Windsworn: Gryphon Riders Book One (Gryphon Riders Trilogy 1)

by Derek Alan Siddoway

  Chain clinked against the marble floor as Eva’s head turned in time to see Ivan enter, escorted on either side by palace guards. Contrary to her fears, the Scrawl boy seemed well fed and rested — better off than Eva at any rate. A chain wrapping around his shoulders bound his arms and hands in front of him, but in a gesture of good faith nothing covered the boy’s mouth. Even so, the two guards kept one hand on their sword hilts and looked ready to strike the young Scrawl down at a moment’s notice.

  Ivan glanced around the room and broke into a large smile when he saw Eva. Some of the Windsworn turned to her and frowned, quelling any thoughts Eva had of waving back. The guards led Ivan below the throne to the center of the circle of tables and then stepped back.

  “Lord Commander Andor, will you explain the purpose of this court?” the king commanded.

  “Of course, my King,” Andor said, standing. “The Scrawl boy before you is accused of stealing an egg from the Gyr and murdering of one of our gryphons. The thief will be tried according to Sorondar law and if found guilty, sentenced to death.”

  The king looked at the Scrawl Elders with his gray-chipped eyes and motioned for Vladim to rise. “Rune Master Vladim. We have asked you to attend this court under the belief that the actions of your acolyte do not reflect those of the Scrawl people as a nation. Do you have anything to say before we begin?”

  Vladim clasped his hands together and bowed once more. He walked out into the middle of the tables and stopped in front of Ivan without looking at the boy.

  “The Scrawl Elders played no part in this travesty, your Highness,” the rune master said. “Nor has our extensive searching since the event revealed further conspirators. My apprentice is young, headstrong, and often reckless with his developing powers. It is my belief that his theft of the egg was the result of overconfidence and misunderstanding of his abilities. As for the death of the gryphon mother, Ivan may be rash, but I do not believe he is a murderer.”

  Glancing down the line of Windsworn and at the nobles seated above, Eva didn’t see any who agreed with the Scrawl Elder. Most looked ready to execute Ivan then and there.

  “Thank you, Rune Master,” the king said. He turned and gestured at the Windsworn. “Lord Commander Andor, please stand and give your account.”

  As he walked to the center of the court, Eva watched the lord commander. To her relief, the bloodthirsty look the rest of the Sorondarans had was absent from his face.

  “My King, lords and ladies, visiting dignitaries, and fellow Windsworn,” Andor said. “I have a sworn testimony from my right wing, who saw this young Scrawl fleeing the Roost. When he entered the nesting area, Uthred found the female gryphon Devana dead, her throat slashed.”

  “A grave crime, indeed,” Vladim said, “But was there no witness of the murder itself?”

  “What else was there to see?” Uthred asked. He rose and pointed to Ivan. “I saw this boy, fleeing from the Roost. There was no one else present.”

  Eva saw several Scrawl Elders break into angry mutters, frowning at Uthred. Vladim, without turning around, seemed to sense the tension among his peers but showed no emotion as he continued. “Be that as it may, there is still no explanation for how Ivan entered or left the mountain,” the rune master said, spreading his arms wide. “There are many kennings and much power to be gleaned from the runes, but flight is not one of them, I assure you.”

  Now it was the Windsworn delegation’s turn to cast angry looks across the court and grumble to one another. Even Andor scowled. “Are you suggesting that a Windsworn helped your apprentice in and out of the Gyr?”

  “I only posed the question,” Vladim replied. “It seems —”

  Several shouts erupted from both sides, interrupting the rune master. The contention spread until the entire room shouted back and forth and several members of each party rose from their seats.

  “Silence!” The king’s voice broke through the din, and the court went quiet as everyone settled back into their places. He fixed his cold eyes on Ivan. “Let us hear from the boy.”

  Eva couldn’t see Ivan’s face, but the young Scrawl didn’t seem tense or worried. Eva thought he must have been the only calm person in the room.

  “My story remains the same, your Highness,” Ivan said. He turned around, chains clinking with the motion, and looked between Andor and the Windsworn. “I didn’t steal the egg to harm it. I was protecting it.”

