Nameless (31 page)

All his life Gryphon had been taught to hate the other clans. That they were less than human. Enemies who didn’t have the right to harvest food in this region. But what he never thought to ask his own mentor was the simple question: why? Why couldn’t the people of the Kodiak, Raven, Wolves and other lesser clans come to a compromise? Couldn’t they work together to find food? Couldn’t they build relationships of trade?

Hate didn’t speak the language of compromise. Looking around at his brothers he saw nothing but a desire for power. Power for which the innocent would pay the ultimate price.

“This is wrong,” whispered Gryphon to Ajax. “Will you kill children?”

Ajax paled but didn’t respond. When Zander excused them for the night, Ajax pulled Gryphon aside. In the faint light of the fire Ajax looked older, with harsh shadows resting beneath his weary cheekbones. “I’m sorry I can’t stand with you on this, Gryph. But a man has to draw the line somewhere.”

Gryphon felt like bricks had been gradually piled on his back, pinning him down, making it harder and harder to breathe.

“Help the Wolf escape, if you must. We’ll find another way to save Joshua and Jaxson.”

“Jaxson?”

Ajax rubbed the back of his head and looked away. “We haven’t had an official naming ceremony, but that is the name Sara and I chose for the baby. You always call me Jax … ” Ajax swallowed hard, and looked away.

“How does Sara feel about your decision to stay?” Gryphon whispered.

Ajax didn’t answer. Both men walked back up the road that led to their family homes. “I’m hoping we can convince an official to help us after your healer does the surgery. That is, if you will agree to keep her here until then.”

Gryphon shook his head. “What if the officials aren’t lenient, Jax? What if the Seer discovers your son beforehand?”

The muscles in Ajax’s neck leapt with tension. “I’ll find a way. I will
not
lose my son.”

The road came to a fork and Gryphon and Ajax stood before the divide.

“Abandon this plan. Stay and help me work things out. You say you are my brother. Prove it. Choose me and my family over these Wolves.”

Gryphon’s hands and feet felt cold and a chill crawled up his spine. “Do you know what will happen to that girl if she stays with the Gate Master? Do you know what kind of torture the Seer has in store for Joshua?” Gryphon fought to keep his voice down. “Joshua
is
family. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him.” He tried not to think about what the boy was going through at this very moment. “I can’t help you both unless you agree to leave with them tomorrow morning.”

All hope drained from Ajax’s face. “So, you will follow in your father’s footsteps.”

Gryphon grabbed Ajax by the shirt and growled. “I’m am sorry that you feel betrayed, Jax. But you are wrong about this.”

Gabe didn’t flinch as Zo examined his shoulder. He also didn’t let his hands fall from her waist. Zo understood how he felt. Like they’d found something lost and cheated death to have it back.

“I’m not going to disappear, you know.” Her lips hitched into a half smile that, given the circumstances, felt strange on her face. She peeled away the bandage to reveal Gryphon’s neat stitches. He really was good at stitches. What surprised her even more was the healthy coloring around the wound. Gryphon had a natural healer’s touch.

Zo had trained for several years to find her own abilities. Her mother used to lecture her on finding compassion for those she healed.

“The more you open your heart to the patient the faster they will recover. Love can heal even the deepest wounds if you let it.”

Some thought healing was witchcraft or magic, and in a way, it was. Healing required giving a portion of one’s self. A small sacrifice to bring about a greater good. Wasn’t loving someone more than yourself—when survival dominated the human mind—a form of sacrifice?

But even in healing you could love too much—try too hard to override the ailments of the human body. Zo had seen it happen.

Zo wondered if her mother’s last thoughts were compassionate when the Ram entered their home five years ago. She wished she could remember everything that had happened that day, but no matter how hard she tried to fight through the veil protecting her from her own memories, she just couldn’t remember.

Zo wondered if love could have saved her and her three-year-old sister had the Ram soldiers found them hiding in wicker baskets only a room’s length away.

Zo snorted.
Unlikely
.

“What are you thinking?” Gabe used his rough fingers to brush away a tear on her face. Zo hadn’t realized it was there. She’d been doing that a lot lately.

A hard spring rain beat upon the ill-constructed barn roof. A chill rolled up her arms.

“We’ll get Tess back,” Gabe said, guessing her thoughts.

But would they be too late? And even if, by some miracle, they did succeed, where would they go? The Ram would track them and kill them like dogs before they had a moment to enjoy their freedom.

Gabe must have sensed her despair. He cupped her chin and forced her to look into his light-blue eyes. “I promise.”

She pushed his hand away, but the conviction in his fierce gaze didn’t waver. “This Ram, Gryphon. I’ve seen what he is capable of. If he fights to help us tomorrow we will be successful. I know it,” he said.

Zo turned toward the corner of the dusty barn. The flickering light of their meager candle danced along the splintered walls to the subtle rhythm of the rain outside. “You’ve been living in a barn, Gabe. Your wrists and ankles are worn raw from ropes. Look at your hands!” She held up his hands for him to see. As if the loss of his pinkie fingers wasn’t apparent enough. “How can you trust Gryphon or any Ram? How?” she demanded.

Zo had been counting on Gabe’s cynicism to break the spell Gryphon had cast over her, but he only made it worse. A frown sagged on Gabe’s face as he studied Zo. “How can you not trust him?” He bent down to kiss her forehead. She leaned into the kiss, needing any comfort she could get. Gabe was alive! That pillar of hope was all that kept her from crumbling.

