childish attribute in a girl that was clearly more powerful than she looked.
Ciardis jerked her head at Skarar. The young griffin looked to be hyperventilating. He was crouched down low and his feathers had risen once more until he looked like a giant ball of poof. His eyes had stayed the same: angry, frightened, and confused.
Seraphina’s father had stopped moving as well. Unfortunately he wasn’t crouching behind the griffin, but rather had been detained by two soldiers with swords to his throat.
Abruptly Seraphina’s face changed. The confident face of a mage was gone. Instead a young girl with a worried look in her eyes and frown on her face overtook it. Slowly her hair stopped sparking. It didn’t lay down flat, but Ciardis wouldn’t expect it to after that display. The power in her eyes dimmed until a normal blue iris became evident.
“Father,” she cried out.
“It’s all right,” shouted Jason. “Take care of Skarar. Keep going.”
Shocked, Ciardis realized that even with a knife to his throat and clear pressure from the two men gripping his shoulders he had refused to drop the shield protecting them from outside interference. Ironic that. She was trapped inside a bubble with a weather mage that had more control over her gifts than a master mage she had known for too short a time. Not her ideal situation.
Gulping Seraphina refocused her attention on the young griffin as she said, “Oh, Skarar, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted her to let me go.”
Carefully, Ciardis said, “I’m sorry about that. He’s afraid of lightening?”
“Most magic, actually,” Seraphina said dolefully. Every trace of her gift had left her. She sat ordinary once more except for the occasional spark of energy above them.
“So tell me about that, then,” Ciardis said while easing her legs around so that she no longer knelt on her knees but sat cross-legged instead.
Seraphina gave her a doubtful look. She didn’t trust her. Fair enough, but Ciardis had to show her she hadn’t meant any harm. If the girl believed her original questions weren’t important in the process, even better.
“It might help us approach Skarar and let him see we’re having a conversation,” Ciardis prodded gently.
She still held her hand above her head. She was beginning to grow dizzy. But she’d had worse injuries in fights before. This one wouldn’t kill her.
Finally Seraphina nodded and sat back on her haunches from where she’d risen up upon feeling threatened.
“He and his da are the last of three griffins left. Their whole family was hunted down by mages on the western plains. Now it’s just them and the golden one over there.”
“Hmm,” said Ciardis. “Well, I happen to know a whole pack of griffins that live in the Ameles Forest. They might not be so alone after all.”
Seraphina’s eyes lit up with a little girl’s delight as she turned to the griffin in excitement. “Did you hear that, Skarar?”
The young griffin’s tufted ears swiveled to Seraphina’s voice, indicating that he had heard her. That was a good start.
Ciardis took in the area outside their shield in a glance. From her small vantage point it looked like the rain of arrows had stopped. The fighting had stopped. Skar and Sebastian looked no worse for wear and the soldier from before was actually standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the prince heir. He seemed to be arguing with one of his men.
She couldn’t make out any more before Seraphina caught her attention.
“So there are more? How many more?” the young girl demanded shyly.
“At least six,” Ciardis answered absentmindedly. “There are boys and girls. They’re young still, too, so Skarar could have some playmates. My friend Terris knows more.”
Seraphina nodded eagerly. “Could I talk to her?”
“Sure,” Ciardis admitted. “She’s here in the city. I’m sure she’d love to meet Skarar and Skar.”
“Well, that might be good.”
This time it was
Ciardis jerked her head at Skarar. The young griffin looked to be hyperventilating. He was crouched down low and his feathers had risen once more until he looked like a giant ball of poof. His eyes had stayed the same: angry, frightened, and confused.
Seraphina’s father had stopped moving as well. Unfortunately he wasn’t crouching behind the griffin, but rather had been detained by two soldiers with swords to his throat.
Abruptly Seraphina’s face changed. The confident face of a mage was gone. Instead a young girl with a worried look in her eyes and frown on her face overtook it. Slowly her hair stopped sparking. It didn’t lay down flat, but Ciardis wouldn’t expect it to after that display. The power in her eyes dimmed until a normal blue iris became evident.
“Father,” she cried out.
“It’s all right,” shouted Jason. “Take care of Skarar. Keep going.”
Shocked, Ciardis realized that even with a knife to his throat and clear pressure from the two men gripping his shoulders he had refused to drop the shield protecting them from outside interference. Ironic that. She was trapped inside a bubble with a weather mage that had more control over her gifts than a master mage she had known for too short a time. Not her ideal situation.
Gulping Seraphina refocused her attention on the young griffin as she said, “Oh, Skarar, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted her to let me go.”
Carefully, Ciardis said, “I’m sorry about that. He’s afraid of lightening?”
“Most magic, actually,” Seraphina said dolefully. Every trace of her gift had left her. She sat ordinary once more except for the occasional spark of energy above them.
“So tell me about that, then,” Ciardis said while easing her legs around so that she no longer knelt on her knees but sat cross-legged instead.
Seraphina gave her a doubtful look. She didn’t trust her. Fair enough, but Ciardis had to show her she hadn’t meant any harm. If the girl believed her original questions weren’t important in the process, even better.
“It might help us approach Skarar and let him see we’re having a conversation,” Ciardis prodded gently.
She still held her hand above her head. She was beginning to grow dizzy. But she’d had worse injuries in fights before. This one wouldn’t kill her.
Finally Seraphina nodded and sat back on her haunches from where she’d risen up upon feeling threatened.
“He and his da are the last of three griffins left. Their whole family was hunted down by mages on the western plains. Now it’s just them and the golden one over there.”
“Hmm,” said Ciardis. “Well, I happen to know a whole pack of griffins that live in the Ameles Forest. They might not be so alone after all.”
Seraphina’s eyes lit up with a little girl’s delight as she turned to the griffin in excitement. “Did you hear that, Skarar?”
The young griffin’s tufted ears swiveled to Seraphina’s voice, indicating that he had heard her. That was a good start.
Ciardis took in the area outside their shield in a glance. From her small vantage point it looked like the rain of arrows had stopped. The fighting had stopped. Skar and Sebastian looked no worse for wear and the soldier from before was actually standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the prince heir. He seemed to be arguing with one of his men.
She couldn’t make out any more before Seraphina caught her attention.
“So there are more? How many more?” the young girl demanded shyly.
“At least six,” Ciardis answered absentmindedly. “There are boys and girls. They’re young still, too, so Skarar could have some playmates. My friend Terris knows more.”
Seraphina nodded eagerly. “Could I talk to her?”
“Sure,” Ciardis admitted. “She’s here in the city. I’m sure she’d love to meet Skarar and Skar.”
“Well, that might be good.”
This time it was
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