Rise of the Gryphon (Belador #4)

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  “Done.” Kizira waved her hand.

  Evalle didn’t even stumble this time when she landed in her Medb bedroom. “Lanna?”

  The girl appeared next to the bathroom door, then ran to Evalle. “Where have you been?”

  Evalle had never been much for touching in the past, but Storm had changed that. She opened her arms to Lanna, hugging the girl and actually enjoying the moment. “I’ve been busy trying to get us out of here.”

  Lanna stepped back, eyes brimming with excitement. “We’re leaving?”

  “Very soon. You’re going to cloak yourself and ride on my back.”

  “I am confused.”

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you that—” Evalle paused, not sure if the compulsion spell meant she could or couldn’t tell Lanna. “Look, I’ve been compelled not to share some things, so you’re going to have to trust me and, for once, do exactly what I say.”

  “I will not make mistake. I will do everything you say.”

  The poor girl was terrified, and with good reason. Evalle tried to help her understand. “You know I can change into other forms, so just be prepared for something that surprises you, okay?”

  Lanna nodded.

  She was bright and resourceful. Evalle had no doubt the girl would do her part and follow Evalle’s lead. She explained as much as she could without going against her compulsion spell, telling Lanna what she had to do when they landed on the island.

  No mentioning Treoir by name, but Lanna was quick. She asked two questions, and after that, she didn’t ask any more when Evalle shook her head.

  Energy whistled through the room, then Kizira appeared with a pitiful-looking guy who sagged next to her.

  Evalle gently pushed Lanna aside and stepped over to Kizira. “How’d it go?”

  “Flaevynn is addressing her witches and warlocks about the attack, so I found Cathbad instead and told him he owed me. I reminded him he should know better than Flaevynn just how capable I am of sidestepping their plans, and that if he wanted to see me on those steps calling them in, he had to do something for me.”

  “Nice.”

  “I’ve got to get with Tristan next.” Kizira wrinkled her nose at Conlan. “Also, even with Flaevynn busy, it may not be safe to talk here, where she can drop in.”

  Lanna spoke up. “I can shield their words, but you must compel Evalle to allow a teenage girl to listen.”

  Kizira appeared impressed and gave a shrug. “Fine. Be ready when I come back.” She compelled Evalle, but Evalle held up her hand to stall Kizira’s exit.

  Evalle stepped around Conlan, who stood hunched over as if he’d been in that position for a while. He smelled worse than week-old restaurant garbage. Dried blood covered more of him than not, and his back had been split open over and over—it looked like it had been beaten with a cat-o’-nine-tails. One arm hung at the wrong angle.

  Pointing at him, Evalle said, “How about healing his wounds and cleaning him up?”

  Sighing as if she’d been asked to do the laundry, Kizira swept a hand past Conlan.

  The stink dissipated, replaced by a fresh-scrubbed smell. He wore a clean gray sweatshirt and new jeans. When he finally stood upright and lifted his head, he no longer had a thick beard. He was attractive, and edgy as an animal waiting to see if he had to maul something to get away.

  But nothing would remove the haunted look deep in his eyes. His voice was rough and dry. “All this time I thought nothing could sway you from your Belador oath.”

  Evalle flinched as if struck, but Conlan didn’t know what was going on, and last she’d heard, he was still considered a traitor.

  Kizira said to Evalle, “Get your mini-me to do anything else you need,” and vanished.

  Lanna stepped up. “You must stay in one spot. I am not as good as Storm.”

  Just hearing his name poked at the ache in Evalle’s chest. She told Conlan, “Even though I was told you’re suspected of being a traitor, I’ve learned more and am willing to hear what you have to say. You should want to hear what I have to say, since I got you out of that dungeon.”

  His eyebrows dropped over repentant gray eyes. “Okay.”

  “Let’s sit down and make this easy for Lanna. She’s Quinn’s cousin.”

  Conlan’s sharp gaze went to Lanna. “Why would he let—”

  “Not yet, Conlan,” Evalle said, moving to the sofa.

  Once they were seated, Lanna said, “I cannot talk to you while I do this or I may make mistake and cause thunderstorm.”

