The Shadowed Throne

by K J Taylor

  It was worse than that. People who ventured too close to the chamber complained of mysterious headaches. A few unlucky servants suffered temporary blindness or loss of hearing, and a guard who decided to investigate lost all his memories and couldn’t even remember his own name for two days. All the victims recovered eventually, but the audience chamber and its occupant were feared by almost everyone in the Eyrie.

  Eventually, Laela herself had decided to try to put a stop to whatever Oeka was doing. Even all these weeks later, she still couldn’t remember what had happened after that. All she remembered was a vague vision of the archway that led to the chamber, shadowed and dusty, and a pain so intense it blinded her. She had woken up the next day in the infirmary, and was told that she had been unconscious for the best part of a day. Nobody would come out and say it, but she had heard rumours that she had been raving in her coma.

  After that, she didn’t dare to visit even the ramp that led to the chamber, and declared the entire level off-limits to everyone. A guard had been posted to stop people’s trying, but he wasn’t really necessary. No-one was stupid enough to disobey.

  With all that, and with Oeka gone from her side, the last few weeks had been some of the worst in Laela’s entire life. All she was thankful for was that there had been no word from Saeddryn. It seemed the former High Priestess was biding her time. The people of Malvern seemed quiet enough. And the Moon Temple’s rebuilding was well underway. The new High Priestess was doing her job well.

  Not for the first time, Laela wondered what had happened to Kullervo. There hadn’t been any news of him; it was as if he had vanished off the face of the earth the moment he left Malvern. She hoped he was safe. He was the only person she knew aside from Oeka who would still tell her the truth.

  Lunch arrived to interrupt her brooding. She ate it unenthusiastically and washed it down with some herb-flavoured water. Wine didn’t hold any attraction for her any more.

  She was picking through the bowl of strayberries provided for dessert when Inva came in. Beside her was her new partner, Skarok. He was white mixed with mottled grey, only half-grown, with the gawky, scrawny look griffin youngsters often had. Despite that he, and Inva went oddly well together, and Inva had that new air she had had ever since becoming a griffiner—that proud, dignified way she carried herself.

  Seeing them together gave Laela a stab of pain in her heart. “How’s it going?” she asked tonelessly.

  Inva came to the table and made a quick bow. “My lady, a griffin has landed and wants to speak with you.”

  “What griffin?” said Laela, instantly suspicious.

  “She will not give a name. But she has brought a rider—”

  “A freak,” Skarok interrupted harshly. He tossed his head. “I would have killed it, but the female would not let me.”

  “Freak?” said Laela. “What sort of freak’s this, then? Human?”

  Inva’s look was guarded. “It is . . . a winged man.”

  “Wait, what? Wings? Like griffin wings?”

  “Yes. And the tail and fur of one as well. He seemed eager to see you.”

  There was only one man in the world who fitted that description. “Kullervo! He’s back!” And Laela jumped out of her seat and was through the door before Inva or Skarok could react.

  She ran up the corridors and the ramps until she reached the entrance where the guard was still posted to keep people away from the audience chamber. Luckily, there was another way to the tower-top, though—a trapdoor meant for emergencies. Laela had had a ladder installed, and she climbed it now, ignoring it when she trod on the hem of her expensive velvet gown. The trapdoor was closed but she all but head-butted it open before pulling herself up and into the open air.

  It was freezing on the flat tower-top, but Laela didn’t notice. She saw the nameless griffin, resting just by the other entrance, and close by its side there was—

  “Kullervo!”

  He turned at the sound of her voice and ran toward her. Or, at least, tried to run. He made a clumsy, shambling rush toward her, stumbled, and fell flat on his face.

  “Gryphus’ talons, what are yeh trying to do?” Laela exclaimed as she pulled him to his feet. “Kullervo! It really is you!”

  His face was covered in tiny feathers, but the grin hadn’t changed. “Laela. I’m so glad to see you!”

  “I’d say the same, but yeh kinda look . . . nothing like how yeh did before. What in blazes happened?”

  “Oh, don’t worry about it,” he said. “The change went wrong. I can fix it when I want to; there just wasn’t any time.”

