Maverick’s pen began to jet across his notebook as he made meticulous notes.
Drago pointed in the southeast area. “This is Violencia, your country, and just above it is the volcanic island that they held the games on. We are just above there now, heading due north.” He moved his fingers upwards through the Catastro Sea. “To the east up here is the country of Vanravara—they are outsiders, mostly leaving others alone except when passersby drift too close to their island.”
Griffin didn’t contradict the notion, but he knew that wasn’t necessarily true. Vanravara were pirates through and through.They would go far into the sea to pick off unsuspecting victims. While they did not often choose violence, they would take what they wanted. Be it something…orsomeone. He first heard of them through stories…and then he had his own encounters.
“On the west side of the Catastro Sea are the Isles of Sacerdos. They are deeply integrated in the lives of Grypheem and Luscinia alike. We will most likely have an encounter with them sooner than later.”
A buzz of energy hummed beneath Griffin’s skin. At what his brother wasn’t saying. There was no doubt that they would be having a run in with the priests there. And most likely the High Priestess herself.
He traced further to the area above. “And if you go up here, this side of this big mass of land is Grypheem, and to the west is Luscinia. There is a single bridge in the center of the countries to connect us, but otherwise there is the Styx River that completely separates our lands. These three countries make up the Sacred Trinity.”
“Thanks for the lesson, but what does that have to do with us?” Enzo asked, folding his arms across his chest, his burgundy hair sticking up haphazardly with half of it tied back away from his face. His hazel eyes narrowed in annoyance.
“We aren’t yet, but very soon we are going to be at war with Violencia. This decision to rescue you all will torpedo us in that direction without any return,” Drago stated plainly, as if he were talking about the weather and not the lives of millions of people being put at risk.
“Respectfully, we are not a part of your country. Nor should we be a part of your war. When we land wherever that may be, Maverick and I will go on our way.” Enzo glared at the map in disdain.
Drago clicked the remote in his hand again, and the map transformed into a clip. He pressed play.
“These are the escaped prisoners. They are considered armed and dangerous. Do not approach, simply report their appearance to your nearest guard station,”echoed out around them, a man reading from a sheet of paper in his hands.
His face then disappeared, and in its place, pictures lined the screen. Unmasked.
Levi, Maverick, Enzo, Jayce, Oleks, Ivan, and countless others.
But not Raven. Not Julian. Not Griffin.
Enzo cursed, his nostrils flaring. “You have taken us from one dangerous game only to throw us into another!”
“What about Raven?” Levi asked. “Can she be tucked away in safety until we do whatever it is that y’all need from us?”
Griffin had the same thought, and eventually that would be the plan, but he couldn't whisk her away… Not yet.
“No,” Maverick answered for Drago. “She is in the center of this, isn’t she?”
Griffin hummed in agreement, deciding to explain this part. “Women in the Sacred Trinity are dying out.Natural-borns are decreasing every year to the point that many Unnaturalsarebornin labs. Women who can bear children are consideredSacred Cherished.They have a strict set of rules and are also protected above all else.”
“That’s why you showed Sparrow on the screen with Raven.” Maverick scribbled more down, flipping the page. “She will be your excuse for rescuing us all. You have kept us to protect her.”
Drago turned the screen off, sitting back down beside Griffin. “Right you are. TheSacredCherished are above all laws. With Raven behind us, we will have the people of Grypheem’s vote. But we will also be targeted. The Isles of Sacerdos are tasked with…protectingthe Cherished. But we cannot allow them to take her.” Drago cut his attention to Griffin.
There were only two ways a Sacred Cherished woman escaped the priests that resided on Sacerdos.
Death.
Or…
Griffin pushed down the thought. He would tell the others when the time was right.
“Raven will need you all,” Griffin confirmed. His gaze jumped around the room meeting each of the other men’s eyes. Levi, Julian, and Oleks were solid, and he knew they would be formidable and trustworthy. But Enzo and Maverick, he wasn’t so sure of.
He hated that they were needed, but he was only one man and Raven would have danger on all fronts. Men attempting to claim her. The priests and High Priestess would attempt to take her.
“Was this the plan all along?” Oleks murmured. “From the very beginning, was this where she was going to end up?”
Griffin didn’t deny it. Over five years ago, Anadil had requested he keep Raven safe. Advised him that she was pregnant. That she would be in imminent danger and he would know when it was time to rescue her.
At that point, he didn’t have any true insight into Anadil’s plans. He had simply worked with her in the past and agreed. Not realizing that Anadil would be the one to put her in danger.
