A new feeling rose through her terror and panic, tugging at her heart like an invisible string.
Fury.
She couldn’t say how, but she knew the gryphon was in danger now, would have even without Ivan’s warning. The sensation drove her onward, overcoming her agonizing gasps for air and burning legs. Fury was in danger, somehow calling out to her for help. Desperate, reckless strength flooded Eva’s limbs, and she tore up the stairs faster than before.
When Eva reached the Roost at last, the gryphons were astir, screeching and beating their wings in a wild cacophony. Through it all, Eva heard a person shouting from the direction of the landing on the opposite end of the cavern. The same instinct told Eva Fury would be there, too. Stumbling, Eva forced her legs to keep moving. Each breath she drew felt like daggers stabbing at her throat and chest.
Nearing the edge of the landing where the rock dropped off into a cliff, Eva spotted a small figure hopping up and down — Fury. Before Eva could express her relief at finding her gryphon unharmed, another shout rose, from over the edge of the rock.
“Where are you!” Eva shouted as she dropped onto her belly and crawled forward to look over into the darkness.
“Down here — I can’t hold on much longer!”
It was Sigrid. Peering over the ledge, she looked down and saw the dark-haired girl clinging to the side of the rock. A large brown gryphon hovered in the empty space in front of Sigrid, its stressful screams rising into the night. Eva guessed it was Sigrid’s. Eva’s blood ran cold as she stared into the abyss. She rolled over onto her back and shut her eyes to stop the world from spinning.
Taking a deep breath, she looked down again. “It’s Eva!” she shouted. “Hold on; I’ll find something to pull you up with!”
A muffled curse rose up from Sigrid’s position. “Hurry!” the girl yelled in a panicked voice.
Eva ran back to the wall where all the gryphons’ saddles and harnesses were stored. She looked around wildly but saw nothing that was long enough or strong enough to reach all the way down to Sigrid. At last, she spotted a rope that looked like it might be long enough. Rushing back to the ledge, she heard Sigrid yell again.
When she reached the edge, Eva dropped to her belly and tossed the end of the rope over. Sigrid’s eyes, wide and full of fear, met hers. The rope ended a couple of feet short of Sigrid’s reach.
“Too short,” Sigrid said with her usual venom. “Is that the best you could do?”
“That’s all there was!”
She pulled the rope up, mind racing. Maybe she could tie something on the end or —
“I’m slipping!”
The answer came to Eva. There was only one option left.
Since the first day of flight training, she’d been on the back of a gryphon three times, once with Andor to go to the trial, and the second and third when she ran out of excuses and Cassandra practically hauled her onto the back of a training gryphon. Each time had been just as bad as the previous, leaving her light-headed and sick.
“Send your gryphon up!” Eva yelled, hardly believing her own words. “I can’t reach you from up here!”
“Sven, go!”
The gryphon hesitated, reluctant to leave its rider in her precarious position. Sven could do no good down there by himself — if Sigrid fell, she’d likely slide down the wall, too close for the gryphon to grab until she struck something and careened out into the darkness.
“Sven!” Eva shouted. “I can help!”
At last, the brown gryphon tore himself away from his rider. Sven rose with an anxious cry and landed beside her. Without thinking, Eva swung onto his back. Sven wore no saddle, no legs straps, or any other means for Eva to secure herself to the gryphon in the open air. Using the rope, she tied a quick loop around Sven’s neck and twisted the remainder of rope around her left arm. Trying not to think about falling, Eva nudged the gryphon with her heel, and Sven launched off the ledge.
They burst into the open night, and Eva spotted Sigrid below, still clinging to the mountainside. As soon as they were clear of the rock, Sven wheeled around and dropped in as close as he could beneath his rider.
Eva shivered as much from fear as the cool night air. Due to Sven’s size, a large gap remained between them and Sigrid, more than plenty of room for her to fall past them. Eva wondered if Sven could grab Sigrid with his talons but feared the sudden shift in weight would send all three of them plummeting to their deaths.
“Sigrid, you’re going to have to jump,” Eva said, voice cracking. “We can’t get any closer!”
