Griffin's Destiny

by Lelsie Ann Moore

  Griffin’s Destiny

  Leslie Ann Moore

  Smashwords Edition

  This book and parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by the United States of America copyright law.

  Ridan and its logo are copyrighted and trademarked by Ridan Publishing. All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual persons, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

  Published by Ridan Publication at Smashwords

  Print edition available from all major online and retail bookstores

  A Ridan Publication

  www.ridanpublishing.com

  www.leslieannmoore.com

  Copyright © 2010 by Leslie Ann Moore

  Cover Art by Michael J. Sullivan

  Interior Layout Design by Michael J. Sullivan

  Map and Photo by Ted Meyer

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  To my friends at Ridan Publishing. You saved my series and for that, I am eternally grateful.

  Praise for Griffin’s Daughter Series

  “Griffin’s Daughter is ranking right up there with any fantasy I’ve read recently from the major presses.” — Tia Nevitt, Fantasy Debut

  “This [Griffin’s Daughter] is the opening tale of what looks to be a great epic fantasy.” — Harriet Klausner, #1 Ranked Amazon Reviewer

  “Griffin’s Shadow is [a] superb tale that will have the audience wanting more from Ms. Moore.” — Harriet Klausner, #1 Ranked Amazon Reviewer

  “[A] likeable set of characters who showed heart, and an engaging story. [R]eaders new to fantasy who liked Feist, and the Mallorean, etc, would like this too - I would recommend it accordingly.” — Janny Wurts, author of The Wars of Light and Shadow

  “In her sequel to Griffin’s Daughter and the second title in her trilogy, Moore introduces a deeper conflict on a grand scale. Her strong male and female characters and their abiding feelings of love and honor bring a sense of true heroism to their struggles against their obstacles.” —Library Journal

  “[N]onstop action and sympathetic characterizations. Moore’s narrative drive and suspenseful plot twists will leave readers eager for the conclusion to this intricate and appealing tale.” — Publishers Weekly

  “Leslie Ann Moore’s debut fantasy book, Griffin’s Daughter (the first book of the Griffin’s Daughter Trilogy), is quite an interesting book. I think it’s the best romantic fantasy debut I’ve read this year.” — Sami Airola, Risingstar.net

  Table of Contents

  PART I

  Prologue—Memories

  1 - Escape and Pursuit

  2 - Consequences

  3 - A Change of Heart

  4 - Journey’s End

  5 - The Prince Rides to War

  6 - House of Shadows

  7 - On the Brink

  8 - The Most Precious Gift

  9 - Reunited

  PART II

  10 - The Lie is Revealed

  11 - No More Secrets

  12 - No Loose Ends

  13 - The Black Tower

  14 - The Sundering

  15 - Aftermath

  16 - The Pursuit Commences

  17 - A Simple Defense

  18 - A Prince No More

  19 - Battle Dawn

  20 - Showdown at the Pass

  21 - Conflagration and Deliverance

  22 - The Final Confrontation

  23 - The Unbreakable Bonds of Love

  24 - Reflections and Farewells

  Epilogue

  Prologue-Memories

  “Help me, Brother!”

  Across a fire-blackened landscape, the cry echoes. He scans the charred surroundings, trying to locate the source, but the sound comes from everywhere at once.

  “Help me, Brother! They are killing me!”

  “Where are you?” he cries. “I can’t see! It’s too dark!”

  Flames crackle to life before him, drenching the scene in lurid, crimson light. A ring of shadows twists around the figure of a man whose blood-spattered face he knows as well as his own.

  “Little Brother…”

  He stands frozen, hands by his sides. The shadows howl in triumph. They engulf their victim, pulling him down.

  “Why do you not help me?” his brother screams as he falls. “Why are you letting them kill me?”

  The shadows twist and heave, devouring their prey.

  He steps backward and tumbles over the edge of a cliff…

  Sadaiyo Sakehera jerked awake then sat upright, drenched in sweat.

  “Goddess’ tits,” he whispered. Curled beside him in their bed, his wife Misune stirred but did not wake.

  I remember!

  Shaking with reaction from the flood of images in his head, he slipped out of bed and crouched on the floor beside the hearth. The fire had burnt down to a pile of glowing coals. Pushing a stray lock of hair from his face, he took a deep breath to slow his galloping heart.

  He stared into the red light, but his eyes focused inward.

  I remember all of it, just as the old man said I would! Goddess…What have I done?

  What will I do now?

  Sadaiyo crawled back into bed and pressed himself against his sleeping wife. He thought of his parents and how they would recoil in horror if they learned the truth.

  They must never know. No one can ever know!

  Will you haunt my dreams from now on, Little Brother?

  Damn you!

  Escape and Pursuit

  Magnes awoke with a start and nearly toppled from his seat on the wagon bench to the hard earth below. Knuckling the sleep from his eyes, he yawned and looked down on the stocky brown rump of the cart horse, still in harness and dozing. With the rapidly fading shreds of an unsettling dream drifting across his mind’s eye, he swung his legs over the side then dropped to the roadbed.

  Damn it…I didn’t mean to fall asleep!

