Keeper of the Flame: Dragon Knights, Book 7

by Bianca D'Arc

  To his credit, the gryphon didn’t jump, though his eyes widened, giving away his surprise.

  “You are a sshapsshifter?” he asked, unable to hide at least that much of his shock. His tone held a hint of alarm, if Hugh judged correctly.

  Hugh bowed his head, but didn’t break eye contact. “I am half human, half dragon.”

  “Wizard kisssed, no doubt,” Hyadror concluded with a clack of his beak. He seemed to be taking the revelation well.

  “My kind is descended from Draneth the Wise,” Hugh agreed.

  “He who made the dragonss.” Hyadror obviously knew his history.

  “As the wizard Gryffid made your kind.”

  “Praisse the maker’ss name.”

  Hugh wondered what this old, battle-scarred gryphon would make of the news that Gryffid was still alive. Now wasn’t the time, though. The most important things right now were Lera and the child.

  “You sseem to know gryphonss,” Hyadror continued, nodding toward Miss, who cuddled against Hugh’s leg.

  “There are a few nesting above Castleton. I’ve flown with them a few times.”

  “Sstrange gryphonss. Iss it true they are from a new flock? One we have not heard from before?”

  “I believe so,” Hugh answered cautiously. It was up to his brother Roland whether or not to allow more gryphons into Draconian skies. Hugh had to tread carefully. “There is a young pair who have been granted leave to immigrate to Draconia. They mated before their parents were ready to let them go. Hard feelings caused them to seek a new land in which to nest.” All three were listening intently, so he decided it was worth telling them more. “They arrived with both sets of parents and sought the permission of our king to make their nest above the capitol city.”

  “Your king agreed, I sssuppossse.”

  “He did. The parents were glad to see their youngsters forging new bonds in a new land. And it’s been interesting flying with them. Feathers catch wind differently than scales.”

  “Fassscinating. I would like to hear more of these sstrange gryphonss ssometime.” The older gryphon paused for a moment, then turned his attention back to Lera. “Milady, you sshould return to the city.”

  “We̵ C#82.Wd already decided to do so,” Lera answered him. “Only we hadn’t decided exactly how. I thought Sendra’s home was safe until we met the Eyes waiting there for me.”

  “Sshe iss no friend to you, milady. I have told you thiss before.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. I feel like such a fool.” Lera’s voice cracked, and Hugh put one arm around her shoulders, offering comfort. The gryphon stared markedly, but did not comment.

  “We can easily fly back to the city tonight. I was waiting for full dark to fall.” Hugh gestured toward the darkening sky. It was sunset and the sky was a glorious golden orange.

  “I am happy to give you a ride, milady,” Hyadror offered.

  “Thanks, but…”

  Hugh cut in before Lera could answer. “She rides with me. That’s the only way I can be certain she’s safe.”

  Hyadror looked suspiciously from Lera to him and back again. “What iss going on here?”

  “We are bonded,” Hugh said simply, hoping Lera would not deny what he knew to be true.

  “Iss thiss true?” Hyadror demanded of Lera.

  “It is. Hugh of Draconia is my mate.”

  Damn. Hugh was proud of the fact that there was no hesitation in her voice. He let out a breath, unaware until that moment that he’d been holding it, anticipating her reply.

  “A dragon?” Hyadror backed up a pace as if in denial. This news, finally, had pierced his steely demeanor.

  The gryphon and all his feathery friends were going to have a lot to get used to now that Hugh had finally found his mate. He would not leave her and he knew in his heart, though they’d yet to discuss details, that Lera would not leave her people for any length of time. He was merely third in line for a throne he was happy enough to let his brother keep. Lera was the Doge. She held power and needed—for the sake of her land and people—to hold on to it.

  It would be Hugh’s duty, honor and privilege to help her do just that. First on his agenda was getting rid of the Eyes who were most likely still hunting her. After that, he’d see what needed doing and get to it. On that list somewhere was getting the gryphons of Helios used to seeing a black dragon in their sky.

