The Darksteel Eye by Jess Lebow Read Free Book Online Page B

away, sure that he’d cause her no more trouble, at least for the foreseeable future.
    Four halberd blades descended on her at once, blocking each of the cardinal directions.
    “Drop your weapon,” came another gurgling voice.
    Glissa bashed away one of the great spears, dodging through the hole as she did so and coming around behind the circle of guards. As she spun, something caught her foot, and the world spun with her. For the dozenth time in as many minutes, the elf landed on her head and saw stars.
    “Not again.”
    Glissa tried to sit up, but her path was blocked by a trio of spearheads.
    “That’s far enough.”
    Glissa looked up into the eyes of a vedalken guard. His head swam inside a helmet full of serum, making his lips and eyes appear stretched and rubbery. He looked like a cross between a fish and a human—no elf could ever be so grotesque.
    Glissa lay on the ground, panting. “What do you want?”
    “I want you to drop your sword.”
    Up this close, Glissa could see the creature’s lips move as he spoke. Somehow the words seemed to be coming from his neck or the top of his chest.
    The vedalken jabbed his spear into her belly.
    “All right.” Glissa released her blade, and one of the other guards kicked it across the floor, away from her open hand.
    A great splashing sound echoed through the room, and a wave of serum spilled over the sides of the Pool of Knowledge. Bosh’s head and chest rose into the air. The golem lifted himself from the pool, his feet coming down with a thud as he landed on solid ground.
    “Stop right there,” sputtered one of the guards.
    Glissa felt two pairs of hands reach under her arms, and she was yanked to her feet by a vedalken. To her left, Slobad and Bruenna were being held in the same fashion, their arms pinned back by a pair of guards, blades to their necks.
    “On your knees, golem, or your friends are dead.”
    Bosh looked to Slobad and Bruenna then to Glissa.
    She shook her head. “No.”
    A guard grabbed her by both cheeks, immobilizing her head and jaw. The elf struggled, but it was no use. The vedalken had a good grip, and all she could do was move her eyes in their sockets.
    “On your knees,” repeated the vedalken.
    Slowly, Bosh lowered his head and dropped himself to the ground.
    A pair of four-armed warriors rushed over and pried open a metal plate on his back. Flakes of rust fell to the floor. Bosh flinched at the sound.
    “No,” shouted Slobad. “Don’t turn him off. I just turn him back on, huh?”
    A guard shoved the goblin to the floor and knelt on him.
    Glissa felt a cold chill run down her spine. She’d gone too far. All of this had started because she had vowed revenge for her parents’ death. Along the way Bosh and Slobad had joined her, and this personal quest had turned into something bigger. Now Glissa had dug too deeply, and they were all going to die. She closed her eyes. She couldn’t bear to watch.
    A clank rattled around inside the room, echoing over the pool and the walls. Glissa cringed, remembering how she and Slobad had found the golem, sunk and forgotten, lying in pieces in the Dross, and a tear ran down her cheek.
    There was another clank, and another, followed by the sound of footsteps and shouting.
    Glissa opened her eyes.
    Humans, wizards and soldiers alike were flooding into the room. They all wore blue robes, and most carried wicked hooked staves, ending in jagged points, covered with glowing jewels.
    Half of the vedalken guards holding Glissa broke off, headingto intercept the humans. The elf’s head and jaw were again free.
    “Bosh, get up,” she shouted.
    The iron golem anticipated her command. Standing in a single fluid movement, Bosh brought his hands together—behind him. The clap crushed a vedalken to pulp and shut the golem’s open access door at the same time. Spinning to face the remaining guard, the golem let the vedalken’s limp body fall to the ground.
    Glissa didn’t see any more. With her arms