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

by Derek Alan Siddoway

  She told herself not to be an idiot. The golden boy of the Gyr didn’t worry about who an awkward girl like Eva was seeing when he could have any girl in the mountain.

  “Ha.” Eva gave a weak laugh. “No…just wanted some quiet.”

  Tahl nodded and stepped closer. Eva’s mouth went dry as a desert “I’m glad you’re doing okay. I’ve been worried.”

  Eva’s felt her stomach leap. Worried? About what? Worried about her?

  “You…were?” Somehow, he’d gotten even closer. She could smell him — well-oiled leather and fresh pine. Eva wondered what he bathed with to make him smell like that, and then her brain stopped wondering about anything except his face. He had the stubble of a beard showing, and his lips…

  “Very much,” Tahl said in a low voice. He was so close Fury hissed and started pecking at his boots, but neither he nor Eva noticed.

  “Me, too,” Eva said. It sounded like her voice was coming from another person. She was worried? That didn’t make any sense.

  Tahl gave a short laugh. “I just said that,” he murmured, leaning forward. Eva felt her throat tighten and thought she might collapse.

  She could feel Tahl’s breath on her face and closed her eyes. Eva’s heart pounded so hard she knew he had to hear it. She shivered a little thinking about —

  “There you are!”

  Even after the beating Sigrid gave her, Eva still never had the urge to kill someone before. When Wynn’s voice burst down the passageway, however, she knew what it must feel like. She and Tahl broke apart, and Eva wondered if there’d even been a finger’s width between their lips before the interruption.

  Wynn stomped down the hall, oblivious to what she’d just done. Eva and Tahl glanced around the passageway, keen to look at anything but one other. Eva felt the butterflies die in her stomach, as sure as if they’d all been swatted out of the air by a broom.

  “I’ve been looking all over for you!” Wynn said. When she recognized Tahl, she nodded her head. “Oh hey. Anyway, we’ve got to go! We’ve got a scouting training in less than an hour, and sky take it if I’m going to sit through that on an empty stomach.”

  The young girl grabbed Eva’s hand and pulled her in the other direction. With a final hiss at Tahl, Fury turned and followed the girls. As Wynn dragged her away, Eva twisted to look over her shoulder at Tahl. He rolled his eyes, and Eva bit back a laugh.

  “See you soon!” he yelled after them.

  When they reached the edge of the Main Hall, Eva freed herself from Wynn and made up an excuse about needing something out of her quarters before training. Wynn looked at her like she was mad for skipping out on a meal, but the younger girl’s own hunger allowed Eva to slip away. It was a long shot, but one last place remained where she might find answers. But first, she needed some honey.

  Fortunately, the cooks were more than accommodating. Jar in hand, Eva wound her way upward, trying to remember the path she’d taken to reach Lord Vyr. The passageways soon grew less packed with people, then empty. After a couple of wrong turns and several backtracks, Eva thought she recognized some familiar features. The cold, stale air and dust-covered lanterns confirmed her direction.

  Fury followed close behind. He’d grown to the size of a hound and almost knocked Eva over every time he tried to leap into her arms for a ride. The gryphon’s fuzzy red down was long gone as well, replaced by copper- and crimson-colored feathers that shone like burnished metal. Fury’s front talons had hardened into razor-sharp points, but he still bumbled around with teenage clumsiness. Several of Eva’s uniforms had been shredded as a result.

  At the end of the long hall leading to Vyr’s chamber, Fury stopped. Eva looked back and beckoned, but the gryphon shook his head and cowered down in an unusual show of timidness. Fury’s hesitation gave Eva pause as well. She recalled the blind gryphon and the old man’s unsettling behavior and looked back in the direction they’d came.

  “I know you’re there, girl,” a voice echoed down the hall. “Might as well come here.”

  Eva glanced at Fury, who let out a small cry but followed behind her into the chamber. She held back at the entrance when she spotted the great blind gryphon sitting on his haunches across the cavern from her.

  “Well, don’t just stand there!” Lord Vyr said in an impatient tone. “Basil won’t bother you now that he’s got your scent.”

  Unconvinced, Eva edged along the rock wall toward Vyr. The old man sat down a large black tome he’d evidently been reading and looked at her, brows raised. “Did you bring the honey?”