  He might also be the conduit through which they reconnected with their maker, Gryffid. Hugh had a feeling the renewed contact with the last of the wizards and his creatures was one of the reasons Roland had sent him here in the first place. Sooner or later, the gryphons of Helios would find out that Gryffid was still alive and they’d have to fly over Draconia to get to his secluded, magical Isle. Better they do it as friends than as potential enemies.

  Hence Roland’s interest in renewing ties with this distant land. And it was probably also why he’d agreed to Shanya’s belief that it had to be Hugh that was sent here, not one of the other dragon princes or even one of Nico’s many spies.

  Then there was the whole House of Alagar issue. The last surviving member of the hereditary rulers of the city was a woman named Lucia who had recently married two dragon knights. From what Lera had said, it was believed the House of Alagar was extinct. Hugh didn’t know Lucy all that well, but she did have a legitimate claim to leadership of this city if she wanted to return to the land of her birth someday.

  The ties between Draconia and Helios were becoming more and more compl Cnd f hex. One thing was certain—Hugh would be in the thick of it now that he had found his perfect mate in the Doge of Helios.

  “You’d better get used to me, Hyadror. I’m not leaving.” Hugh spoke no more than the simple truth.

  Hyadror’s ruffled feathers started to relax as he stood there, watching them, his beak agape. Miss picked that moment to flap her little wings, catching a tiny bit of air. The whooshing sound seemed to break the spell and Hyadror walked slowly forward, pausing about three yards in front of Hugh and Lera.

  The gryphon bowed on one foreleg, showing his acceptance. Miss, oddly enough, mirrored the elder gryphon’s gesture gracefully.

  Lera stepped forward and Hugh let her go, despite his desire to keep her close, within his hold. He knew there would be times when she would have to act as Doge. This felt like one of them.

  Lera touched Hyadror’s bowed head as if in benediction and spoke softly, though Hugh easily heard what she said.

  “Hugh can withstand my flame, my friend. I have never met any man who could do that before. It’s not just because he’s half dragon. He is the mate to my soul. His fire twines with my own…as one.”

  Hugh felt a little arrow of joy pierce his heart at her words. He could not have put it better himself. He had felt the same thing when they joined, but he hadn’t known how to describe it. Not in words. No wonder she was the statesman of their pairing. She could be very eloquent when she wished to be.

  He was the warrior in their bond. He would protect her with his life, if necessary. They were a perfect match of skills and abilities that would deepen and grow with time. He just had to make sure they had the lifetime together that fate tempted them with. If they could just get through this crisis and nullify the threat of the Eyes, Hugh knew they could make this work despite his being a dragon in a land chock full of gryphons.

  Starting with this one. He had to win Hyadror over. He’d be the first of many. Hugh thought he had a good chance of impressing the aged warrior. Hugh had dealt with old dragons and old soldiers before. He thought he knew how to approach the gryphon. Proving his worth by deed and not word was most likely the way to go.

  “I accept your wissdom.” Hugh thought he heard an unspoken for now on the end of that statement, but he wasn’t worried. Hyadror was giving him a chance to prove himself. That’s all he needed.

  Lera stepped back and the older gryphon rose from his bow. As did Miss.

  “I don’t ssupposse you fly yet, little one,” Hyadror
addressed Miss with a kindly tone.

  “I fly,” she said proudly, then withdrew her bravado. “A little,” she admitted, shyly ducking her head.

  “I can carry her,” Hugh said gently. “Miss will be a natural flyer when she’s grown,” Hugh added, hoping to build up the child’s self-esteem. He’d have to work on that with her. She’d been so ill-treated until he’d found her.

  “There will be an uproar when the otherss ssee milady with you,” Hyadror warned Hugh.

  “I figured as much. But if you fly with us, hopefully they’ll question first before trying to shoot me down.”

  Hyadror nodded once. “I will do my besst. It will be eassier, I think, if we make a ssteep approach, but I do not want to rissk your passsengerss.”

  “I know what I can handle—and wha C#82 ant they can. Will you follow my lead in the dive?”

