On cue, griffins spill out of numerous holes in the cavern walls, screeching back. They unfold their wings and descend on us.
Shit.Liberating the egg from its sling, I lift it up. “Don’t attack! Please, don’t attack!”
One by one, the griffins fall silent. I had hoped for a reaction, but nothing this sudden and absolute.
Then a long, piercing cry fills the air, and another griffin flies out of a hole in the rock. It hovers there, wings flapping, then it flies around us. Once. Twice.
“It’s you,” I breathe. “You’re the mother. Speak to me.”
The griffin returns to hovering in front of us, flapping her huge wings. “You don’t get to order me about,” she says, her voice something between a whistle and a wail, “you nasty thief. Are you prepared to die?”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
TEARS AND BLOOD
ADELINE
“Please.” I hold the egg higher. “I don’t want to drop this.”
“You are a horrible creature,” she screeches.
“Aline,” Roane mutters at my back. “Careful what you say. Some diplomacy, perhaps?”
I sigh. “Kind griffin mother, I won’t drop your egg if you could only reply to a question we have. May we head over to your nest to converse?”
“So you can steal more eggs?” she screeches.
“Valid question,” Roane rumbles. “Once a thief, always a thief.”
“May I remind you that you grabbed me first?” I call out to the griffin, elbowing Roane to make him shut up. “I only took the egg to defend myself. I swear I won’t touch anything in your nest. I have no use for your egg. I only need to dip into your vast knowledge for an answer.”
“Better,” Roane says.
I shouldn’t care for his approval, for the lazy drawl in his deep voice, the note of mirth that caresses me like a touch. He said he doesn’t like me.
Remember that.
“Fine,” the griffin says. “Come to my nest, nasty thief.”
“Simu,” Roane growls, “follow the griffin.”
It’s a tricky thing, what we’re attempting to do. The griffin slips into her nest with practiced ease, gathering her wings and using her lion hindlegs to push herself deeper.
We don’t have such advantages. Simu flies us to the entrance and Roane clambers onto the ledge, reaching back for me. Quickly, I place the egg back in its sling and quell my fear.
Damn.Height may not scare me overmuch, but it will never be my friend. Pressing my lips together, making sure not to look down, I grab Roane’s hand and only let out a small, thin cry when he swings me up into the cave.
I’m not superhuman. And I’m not fae, with their superior strength and reflexes. I’m quite proud of myself right now.
And pissing myself with terror, but let’s ignore that.
Panting, I kneel on the cave’s hard floor, Roane’s hand gripping my shoulder, and the firebird flies away, a flash of fire against the sky. Hopefully not too far away, for the very probable case in which we’ll need to make another hasty exit.
Patting the egg in the sling, sending a quick prayer to the Sleeping Gods that it hasn’t cracked, I open my mouth.
The griffin turns and suddenly its eagle head with its fearsome beak is right in my face. “The egg,” she demands.
“Answers first,” I croak.
