by Bianca D'Arc
She nodded shyly but said nothing.
“I will keep you under cover. I’ll shift back to dragon form and you can stay under my wing. Nothing will see you from above. Is that all right?”
“You hide me?”
“Yes, sweetheart. I’ll hide you. None of those big gryphons will see you. Only Hyadror, and he already knows about you. I’ll tell him not to mention you to anyone else, all right? You can stay hidden as long as you like.”
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“I promise. Nobody will see you from above. All they will see is me and none of them can hurt my scaled hide. If they come too near, I’ll toast their feathers.”
She crept out, moving a bit closer to him. He wanted to reach out and hug her, but she had to come to him. He would not use his strength and size against her. He had to build and keep her trust.
“Iss it really ssafe?” She looked hesitant, but hopeful.
“I will make it so, sweetheart. I will keep my wings slightly unfurled at my sides. All you have to do is stay underneath until we get inside. Lera is talking to them now and she will get us inside quickly. All you have to do is stay under my wing until we get there. I will shield you. I promise.”
She crept a bit closer. She was still trembling, but less so. Hugh was glad. He really wanted to get back to Lera. She trusted these priests, but he hadn’t had much chance to take their measure for himself. He had sworn to protect both females. The easiest way to do that would be to keep them together. If only Miss could be convinced.
“I go wif you, if you’re ssure.”
“I’m sure. Do you trust me, sweetheart?”
She thought about it for a moment, her furry head tilting to one side.
“Trusst Hoo,” she answered finally, stepping closer to him, placing her head under his outstretched hand. He stroked her fondly, glad when her shivering dissipated under his touch as he fed a little tendril of magical energy and reassurance to her.
He turned around so he could see Lera and formulated a plan.
“I’m going to the edge of the awning where I will shift shape. I’ll extend my wing and I want you to walk under it. We’ll walk out from under the awning together, understand sweetheart?”
“Yess, Hoo.” She trotted behind him, using his legs as a shield as he neared the edge of the awning.
As soon as he had enough room to shift, he did so, not allowing the gryphons above to see it. Only a few of the priests were paying attention to the shadows under the awning. Mostly because it looked like they were guarding Lera from him.
Good for them. They couldn’t know what sort of threat a dragon in their midst might represent. It boded well that they had surrounded Lera and looked to be protecting her from all comers.
“We’re coming out, Lera,” he sent to her privately. “Miss is scared of being seen by the gryphons above. She will be hiding under my wing. Can you get us inside, away from the circling hoard above? Warn the priests to make way. I’m coming through.”
He shifted shape under cover of the awning, making sure Miss was securely under his left wing as he moved back into view from above. The gryphons were still circling. A few had landed on nearby roofs, but Hugh knew their vantage point was poor. They would not be able to see Miss, even with those sharp eagle and hawk eyes. The secret of her presence was safe for now.
“Hoo?” He could just hear her uncertain mewl beneath his wing.
“It’s all right. I’m here. Nobody can see you. Just stay with me and it will be all right. I promise. We’re almost to Lera’s side. She will make them take us inside where you cannot be seen from above. Trust me, sweetheart. You’re doing fine.”
The warrior prie C waem take sts made room for him to pass between their ranks with the gryphlet hidden beneath his wing. He arrived at Lera’s side in time to hear her request entrance into the temple for herself and her party, which consisted of Hyadror, Hugh and the baby gryphon nobody could see from above.
There was a doorway large enough for Hugh to pass through in dragon form. Hyadror went first, followed by Lera and then Hugh, shielding Miss as she scampered through. He watched the youngster cling to Lera’s side, glad his two female charges were together. They could help each other should they run into trouble inside the warrior priests’ temple.
Hugh looked around as the door shut behind him. Most of the priests had stayed behind on the roof and the door had been shut at Lera’s order. There was an honor guard of priests flanking them on a wide stone ramp that spiraled downward. It was made of pure white marble and was ornamented in gold here and there, with lamps lit along the walls at intervals.
