No, this gryphon wasn’t anything like Noro, and I resented myself for even thinking that for a second.
“What are you called?” the gryphon asked.
I narrowed my eyes into slits. “I’m not telling you.”
He didn’t seem upset with my answer. He swished his lion’s tail slowly from side to side, like he was amused. “Very well.”
He’s just playing with me,I thought irritably.
“What areyoucalled?” I asked back.
“Torin.”
I didn’t know what I expected to do with this information, but just having that one piece of knowledge when I hadn’t given him my own name gave me a tiny sense of comfort.
Torin didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving, so I decided to milk as much information out of him as I could.
“What am I waiting for?” I asked.
“The king.”
“Is that like your version of a pack leader?”
“Yes. He makes all the most important decisions. Right now he is in a meeting.”
I frowned as my temper flared. “Why are you bothering to talk to me? Are you even allowed?”
“Of course,” Torin said, his tail flicking.
I’d assumed this gryphon was just some goon sent to kidnap and guard me. Was he more important than that?
“Usually people don’t talk to prisoners,” I muttered.
“You are no prisoner, omega,” Torin said. There was an edge to his tone that I didn’t like.
“Then what am I?” I barked.
“An honored guest.” His eyes sparkled with amusement that I didn’t share.
I wanted to snap back that I wasn’t a guest, I was a hostage--but a commotion outside the door drew Torin’s attention. He exchanged some words before returning with an anticipatory smile.
“It’s time for you to meet the king,” he said.
My heart dropped to my stomach.
Torin didn’t touch me or manhandle me in any way. He didn’t have to--he knew I had no choice but to obey.
But my muscles had turned into jelly from fear. Meeting the king was the last thing I wanted to do. My body refused to stand.
The gryphons were patient. They lingered as long as it took me to gather my nerves and get shakily to my feet. They only watched, waiting in their cold, almost clinical way.
Without any other options, I followed Torin and the other gryphons. None of them goaded me, or even spoke, but still the air buzzed with excitement. My presence carried a weight of importance that seemed to go beyond just a breeding slave.
But I couldn’t let my guard down. Regardless of what they called it, a spade was a spade, and that didn’t change what my fate would be here.
I realized halfway down the massive marble hallway that the gryphons were slowing down to keep pace with me and my shorter human strides. They didn’t hurry me. Everything they did was calm and patient. It reminded me again of Noro, who was the same way.
A pang of grief hit me.