“Storm that!” Sigrid yelled back. “You’ll drop me!”
In spite of her fear, Eva’s temper erupted. “Then fall and die!” she snapped. “I’m not going to get myself killed because you won’t trust me! Jump, damn you!”
Almost as fast as Eva finished speaking, Sigrid kicked off from the cliff. For a moment, Eva saw the girl hurtling toward them. She stretched out as far as she could, the rope wrapped around her left arm anchoring her to Sven.
As Sigrid struck her gryphon’s wing, her hand met Eva’s. Knocked off balance by Sigrid’s landing, Sven careened sideways, and they spun out of control. Screaming as the rope bit deep into her arm, Eva heaved with all her strength, and Sigrid managed to kick her leg up over the gryphon’s back behind Eva.
With the weight of his passengers balanced, Sven spread his wings and pulled out of the free fall. Feeling the gryphon level out, Eva almost collapsed across the back of his neck. They’d done it.
“By the sky, I never want to do that again!” Sigrid yelled in her ear.
Eva nodded and burst into manic, sobbing laughter. Sigrid joined in, and they howled like lunatics until Sven touched down inside the Roost.
Eva half slid, half fell from the gryphon’s back. As soon as she fell to the solid ground, a ball of fur and feathers struck her in the side. Wrapping one arm around Fury, Eva rolled onto her back, elated and exhausted.
Then she heard the footsteps running toward them.
Chapter Twenty
As Eva pulled herself to her feet and reached for her knife, Uthred and Celina appeared out of the darkness. Fury hissed and hunkered down at Eva’s legs. A simultaneous wave of relief and unease gripped Eva, and she was thankful for Celina’s presence after what she’d heard from Uthred in the halls below.
“What happened?” Uthred demanded. His hand gripped his sword hilt, and he looked ready to draw it at the slightest provocation.
“I-I heard screaming, Commander,” Eva said, still shaky from the wild flight. “When I got here, Sigrid was hanging from the rocks. Sven and I were able to rescue her.”
“And how did you hear her screaming if you were in your quarters?” If Uthred seemed impressed by Eva’s feat, he showed no sign.
Eva swallowed hard, Uthred’s dark eyes boring into her as she struggled to answer with at least part of the truth. “I woke up, and Fury was gone,” she said. “I came looking for him, and that’s when I heard her.”
“You lost your gryphon?” Uthred looked like he couldn’t decide whether to be incredulous or furious. “If so, how did the chick get out of your room?”
“I-I don’t know,” Eva said, dropping her head to avoid the commander’s glare. “He was just…gone.”
Before Uthred could grill Eva further, Celina cut in. “Sigrid! What do you have to say about this? What happened?”
“I woke up, and Eva and her gryphon weren’t there,” Sigrid said. “I came looking for them in the Roost. When I got here, something had upset the gryphons. I couldn’t see the roost master anywhere, and then I spotted Fury by the cliffs. When I ran to him, a blast of wind hit me, and I fell over the edge.”
Sigrid paused and looked at Eva, almost unbelieving. “If Eva hadn’t come, I’d probably be dead.”
Celina and Uthred looked at one another.
“I’ll take a look around,” Uthred said, drawing his sword.
Celina nodded. “Eva, Sigrid, come with me. The lord command
er must hear of this at once.”
Eva gathered Fury in her arms. The chick trembled in her arms, and she realized how much worse the night could have ended. She glanced at Sigrid, but the other girl looked straight ahead as they walked.
A group of riders and recruits was gathering at the entrance of the Roost. Celina sent a pair of older riders who’d had enough sense to arm themselves to go assist Uthred and ordered the rest away.
“Everyone, back to your quarters!” Celina snapped. “The lord commander will address everyone in the Main Hall in the morning. Now go!” The Gyr’s second-in-command left no room for argument. Looking over the shoulders and muttering among themselves, the group filed out.
“Where in the sky is Cassandra?” Eva heard Celina mutter.
While the four of them continued to Andor’s quarters, Eva tried to wrap her mind around the events of the past few hours. There hadn’t been an attack since she’d arrived at the Gyr. How had Fury gotten out of their quarters? No one could have taken him against his will — the gryphon’s noise would’ve woken them.