  Guess mini-me had a few bugs to work out in her spell casting.

  Evalle waited until Lanna nodded at her, then Evalle turned to Conlan and told him how she—and Lanna—came to be at TÅμr Medb. Then she laid out what she knew about the impending attack on Treoir. “So, right now, I’m the one suspicious of you, since you escaped VIPER headquarters and you came to the Medb voluntarily, right?”

  “I did.”

  When Evalle pulled back, Conlan lifted a hand. “Let me explain. Quinn did see the vision of me offering to join the Medb in the part of my mind that projects the future, but that isn’t always reliable, because the future can be changed.”

  “But it didn’t change.”

  “That was intentional.”

  Evalle didn’t want to believe it of Quinn, but someone had freed Conlan from VIPER lockdown, and Quinn had refused to accept that Conlan was a traitor. But Kizira didn’t believe Quinn had committed that crime.

  Evalle didn’t either. “Who helped you escape?”

  Conlan said nothing for several seconds. He finally drew a long breath and, on the exhale, said, “Guess it won’t matter if we don’t save Treoir. Tzader got me out.”

  Tzader? Stunned didn’t quite cover what she was feeling. Try nauseous, disappointed and hurt. But should she believe this about Tzader any more than about Quinn? “Why?”

  “He knew I’d never get out until someone delivered the traitor to Macha, but we’d had no breaks on finding the traitor for several years. He told me he’d free me if I was willing to take on a secret duty, because if I didn’t he thought I’d be safer staying in VIPER lockdown. He wanted me to use what we learned from my vision to infiltrate the Medb.”

  Why hadn’t Tzader told her? “Did Quinn know?”

  “No one knew but the two of us. Tzader wouldn’t put anyone else at risk, especially you or Quinn.”

  Poor Tzader had shouldered this on his own with no support from her and Quinn. “Have you found out who the traitor is?”

  “No, but I do know he has a scar of two Xs entwined with a snake. It’s high on his right forearm. I heard Flaevynn marked him so there would be no doubt who her people should trust.” Conlan scratched his short hair. “Speaking of trust, why should I trust you and Kizira?”

  “Because we have a plan to save Treoir, and if it doesn’t happen, the Medb will hold the power to turn the world into their playground. Are you in or not?”

  FORTY-TWO

  Not looking forward to what he had to tell Quinn, Tzader waited as Quinn separated from the last division of warriors heading out to fill in spots along the coast of Treoir.

  “Any word on Evalle or Lanna?” Quinn’s shoulders dipped with the weight of worry.

  “Sort of.” Tzader explained about finding the notes in Storm’s house, then showed Evalle’s to Quinn. “Evalle must have gotten a chance to return to Atlanta for some reason and used that to get a message to us. I have no idea what Storm meant about a witch doctor, but I think Evalle is telling us a bunch of Alterants are coming here, but they’ve changed—or something is different—”

  “Like they can’t die,” Quinn finished on a grim note.

  “Yep. Sounds like they did become immortal as the Medb promised.” Another strike against Evalle. Tzader pushed his emotions aside and focused on defenses. “Macha will turn all her power toward maintaining the ten-mile-wide ward around the castle to stop the Alterants, but if enough of them attack it with immortal power, she might not be able to hol
d them.”

  “What’s our plan?”

  “Who do you think will be controlling the Alterants?”

  Quinn didn’t hesitate. “Kizira.”

  “Can you mind lock and interfere with her control?”

  Quinn rubbed his forehead. “If all of them are tied to her, it might be like trying to break through one Belador mind when a group is linked. That’s damn hard to interrupt, but I’ll try.”

  If anyone could do that, Quinn could. Tzader hadn’t shared his secret weapon yet. The Belador healers wanted twenty more hours without a reported infection before clearing anyone to use telepathy, and Macha had agreed. Tzader could use telepathy with only one person who believed himself immune to the infection. Quinn. “The note indicates this group will have telepathic communication. I’m guessing that’s their Belador blood allowing that, which means we should be able to contact the Alterants.”

