He wouldn’t,Noro thought.
Noro didn’t let his emotions cloud his mask of confidence. “Tell them what? If you’re quite done, wolf, I’d like to be on my way.”
But as he turned to leave, Neil ran in front of him. The action would’ve been rude enough for watching gryphons to be surprised by it--if there had actually been others around.
“Stop acting like you don’t know what I’m talking about,” Neil hissed. “I know you’re friendly with Matheson. Maybe a littletoofriendly.”
Noro stopped his tail from lashing out in anger. “Don’t imply things you can’t prove.”
“I’m not implying. Iknowit for a fact.” Rage split Neil’s face in a toothy snarl. “That slut. He can’t have his three mates with him now, so now he sleeps withyou?”
Noro wanted nothing more than to sink his talons into Neil’s flesh, to rip his throat out with his razor-sharp beak. It would be so easy, too. A wolf was no match for a gryphon, and they both knew it.
He’s taunting me,Noro realized.He’s trying to make me slip up and attack him so the others think I’m dangerous.
As difficult as it was to walk away, Noro wasn’t going to play his game.
He turned and left.
Neil called after him, “I’ll tell them!”
Noro knew it wasn’t an empty threat, but when he weighed it, he knew the pride would take his side, not Neil’s. Who was Neil, after all, but a vagabond wolf in their midst with nowhere else to go? His only saving grace was that he’d told them about Matheson.
But Noro was their magic Keeper, an old and trusted member of the pride, beloved by all. He didn’t think they would turn on him so easily.
So he kept walking, and ignored the sputtering noise of disbelief that came out of Neil. The wolf growled under his breath and muttered, “This isn’t over.”
Glad to be rid of him, Noro hurried his steps until he was in the familiar tower. He knocked at the door and hoped he would be allowed inside.
“What?” Tholan grumbled.
“It’s Noro.”
A beat later the door groaned open, revealing a crotchety old gryphon who seemed like he had only a moment’s patience for whatever Noro had to say.
“I have to ask you something,” Noro began.
The old omega eyed him. “Spit it out, then.”
“Is Blaze a mage?”
Tholan’s expression changed. His eyes flickered away, gazing out the window, and he suddenly looked very tired.
“What happened?” Tholan asked in a murmur.
The hairs on the back of Noro’s neck rose. The concept was difficult to explain to someone who wasn’t as well-versed in magic, but he tried. “He was with Matheson alone, and I felt a sudden spike of magic. I can sense magic wavelengths, but I cannot tell their type or purpose, so I was afraid Matheson was trying to attack Blaze. But when I got there, there was no fight. In fact, they seemed to be getting alongtoowell.”
Tholan’s brows furrowed in concern.
“Now Matheson is acting completely out of character,” Noro continued, his talons digging into the floor in frustration. “Almost like he’s--”
“Brainwashed?” Tholan offered.
The word sent a chill down Noro’s spine. “Yes.”
Tholan let out a deep sigh. “Yes. Blaze is a mage.”
Noro’s world spun. How did he not realize? All this time, the king of the gryphons had powers that even the pride’s magic Keeper didn’t know about.