  Eva nodded and held the jar out. The old man’s eyes lit up, and he took it from her with both hands. Prying the lid off, he dipped a withered hand straight into the pot and licked the golden goo from his fingers as it ran down his hand into his already matted beard. Eva did her best to hide her disgust.

  “Yes?” Lord Vyr said, smacking his lips.

  “Yes what?” Eva asked, perplexed.

  Lord Vyr waved his honeyed hand, flinging sticky everywhere. “Why are you here, that’s what!” he snapped. “I don’t have all day, girl, spit it out!”

  Eva looked around, wondering what else the old man could possibly have to do. She didn’t think it would be very smart to say that, though. “I wanted to ask you a question.”

  “Perhaps I have an answer,” Lord Vyr said. “This is good honey.”

  Eva considered her next words carefully and decided to build up to her most pressing question. “What’s in the Catacombs?”

  Lord Vyr sat down his honeypot, and Eva wondered if she’d already gone too far. “The Gyr is an ancient fortress, and even the lord commander does not know all of its secrets,” he said. “Who can say what lurks in the dark below, what remnants of the Ancients dwell forgotten in the shadow?”

  “But you know,” Eva pressed.

  Lord Vyr shook his head. “Even I am not that old, child. But I have been around a very long time, and nothing like these attacks has ever happened in the mountain. There is something…stirring. I feel it in my bones.”

  Eva remained silent, soaking in the old man’s words. The light seemed to fade in the cavern, and an ominous feeling permeated the stale air. Eva wondered if she should tell Lord Vyr about Ivan but once again held back.

  Who knew how often the old man and Andor spoke? They had to communicate on some level — what if Lord Vyr told Andor about the Scrawl? With no other leads, she knew Ivan would be the prime suspect, worse still, might be held responsible. The chance of the boy receiving a second trial didn’t seem likely.

  “Stay away from the Catacombs,” Lord Vyr said, staring her down with his rheumy eyes. “And keep close watch on the red gryphon.”

  Across the room, Basil hissed as if agreeing with his rider. For a moment, Eva almost gave in to the urge pulling at her to leave, but desperation gave her courage. “I have one more question,” she said.

  Lord Vyr picked up his jar again. “Bah! You ask too many questions for a girl so young, but the company is not unappreciated.” He smiled at her with his yellowed teeth, but it came off as more of a leer.

  Taking a deep breath, Eva tried to focus as the old man took another handful of his prize and smeared it all over his lips and beard. “Did you know my father?”

  Lord Vyr paused, honey-covered fist halfway to his mouth. “Indeed I did.”

  Eva felt a rush of excitement and tried to sort through the dozens of questions begging to be asked. “How did he die?”

  “He was headstrong and proud,” Lord Vyr said. “But dead? Not to my knowledge.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  In the days that followed, Eva thought she might go mad. Despite Lord Vyr’s shattering revelation, he refused to say more. She’d pressed as far as she dared, but in the end it did no good.

  Desperate, Eva wrote Soot a letter, begging for anything he would tell her, her earlier anger at him forgotten. Whether he was trying to figure out how to respond or just ignoring her, Eva didn’t know. Each night, she stared at t
he ceiling, wide awake, wondering. If her father was truly alive, where could he be; what could he be doing? Who was he? Why had he left her? The questions plagued Eva until she thought she might go mad if they were left unanswered.

  Celina hadn’t resumed their training, either, and was absent from the Main Hall at mealtimes. Eva started to wonder if Uthred might be poisoning her. With nowhere else to turn, Eva knew where she had to go next. Even so, the thought raised goose bumps on her arms, thinking of their last encounter. She needed to see Ivan again.

  How proved to be more difficult than Eva could have imagined. She’d wandered by Ivan’s chamber a handful of times, looking for an opportunity. The guards were friendly enough and let her talk to Ivan through the door, but they didn’t allow her in the room again, nor did they give them any privacy. And the questions Eva needed to ask couldn’t be asked in front of an audience. On the plus side, he seemed completely normal each time she visited. If he had any recollection of their meeting the night of the attacks, Ivan gave no sign.