At the very bottom, down the center of the spiraling ramp, Hugh saw a bright point. A fire burned at the base of the tower, but oddly, no smoke or soot soiled the pure white walls. And the place reeked of magic. Its flavor was at once familiar and foreign, but it didn’t feel threatening, so Hugh let it go for the moment. Still, something was definitely odd about that fire down at the center of the tower.
“Thiss iss the gryphonss entrance to the temple,” Hyadror told him, noting the direction of his gaze. “It iss big enough for you, Ssir Hugh.”
“The ramp leads down int
o the courtyard. It’s the only way a gryphon can enter the temple grounds by air. There’s also the main gate,” Lera added. “That’s big enough for a gryphon to walk through, but most prefer to fly, if and when they have business with the temple.”
“Few of my kind come here,” Hyadror said as he began the walk downward on the spiraling ramp. “Mosst fear the flame.”
Hugh followed, keeping to his dragon form for now. He could shift in an instant should it become necessary. Lera and the child would come to no harm while he was around.
Chapter Eight
Lera was glad to be inside the temple grounds. Nothing could hurt her here. It was her place of power, even more than the palace. The loyalty of the priests could not be questioned. Each had been tested by the flame and found to be pure of heart. Only if the flame had forsaken her would they ever turn against her.
And the flame was still strong in her heart. Being with Hugh had only strengthened it, in fact.
“When we reach the floor of the tower, the flame will test you, Hugh. Do not be alarmed.”
“When has a dragon ever been afraid of a little fire?” he replied with a humorous edge to his thoughts.
Hugh didn’t really understand what he was in for, but Lera knew he could handle it. As could Miss. She would be frightened, of course, but Lera kept her hand on the baby’s soft fur as she trotted between herself and the wall. Lera wouldn’t expose her to the flame until the last possible moment. Miss was scared enough as it was. But she had to walk the gauntlet of the flame, like any other gryphon who sought entrance to the temple grounds.
“Hyadror, when we reach the bottom, will you guide the little one?”
“Of coursse, milady. Sshe will have no problem. Sshe iss pure of heart.”
“I think so too. But something has her fr F waem. Ssheightened. She will need all our reassurance.”
“Asss you wissh.” The gryphon bowed his head slightly in respect as he led the way downward.
When they reached the bottom of the ramp, their honor guard of priests went ahead, spreading out to ring the circular chamber. There were no windows and only one door large enough for a single gryphon to pass through at a time.
The flame greeted her as it always had, leaping and bounding with iridescent tendrils of magical power. When Miss saw it, she cowered back, afraid. Lera stayed with her, allowing Hyadror to go first.
As Lera expected, the old gryphon passed around the half circle of the chamber, heading for the door, allowing the central flame to examine him. It sent out tendrils that never quite touched his feathers or fur, retracting before they could cause any harm, but taking stock of the purity of his great heart. For such was the consciousness of the eternal flame. It could see into a being’s true nature and it judged harshly should it see any sort of contag
ion within, burning from the inside outward.
It could singe or it could decimate. The flame alone knew what was required in each case brought before it. No being was allowed on the temple grounds without undergoing this test. The flame that burned here was only a small part of the eternal fire the priests kept alive in many parts of the temple complex.
Miss shivered against Lera’s legs as she watched Hyadror face the flame. He turned when he was more than halfway to the door and looked at the little one.
“You ssee, child? There iss nothing to fear if your heart iss pure.” Hyadror dared the flame, spreading his wings in silent salute as he continued around the room to wait by the closed door.
“Iss my heart pure?” Miss asked, looking from Lera to Hugh and back again in clear distress. Her eyes were wide and her whole body trembled.
Hugh bent his head to her level, blowing warm air over her in comfort. “Yours is the purest heart I have met in many a year, my dear. You have nothing to fear from the Lady’s fire.” Lera could hear the words Hugh sent to Miss. “Is that not right, milady?”