  “I sshall. I take it we aim for the palace?”

  “Is it safe? We tried to go there yesterday and even I could tell there was something wrong.” Lera spoke the question for both of them.

  Hyadror’s eyelids dropped lower and his feathers ruffled, very easily conveying his annoyance. Hugh was learning how to read feathered faces the more he was around gryphons.

  “I have taken thosse ressponssible to tassk. Ssomeone lured the duty gryphonss away from their posstss and Eyess murdered the guardss. North Wing disscovered thiss and killed the Eyess. My wing took over all duty at the palace and the guilty gryphonss are being held pending your return.”

  That sounded promising. If it was true. Lera trusted this gryphon and Hugh was willing to give him a chance. They were taking a chance going back to the palace, but it was good that Hyadror admitted to a problem yesterday. If he’d denied it all, Hugh would have been much more concerned. As it was, Hyadror was still being given the benefit of the doubt.

  It was getting dark, night creeping in like an ink stain on the sky.

  “It is almost time to fly,” Hugh observed. “We’ll try for the palace, but if anything looks wrong, we’ll divert to the roof of the large temple I noticed while flying over the first time. It looked like a defensible position and I assume Lera could find help there.” He’d given some thought to this but hadn’t gotten a chance to discuss it with Lera before now.

  “The temple is actually a much better choice,” she confirmed. “I doubt anyone there would be in league with Sendra. As Keeper, I hold rank among the priests who live there.”

  “Only priests? No women?” Hugh asked.

  “Warrior priesstss,” Hyadror added.

  “The high temple is the training center for the Order of Light. They protect and serve the eternal flame.”

  “And you are the Keeper of the eternal flame,” Hugh observed. This was sounding better and better. “Are they bound to protect you as well?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you suspect no treachery in their ranks?”

  “It would be impossible for several reasons but mostly because they are tested by the flame. No one of evil intent can withstand it.”

  Hugh would have to take that on faith for now, but if things went sour again he could at least fly her out—dodging gryphons all the way—but he had fire in his belly that singed them badly. He had confidence in his ability to fight his way free with her on his back.

  It was dark enough now. They could fly at any time, his dark dragon hide would conceal them against the inky black sky.

  “All right. We’ll make for the temple. Hyadror, can you run interference for us?”

  “My wing will come at my call. We will ssurround you in flight. Do not be alarmed when you ssee them closse in.”

  “Hyadror is one of the four senior wing leaders,” she explained. “Actually, he’s the eldest and most skilled. All the other gryphons will follow his orders.”

  “They sshould, milady,” Hyadror added. “Of late, though, thingss have not been asss they sshould have been. Now I undersstand ssome of it.”

  “And we’ll learn the rest when we get to t Cn wnot behe temple,” she agreed.

  Hugh liked the conviction in her tone. She was fearless, this woman fate had chosen for him.

  Hyadror stood watching while Hugh shifted shape. Those keen eagle eyes missed nothing as Lera and the gryphlet mounted. By unspoken agreement, they launched into the air at the same time.

  In only a few wing beats they were over the hill and Hugh puffed smoke when he saw the hoard of gryphons turn almost as one and head toward them. Hyadror went ahead to meet them, calling out to his brethren.

  All slowed to listen except one group led by a large, dark gray gryphon. They came far too close for Hugh’s comfort, angling in from a side vector, going around Hyadror and the others.

  “Hang on, Lera. I’m going to climb higher,” he warned, putting on some speed as he propelled them into the clouds.

  As he went, Hugh released a shot of flame across the pursuing gryphons’ flight path, close enough to let them know that Hugh would not be taken down easily.

  Hyadror seemed to notice the flame and winged back to intercept the gray gryphon. Hugh was done messing around. He stayed in the clouds as much as possible, noting the rest of the gryphons were not pursuing, merely guarding. They’d followed Hyadror’s instructions. Belatedly, so had the wing of gryphons led by the gray one.