  For days, she thought of all the possible ways to get a few minutes alone with Ivan. Each idea proved more impossible and ridiculous than the last. Whenever Eva caught sight of Uthred within the mountain, it only made Eva’s task more urgent. She needed more proof.

  Eva considered telling Wynn or Sigrid but decided against it. Although willing, Wynn seemed more likely to tell the whole mountain than be of any real help. Eva doubted Sigrid would believe her about Uthred, and a small part of her wondered if Sigrid might even go to the commander if Eva disclosed her suspicions.

  After much thought, Eva realized she’d have to work alone — and probably at night. The thought of wandering around the dark halls of the Gyr made her break out in goose bumps, but she didn’t see any other way. Plus, she noticed only one guard stood on duty at night. Dealing with one person instead of two, Eva told herself, doubled her chances of success.

  Another week passed, and Eva struggled to come up with any solutions in between her busy schedule. To stay in practice while Celina — hopefully — recovered, Eva approached Sigrid. In the few times they’d sparred, Sigrid won almost every time. Almost. Even Sigrid couldn’t believe Eva’s progress, and she couldn’t wait to show Cross the results of her grueling work.

  “You’re going to do fine,” Sigrid said.

  Eva thought Sigrid probably believed in her more than Eva did herself, but she didn’t say anything. The day of Cross’s portion of the trial came out of nowhere. Eva spent the morning frazzled and sick, but as soon as the bells rang out in the Main Hall and the fledgling recruits headed for the Pit, a calm, almost hollow feeling overcame her.

  “What, do you want a medal or something, Queen Magpie?” Cross asked when Eva finished their run well ahead of the younger students. He’d gone slightly — slightly — easier on her since the sparring match with Sigrid and Uthred, but not by much. “Get over there, and get ready to step into the circle.”

  While Eva strapped on her padded practice armor and selected her training weapons from the rack, the rest of the recruits filed in. Soon, the entire class stood around, just as they had the last time Eva entered the circle. She vowed this time would be different.

  “All right, magpies,” Cross barked. He strode up and down their line, much as he had the first day of training. “I’ve watched you stumble around and make fools of yourselves for almost half a year. Now it’s time to see you’ve learned anything.”

  The drill master’s eyes fell on Eva. “Why don’t you go first, Queen Magpie? I’ve got a special treat for you.”

  He whistled, and Sigrid stepped out of the shadows, dressed in training gear and armed with two practice blades. She shot Eva an apologetic look. They were long past the beating, but seeing Sigrid standing there just like before made Eva’s stomach churn. She pushed the fear down and remembered that this fight was a chance to prove herself.

  Eva stepped into the ring and tried to pretend it was just another bout with Celina in the privacy of their training room. The younger students parted to make way for Sigrid, but this time her face held none of the malice it had during their first fight. If anything, she looked…nervous.

  The recruits closed back around, filling the training circle. Cross stood on the edge, between Eva and Sigrid. “Begin,” he said.

  Eva didn’t hesitate. Just as Celina had hammered into her over and over for the past months, she seized her moment. She threw herself at Sigrid, who jerked back in surprise but managed to block her overhead cut. They traded a few blows back and forth, but Eva felt tense and stiff. She realized she was gritting her teeth with every strike and forced her body to relax.

  They moved inside the ring like two dancers twirling and whirling together and apart. Everything melted away except for the point of Eva’s and Sigrid’s weapons. Eva felt a surge of satisfaction and confidence just like getting into rhythm with hammer and anvil. Sigrid seemed to slow, and Eva found herself a fraction of a moment ahead of the other girl. Sigrid stabbed with her shorter sword, and Eva sidestepped. Eva’s long blade caught Sigrid’s as it came down, and the tip of her wooden short sword jabbed Sigrid’s midriff.

  Both fighters broke apart, panting and grinning.

  “A touch to Queen Magpie,” Cross said in a low growl. Eva wasn’t sure if he was disappointed or trying to hide approval. “I see you’ve learned which end of a sword is the pointy end. But let’s —”

  “Drill Master Cross!” Eva and the rest of the class looked up to the balcony and saw Uthred. Eva felt real fear again, wondering what could have brought the commander to the training area.

  “There has been another attack,” Uthred said. “Please escort your recruits to the Main Hall at once. Everyone should be armed with at least a practice weapon. Post guards in the front and the back and stay together.”