Part of Eva wondered if Sigrid wasn’t telling the whole truth, but she found it hard to believe the girl was involved. Who would throw themselves off a cliff just to look innocent? Without a doubt, she’d been asleep when Eva left — no one could fake snoring like that.
None of it made sense, and Eva felt even more dazed trying to sort it all out. When they arrived at the lord commander’s door Celina raised her hand to knock, but before she could the door swung open, revealing a disheveled Andor, cinching on his sword belt with one hand.
“Celina!” he said, surprised. When the lord commander saw Eva and Sigrid, he frowned. “What’s going on? I just had an officer tell me there was some sort of attack in the Roost.”
“We can shed some light on the rumors, Lord Commander,” Celina said, gesturing to the two girls. “Sigrid was attacked, but Eva arrived in time to prevent anything worse happening. Uthred and I happened to hear the gryphons raising an alarm — he’s looking for any sign of the attackers now. I thought it best to bring the girls to you immediately.”
Eva looked at Celina, waiting for her to mention something about catching Uthred in the hallway, but the woman was finished. Andor beckoned Eva and Sigrid inside. “I would like to speak to these two in private. Please remain outside my door to escort them back to their quarters when I am finished. I don’t want anyone roaming the halls alone.”
Eva and Sigrid followed the lord commander into his chambers, and Eva flinched as the door shut behind them. Andor motioned to the high-backed chairs around his parchment-strewn table and sat down across from them. His eyes passed over both of them.
“Tell me what happened.”
As Eva then Sigrid related their portion of the night’s events, Andor’s face remained stern but otherwise unchanging. Once again, Eva omitted the portion of her story involving Celina, Uthred, and Ivan. Eva knew Ivan couldn’t have been responsible for the attack. He would have had to pass by Eva — invisible and faster than a person could run — somewhere in the passageways to get to Sigrid first. She also knew any mention of the Scrawl would likely condemn him regardless of any testimony she could make for his innocence.
“I will only ask this only once,” Andor said when they’d concluded. “I am aware of the recent… happening between you. If this was in any way a continuation on that from either of you, this is your last chance to tell me. Anything that comes to light later will not go well.”
Eva and Sigrid looked at each other, bewildered. “No, Lord Commander,” they both said.
“Eva saved my life,” Sigrid said. Eva’s head whipped sideways, stunned by the admission. Sigrid glanced at her and continued with some reluctance. “I…I’d probably be smashed to pieces at the bottom of the mountain if it wasn’t for her.”
Andor nodded. “If nothing else, perhaps a camaraderie will come out of this night.”
Embarrassed, Eva focused on the piles of reports and maps on the table. “It’s not a big deal,” she muttered. “Sigrid would have done the same thing if it were the other way around.” At least, she hoped Sigrid wouldn’t have let her fall to a gruesome death.
“Your actions tonight were worthy of the Windsworn,” Andor said. Eva could tell by his voice, it was the biggest compliment he could’ve given her. The lord commander opened his mouth but then seemed to think of something else. “Sigrid, why did you look for Eva in the Roost first?”
“When left the barracks, I saw someone headed in that direction,” Sigrid said. “They were wearing a cloak and looked to be about Eva’s size. I followed them, but when they entered the Roost, they were gone. That’s when I saw Fury.”
Andor stroked his short beard and stared past them at the wall. “And Eva, that wasn’t you? Why didn’t you check the nursery in the Roost first?”
Eva opened her mouth, desperately trying to come up with a believable story. “No,” she said, buying some time. “It wasn’t me. I thought there might be a chance that if Fury somehow got out on his own he might head to the kitchens. He eats all the time lately.”
She knew how unconvincing she sounded, but if Andor suspected anything, he didn’t show it. Sigrid, on the other hand, stared at her like she’d just told them gryphons could fly and they were supposed to be surprised.
“Sigrid, I would like to talk to Eva alone for a moment,” Andor said. “Please wait outside with Commander Celina; we won’t be long.”
Eva felt her stomach clench and her heart race as Sigrid rose, saluted, and left. Andor waited for the door to close before speaking again.