  “Fair enough. Where have yeh been?”

  “Dangerous places,” said Kullervo. He gestured with an arm that had a raw red scar down its length.

  “Holy gods, what did that?” asked Laela.

  “I’ll tell you later. Come on, you have to meet my new friend! Where’s Oeka?”

  “She’s . . . uh . . . busy.” Laela looked at the griffin, who had been waiting patiently. “Who’s this?”

  Kullervo leaned on her as they moved closer. “Laela, you won’t believe who this is.”

  The griffin stood up. She was brown and looked as if she were getting on in age; her haunches were bony, and her beak was chipped. But she carried herself with immense dignity. “So this is the half-breed Queen?” she interrupted, bringing her head down to peer at Laela’s face. “Yes . . . I see it. The mixed colours are obvious.”

  Laela glared. “Who are yeh, an’ why should I care?”

  “I am Senneck, and your griffish is pathetic.”

  “Thanks. I love makin’ new friends, it’s great fun. Have yeh got anythin’ useful to say, or should I come back later?”

  Kullervo, as always, had to play the peacekeeper. “Laela, this is Senneck. She was Erian’s griffin.”

  Laela’s sneer disappeared. “What?”

  “My human was brother to your mother,” Senneck said. “I remember you when you were a squealing pup in her arms.”

  Laela swore. “Senneck! Erian’s—really?”

  “She is,” said Kullervo. “She was here when our—when Malvern was taken.”

  “I thought yeh were dead,” Laela said with an edge to her voice.

  “So did every human and griffin in the North,” said Senneck. “But almost no-one knew that you even existed.” She brought her face close to Laela—so close that her breath ruffled the Queen’s hair. “Spawn of Kraeai kran ae. I remember the day when your mother showed you to us. Erian told her to smother you.”

  “Senneck—!” Kullervo exclaimed.

  She lifted her head away. “Your mother would not listen. Erian could not understand why she would keep the child of her father’s murderer. She should not have brought you to the North, and she paid for it with her life.”

  Laela’s stare had become very steady. “Ole Uncle Erian was a twit. An’ from what I hear, he paid for that with his life. A life you didn’t save. That sound right?”

  Senneck drew back, hissing. “How dare you speak to me that way! You have no right—”

  “Stop it!” Kullervo’s yell broke into the argument, and he pushed forward and actually put himself between them. “Stop it!” he shouted again. “Don’t be like this!”

  To her shock, Laela saw there were tears in his eyes. “Kullervo—!”

  “Stop it.” Kullervo gave each of them a fierce, distraught look. “You’re not meant to do this. You should be friends.”

  “Why?” Senneck rasped mockery.

  “Because—because you’re family.” Kullervo almost wailed the word. “You knew her uncle, Senneck. You knew her mother. You said you knew her grandfather, too. You’re one of us.”

  “Griffins do not care for family,” Senneck said at once. “And no human is family of mine. Nor a friend.”

  “Well, you should!” Kullervo roared. “Unl
ess you want to be all alone forever.”

  Laela grabbed him by the arm. “Kullervo, for gods’ sakes calm down! Yer goin’ hysterical!”

  He took several deep breaths. “We should be friends,” he insisted. “All three of us together.”

  “Yeah, right,” Laela sneered.

  Kullervo looked away from them both, toward the Northern horizon. “We have a common enemy,” he said. “Don’t we?”

  “The shape-changer is right,” Senneck said abruptly. “I have not returned to spit insults at you, half-breed. Once, I wished for nothing but to kill Kraeai kran ae, but now I know he is dead. But his cousin is alive, the one who helped him to destroy my home. If I cannot have revenge on him, then I shall take it from her.”

  Laela cracked her knuckles. “Now I like what I’m hearin’. So yeh wanna help us fight the one-eyed hag, eh?”

  “No,” said Senneck. “I am going to kill her.”

  “Even better.” Laela drew herself up and adjusted the circlet on her head. “But I gotta say I’m surprised you’d fight for me, what with me bein’ Arenadd’s daughter. You fought him, an’ all us Northerners once, right?”