  The recruits and their fledgling gryphons began to panic, but Cross brought them to order with a shout. The group gathered in a tight formation with Cross at the head and Sigrid in back. Clutching their practice weapons, eyes wide with fear, they started for the Main Hall. Eva stayed in the back with Sigrid and kept Fury in sight at all times. A feeling of dread loomed over her. She wondered whom had been attacked and if she was partly responsible. She’d been too complacent, she knew.

  The Main Hall buzzed with scores of recruits and Windsworn of all ages. Armed guards stood at the entrances in full armor, hands on their swords. Eva felt the fear in the air as strong as the dozens of concerned voices all talking at once. Andor appeared on the overlook, but it took several moments for everyone to settle down enough for him to be heard.

  “There has been another attack,” he said, voice carrying across the chamber. “This time, a recruit has been killed.”

  The hall broke into chaotic shouts of outrage. Several riders shook their weapons in the air, demanding the entire Gyr be checked level by level until the culprit was caught.

  Andor raised his hands, but it took several minutes of the other Windsworn officers shouting to quiet everyone enough for the lord commander to be heard again.

  “Until further notice, I order everyone, both recruits and Windsworn, to travel everywhere inside the mountain in groups of two or more. It would also be wise to go armed whenever you leave your quarters and to make sure your rooms are secured before retiring at night. Patrols are being formed to search the mountain as we speak. Please return to your garrisons until further notice.”

  Eva wasn’t sure the crowed would disperse — most seemed keen to begin a manhunt right then and there. Eventually reason won out, and people began to exit. Sticking close to Sigrid and Wynn, Eva joined the throng and worried about losing Fury all the way back to the barracks.

  Once in their quarters, Sigrid shrugged off her padded practice gear and put on her leather and mail Windsworn attire. “I’ve got to take part in patrols,” she said to the two of them, sliding numerous knives into her belt. Whatever you do, stay here and don’t leave without a group.”

  Eva nodded, still
in shock. Wynn, on the other hand, buried her face in her hands and started sobbing.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Eva said, rushing to her side and wrapping her arm around her.

  “N-no, you don’t understand,” Wynn said voice thick from crying. “I heard them in the hall. The person who d-died was Danny!”

  Wynn wailed even louder, and Eva’s stomach dropped. Danny, the small boy who could answer every question in class, who’d worshiped the ground Wynn walked on even though she wanted nothing to do with him.

  “I was s-so mean to him, and he was always nice!” she howled, the words almost impossible to make out.

  Eva pulled Wynn tighter, sick to her stomach. Wynn buried her face in Eva’s shoulder, still sobbing. After a few quiet moments passed, Sigrid glanced at Eva and nodded her head down at Wynn. Eva gave the younger girl a gentle squeeze, and she pulled back, wiping the tears away from her swollen eyes.

  “Sorry, Wynn, but I need to take you back to your quarters before I go on patrol,” Sigrid said. “They’ll be doing roll, and we don’t want you reported missing.”

  “Okay,” Wynn said in a small voice. Eva rose with her and gave the younger girl a long hug. The girl’s responding squeeze was limp, which didn’t make Eva feel any better.

  “I’ll come stay with you until Sigrid’s back,” Eva told her. “I can’t stay alone anyway while she’s gone.”

  Sigrid caught her look and nodded. “That’s a good plan.”

  Unlike the full Windsworn, the fledgling recruits stayed in a long hall with bunk beds lining both sides. The news that Danny was the victim had spread, and all the young girls were shaken, huddled together with their gryphons in small groups. Eva stayed by Wynn’s bedside as the girl cried herself to sleep. Sometime around midnight, Sigrid returned, and they went back to their own quarters. Although Sigrid was fully armed, Eva jumped at every shadow and spent the whole journey looking over her back, unnerved.

  She’d tried to piece together the attack from everything she knew. Had Ivan been involved, possessed again by whatever dark power held him in its sway the night of the previous attack? Based on what Sigrid told Eva from her briefing, it seemed almost impossible Uthred had killed Danny himself, in person. Even so, Eva still knew he had to have been involved. Danny’s body, Sigrid told her, had been found in the lower levels near the Catacombs.