I sank back against him in relief, my muscles suddenly useless like jelly.
He directed the gryphon past the peak, soaring over a stretch of suntrees, before we began our descent.
“Almost there,” Rhyan said. “We’re going to meet Meera at the cave.”
My heart lodged itself in my throat as we began to fall again, but Rhyan kept a steady hold on me.
“Partner,” he said, still breathless against my ear. “You’re okay now. Hard part’s over.” One hand reached for the gryphon’s head, and we slowed, just enough for the descent to feel bearable.
The gryphon snarled as we touched the ground, snow exploding like dust around us as more flakes fell in thick, steady clumps.
Rhyan dismounted at once, extending a hand to me as I followed him with far less grace. My boots hit the ground at an awkward angle and I stumbled into Rhyan’s arms. He immediately pulled me against him.
“Shhh. Shhhh,” he said. “Steady.”
My chest heaved, my breath coming in rapid spurts. “I need to tell you something,” I said shakily, as my boots sank into the snow. I pulled back, just enough to meet his gaze. “I really don’t like flying gryphon-back.”
Rhyan’s jaw dropped in mock-astonishment. “Lyr!” he scolded, then lowered his voice, “Not in front of the gryphon! You’ll hurt his feelings.”
Then the nahashim fell. Its body landed in a tightened coil, barely a few feet away from us.
Rhyan snarled, instantly serious, as he withdrew his sword. “Get in the cave. Wait with Meera.”
The black snake unfurled itself, hissing wildly, baring its fangs. The wings it had just grown disintegrated to ashes in the snow.
Rhyan slashed, his sword singing as it pierced the cold air. The snake danced, slithering and sliding its body away. Rhyan advanced.
“Don’t!” I yelled. “That’s what it did to me, before it led me into a nest and I was surrounded.”
“Lyr, it saw us. It’s going to report to my father. We can’t just let it go.”
“We can if it’s a trap!” I yelled. “Let’s go inside, we’ll ward the cave. When it’s clear, we’ll move again.”
But Rhyan stilled, his gaze focused as his stance turned predatory. Fresh cold energy from his aura swirled around me as the snake continued to slither away.
“Rhyan, come on. I don’t like this. Something’s wrong. You know it. Nahashim don’t retreat,” I said.
“They’re not supposed to grow wings either,” he muttered.
I shook my head. “Why grow wings to follow us here if not to—”
He gave me a sharp look, his jaw tensed.
“I—” He frowned. “Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. “Just …” His eyes moved rapidly back and forth. “Wait here.” He sounded distracted. “I need to scan the perimeter beyond the cave.”
“Rhyan!”
But he squeezed my shoulder. “Lyr, listen to me. I’ll be just a minute. I can handle myself. Go inside, and check on Meera.” His jaw clenched. “I need to do this, and I need you safe and out of sight. Go.” He stepped back, his cloak blending into the trees, making him difficult to see as he walked into the shadows.
A sense of unease gripped me. Why had none of the other snakes taken on the ability to fly?
Because they weren’t meant to.
They’dbeen the trap. The snake hadn’t been sent to retrieve us. It had been tasked with finding our location so it could report its findings, so whoever it answered to could come find us. And it had only stopped attacking because whoever had sent it was close.
“Rhyan!” I yelled into the vadati. “Rhyan, come back right now!”
Blue light filled the crystal. “Lyr, it’s okay. I’ll be back soon. I’m—shit!”