  Hyadror led the way, flying just below Hugh and his precious burden, all the way to the temple. It was a harrowing ride over the city, but Hugh saw the temple, built close to the palace, but without the wide battlements. There was a small flat roof near the central dome. Hugh would land there. It was the only place that made any sense. All the other roofs in the complex were too steeply pitched or domed in a way that made landing on them much too slippery a prospect. From a tactical point of view, Hugh found that interesting.

  Could it be that the Order of Light didn’t welcome the gryphons of this land within their walls? It sure looked like they’d built their complex to defend against them. Except for that one small landing area. If gryphons intended to visit the temple complex, they’d have only one real choice for landing, and the priests controlled it.

  Hugh could easily see a group of humans keeping watch up there, but no gryphons. In fact, there wouldn’t be much room for more than a few winged creatures to land there at once, which suited him just fine. He would accept Hyadror’s presence, but few others. Particularly not that dark gray beast who kept giving Hugh the evil eye.

  Hyadror landed first to warn the humans guarding the temple roof, Hugh following close behind. Swords were brandished and the moment was tense until the guards got a look at Lera, hopping down off Hugh’s back.

  Miss bounded off and ran to hide under an awning that had been set up on one side of the flat roof. It looked like a windbreak where guards could rest away from the rains that had hit the city in the past week. Miss was shaking in what looked to Hugh like sheer terror.

  “Go after her. Something’s very wrong,” Lera said as the warrior priests formed a protective circle around them at Hyadror’s direction.

  “Are you sure it’s safe?”

  “Hyadror is here and you will only be a few steps away. I need to talk to them anyway. To prepare the way. Take care of Miss. Please. She’s terrified.”

  Hugh didn’t like splitting his attention between the two females, but he had no choice. He could see Lera was right. He took quick stock of the warri C of didor priests and all looked ready to defend Lera with their lives. Hyadror was also staying near to her and Hugh doubted the old bird would let anyone through who meant her harm. Quickly, Hugh followed Miss, moving into the shadows of the awning. He had to shift shape to fit down under the tables where she’d hidden.

  A few of the warrior monks might possibly have seen him shift, but he couldn’t be too choosy about it at the moment. There might be no way to hide his dual nature in this land after such a grand entrance. He hoped his brothers wouldn’t be too upset with him for betraying the family secret to such a large number of beings—gryp
hon and human alike.

  But Miss’s behavior had him worried. She refused to come out and was shaking so hard, the table she hid under vibrated. A quick look outside told him Lera was still surrounded by warrior priests and well guarded by Hyadror. They were asking questions and listening to her explanations and orders.

  He’d heard her order the priests to give Hugh a wide berth and they followed her instructions, leaving him and the baby gryphon alone inside the tent-like structure.

  “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” he crooned to the baby, holding out his hand to her, hoping to coax her toward him. She was huddled as far back into a corner under a wooden table as she could squeeze her little body.

  Miss refused to answer, shaking like a leaf and cowering in a way Hugh had never seen. She’d been frightened before, but this was much more alarming. She wouldn’t even talk to him. It was like she’d withdrawn to the smallest corner she could find and was trying to hide from everything, Hugh included.

  “Dear little Miss, did the big gryphons scare you? You have to know I would never let anyone hurt you. I’d flame anyone who even thought about laying a finger on you. You know I can. You saw it,” he coaxed, glad to see her little head lift slightly and her slitted eyes open to gaze at him. “I would burn any creature that tried to hurt you. You’re under my protection now. Do you understand what that means?” Her little head jerked to the side and she was still shivering, but at least she was listening to him. “It means I will keep you safe. Always. I put your life and safety before my own.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really?” she whispered.

  “Truly. It’s a matter of honor. You are very important to me, sweetheart.” He held out his arms to her. “Won’t you come over here? I will keep you safe, as I have before.”

  “Don’t want to be sseen,” she whispered, still shivering.

  “By the men?”

  She shook her head. “From above.” Her voice pitched even lower as she crouched under the table.

  “You don’t want the big gryphons to see you?” Hugh thought that was significant, but he wouldn’t push her any further at the moment. It was important to get his females together in the same place so he could keep an eye on both of them.