“Eva, I wanted to ask you in private if there was anything you wanted to add?” The lord commander studied Eva with his deep blue eyes. She fidgeted with her hands, and she stared at Fury curled up by the embers in the fireplace.
“Nothing, sir,” Eva said “I’m sorry that Fury got out of our room. I don’t know how it could’ve happened. I didn’t hear anything, and —”
“Come now, Eva,” Andor said. For a moment, Eva was afraid he knew everything and was going to call her bluff. “We both know Fury didn’t escape on his own. And for him to be taken without a sound…”
The lord commander broke off and walked to the fireplace. He knelt down and stroked the feathers on top of Fury’s head, staring at the red gryphon.
“The name’s a little unconventional, but it fits,” Andor said. Finished petting the gryphon chick, he stood and looked at Eva. “There is something at work here that I don’t understand. You must be extra careful, Eva. Someone wants your gryphon. Until we find out why or who they are, I don’t want you going anywhere without at least one other person with you at all times. Do you understand —”
An urgent knock cut him off.
“Lord Commander, I’m sorry to interrupt.” It was Celina’s voice. The Gyr’s second in command sounded almost frantic. “It’s Roost Master Cassandra. She was attacked as well.”
Andor rushed to the door and pulled it open. The dark rings under Celina’s eyes looked even more pronounced. Behind her, Sigrid stared past them, stunned.
“How bad is she?” Andor asked.
“Uthred believes she will recover in time,” Celina said. “Although she took quite the blow to the head. She awakened long enough to say someone struck her from behind, although she has no idea who her attacker was.”
Eva’s stomach sickened. She knew she needed to tell the lord commander about Uthred and Ivan but couldn’t work up the nerve now that she’d already lied to him, especially in front of Celina and Sigrid.
“Please escort Eva and Sigrid back to their quarters,” Andor said to Celina. “Have a guard posted outside of their room until morning. I must go speak with Uthred.”
Celina said nothing as they walked back to the barracks. To Eva, every flickering shadow looked like an attacker waiting to ambush them. By the time they made it to their quarters, her heart pounded almost as fast as it had earlier when she’d almost been caught by Uthred and found I
van entranced.
“I will wait here until the guard arrives,” Celina said. “Get some rest; you’ve both had a trying night.”
Reassured by Celina’s presence, Eva thanked the commander with Sigrid before closing the door behind them. Eva wished it had a lock and realized the irony of wanting to be trapped inside a room with Sigrid. She convinced herself no one would dare attack tonight, not with the entire mountain roused from sleep and Celina standing watch.
Alone together for the first time since the cliff, Eva and Sigrid slipped into bed in silence. An awkward silence engulfed the room. Since the fight in the training circle they’d established a cold but working relationship. Now, Eva didn’t know what to make of it. She knew, however, things would never be the same as they had been when both girls had gone to bed the previous evening.
Like nothing had happened, Fury lay down beside Eva and fell asleep at once. Wide awake, Eva stared at the stone ceiling, going over every detail of the night. Even with his head start on her, she didn’t see how Uthred could have made it to the Roost and back out before Eva got there. He’d clearly met up with Celina at some point that didn’t arouse her suspicion. How much did Andor know about Uthred’s behavior? Celina didn’t seem like the kind to keep that from her commander. As Eva continued to work at the complex knot of what-ifs, Sigrid broke the silence.
“Eva? You awake?”
It took several moments for Eva to decide not to pretend to be asleep. “Yeah.”
“I…” Sigrid began, followed by a long pause. She cleared her throat. “I was wrong about you. I’m sorry.”
Eva blinked and felt tears running down the corner of her face.
“You saved my life tonight,” Sigrid continued, her own voice choking up. “I know I probably can’t ever make up for all the things —”
“You’re welcome,” Eva said. She’d heard all that mattered. A smile spread across her face, and despite the night’s harrowing events, Eva felt a weight lifted from her chest. She took a deep, freeing breath. “Goodnight, Sigrid.”
Windsworn: Gryphon Riders Book One (Gryphon Riders Trilogy 1) Page 14
