Keeper of the Flame (29 page)

“Kendrik,” she called to him from over Hugh’s shoulder. “What’s going on out there?”

“Milady.” The young man stepped into the room and faced her while his companion held someone back, just out of sight. “Counselor Orin and a few others seek an audience. He does not have an appointment and he is being rather…difficult.” The young man threw a disgusted look over his shoulder.

“I demand to see Milady Valeria!” A voice boomed from the hallway, just outside the door. She recognized both the voice and the tone.

“Sounds like word of your arrival has already spread. Do you want us to get rid of him?” Hugh asked at her side.

Lera sighed heavily, wishing she could lean on Hugh and not have to deal with this, but this, after all, was the reason they’d come back to the palace. She had to stand firm and root out the traitors in her court. Orin might not be one of them…but then again, he might also be plotting her death. It was time to find out which.

“Orin was one of my father’s friends. He’s also a distant relation. I’ve kept him on as a counselor, but more often than not I don’t agree with his hardline stances on things. We mostly don’t see eye to eye, but I do value his opinion as a dissenting voice. Sometimes he has valid points that help me make better decisions.”

Hugh seemed surprised by her frank appraisal of the man.

“I want you to know my opinions on who we’re dealing with,” Lera went on. “If we had more time, I wouldn’t say a word so you could form your own opinion, then we could compare notes later, but with the current state of things…”

“This is a much wiser course of action, Lera.” Hugh squeezed her hand. “I need to know the cast of characters to this play before the curtain goes up.”

She was relieved he agreed with her strategy. “Good. Then you should know that Orin is married to Sendra’s mother, Yasmin. It’s a second marriage for both of them. Sendra’s father was my father’s brother. Her mother was a noblewoman from the kingdom of Talinor, across the sea. She’s always been a social climber, and marrying Orin gave her access to his considerable wealth. Sendra inherited almost everything from her father upon his death. He’d been estranged from Yasmin for some time and cut her out of his will as much as possible before his death. I should also mention that he died under suspicious circumstances.”

“This Orin seems closely tied to your enemy.”

“He is, but he is also very much his own man. I don’t think Yasmin has any control over his beliefs. She is very beautiful and the entire court watched the concerted play she made to ensnare him after her husband died. He was the richest single man at court at the time and it was widely believed that all she cared about was his fortune. Yasmin and Sendra do not speak. Sendra refused to continue supporting her mother out of her father’s estate. She cut her off completely.”

“Nice family,” Hugh said dryly. Lera agreed. That branch of the family had turned into a nest of vipers the moment her uncle’s riches had come into question.

“Orin is tough, but not as devious as his wife. At least, that’s my read on him. I’ve known him my whole life and he’s always been a tough man, but he does have a quick mind and principles he sticks to.”

“We can work with someone like that. As long as he’s on the right side of this mess.”

“Shall we find out?” Lera gave Hugh a mischievous look, raising one eyebrow as she tilted her head toward the doorway, where Orin was still arguing with the guard.

“Let him in, but don’t let him too close. Follow my lead.” Hugh motioned with a jerk of his head toward his brothers. Both stepped forward on either side of him and Lera, a few feet in front of them to each side.

Lera called to Kendrik. “Allow Counselor Orin to enter.”

The man that entered a moment later looked genuinely concerned. When he would have moved close to Lera, the twins blocked his path. He looked angry at first, then reconciled himself to keeping a certain distance, with the men watching him warily. Hugh had even positioned the dragons closer behind them, and the gryphons had followed. Lera saw Orin’s eyes widen at their presence, but he didn’t seem outwardly intimidated, only surprised.

“Milady, are you well? You had us all worried when you disappeared.” To his credit, he did look truly worried about her welfare.

“As you can see, I am well. Thank you for your concern, Counselor Orin.” She turned to Hugh, aware of Orin’s interest in him from the looks the older man kept darting to her side. “Allow me to introduce Prince Hugh of Draconia and his brothers, Prince Collin and Prince Trey.” She indicated each in turn. “They have been helping keep me safe.”