“Hugh is right. As Hyadror said, you have nothing to fear from the eternal flame.” Lera tried to inject confidence and faith into her tone.
“I’ll go with you, sweetheart,” Hugh offered, stepping forward. Lera was touched by the tender tone of his voice in her mind. He was so loving with the child. If she’d had any doubt about the goodness of his heart, she had only to watch him with Miss to know he was as straight as an arrow and would fly as true.
He led the way, allowing Miss to go as fast or slowly as she wanted. He kept himself between her and the flame. Lera knew how little protection even a dragon would be for anyone of ill intent, but Miss didn’t realize it.
The flame licked out with its pink, gold and orange iridescent tendrils, touching Hugh’s scales. It hadn’t touched Hyadror, but when the dragon paused before it, the fire embraced him. For a moment, his entire body was engulfed in a magical phosphorescence that all within the chamber viewed with awe, Lera included.
And then it was over. The tendrils stopped short of Miss’s feathers and fur, though they gave her a close examination as well. Wafting around her and over her, under her belly and through her legs. Delicate wisps of flame that never burned, only touched the very surface without causing one bit of harm.
She made a mewling sound. The whimpers of distress K ofuched turned to sounds of joy as Hugh turned to watch the child bat at the little wisps that seemed to play with her for a short moment. Her paws struck out, claws hidden, trying to touch the elusive tendrils.
“Tickless,” she said, enchanting a smile from even the most hardened of the priests in the chamber.
“It likes you,” Lera proclaimed, somewhat surprised by the playfulness of the eternal flame in the child’s presence.
“See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Hugh’s voice was warm in Lera’s mind as he spoke to Miss.
“Fire hurt before,” Miss said, her head tilted to one side, clearly perplexed.
Lera looked at Hugh. Little puffs of smoke came from his nostrils as he chuckled.
“That was ordinary fire. The eternal flame is very special, Miss,” Lera explained. “Very magical and sacred to the Lady we all serve.”
Lera walked toward the fire, glad to be in its presence as Miss scampered back to Hugh’s side. She raised her arms, greeting the flame and taking it within herself. All was well. The eternal fire welcomed her as it had always done. She was still its chosen. Being with Hugh hadn’t changed her so much that the flame no longer wanted her.
She felt empowered by the flame. Fleeing for her life had put Lera in a position she’d seldom been in during her privileged life. Hugh had saved her and taught her about real passion, but the feelings of vulnerability persisted. Her cousin wanted her dead. The most expensive—and successful—assassins that money could buy were following her, lying in wait, anticipating her every move.
Hugh had foiled them and taken her away from danger for a precious few hours. But sooner or later, the threat had to be faced. She was back in the city to do just that. Like it or not, things would be coming to a head soon. On her terms, hopefully, this time.
Leaving the tower and walking into the courtyard, which was covered by a leafy trellis, hiding them from above, Lera and her party found the High Priest and his Council of Elders waiting for them. They greeted Hyadror first, with a respectful bow for his age and station. Lera walked with Miss. Hugh guarded them from the rear. Lera noted the widening of the High Priest’s eyes when he saw the dragon, even though she knew he’d had to have known by now that the black dragon had brought her to his temple tower. The priests had efficient ways of passing information among their number. Even Lera didn’t know the extent of their magics.
“Greetings, milady. We are relieved to see you well.” High Priest Gregor greeted her with concern in his eyes.
“Father Gregor, may I introduce Hugh of Draconia and his ward, Miss.” Lera kept to the formalities while they were standing in the middle of the courtyard, in full view of anyone who could possibly see or hear them. She trusted the priesthood in general and had even more respect for the elders and High Priest, but there were always a few brothers-in-training around who had not yet been fully embraced by the flame.
She’d never questioned their presence before. Then again, she’d never had the most fearsome assassins in the land set on her trail before. Bitter experience of the past few days made her leery of anyone and everyone.