Gryphon yanked open the door just as Gabe pulled away. He carried his sword and shield under a damp cloak. Rainwater drizzled from his dark hair, banking as it rolled off his square jaw. “I’ve got some news.” He pulled a dusty three-legged stool from the corner of the room and set it down heavily in front of Zo. “Sit,” he said.

Zo eyed the stool like it had teeth but eventually inclined her head. Perhaps sitting wasn’t a bad idea after all. Gabe stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. For some reason, Zo was more self-conscious of Gabe’s touch in front of Gryphon. “What’s going on?” she asked.

When Gryphon finished explaining the Ram’s plan, she was glad to be sitting. “You’re certain they know the Raven settlement’s location?” Lightning rattled the shabby walls of the barn as she thought about little children playing freely in front of their humble homes.

Gryphon shifted his feet and looked at his hands. “My people captured a Raven a few days ago. He must have broken under interrogations.”

Gabe’s hands became heavy on Zo’s shoulders. “No,” he murmured.

“Wait!” said Zo. “Didn’t you and your men leave only a few days ago?”

Gryphon looked up with a scowl, like he dared her to condemn him. “Yes, Zo. It was my mess.”

“It was
you
?” She felt suddenly dizzy.

Gryphon growled. “And it was
you
and your bottles that let them know when I left. My brothers and I could have died!” Gryphon turned and slammed his palm on the rickety door. One of the wood panels flew out into the treacherous night.

“You knew about the bottles?” Zo looked up at Gabe who nodded confirmation. “You knew and you didn’t stop me?”

Gryphon pulled at his hair, like he always seemed to do when he was upset. He closed his eyes. “After Tess … I just didn’t think you’d do it.”

The color drained from her cheeks, like a spiderweb of ice shrouding her face. He’d trusted her and she’d let him down.

Yet he still came to check on her last night when the Gate Master had almost …

Gabe stepped between them. “That is history. We need to focus on the future. Specifically the two hundred Ram leaving to massacre the Raven tomorrow.” He turned to Gryphon. “You need to get us out. I’ve been to their settlement. I have to warn them.”

“But what about Tess and Joshua? We can’t leave them behind!” said Zo.

Gryphon raised his hands to calm Zo. “Gabe and I will get them tonight. The three of you will only have a few hours’ head start. Ram soldiers travel fast.”

“What about you? Will you and Joshua and the others not come with us?”

Gryphon sighed. “Ajax and his family are not leaving the Gate.”

Zo grabbed Gryphon’s arm with both hands. Red panic fringed her sight. “What about Sara and the baby? And Eva? The Ram will kill her when they discover she’s pregnant.” How could Ajax choose the Ram over his own child? He’d seemed so attentive and concerned for his family. And Eva. Stone had been so relieved that his lover would be safe. Zo looked into Gryphon’s golden-brown eyes and pleaded. “You have to convince them to come, Gryphon.” Her lower lip trembled of its own volition. “Please.”

Gryphon searched Zo’s face. His lips parted, like he was about to speak, but closed again. He focused on her with acute attention, like she was a critical target in an important mission.

Gabe coughed into his fist and Gryphon shook his head. “I’ll try.” His voice was dry and scratchy.

Gabe said, “What if you can’t convince them? Will you and Joshua travel with us to warn the Raven? We could use your help with the evacuation.”

Gryphon studied his hands. “I don’t think I can leave.”

Zo suddenly realized how difficult this must have been for Gryphon. He was proud. A fallen patriot of a clan that he loved. The clan of his parents and friends. She wished there was something, anything she could do to compensate him for the sacrifices he had made for her and those she loved.

“If you don’t leave, what will happen to Joshua? The boy can’t live his whole life in hiding. Ram’s Gate is vast, but the Seer will find him eventually,” said Zo. “Come with us. I can keep you safe. Take you away from this life.”

Gryphon bristled. “The Ram aren’t perfect, Zo. Our society is flawed in more ways than I’d like to consider. However, these are my people and I will not desert them. Someone has to help them understand that there is value in life outside of our own blood. If we can’t learn that, there can never be peace between the clans.”

Gryphon closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I will send Joshua with you.”

“But—” For some reason, she couldn’t imagine leaving the Gate without Gryphon. Why had she always assumed he’d come with her? Moreover, why did she feel rejected?

Gryphon pushed open the creaky door to leave. “Get some rest, Gabe. We leave in three hours.”

“What about me?” Zo found herself desperate not to have him close the door. “Let me come with you tonight. I could be your lookout.”

“No,” both Gabe and Gryphon said at the same time.

Gryphon sighed. “We’ll come for you as soon as we have Tess and Joshua.” He held open the door for Zo to follow him out. When she didn’t move he hesitated on shifting feet and studied the splintered doorframe. Gryphon cleared his throat. “There is no bed here, Zo. Gabe can’t be seen, but you can sleep on your bed in the Nameless’ quarters if you like.”

Gabe’s hands tightened on Zo’s shoulders.

“Or I could move your bed in here.” Gryphon spared her a quick glance. His eyes were liquid brown in the low light.

“I’ll just sleep here in the hay,” she said. For some reason, it sounded like an apology.

Gryphon pursed his lips, nodded, and left.

Gryphon and Gabe traveled through the dark brush with weapons in hand. The devil in Gryphon resisted the urge to turn around and disfigure the Wolf’s face. He had no good reason to feel that way.

But he did.

“Why don’t you just say it?” whispered Gabe.

Gryphon ignored him. They still had another half mile before they reached the Gate Master’s property where Tess was being held.