Read Online SkyFall (Taken on the Wing Book 2) by Elizabeth Munro - Free Book Online Page B

evidence I ’ d ever left Canada they took my interest
in the picture to be simply amusement at the similarity and let me be. ”
    Cloud doesn ’ t understand half of what he said but she
likes the big picture on the wall. Pasting such a ridiculously huge image of
one ’ s self so prominently is a
very gryphon thing to do. She can appreciate something so pointlessly proud.
    “ Here
you go, ” Deirdre announces as she backs
through the curtains with a wide tray. It ’ s
laden with two covered plates and Deirdre places the whole thing on a nearby
table before presenting Cloud with seared salmon, wild rice and barely cooked
green beans.
    “ Thank
you, ” Cloud nods as Deirdre serves
Cooper and tops up his glass.
    “ Did you save some for yourself? ” Cooper asks.
    “ I ate first, ” Deirdre burps and Cloud starts to giggle.
Then she sobers at the sight of the storm clouds in the distance since they
aren ’ t so distant at all. In a few
short minutes they ’ ve come much closer and
beneath the contented sounds of their quiet eating she can make out the rumble
of thunder.
    “ Is she safe here? ” Cloud asks when she ’ s sure Deirdre must be occupied deep
inside Cooper ’ s suite.
    “ Intuitive, ” Cooper answers between
sips of wine. “ No, she isn ’ t and I would not have allowed you to see
her if I didn ’ t feel her secret is safe with
you. ”
    Yeah, Cloud feels his trust. In spite of
his changes of mood and inconsistent attitude toward her, Cooper ’ s trust has been solid since the day he
and Lawrence questioned her in her room.
    “ Your mate, ” Cloud asks as she tries
to understand him. “ Was she a gryphon like
Deirdre? ”
    Again the raised eyebrows. Cooper isn ’ t giving up anything.
    “ Deirdre has an escape route and a safe
place to hide, should the need arise. ”
    But he ’ s barely finished the sentence and Cloud
is barely finished her dinner when he gets to the point.
    “ Tell me, Cloud, adopted granddaughter of
Sire Lev and adopted daughter of Dame Shadow and Master Talon. Tell me how you
stopped Lawrence from breaking your arm. ”
    Cloud lowers her fork to her plate as her
appetite for the last mouthful of wild rice and tender onions disappears .
    “ You already know, ” she says flatly.
    “ I want to hear you say it. ”
    She rinses her mouth with the last of the
wine before she speaks.
    “ I am a royal gryphon. ”
    “‘ scuse
me? ” Cooper nearly chokes on what
Cloud thought to be the contents of an empty mouth.
    “ I believe my dame was royal, Daniel,
because I have magic. I can control gryphons, ” she
tries to explain to Cooper ’ s open mouth. “ I shouldn ’ t have embarrassed Lawrence like that I
know but it just came out. He didn ’ t want to hurt me and it just came out.
    “ And I know when I ’ m trusted. I feel you trust me and Lawrence does so please keep my secret. If I ever get back in to Sky ’ s program the last thing I want are
royals inviting me home to meet their Dame. ”
    “ My word, ” Cooper promises as he
gets himself together. “ In exchange for your word to
keep Deirdre ’ s secret is a fair trade. ”
    In spite of being a little more together
about Cloud ’ s admission he ’ s returned to being on edge. His relaxed
hands ball and the muscles at his temples work in time with what must be urgent
thoughts. Cooper puts his plate aside and approaches as his brow creases with
the effort it takes to uncurl his fingers.
    “ Let ’ s look, hm? ” Cooper
removes the ice and tenderly raises her ankle. Although the cold numbed it,
fresh pain lances up toward her knee as he works the joint, testing it as Lawrence had. It didn ’ t hurt then but Cloud was so
amped up from the fight she didn ’ t feel it or the wrist.
    “ Owe! ” Cloud slams her hands down for stability,
catching the fork handle in the process. Rice and onion launch up, bounce off her
cheek and stick in her hair. Cooper probes along the bone.
    “ You may have a