“The flame has welcomed you, Hugh of Draconia and young Miss. Be welcome in our temple and among our brethren.”
Miss bowed on her forelegs, her manners impeccable, as usual. Lera had to wonder again where she’d learned such dainty ways, but the child Kbut">
Hugh bowed his head, holding eye contact like most warriors she’d seen. He did not initiate telepathic communication and she wasn’t sure he’d show his human form to these warriors, which left her unsure how to proceed.
“I invite you to the main audience hall. It should be big enough for our flying friends,” Gregor said, neatly taking the problem out of her hands.
“I would request only that you limit the meeting to you and your Council, Father Gregor. I trust you, but I have reason to doubt all others until proven otherwise.” She tried to phrase her request politely. She may be the Doge and the Keeper of the Flame, but the warrior priests of the Order of Light operated under their own aegis for the most part. They were autonomous and dealt with transgressions within their own order separately, away from the justice system she administered either as Doge or as Keeper.
Gregor frowned but nodded. “I heard about the bodies in your cousin’s orchard.”
“Eyes, Father. She set Eyes on me.” Lera’s voice broke with emotion. She’d had some time to let the fact of her cousin Sendra’s betrayal sink in, but it still hurt. Badly.
Gregor sighed as some of the elders in the Council shook their heads in disapproval of Sendra’s actions.
“Your cousin is missing, milady. Our brethren have been assisting the Guard, looking for her trail with no luck.”
“Thank you for trying, Father. Much as it pains me, she must be brought to justice.”
“We agree,” Father Gregor said, including the elders that surrounded him in his statement as they nodded in agreement. “Let us go indoors where we may sit and make plans.”
“Thank you.” Lera almost collapsed in relief. She had feared somehow the priesthood might have turned against her. Or they could have denied her assistance. They often kept to themselves and did not choose to interfere in secular matters. She had been hoping they would help her but couldn’t fully count on it until she saw Father Gregor in person.
Judging from his responses and tone, he would give as much help as she could wish for. Lera’s heart lightened as they stepped toward the main audience hall. Once again, Hyadror led the way. Miss scampered under Hugh’s wing when they came out from under the arbor and were exposed to the sk
y and the gryphons who still circled above in agitated spirals.
The giant arched doorway to the main hall was open and large enough to fit both gryphon and dragon. They proceeded through in the same order—Hyadror taking point, Lera in the middle and then Hugh acting as rear guard. She had never felt safer. The priests fanned out and the elders and High Priest took seats around a long table that had been set to one side in the large chamber.
Place settings and platters of food were already on the table and an area behind held pillows enough for both gryphons and the dragon. Lera wondered if Hugh would stay in his dragon form. She would have liked to have him seated at her side, but it was his secret to share.
“If you can get the younger priests out of here, I will shift form. I believe these elders and Gregor can be trusted after what I learned from your flame.”
Hugh’s thoughts came to her, as if in answer. She wondered what his first experience of the eternal flame had told him. She was curious to know what he’d learned from it. Sometimes—in very special circumstances—the flame communicated Kcom. Swith those it touched. She assumed, from his words, that Hugh had experienced something like that. It meant a great deal that the flame had chosen to converse with him. A great deal, indeed.
“Father, can we be private? Just the elders and yourself? There are many things I wish to discuss with you, but I am hesitant to do so in front of others.” Lera looked at the priests stationed all around the large hall. They didn’t shift their stance but Lera could tell they were probably surprised and a little suspicious of her request. “The flame has already tested my companions. They mean no harm within your walls. Isn’t that so?” She turned to the non-human shapes gathering behind her as she took her seat at the table.
“I have no quarrel with the priessthood,” Hyadror confirmed. He turned to Miss, prodding her gently with the tip of one long feather.
“I won’t hurt anybody,” she said softly, as if afraid of the large audience in front of her. She was adorably shy, which went a long way toward putting the rest of the room at ease about her.