  “Filthy liar!” More outrage burst from the Windsworn, but Adelar raised a hand and silenced them with a stern look.

  “And what,” the lord commander asked, “made you think the egg was in danger?”

  “I saw it,” Ivan said. For the first time, he seemed flustered, almost confused. “I can’t explain it, but I had a vision — the egg would be destroyed if I didn’t take it.”

  “I see,” Andor said. Eva could tell at once he didn’t believe the boy. “And how did you gain entrance into the Gyr? Did you climb the mountain?”

  “I — I don’t know, my lord.”

  “Did you fly on a gryphon?”

  “I… I can’t remember,” Ivan said, brow furrowing. “There are…parts missing. I recall picking up the egg and then nothing until I was in the city.”

  Uthred snorted, loud enough for the entire court to hear.

  “So, you would have us believe you stole the egg to protect it because of a vision?” King Adelar asked. “And yet you have no recollection of how you completed the act?”

  A sheen of sweat appeared on Ivan’s shaved head, and Eva realized just how young the Scrawl was. “Yes, your Highness,” he said in a low voice.

  A dreadful silence settled over the room. Even the Scrawl Elders looked incredulous after their acolyte’s account.

  “Where is the girl?” the king barked. Eva jumped in her seat and felt ice rushing through her limbs when she realized he meant her. King Adelar looked at her and waved. “Come up here, and tell us your part in this farce.”

  Trembling, Eva rose. As she walked around the tables, she clenched her hands together, fighting her trembling body. She felt naked in the middle of the court, and everyone’s eyes fell on her like dozens of pinpricks. Reaching the base of the throne, she forced herself to look up at the king. Adelar’s piercing eyes froze her to the spot.

  “Well?” the king said. “Tell me your story.”

  Eva’s tongue felt rougher than mountain stone. She opened her mouth twice, and no words came out. All the while the king stared at her, boring into her with his expression of disdain. After a moment, Andor walked up beside her. “Go on, Eva,” he said.

  Reassured by the lord commander’s presence, like a shield from everyone’s focus, Eva found her voice and related everything that had happened from the moment she found Ivan in the shed until the riders arrived and the red egg hatched. The king listened without comment, his gaze never shifting from her. As she spoke, Eva stared at his feet, afraid that if she looked up she would be unable to talk again.

  “The Scrawl told you the egg was for you?” King Adelar asked. “He said he brought it to you and wouldn’t leave until you took possession of it, is that correct?”

  “Y-yes, your Highness,” Eva said. “Several times.”

  Surprised murmurs broke out across the court and in the balcony above. The king leaned forward on the throne and looked into Eva’s eyes. “This is the truth? Lying to the king is a crime punishable by execution.”

  “I-I swear, your Highness,” Eva managed to say. Her body felt like it had been dunked in ice water, and she fought to breathe.

  The king stared at her for several more moments without saying anything. Just when Eva thought she’d be sentenced to death right there in the court, he stood. “I would speak with the lord commander and rune master in my private chambers.”

  As the two men followed Adelar into a room behind the throne, the court broke out in dozens of conversations. Dazed, Eva found her way back to her chair and almost collapsed into it.

  “Well done,” Cel
ina leaned over and said.

  “Thank you, Commander,” Eva mumbled. She felt exhausted, as tired as if she’d just finished a full day of training. The only thing she wanted was to crawl in bed, away from everyone. Celina, however, continued talking.

  “The king is in a difficult position,” the commander said. “The boy stole the egg, but he may very well have saved it — and there is no proof of murder.”

  “So, what’s going to happen?” Eva asked. She looked across the room at Ivan, who stood on the edge of the Scrawl’s tables while the Elders spoke among themselves. When he caught her eye, the boy grinned and waved. Eva had no idea how he could act like that given the fact that his life hung on the king’s decision. She looked back at Celina. “You don’t think — they won’t kill Ivan, will they?”

