A beak.
The gryphon had impaled the akadim from behind. Blood rushed down its belly, as the red light left its eyes.
I jumped backwards, moving Meera aside, just as the demon’s body slid lifelessly to the floor. The gryphon’s beak opened and closed, shaking off the blood, then looked at me expectantly, like it wanted another head rub.
“Good boy,” I shouted, my voice too high. “Good fucking boy. Tovayah.” Then I urged everyone forward. “Go.”
But another akadim was barreling toward us. And this one was even bigger, its giant head grazing the cave’s ceiling. I reached for my blade, distantly aware of Dario running toward the beast—until its head rolled off, and one of Aemon’s silver collars spun on the ground.
The moment the giant’s body collapsed, Rhyan’s boots touched down behind him. His knees were bent, the point of his blade against the stone floor. His shoulders rose and fell before he stood, sliding his blade into its belt.
“Get on,” he roared. “They’re coming!”
Rhyan was already running for me, pressing his forehead to mine, his arms tightening behind my back. Then he turned, his face hardened for battle and he sprinted back. Meera and I ran after him while Dario tugged Aiden outside.
The gryphon had backed away from the cave, and already akadim were attacking from all sides. Its talons thrashed as it screeched. Dario hoisted Aiden onto its back with one hand, while stabbing an akadim with another.
The gryphon rose up on its hind legs as we made it outside. Miraculously, we had a clear path, only a few feet to run before we’d reach it. Rhyan looked back. Right as he did, an akadim stepped in between us. I shoved Meera back, and widened my stance. This one had been a woman when alive. A soturion. Her position mirrored mine perfectly, revealing her training. She looked me up and down with red eyes, her fangs protruding from full lips. I feinted to the side, but she remained still, already guessing my move. I made it anyway. I launched my torch at her face. She was barely an inch clear of the flames, when Rhyan jump-kicked her, pushing her into place. The fires flared instantly, spreading down her body as she screamed in pain, arms flailing.
I froze. She looked mortal at that moment. Merely mortal. And scared.
Her screams of pain, the ghosts of her soturion training … She reminded me of Haleika.
My eyes met Rhyan’s and I knew he was thinking the same thing. Remembering the arena, the horror. I could still see it so clearly. Still hear Haleika’s final moments.
“Lyr,” Meera shouted, pulling me back.
Chest heaving, I trapped Meera’s hand in mine and ran. We were getting on that Godsdamned gryphon and we were getting out of here. Lifting her in my arms, I pushed her onto the gryphon’s outstretched wing. She reached for his feathers, hoisting her body up.
Dario screamed from the opposite side of the gryphon. Akadim were climbing aboard.
Rhyan vanished and reappeared on the gryphon’s back, just in time to grab Meera’s arms and haul her the rest of the way up. With a quick glance at Dario and Aiden, he jumped again, his body reappearing behind mine. He reached around my waist, his head pressed to the back of mine. My stomach tugged and I landed face first in a heap of fur and feathers on the gryphon’s back.
“Hold on,” Rhyan ordered. The gryphon was frantic, slashing and moving, avoiding attacks from all sides.
Blearily, I saw Dario kill an akadim, but already, he was facing another climbing up the flank as Aiden scurried back.
“Go. Now!” Rhyan yelled. “Vra. Mahara.”
The gryphon’s talons fell forward before he roared and lifted back once again onto its hind paws. One wing raised into the air, he roared in pain, blood dripping down his bronzed feathers.
“Hold on!” Rhyan shouted.
An akadim launched its body up, landing right beside me. I screamed, just as Meera slid her body forward, her boot slamming hard enough into its face it fell backwards.
“Shit.” My eyes widened. She’d gotten stronger.
A second later we were moving. I pulled her against me as Rhyan threw himself at Dario’s side. Together they cut off the akadim’s head, and kicked its remains from the wing.
“Mahara,” Rhyan commanded.
Both wings were in the air now, the gryphon’s body leaning dangerously far back, and then we were running, racing from the akadim, and lifting into the air, flying higher and higher.
“Come here to me,” Rhyan whispered in my ear, arms circling around me.
I turned in his arms, sparing a quick glance for Meera who was miraculously unharmed. Then I began scanning Rhyan for injuries. He had a few cuts and tears in his pants and tunic, but the blood was already dried, the wounds already closing. The worst injury was to his face.
“Your nose.” I frowned, and gently pushed his curls from his forehead. He flinched, and then sighed at my touch, his head pushing against my hand.
