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Authors: Bianca D'Arc
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probably should’ve discussed this on the ground, but they’d been in too much of a hurry to get away from a possible second attacker.
“The palace,” she replied instantly. At least she knew where she wanted to go. The palace wouldn’t have been Hugh’s first choice, but she did work for the government and there would be guards there who might be able to help her.
Hugh veered off toward the largest structure in the surrounding area. It was lit by fires on the battlements and easy to see even at this distance. He’d come in cautiously, from high above.
While he could see the fires, there were no gryphons at the posts where a gryphon guard usually stood watch twenty-four hours a day. He felt the tension in his passenger as her legs tightened around his shoulders. She knew the palace better than he did. As they circled far above, even she could see the missing sentries.
“Something’s wrong,” she shouted to be heard over the wind. “The guards should be manning the battlements even in this weather. And the gryphons aren’t at their posts.”
“I doubt the palace is safe for you, then. Is there somewhere else we can go?”
“Go east. My cousin lives on the sixth hill. She will help.”
Hugh veered eastward, counting the hills in the distance and heading for the sixth in line from the coast. The lady’s grip on his shoulders didn’t lessen. She was filled with tension and it communicated itself to him in the stiff lines of her body.
She was a good rider, though. He had no doubt she’d been aloft many times before. No doubt the gryphons took her flying whenever she wished in return for her advocacy on their behalf. He wasn’t sure of her exact position where the creatures were concerned, but the more he was around her, the more he began to form a good opinion of her. Good, but still wary.
He’d already made up his mind that he wouldn’t leave Miss in the lady’s care unless he knew for certain where and how Miss would be cared for. Hugh would go with the lady wherever she went until that need was satisfied. Either that, or they would part company and he would take Miss with him back to Draconia, cutting his mission here short. Roland and Nico could send somebody else. The child was more important to Hugh at this moment.
It took only a few minutes to fly over the dark city and enter the foothills where luxurious estates caressed the hillsides and vineyards rolled down the slopes in graceful lines. The sixth hill contained only one large estate and it was somewhat revolting in its opulence.
“Your cousin lives there?” Hugh tried to keep the horror out of his tone. The place was ghastly in its sheer gaudiness.
“Her taste is not mine.” The words were muttered, but Hugh heard them and silently agreed with the sentiment. “Approach from the orchard,” she went on in a louder voice. “Considering what we saw at the palace, we need to be cautious.”
“I’ll set down in the dark beyond that fence. I think I can fit between those rows of vines. We’ll walk up to the house together.”
“You’re coming with me?” She sounded surprised.
“I will not leave you until I’m sure you’re as safe as you can be with assassins on your trail.” Her safety had suddenly become important to him. Certainly, she could take care of herself to some extent. She had killed the assassin, after all. But he wouldn’t have wanted her to come up against those poisoned darts on her own.
He also wanted to learn more about those mysterious Eyes. He’d never heard of such creatures before. Oh, Draconia had its share of secret groups—even some assassins—but nobody who used eyes as their symbol as far as he knew. At the very least, Nico would want to know as much about the mysterious assassins as Hugh could discover.
He backwinged gently, executing a perfect covert landing between two rows of grapevines. Once again, he thanked his brothers for the training they’d all done together to perfect their
“The palace,” she replied instantly. At least she knew where she wanted to go. The palace wouldn’t have been Hugh’s first choice, but she did work for the government and there would be guards there who might be able to help her.
Hugh veered off toward the largest structure in the surrounding area. It was lit by fires on the battlements and easy to see even at this distance. He’d come in cautiously, from high above.
While he could see the fires, there were no gryphons at the posts where a gryphon guard usually stood watch twenty-four hours a day. He felt the tension in his passenger as her legs tightened around his shoulders. She knew the palace better than he did. As they circled far above, even she could see the missing sentries.
“Something’s wrong,” she shouted to be heard over the wind. “The guards should be manning the battlements even in this weather. And the gryphons aren’t at their posts.”
“I doubt the palace is safe for you, then. Is there somewhere else we can go?”
“Go east. My cousin lives on the sixth hill. She will help.”
Hugh veered eastward, counting the hills in the distance and heading for the sixth in line from the coast. The lady’s grip on his shoulders didn’t lessen. She was filled with tension and it communicated itself to him in the stiff lines of her body.
She was a good rider, though. He had no doubt she’d been aloft many times before. No doubt the gryphons took her flying whenever she wished in return for her advocacy on their behalf. He wasn’t sure of her exact position where the creatures were concerned, but the more he was around her, the more he began to form a good opinion of her. Good, but still wary.
He’d already made up his mind that he wouldn’t leave Miss in the lady’s care unless he knew for certain where and how Miss would be cared for. Hugh would go with the lady wherever she went until that need was satisfied. Either that, or they would part company and he would take Miss with him back to Draconia, cutting his mission here short. Roland and Nico could send somebody else. The child was more important to Hugh at this moment.
It took only a few minutes to fly over the dark city and enter the foothills where luxurious estates caressed the hillsides and vineyards rolled down the slopes in graceful lines. The sixth hill contained only one large estate and it was somewhat revolting in its opulence.
“Your cousin lives there?” Hugh tried to keep the horror out of his tone. The place was ghastly in its sheer gaudiness.
“Her taste is not mine.” The words were muttered, but Hugh heard them and silently agreed with the sentiment. “Approach from the orchard,” she went on in a louder voice. “Considering what we saw at the palace, we need to be cautious.”
“I’ll set down in the dark beyond that fence. I think I can fit between those rows of vines. We’ll walk up to the house together.”
“You’re coming with me?” She sounded surprised.
“I will not leave you until I’m sure you’re as safe as you can be with assassins on your trail.” Her safety had suddenly become important to him. Certainly, she could take care of herself to some extent. She had killed the assassin, after all. But he wouldn’t have wanted her to come up against those poisoned darts on her own.
He also wanted to learn more about those mysterious Eyes. He’d never heard of such creatures before. Oh, Draconia had its share of secret groups—even some assassins—but nobody who used eyes as their symbol as far as he knew. At the very least, Nico would want to know as much about the mysterious assassins as Hugh could discover.
He backwinged gently, executing a perfect covert landing between two rows of grapevines. Once again, he thanked his brothers for the training they’d all done together to perfect their
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