He knew the other men would keep her safe, but he was afraid.
Not for himself but for her.
Chapter 29
A Mountain Moves an Inch Each Year
Griffin
Just Over Four Years Ago – Violencia
Agony ricocheted throughout Griffin’s body as he was dragged from the cell he had spent the last two months in, as the realization of who Julian was crashed around him.
He had grown close to the man,tooclose. The truth that he was connected to Raven and Sparrow wasn’t anything he had expected.
“You’re leaving now. That was her signal.” Niko continued to tug him along, taking him down a long dingy hallway that reeked of sweat and salt. “Anadil is going to take you to your brother.”
Griffin’s nose scrunched up. “Who is it? Who is the mastermind? Her? Him?”
But Niko didn’t answer, continuing to lead him away, until they came to a set of stone stairs. They took them all the way up until a hatch opened above them, letting in the fresh air. Niko pushed him through it first before exiting behind him and shutting it.
Looking around, Griffin found they were in a patch of trees just outside the northern part of the wall that wrapped around Violencia.
The scenery and breeze were a welcome change from the stuffy air he had been in for months. But his heart went back below. “What will happen to Oleks and Julian?”
“Nightingale has plans for Julian. Felix has already been placed inside the games now. More of our allies will slowly join him.”
Griffin had witnessed Felix win the first game with Violencia citizens…after being forced to go against his brother. “Can’t we bring Oleks along? I need an ally back home. Someone I can trust.”
“Viktor is helping him escape the prison, but he can’t leave with you, we need him here. He needs to assist from the inside.”
Griffin’s stomach filled with a sour acid. “He deserves to be freed of this. To decide to leave.”
Niko rolled back his sleeve, the griffin tattoo shining in the moonlight. “This is a beacon. A symbol. He wears the same mark, and as long as he does, he will continue to fight for the cause. He chose to join you. After all, a griffin’s wings—”
Griffin tackled Niko to the ground, his entire being possessed by a level of anger he had never felt before. He didn’t speak as he laid fist after fist into Niko. As he allowed his time in the prison, his experiences in Violencia, the betrayals, the failures,the evil, everything. All of it came out of him and Niko was his unintended victim.
But Niko didn’t fight him. “You are rightfully angry. But I promise I am on your side.” The words were hissed through clenched teeth.
Griffin paused his merciless beating, leaning back and staring down at Niko. The one he had entered Violencia with all those years ago. “A griffin’s wings will take themallthe fucking way if no one stood in their path! If their demise was not expected! If their wings were freed!”
Niko offered a bloody smile. “When Raven joins the games, the King of Luscinia’s brother will die. It will be a reason for Luscinia to ally with Grypheem in the war against Violencia. But your job is to flip the script. We must end Luscinia’s reign of terror.”
A slow clap from behind Griffin had him jumping off of Niko and turning around.
Anadil stood, a hand cocked on her hip, a gun holstered on the other. “Exactly that. All large transformations take years. A mountain moves an inch a year, but over time those inches add up and real change is established. I will return you to your brother, to Grypheem, but your job here isn’t done.”
Griffin helped Niko off the ground, eyeing Anadil warily.
“And why should I trust you? After everything you have done.” Griffin cracked his neck, acutely aware of the bruises she had left on his body just before he had been whisked away.
“Because, as they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Anadil offered a mirth-filled smile.
“The people of Luscinia?” he asked.
“Not quite.” And then she was turning towards the sea and marching out of the trees onto the beach, each step taking her closer to the edge. But she didn’t stop at the shore, didn’t stop when she was past her hips in the water.
Griffin wasn’t sure if she ever stopped as her body disappeared into the rolling waves.