  “You think to intercept their thoughts?”

  “No, I plan to cause major interference in their entire internal systems, from thought to navigation to coordination. Are you sure you’re immune to the infection?”

  “Ah, I see. Yes, I’m immune. How are we going to infect them?”

  This was the part that turned Tzader’s stomach. “We brought a healer and one of our warriors from quarantine who is still infected.”

  “Might not work unless he’s a powerful telepath.”

  “That’s why we have Trey McCree here. The healers say the stronger the telepath, the faster the infection has traveled. Trey’s willing to be infected, then to reach out . . . to Evalle.”

  Quinn’s face sagged with disappointment.

  Tzader swallowed past the knot in his throat. “Read the last line she wrote for us. Evalle was telling us not to allow her to reach Brina. But this is my decision. If we can take her alive, that’s my goal. If not, I’ll make that call. I just need you to deal with Kizira.”

  FORTY-THREE

  Gryphons in all shades of green, blue, black, red and purple gathered in a hall two hundred feet in diameter inside TÅμr Medb.

  Evalle and four other gryphons had golden heads.

  Bernie was one of them.

  Evalle smiled over that irony, then lost her amusement as she paid attention. She had to keep Conlan hidden inside her wings until it was time to call Lanna over. Kizira had shielded the girl from view nearby, but Lanna would have to cloak herself to leave that shield. Evalle was holding off as long as she could so Lanna would have maximum time to stay in Kizira’s shield.

  Two thousand warlocks and witches stood on the marble floor of the hall. Flaevynn and Cathbad would teleport their bloodthirsty Medb army only ten minutes after gryphon departure.

  Flaevynn and Cathbad stood high above them on a dais. Flaevynn raised her hand, and rumbling murmurs quieted. “This is the day we take back the island that has been in the hands of the enemy for too long. After today, the Medb will rule Treoir and the mortal world. Every one of you who returns from this victory will be given a section of the world to call your own.”

  Deafening cheers roared.

  “Make me proud.”

  Floating ten feet above the marble, Kizira approached the gryphons at eye level and well below the queen of TÅμr Medb. Kizira spoke to them as a unit. “You all know your roles. I will be in telepathic communication once we are airborne and the entire time we’re in Treoir. You are compelled to follow my every command.”

  Boomer and two other golden heads snarled, ready to go.

  Evalle thought about rolling her eyes. She spoke to Conlan telepathically. I’m lifting the tip of my wing at Lanna, then she’ll come over to cloak you so you can both get on my back.

  A minute later, she felt the weight of Lanna and Conlan. Lanna tugged on Evalle’s feathers. Make her stop that, Conlan.

  I’ve got her.

  Evalle stretched her neck to see if everyone was in place.

  As agreed, Kizira stepped onto Tristan’s back, placing her feet between his two Rías friends who sat there in human form, shivering. Tristan said he’d told them to appear afraid, but that looked like real terror on their faces. Tristan had been outfitted with a gold-and-red harness with a leash that Kizira lifted as she stood on his back. She could teleport the entire group, but the gryphons needed a chance to fly as a unit before entering enemy airspace.

  Kizira gave the signal to go airborne.

  A wall vanished on one side of TÅμr Medb, revealing an empty black sky.

  Evalle flapped her wings and pushed off, sailing through the opening behind Tristan and Kizira. She’d never even been in an airplane and couldn’t believe the exhilaration of flying on her own. She wanted to share this with Storm.

  Once the gryphons were all airborne, Kizira’s voice came into Evalle’s mind just as it would in the minds of the other nine. Be ready to teleport. The minute we come out, you’ll be flying low over the Irish Sea. We’ll enter an opening between two mountains. Once there, you know what to do.

  Accustomed now to the swirling shift, Evalle relaxed as soon as the teleporting took over. She glided during the change. It lasted longer than usual, which might be due to Kizira having to teleport so many at one time.

  Evalle knew the minute she entered the airspace above the Irish Sea.

  Winds buffeted her sideways. She yelled at Conlan to hold on and felt someone grip her neck. Flapping hard, she fought to right herself. Boomer cartwheeled past her, and she was glad to see she wasn’t the only one struggling.