  Celina’s hand strayed to the bracer on her forearm, and she ran her fingers across the dark metal. “I do not think so,” she said at last. “The murder of gryphon is a grievous thing, but not something the king would risk a war over.”

  Eva wasn’t sure why Celina chose to talk to her when the rest of the Council sat around them, but it made her feel less alone in the daunting chamber. “So, you think he’s telling the truth, too?” she asked.

  The commander laughed, leaving Eva blushing and wishing she’d kept her mouth shut. “Someday you’ll learn the truth isn’t as simple as this or that,” Celina said. “Sometimes, you’ve just got to settle for the middle ground.”

  Not wanting to look like an even bigger fool, Eva looked away without response, feigning interest in the tapestries behind the throne. One in particular caught her eye. It appeared to be a lineage of the kings and queens of Rhylance, back to the kingdom’s founding, but there was a spot at the bottom that looked like it had been cut out. Eva almost asked Celina about it then stopped herself — she already felt ignorant enough.

  Moments later, all thought of the tapestry left Eva’s mind as King Adelar, Andor, and Vladim appeared. The lord commander and rune master wore subdued expressions. The king, Eva guessed, wore a permanent scowl. He sat on the throne and looked across both parties, eyes lingering for a moment on Eva as they passed over the Windsworn delegation.

  “After much discussion,” he said, “I have decided to let the Scrawl boy live.”

  Eva sighed, drained but relieved for Ivan. Around her, the Windsworn scowled at one another, but no one dared voice their displeasure to the king. For their part, the majority of the Scrawl Elders looked no different than if the king had decreed their acolyte would be put to death.

  “However,” the king added, cutting through the surprised whispers of the nobility in the gallery above the court, “until the murderer is discovered or the lord commander can be certain that there will be no further attacks, the rune master has agreed to leave his apprentice in the custody of the Windsworn. Both parties have agreed to these terms, and as such, I declare this matter resolved.”

  With that, King Adelar rose, waving a hand to dismiss everyone. Dozens of voices began speaking all at once until the throne room buzzed with conversation. Eva glanced at the throne and found the king staring at her, a strange, vacant expression on his face. She looked away at once but could still feel his gaze upon her as she filed out with the rest of the Windsworn, desperate to leave the palace. When the gryphon riders passed the Scrawls, most pretended not to notice the other, although Andor and Vladim exchanged curt nods.

  Eva focused on the floor as she passed and was almost to the palace doors when Vladim called out to her.

  “Miss Evelyn, could I have a moment of your time before you depart?”

  Surprised, Eva looked over at Andor, who nodded. Although it was about the last thing she wanted to do, she turned around and forced a tiny smile on her face.

  “I will be brief,” the rune master said in a low voice. “I am in debt to you for your testimony today.”

  “I…I just told the truth, nothing special,” Eva said, embarrassed.

  Vladim smiled and shook his head. “Ah, but it is,” he said. “You have saved the life of an innocent boy, one who is very precious to us. The gift of divining the future from the runes is among the rarest of gifts with our people – Ivan is the sole living member of our order with this power. I would caution you, however. Even if he had complete grasp of this ability, the future is still…uncertain. And fragmented.”

  The rune master cast his eyes around and lowered his voice. “As such, I feel I should warn you: I said this to the king and lord commander in private, but I believe there is something sinister at work in your mountain. Something none of us comprehend. Will you do something for me? Will you check in on Ivan whenever you can?”

  “Oh,” Eva said, still trying to process Vladim’s warning. What did he mean, something sinister? “Of — of course.”

  The rune master smiled again and bowed. “As kind as you are beautiful. Until we meet again, please take care of yourself and your new charge. The birth of a red gryphon is no insignificant thing, even to my people.”

  “Uh…thank you,” Eva said, unsure how to respond. She made an awkward goodbye and hurried to catch up with Andor.

  Outside, the lord commander was already across the courtyard, preparing Stormwind for their return journey. She saw Ivan nearby with two other Windsworn securing him on the back of a gryphon, chains and all.

  “I told you it would all work out!” he yelled to Eva. Before she could reply, the two Windsworn looked at her, their expressions saying they didn’t think it had worked out that well at all.

