Read Online The Griffin's War (Fallen Moon Trilogy) by K. J. Taylor - Free Book Online

you know she didn’t get into trouble?” Annir persisted.
    “Then that’s her lookout,” said Cai. “She didn’t want t’stay, an’ we didn’t want her along, either.”
    “She ain’t one of us,” Rhodri agreed.
    Annir tried a different tack. “What if she gets caught? She could tell them things you don’t want them to know. Have you thought of that?”
    They glanced at each other.
    “She doesn’t know nothin’,” Saeddryn said at last. “Nobody told her.”
    “I still say we should look for her,” said Annir. “Just in case.”
    “Well, I don’t,” said Rhodri. “What I say is, the longer we stay here, the more people can find us. We’ve waited for her long enough.”
    “You’re right,” a voice interrupted. “There’s no time to waste at all.”
    Everyone around the fire froze.
    “Who’s that?” Cai exclaimed.
    Saeddryn stood up. “I know that voice!”
    As if by magic, Arenadd appeared. He walked out from among the trees, looking ragged and exhausted, but there was a smile on his face. Skade was on one side of him and Skandar the other.
    Annir ran to him. “Arren!”
    He opened his arms to receive her, and held her tightly without saying a word. She sobbed softly, holding on to him as if she would never let go.
    The others were quick to crowd around, all of them talking at once. “How did ye get here?” “What happened?” “Are ye hurt?”
    Arenadd let go of his mother and reached out to pat Saeddryn rather awkwardly on the shoulder. “Hello, cousin. It’s good to see you again.”
    She grinned disbelievingly at him. “It’s a miracle! I thought we’d lost ye for good!”
    Arenadd shrugged. “I’m like a bad cold: impossible to shake off. Come on, let’s all sit down for a bit. We’ve got time for a rest before we go.”
    “Go where?” said Saeddryn, as she led the way back to the fire.
    “Back to the mountains, of course.” Arenadd sat down.
    “We’ve got important things to do. But . . .” He looked down at his bandaged hand. “First things first. Saeddryn, do you know anything about healing?”
    “I can help,” Cai piped up.
    Arenadd’s mouth tightened. “I need some help. Mum, you should look away.”
    She was already moving closer, reaching out. “Let me see. What happened?”
    He pulled away gently. “It’s not pretty. Cai—”
    Cai took his hand and very carefully peeled off the bandages. Arenadd sat very still, tensing in anticipation. He groaned softly when the last layer came off.
    Cai gave a strangled cry of disgust. “Sweet Night God!”
    Every single one of Arenadd’s long, slender fingers had been broken—horribly broken. The flesh had turned purple and blue, bulging over crushed bones and mangled joints. They barely looked like fingers any more.
    Saeddryn cringed. Skade hissed to herself. Annir cried out and clutched her son’s arm. “My poor sweet boy, what have they done to you?”
    Arenadd’s face looked tired and old with pain, and his voice sounded thin. “Every finger was a question. ‘Where are they?’ Snap. ‘How many are there?’ Snap. ‘Who is their leader?’ Snap. ‘Where is Darkheart?’ Snap.”
    Saeddryn’s look toward him was full of pity. “I knew they’d do that to ye, Arenadd. I’m sorry.”
    “It could have been worse,” he said, with forced good cheer. “Cai, can you do anything?”
    Cai was still examining the ruined fingers. “I can splint them, but I don’t have any equipment. It’ll have t’be just sticks an’ string. But even if I had everythin’ I needed, it wouldn’t change much.” She looked steadily at him. “Ye know ye won’t be able t’use them fingers again, don’t ye?”
    Arenadd nodded. “I suppose I should thank them, really.”
    “For what ?” Saeddryn exclaimed.
    “For letting me keep my right hand.” Arenadd nodded to Cai. “Do it, then, for what it’s worth.”
    Cai turned to the others. “Rhodri, could ye go an’ find some sticks? An’ if anyone’s got