The Opal Quest Read Online Free PDF

you.’
    â€˜You’re very clever,’ Tia said, and smiled as Loki puffed up with pride. ‘I knew you’d find me somehow.’
    She reached into her jacket and pulled out a little wad wrapped with a leather strip from the ball she’d forgotten to give back to Halla. ‘I’ve done another message for Finn.’
    Loki sighed and stretched out a leg. Hastily Tia knotted the packet to it. ‘I’ve written that the Water Traders will be here any day now. Yordis is herself when she trades. I’m going to try and find the opal then and steal it while she’s busy.’
    Loki liked shiny things. ‘Where is it?’ he asked eagerly.
    â€˜I don’t know yet – but I’ll find it,’ Tia said firmly.
    â€˜Nadya! Nadya!’ Katinka was in the courtyard searching for Tia.
    â€˜I’ve got to go.’ Tia squeezed out from behind the roost; from the corner of her eye she saw Loki soar away into the sky. She ran up to Katinka. ‘I thought a hen was stuck behind the coop,’ she said.
    â€˜Lady Yordis is asking for you,’ Katinka said. ‘Hurry up.’ Fear of the High Witch made her speak sharply.
    â€˜She won’t eat you if I’m a bit late!’ Tia said.
    â€˜She might.’
    Tia started to laugh then realised Katinka meant what she’d said. As they hurried to Yordis’s chambers Katinka told Tia that before Yordis took the opal she had been harsh but fair. ‘And she was beautiful, too. But now she’s spent so much time as the bear she’s turning into a monster – ugly, greedy and cruel.’
    Tia shivered as she remembered how the bear had caught her in the forest and towered over her, its fangs dripping, its fearsome claws gripping her tightly. The very thought of being eaten was enough to make anyone obey Yordis.

    Tia made a decision: she was going to search Yordis’s rooms for the opal as soon as she could. So, when the High Witch had heard enough of Prince Kaspar’s adventures Tia returned to her room and waited.
    When she thought enough time had passed she went to Yordis’s chambers and knocked on the door. There was no answer. Carefully she turned the handle and peeked inside. All was still and silent; Yordis had definitely gone.
    Tia explored each room including the ones she hadn’t been into before – the bathing room and the library. There was no trace of the collar. She searched again, more urgently. This time she noticed that a big tapestry, stretching from floor to ceiling in the library, swayed a little as though a slight draft was blowing from behind it. When she looked there she saw a door. It creaked as she opened it. Behind the door was a dim passageway.
    Tia stepped inside and pulled the door to. Instantly all was darkness.

Chapter Eight

The Crystal Cavern
    Tia’s hands touched rock on either side. She kept them against the walls as she stumbled forward a few steps. ‘This is silly,’ she said, her voice sounding very loud in the still darkness. She concentrated hard and then very, very gently clicked her fingers. To her relief one cold, little flame sparked into life and danced on the tip of her forefinger. She held it up like a candle and used it to illuminate the tunnel. It went down steeply, winding round and round, for a very long way. Gradually it levelled off and opened into a gigantic cavern.
    Tia gazed in awe as crystal sparkled from the walls and roof. She carefully willed her little flame to grow brighter, and as it did, crystal lit up all over the cavern. It glittered from everywhere. There were even pieces scattered over the cavern floor like fallen stars, so lovely that she picked some up and put them in her pocket.

    She gazed around, sure Yordis’s collar must be kept somewhere in the cavern.
But it’s so big
, she thought.
It might take me for ever to find the right place!
    She searched and searched till her arm ached from holding