Free His Wings
Griffin
Three Months Ago – Violencia
Violencia was darker than he remembered, the street lights not working as he crept along. It had taken a bit of time, but his patience had finally won out. He traced all of the different Faction safe-houses that he was aware of, and then he had dived deeper.
Looking up at the dilapidated building, he knew Jayce was inside. And he planned to find him and hide him far away. To never let Drago have him. He was past the point of trust, of accepting his brother’s words at face value.
Griffin launched himself across the building, his fingertips brushing the steel door before he was tugged back aggressively, a wool cloth covering his mouth.
“Sorry, Griffin. It’s time to play the king.” Anadil’s voice was a hushed whisper as he faded from consciousness.
When he woke again, he would be in a Government prison.
And shortly after that, he would find himself in the Redemption games.
Present Day – Grypheem
Griffin remained in the doorway of the room Raven should be in, his heart palpating aggressively in his chest as he white-knuckled the frame.
“Ivan has her.” Olek's voice came from behind him. “Enzo and Maverick too. I could not stop them, we were outnumbered. He had an agreement with Drago.”
Griffin spun to face him, to see an unfamiliar sheer mask over Oleks’s face. “Where?” he croaked. He had allowed his own needs and wants to distract him from the dangerous possibility that Ivan was among them. He had thought perhaps he had just escaped back to Violencia. That he wouldn’t be able to make it into the castle.
But he had been wrong.
So fucking wrong.
Oleks moved and Griffin followed. He ran fast and quick across the castle, all the way through his wedding, ignoring the guests, the royalty of Luscinia, the High Priestess, the other groom. He continued sprinting until they were outside the back gate, on the bridge.
All the way to the lump that was half-way across it.
Griffin stared down at his badly beaten brother.
At the man he once looked up to.
At the one he wanted to kill.
Griffin made the decision then and there.
He freed himself of his self-imposed shackles. He reached down, plucking the crown off the ground.
He faced the crowd that was gathering now. His attention jumped from a griffin tattoo on a pinkie, to another on a now exposed arm, to another on an ankle.
Silent shows of support, ones he had spent a long time ignoring.
For too long, he had put his fate in others.
But not any longer.
“I am challenging my right for the throne. In my brother’s stead, I will step into the role,” Griffin advised, lifting his chin up and staring down his nose.
Julian broke through the crowd, making his way to his side. Oleks was next. Felix marched forward standing on the edge, nodding lightly.
But Enzo and Maverick were gone.
Levi was locked away.