  Maybe Flaevynn should have built in more flight training than the short time they had on the way here.

  Bucking waves pounded twenty feet below her.

  Salt air stung her eyes, but . . . she was flying in daylight without sunglasses. She’d never seen the world during the day. Her heart leaped at the joy.

  Why couldn’t she share this moment with Storm?

  No, she was glad he was safe in Atlanta. Tzader would never bring an outsider to Treoir purposely, especially now.

  A mountain range with an obvious break between two of the peaks came into view.

  Kizira stood with her soft-booted feet slightly apart, holding the leash in one hand and directing with the other. She called to the gryphons, Enter through there, then divide up and start the attack.

  As soon as Evalle sailed through the dip in the mountains, the air calmed to Treoir’s normally peaceful state. She looked around, hoping to see the traitor, but with this spot in the security breached he was probably heading to the castle to be there when Kizira arrived.

  Boomer led a group of gryphons to start burning a band of ground between the sea and the castle, separating the defenses. Another bunch broke off, heading toward strategic points where warlocks and witches would be teleported in.

  Evalle warned Conlan, Get ready to bank left.

  The hold on her neck tightened just before she leaned left and soared over mountains, then valleys, wondering if a jet fighter pilot felt this way. As soon as she located a spot inside the area that had been designated as the burn perimeter, Evalle landed a mile from the castle in the only opening she could find amid the trees.

  Conlan and Lanna jumped off. He yelled, “I’ll get Lanna to the castle and keep her safe.”

  Lanna added, “And I will sneak him inside.”

  Evalle answered Conlan silently. Thank you. Tell Lanna I’m really proud of her and to please be careful. And tell Quinn I’m sorry she ended up at TÅμr Medb.

  Will do.

  With a quick couple of flaps, Evalle lifted off. She hadn’t gone far when she heard Trey come into her mind. Evalle, where are you?

  He sounded tired. Could she tell him, or would the compulsion spell kick in? I don’t think I can tell you, but if you look up, you’ll see me. I’m aqua with a golden head.

  What . . . are you a dragon . . .

  A gryphon.

  She laughed, then her eyes blurred and vertigo sent her spinning. Her stomach turned into a washing machine with rusted gears. She lost alt
itude, waffling as she headed straight down.

  Her wings moved but not in unison. She started flipping over and over. Trees. Sky. Mountains. Sky. A blur of green and brown. She curled into herself and prepared to crash.

  Kizira yelled, Boomer needs help. He’s on the ground and they’re killing him.

  FORTY-FOUR

  Quinn listened to the radio reports coming through to the mic in his ear. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing about dragons, then Trey’s voice came into Quinn’s mind, overriding everything. I reached Evalle and . . . passed on the infection. I powered up the telepathy. She’s a . . . gryphon. Golden head. Flying overhead, but sick now. Falling.

  I’ll pass that on. Go to the healer before you lose consciousness.

  When Trey withdrew, Quinn picked up a radio call that a female witch was riding a gryphon. Kizira?

  He put the radio away and closed his mind to everything except calling out, Kizira, where are you?

  Quinn? You shouldn’t be here. Evalle was supposed to warn you. Where are you?

  Evalle hadn’t warned him away, but then Evalle would know that Quinn and Tzader would never avoid a battle necessary to protect their warrior queen and Treoir.

  He mustered a weak voice and replied, I need you.

  Sad to use that ploy to call her to him, he waited as she followed the connection to where he sat on a log in a highly visible spot.

  In the next moment, a giant gray-blue creature landed and Kizira jumped off its back. Now that he could see it better, Quinn recognized the lionesque body and eagle-shaped head.

  A gryphon.

  But not a golden head like the one Trey had mentioned.

  Kizira said something to the gryphon, then the creature dipped its head and took to the air again. She hurried over, but stopped fifteen feet from Quinn, suspicion in her frown. “You don’t look hurt. What’s wrong?”

  “I’m sorry.” He pushed to enter her mind and got shoved back.

  “What . . . what are you doing?”