Crystal Doors Book 3: Sky Realm by Rebecca Moesta & Kevin J. Anderson

Author:Rebecca Moesta & Kevin J. Anderson [Anderson, Rebecca Moesta & Kevin J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: steampunk, fantasy, other worlds, doors
Publisher: Word Fire Press
Published: 2013-03-01T16:00:00+00:00

Seventeen

I HATE HEIGHTS,” VIC groaned, clutching the iron bars of the cage he shared with Sharif and Lyssandra. It squeaked as it rocked in the endless breezes. In some places the bars were so far apart, a thin person might be in danger of falling out.

“That was never one of your phobias before,” Gwen said, who sat in an identical cage with the stoic Tiaret. “Remember the time we climbed that high fire lookout in Sequoia National Park?”

“This is different,” Vic said, squirming, adjusting his feet, trying to find any comfortable position. Vertigo assailed him. The distant ground spun dizzily beneath him. His foot slipped between the bars and dangled sickeningly through the opening. “I’ve never been suspended miles above the ground in a giant bingo cage before—or maybe this is Thunderdome. I hope not.” Sneaking a wary glance at Sharif, he shook his head. “Two men enter, one man leaves.” Lyssandra helped Vic pull his foot back in and balance himself in an ungainly squat.

After being captured by Azric’s aeglor-terodax alliance, the five friends had been separated into two of the three spherical cages attached to the rugged, rocky bottom of the flying island that was Irrakesh. The prison-globes were made from thick strips of black wrought iron, but Vic saw distressing signs of rust—or maybe old blood stains. He couldn’t tell.

Each cage hung from iron-link chains bolted to the solid rock overhead. As the flying city drifted along so far above the ground, wind swung and rattled the cages. The third spherical cage held nothing but a weathered skeleton—all that remained of some long-forgotten prisoner who had died up here.

“In generations past, the Sultans used this punishment for only their most vile criminals,” Sharif said. “It was called the Deepest Dungeon. The villains were hung down here, exposed to the elements.”

“It must have been awfully difficult to feed prisoners,” Gwen said.

Through the bars of his cage, Sharif peered at her. “No one fed them. It was a permanent punishment. These cages were meant to be so strong a deterrent that there would be nothing left but a few bones before Irrakesh needed to use the Deepest Dungeon again.”

“Sheesh,” Vic said. “I hope we get paroled before that.”

Fortunately for the apprentices, Azric did not want them dead, and the aeglors had no trouble reaching the cages. Winged warriors dropped down below the base of the island and came up from underneath. They gave each prisoner a packet of dry, flavorless food and a small container of water. Ravenous, Vic ate so quickly that he was dismayed when several large crumbs broke off of the tan, crumbly wafers and dropped down to be swept away by the winds below.

Tiaret seemed perfectly comfortable beside Gwen, unbothered by the great gulf beneath them. She slipped her long, muscular legs through the bars and let them dangle. It appeared to be a much more comfortable position than Vic’s awkward squat, but he couldn’t bring himself to relax. He attempted to open a crystal door inside their cage, but it didn’t work.

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