prince Vrenstalliren. Both for your compliments and the care you have taken of my sister on her journey north from Jira.”
    “’Twas nothing, Sir Grald. She is a wonderful travelling companion.” Vrenstalliren burped, coloured and looked surprised as he slid off his seat.
    Freya laughed. “Maybe you ought to take him up to his room, Grald.”
    “Probably a good idea,” he said and then lowered his tone. “Will you be okay with these two?” He flicked one finger at Lin and Kraarz, who sat on the opposite side of the table.
    “Of course I will. Besides, they saved my life,” Freya frowned at her brother. “That dragon would have had me for lunch without them.”
    He shrugged and got up, retrieved a lightly snoring Vrenstalliren from the floor under the table, slung him over his shoulder and carried the elf up the Cuddly Cub’s stairs.
    With the two heroes out of the room, the common room settled down again. Freya sipped her mug of mulled wine and looked at Kraarz.
    “Is Vrenstalliren’s story true?” she asked, her voice loud enough to carry to the Urakh’s sensitive ears.
    “I was wondering that too, your Highness,” Lin said.
    “I shall find out, My Lady.” Kraarz closed his eyes and began to hum a strangely compelling melody. Lin watched the crowd around them with wary eyes, one hand on her long knife.
    Kraarz opened his eyes and Freya held in a gasp. His eyes were emerald green from edge to edge.
    “A Horde of Dragon Spawn attacked the Paladin as he alleged,” Kraarz said, but it