  He spent a few moments stretching and kneading the kinks from his neck, then tramped off the road to relieve himself in the weeds.

  When he returned, he found Gran standing beside the wagon, facing back toward Darguinia. Something about the way she held her body warned Magnes not to disturb her.

  After several heartbeats, she shook herself then turned around.

  “Oh, Magnes. Didn’t realize you were there.”

  “Sorry, Gran if I startled you,” he replied.

  The old elven woman shook her head. “No, no, you didn’t. I was just performing a farscan. I don’t sense any fast moving groups heading this way from the city, praise the One.”

  Like a slave-catching posse, Magnes thought.

  “It seems that Aruk-cho has come through for us,” he said, stroking the drowsy gelding’s nose. The beast shook its head and whickered.

  Poor wretch, Magnes thought. You hauled us and this wagon most of the night with no complaint, and there’s still no real rest for you yet.

  Gran nodded. “So far, it seems that way, yes. But it’s still early. The slave-catchers may yet come after us. Mistr
ess de Guera won’t want to let go of Ashi so easily, I fear. Let’s pray she listens to Aruk-cho and allows him to persuade her.”

  Magnes thought about the events leading up to last night’s harrowing escape from the de Guera yard.

  I’m sorry Corvin and his men got caught up in all this. Despite everything, I hope it doesn’t go too badly for them. They were only doing their jobs. Armina de Guera is a fair woman, and Aruk-cho will speak up for them, surely!

  He shivered, remembering Fadili’s terrified cries as Corvin’s men threatened the young apprentice healer with their swords. Despair had nearly overwhelmed him, but then Gran materialized from the darkness. With arms raised and blue flames crackling from her fingertips she came, and their attackers fell senseless at her feet. He knew Gran possessed Talent, like all elves, and he also knew she had been a member of a powerful mage’s guild. But until last night, he had no real idea of the magnitude of her strength.

  He shaded his eyes against the glare of the rising sun and peered ahead past the horse’s limp ears. “What of the group ahead of us?” he asked.

  “They’re still there, but they should be moving out shortly and then we can go.”

  Gran climbed into the wagon and Magnes could hear her rousing the others. A few moments later, Ashinji emerged followed by Fadili and a yawning, sleepy-eyed Seijon. Ashinji looked pale but steady as he dropped from the wagon.

  “How are you feeling?” Magnes asked, searching his friend’s face.

  “Tired, but otherwise, not too bad,” Ashinji replied. He nodded toward the verge of the road and Magnes’ mouth quirked in understanding.

  After they took care of their bodily needs, they shared a quick meal of bread and cheese. Fadili then saw to the horse and they piled into the wagon to resume their flight. Gran sat up front beside Magnes in order to scan the road ahead and behind with her magical senses.

  The morning sky was clear and bright, the air fresh and full of the scents of damp, growing things. The road stretched ahead into the distance, rising and dipping with the land, passing through fields verdant with spring wheat, and orchards in full, glorious bloom. The wagon rolled past cottages and small manor houses, muddy farmyards guarded by belligerent geese, and pastures tenanted by complacent cows.

  For a good part of the morning, they had the road to themselves, but eventually, faster carts and wagons began to overtake them, as well as individuals mounted on horses and mules. Other than a few curious looks from passersby, they attracted no particular attention. Magnes set a deliberately slow pace, so as to stay well behind the large group of people traveling ahead of them. It chafed him to have to do so, especially with the risk of pursuit from the city still so great, but the possibility the group up ahead might be an armed company also concerned him.

  As the morning wore on, the sun climbed higher along with the temperature, leaving them all damp with sweat. Squadrons of dragonflies glided by on iridescent wings while legions of unseen insects shrilled in unison from the bushes and trees, their harsh chorus waxing and waning in the hot, still air.

  At midday, they stopped beneath the sprawling shade of an old oak to rest the horse and eat a meager lunch of dried beef, cheese, and bread, washed down with tepid, leather-flavored water. Until now, Magnes had kept his shirt on, out of respect for Gran, but when Ashinji stripped down to his breeches and sandals, Magnes quickly followed suit. Soon, both Fadili and Seijon had also rid themselves of all unnecessary clothing. Gran finally shed her overdress, relaxing on a patch of grass clad only in an unbleached cotton shift.

  Directly opposite their resting place, three pairs of horses stood nose-to-rump, flicking flies off each other’s faces with swishing tails. Ashinji went to investigate. He climbed over the fence then approached the animals slowly so as not to spook them, all the while speaking in soft, singsong Siri-dar. Magnes and the others watched as he examined each horse, gently running his hands over their hides and lifting their feet. After he had finished, Ashinji returned, wiping his hands on his breeches, a look of satisfaction on his face.

  “They’re not prizewinners, but they’re well-built and sturdy. If we can find their owners, I think we should offer to buy the bay mare and those two geldings there,” he said, pointing to each animal in turn. “Gran can ride the mare, Seijon and I can ride double on the big chestnut, and you can take the piebald, Magnes.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Magnes replied and Gran nodded in agreement. “There’s a farmhouse just up the road. Fadili and I will go see if someone is around.”