  “I did, but that is in the past,” said Senneck, unmoved. “I am a griffin, and I do not serve ideals. The cause I fought for once was lost long ago. Now, I will fight for revenge. And if I must fight beside half-breeds and Northerners, so be it.”

  “All right then,” said Laela. “My way is to take help when it’s offered, an’ yours’d be damned useful. So I’m gonna make yeh a deal. I’ll give yeh somewhere to live an’ food to eat. While yeh rest up, I’ll have a good think an’ talk to some people an’ when I’m ready I’ll tell yeh an’ we’ll make some plans.”

  “I will not wait,” said Senneck.

  Laela shrugged. “Fine, but yeh might wanna stay. If yeh do what I asked, then when I’m ready I’ll tell yeh exactly where she is an’ what t’expect when yeh get there.”

  “You know where she is?” said Kullervo.

  “Kaanee did a good job,” said Laela.

  “Very well then.” Senneck made a rattling noise in her throat. “I shall wait. But be warned: I shall not wait long.”

  “Yeh won’t have to,” said Laela. “Don’t worry.”

  Senneck inclined her head briefly and began to move away. “I shall find a place to sleep and come to find you later.”

  Laela nodded and waited until she had flown away.

  When they were alone, she turned to Kullervo. “Now what was that all about?”

  His eyes had gone red. “She shouldn’t have talked to you like that.”

  “That’s just how griffins are, Kullervo. Don’t be such a baby.”

  He jerked as if she had just slapped him. “I didn’t want it to be like that,” he mumbled. “I thought . . .”

  “Thought what?”

  “I thought you’d be happy to see her. That she’d be happy to see you. You must look like her human did, and I thought . . .”

  “Griffins don’t think like that. Don’t yeh know?”

  “Not really. I don’t know.” Kullervo sagged. “I like her. I thought she would be kinder to you.”

  “Fat chance.” Laela gave him a lopsided look. “Yeh really are innocent, ain’t yeh?”

  “Am I?”

  “Anyone what thinks a griffin could be kind has gotta be innocent. Where did yeh find her?”

  “Hiding in the mountains,” Kullervo lied. “But that was after I found someone else.”

  “Who? I know it wasn’t Saeddryn.”

  “It was your father,” said Kullervo.

  Laela went rigid. “What? He ain’t—?”

  “I found his body.”

  “But—but what was it doin’ there?”

  “Skandar must have taken it with him,” said Kullervo. “He was there, guarding it. I’m sorry, Laela. I tried to bring it back here, but Skandar wouldn’t let me. He almost killed me.” He held up his arm, displaying the scar.

  Laela winced. “I wouldn’t’ve asked yeh to do that if I’d been there. But look—my father’s . . . the King’s body . . . what was it . . . like?”

  “Rotted,” Kullervo grimaced. “Falling apart.”

  “Oh.” Laela’s expression was unreadable. “An’ Skandar?”

  “I don’t think he’s going to come back,” said Kullervo. “He barely even leaves that corpse alone to hunt.”

  “Didn’t think he’d come back.” Laela looked relieved. “Just as well. Havin’ him here’d be another complication. He’s unpredictable, he is. An’ bloody dangerous, but I’m sure yeh know that.”

  “I do,” Kullervo said dryly. “I just wish I could have brought the body back. That way you’d have proof.”

  “Doesn’t matter.” Laela offered him her arm and led him away toward the trapdoor. “I lost the chance to make myself stronger with that. Looks like I’m gonna have to win this the old-fashioned way now: with a big ole heap of violence.”

  “Oh no. What’s been happening here?”

  “Bad things,” said Laela. She helped him through the trapdoor and followed him inside. “I got a bad situation, Kullervo. Real bad.”

  “How bad? What’s Saeddryn doing, do you know?”