  “What did the rune master want?” Andor asked. When Eva explained, she was surprised to see the lord commander nod in agreement.

  “I think that would be good,” he said. “Under guard at all times, of course. Just promise me one thing.”

  The lord commander placed his hands on Eva’s shoulders, rooting her to the spot with his blue eyes, so very much like his brother’s. “Promise me if Ivan says anything odd or acts strange in any way that you will let me know immediately. Understood?”

  Eva nodded, wondering how a smith’s assistant could find herself wrapped up in so many grand events and promises in such a short amount of time.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “By thunder, girl, what is your problem?”

  Eva winced at Cross’s shouting and paused her drill with Wynn. Single-handed, the younger girl had beaten her bigger, stronger opponent throughout the entire exercise, and it hadn’t gone unnoticed by the drill master. Cross strode forward and yanked the wooden practice sword from Eva’s hand, drawing the attention of everyone else drilling in the Pit.

  “I-I don’t understand, sir,” Eva said, staring at the drill master’s feet.

  “Look at me when you speak, Queen Magpie!” Cross snarled. “Of course you don’t understand. You don’t comprehend even the basic, fundamental points of fighting. A sword in your hands is as useless as talons on a duck. Now pick it up and —”

  “Drill Master Cross.”

  A moment before, Eva thought any reprieve would have been welcome — until she heard Uthred’s cold voice echo down from the balcony.

  “Commander Uthred, sir,” Cross said, “Attention, Recruits!”

  Eva and the rest rushed to form a line. Standing stock still, Eva’s stomach clenched. Sigrid descended the stairs behind Uthred, face as cold and lifeless as the stone surrounding them.

  The commander crossed the cavern with slow, measured steps, studying each recruit as he passed. Normally full of shouts the clangor of battle, the Pit fell into complete silence. Eva felt her stomach tighten with every one of Uthred’s footfalls as he approached her. Sigrid, at least, remained at the other end of the line.

  When at last he reached her, Uthred stared at Eva like she’d forgotten to bathe in the past month. Eva stared ahead, focusing all her might on a rack of spears against the far wall.

  “Well?” Uthred spoke in a low voice, but it still seemed to carry across the whole cavern.

  Eva tried to swallow the
knot of fear in her throat. The commander hadn’t specifically addressed her, so maybe if she just —

  “I am speaking to you, Recruit Evelyn,” Uthred said.

  “Y-yes, Commander!” Eva yelled back, voice breaking.

  “The question,” Uthred began as he started pacing up and down the line again, eying the younger cadets as he spoke, “is why you are not giving Drill Master Cross your fullest efforts? The question is why do you consistently fail to meet even a minimum of expectations? The question is why you are here at all?”

  Eva’s mind raced for an answer. Her heat pounded against her chest. “Commander, I —”

  Uthred cut her off with a wave of his hand. “I do not require a verbal answer, girl. Instead, we shall let your practice weapon do the talking. Pick it up.”

  Eva stepped out of the line and retrieved her weapon with a shaking hand. When she turned around, she found everyone staring at her. Most, like Wynn, had wide-eyed looks as if they were as terrified as she was. Drill Master Cross, however, wore a nasty smile.

  Uthred pointed to the training circle, marked by a ring of red paint on the stone ground. Eva stepped inside and waited, mind racing to guess what her punishment would be. Fear or greatness, girl. Every part of her body screamed at Eva to run. Instead, she resolved, this time would be different.

  And then Uthred beckoned to Sigrid. Eva’s insides went cold as the other girl picked up a training sword from the rack and stepped into the circle.

  It was the first time Eva had ever seen her bunkmate smile. Under different conditions, it might have been pretty, but Eva had a hard time appreciating Sigrid’s finer features, knowing what was coming next. Cross and the recruits gathered around, and Eva realized her humiliation would have an audience.

  “Perhaps,” Uthred said, “your poor efforts are the result of a lack of challenge? I spoke against placing you with the younger recruits, and it seems I was correct. Let’s see how you fare against someone your own age and size. Begin!”