  “Here, take this.” Gran held out a pouch. “There’re fifteen imperials inside. You should not pay more than ten for the three. If you do some shrewd bargaining, though, you might get the farmer to accept seven.”

  “I’m a very good bargainer,” Magnes replied then added, “Although maybe you shouldn’t stay here alone. What if…”

  “Don’t worry,” Gran said. “No one will bother us.”

  “It’s like you read my thoughts!” Magnes looked hard at the old woman, but she just smiled.

  After packing a bag with a small supply of remedies, Magnes and Fadili hiked to the farmhouse. They found a plump, florid woman washing clothes in the front yard. After relating their cover story—they were traveling healers on their way to join up with the Imperial Army and they needed saddle horses—Magnes persuaded the farmwife to accept seven imperials, along with some of the medicines he brought, for the three horses. She didn’t ask why two men required three horses. She seemed not to care.

  “Could ye throw in some ol’ halters, missus?’ Magnes asked in his best north-country accent. The woman snorted and rolled her eyes.

  “’Round back in the shed,” she said, pointing over her ample shoulder.

  Magnes and Fadili left her standing by her tub, counting coins.

  When they returned, Magnes knew something was amiss even before he saw the grim looks on both Ashinji’s and Gran’s faces.

  “The slave catchers are coming, aren’t they?”

  Ashinji nodded, his green eyes dark and dangerous. “I’m not going back,” he murmured.

  Magnes laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I won’t let them take you, Ashi, I promise. Whatever I, we, have to do, you’ll not be made a slave again.” He looked beyond Ashinji to Seijon, who stood wide-eyed and shaking within the protective circle of Gran’s arms. “That goes for you too, little monkey,” he added. The boy managed a fleeting smile.

  “We’d better catch the horses,” Fadili suggested. “How far behind us are they, Gran?”

  “A half-day, I’d say. They’re moving a lot faster than we are and will catch up soon if we don’t pick up our pace.”

  “Then perhaps now is the time for me to say farewell.” Fadili drew himself up taller, his young face determined. “We knew I would eventually take the infirmary and go my own way. After all, that is what I’m out here for, to serve the needs of the poor. You can travel much faster now that you have horses. When the slave catchers finally reach me, you’ll be long gone.”

  “They won’t believe you when you say you don’t know which direction we took,” Ashinji said. “I’m certain Corvin provided descriptions of both you and the wagon.” He paused then added, “They might hurt you, Fadili.”

  The young Eskleipan flashed teeth like white tiles set in dark earth. “I’m a Soldaran citizen. I have rights.” His voice shook a little.

  “They won’t care about that,” Gran said.

  “She’s right. We have to make it look like I forced you.” Magnes grasped Fadili’s shoulder and squeezed. Fear for his young friend’s safety and fresh guilt over the necessity of involving him sat like hot coals in his gut.

  “I’m not afraid.” Fadili drew himself up and lifted his chin. “Do what you must.”

  “I can block most of the pain then plant some false memories.” Gran moved to stand at the apprentice healer’s back. “Don’t strike until I say so.”

  Ashinji slipped behind her and grasped her shoulders.
Magnes took a step back and raised his fist. Gran laid her palms on Fadili’s temples. A few heartbeats later, his eyelids fluttered then closed. Gran’s body stiffened.

  “Now,” she whispered.

  Magnes drove his fist hard into Fadili’s slack face. Blood and saliva splashed his knuckles as the force of the blow sent both apprentice and mage reeling. Only Ashinji’s strength kept all three from tumbling to the ground.

  Magnes rushed forward to ease the weight of the unconscious apprentice off Gran and Ashinji. As tenderly as he would his own child, Magnes lowered his friend to the rough roadbed then crouched beside him. He resisted the urge to wipe away the blood leaking from Fadili’s nose and mouth.

  “Are you sure he felt nothing?” Tears stung Magnes’ eyes.

  “I promise you he didn’t.” Gran knelt and touched fingertips to Fadili’s forehead. “I will alter his memories now. When he wakes, he’ll tell the slave posse how you threatened to kill him if he didn’t cooperate. Hopefully, they’ll go easy on him.”

  “Gods.” Magnes rubbed his bruised and bloody knuckles. “The Eskleipans will be horrified when Fadili tells them what he thinks happened.” The realization of how much confusion and hurt they would feel tore at his soul.

  “If it’s any consolation, false memories eventually fade,” Ashinji said. “It might take several months, but by then Fadili should be out of danger.”

  Seijon sidled up to Ashinji then leaned against him like a puppy seeking comfort. Ashinji draped an arm across the boy’s slim shoulders. Magnes stayed at Fadili’s side, watching while Gran performed the magic they all hoped would spare their friend.

  “It’s done.” Gran drew a deep breath. “Help me up, please.” Ashinji held out his hand for her to grasp.

  “I’m going to miss you, my brother,” Magnes whispered. He wanted so much to arrange Fadili’s limbs to more comfortable positions, but knew the deception depended on the illusion of violence.

  “We must go now,” Gran urged. “We don’t have much time.”