  She took him down the ramps, back toward the dining hall. “Kaanee an’ the rest did their work. Saeddryn’s at Warwick. A lot of the old guard joined up with her. Her son Caedmon’s at Fruitsheart, an’ her daughter Arddryn’s holed up at Skenfrith. We don’t know exactly what they’re doin’, but the picture’s bein’ drawn better all the time. Warwick’s got some big arrow shooters built up on the walls. Skenfrith’s been having some loud gatherin’s in the taverns. Fruitsheart looks like it’s bidin’ its time so far, but they’ve been askin’ some tough questions whenever a griffiner comes to visit.”

  “They’re going to declare war,” Kullervo said at once.

  “Probably. Only question is, what’re we gonna do about it?”

  “What does Oeka think?”

  Laela’s mouth became a thin, hard line. “Yeah, I got a few more things to tell yeh . . .”

  16

  Seeing

  Before going to talk with Laela again, Kullervo did something he had been meaning to do for some time. He locked himself in his quarters, barricaded the door, and began the transformation. It took more concentration and energy than it ever had before, but his body responded eventually, shifting back toward human. Fur and feathers shed onto the floor, and bones grated and shifted. His legs and hips had to change the most, but they managed it eventually.

  This time, he didn’t black out, and once the pain had cleared, he felt rather proud of himself. He slept for a while, and woke to find the sun going down outside his window. He tested his legs—they ached, but they worked, and, after a few false starts, he got up, pulled some clothes on, and walked stiffly out of the room.

  A servant showed him to Laela’s own quarters, and she answered the door. “Oh, Kullervo, there yeh are,” she said. “Come in.”

  He entered, shutting the door behind him. “Sorry I took a while. I didn’t think it was a good idea for anyone to see me like that.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” said Laela. She looked tired, Kullervo thought. In fact, she looked exhausted. There were dark smudges under her eyes, and her hair was greasy and tangled. She looked as if she hadn’t rested or eaten properly in days.

  Her room at least was warm and well lit. Two chairs had been set up in front of the fire-place, and Kullervo sat down in one, wincing as he bent his knees.

  Laela took the other. “It’s good to see yeh again, Kullervo,” she said. “It really is. I missed yeh. Worried about yeh.”

  “I missed you, too,” said Kullervo. “And worried about you. I’m so sorry I didn’t come back sooner, but I was hurt—”

  “Never mind.” Laela waved his
apologies away. “I’m just glad yer all right.”

  Kullervo glanced around the room, but there was no sign of anyone else in it. “So where is Oeka?” he asked. “It’s odd seeing you without her.”

  “She’s . . . in the audience chamber,” said Laela.

  “Oh. What’s she doing in there?”

  “Ain’t got a clue,” said Laela. “She hasn’t come out. Nobody’s goin’ in either.”

  “Why not? Is she sick?”

  “Maybe.” Laela looked miserable. “I dunno what’s wrong with her. It’s nothin’ I can understand; I’m human.”

  “I don’t get it,” said Kullervo. “What are you saying?”

  “It’s magic is what it is,” said Laela. “She’s doin’ somethin’ with magic. Whatever it is, it’s made that whole level impossible to go into.”

  “How?”

  “There’s”—Laela waved a hand vaguely—“lights. Noises. An’ somethin’ else. It gets into yer head, does bad things. I don’t reckon Oeka’s controllin’ it either because it got to me, too, when I tried goin’ in there.”

  Kullervo looked bewildered. “It must be magic, but I don’t know what. To be honest, I don’t know that much about magic. Griffins learn it from each other, but none of them would teach me, you see. I had to work it out myself.”

  “Nobody knows what it is,” said Laela. “I only know what she told me. She went off, see. Flew away the same day you did. Went south. Came back a few days later, but wouldn’t say where she’d been. All she said is she’d done somethin’ to make herself stronger. Said she had to ‘unravel’ somethin’, so she could get new powers.”

  “I suppose that must be what she’s doing, then,” said Kullervo. “But we’ll have to hope it doesn’t go wrong somehow.”

  “Yeah, I bloody well hope so,” said Laela. “’Cause if it does, I’m as good as dead. Now look, it’s time I told yeh more about what’s goin’ on.”

  “I’m surprised you’d trust me that much,” Kullervo said mildly. “You hardly know me.”