“Tales of assassins have been spreading through the city,” Orin said, with a deep frown furrowing his brow. “I am glad to see you have such fierce and noble protectors. Were you the man who saved milady at the tavern, Prince Hugh? If so, Helios is in your debt.”

“You are well informed, Counselor.” Hugh nodded.

A flutter of giant wings from the opposite end of the room caught everyone’s attention. A gryphon had landed.

Miss took one look at the dark gray form stomping into the room and dove for cover behind Lera’s throne. It wasn’t very effective. Her tail and the tips of her wings stuck out from behind the chair and her paws were clearly visible under it. Her entire body shook with terror and Hugh wondered why the sight of this particular gryphon had caused such a marked reaction.

Hugh turned to face the newcomer, as did Lera. She noticed as she turned that the twins had moved close to Orin, securing him while everyone assessed this new possible threat.

Lera recognized the gryphon. It was Ylianthror. He was a distant relation to Hyadror through his sire’s line, but there was very little similarity between the two gryphons except that they were both big brutes that fought well. Their fighting styles were very different and their coloration was on opposite ends of the somewhat limited raptor spectrum. Where Hyadror was brownish and tawny with a whitish underbelly, Ylianthror was dark gray with some lighter speckling on his underbelly. His wings were a dark, uniform gray and his talons were almost black.

His hooked beak swept from side to side as he took in the occupants of the throne room. His feathers ruffled at the sight of the dragons, but he showed no fear. When he laid eyes on Lera, she felt a cold sort of dread creep down her spine. His eyes were not friendly. In fact, he looked mad—both angry and somewhat unhinged.

Unconsciously, Lera reached for her magic. The magic of the eternal flame might protect her if the worst should happen. Hugh squeezed her hand and she looked at him, realizing that she wasn’t alone in this. His magic tingled against and along with hers. He’d probably felt her call her power and had done the same in response. They were a team now and it would take more than one enraged gryphon to harm them. After all, she had a dragon prince and all his allies on her side.

Hugh felt the tension in the air as Lera called her magic. First Miss had gone running for cover and then Lera had tensed. Hugh recognized the big brute of a gryphon who’d just crashed their party, uninvited. He was the same one who had dived at him while Lera was on his back on their way into the city. Hyadror had run him off that time.

This time, Hugh would have something to say to the ill-mannered bird.

“What is his name?”
Hugh asked Lera silently. She hadn’t mastered the skill of speaking back to him this way yet, but he could at least ask questions and give direction, if necessary.

“Wing Leader Ylianthror,” she answered Hugh’s question and addressed the gryphon. “What brings you here unannounced?”

“I wisshed to ssee if you were unharmed, milady.” The gryphon’s voice was smoother than most Hugh had heard. Hugh didn’t like the bird’s tone or the way he moved closer, looking around the room as if measuring the odds.

“She is fine, no thanks to you. Did you not see her on the dragon’s back when you dove at him?” Hugh could not contain his anger.

“Who are you to quesstion me, human? I am a Wing Leader. You are a sstranger here and would not undersstand the wayss of gryphonss.”

Oh, Hugh didn’t like that answer at all. This beast was angling for a set down and Hugh was just the one to deliver it.

“I understand more than you think, gryphon.” He wouldn’t give the insulting bastard the dignity of his title. “I am Hugh of Draconia and well acquainted with the etiquette of the skies. One does not dive on another unless you wish them harm. You dove on Lera and the dragon who flew her. Your actions suggest you are no friend to the Doge of Helios or her allies.”

The gryphon’s head reared back in a clear show of anger and surprise. His feathers ruffled all around his neck again and his expression—what Hugh could interpret of it—seemed altogether too hostile for Hugh’s liking.

“You dare greatly, dragon lover. You would not speak so if your ill-conceived companions were not here to back you up.”

Hugh refused to take the bait. The gryphon was goading him into an argument—probably to divert attention away from his actions. Hugh would have none of it.

“You do not deny diving on the Doge and her dragon from above?”

Ylianthror’s beak clacked shut. He hadn’t expected Hugh to meet his anger with fire of his own. At length, the gryphon found something to say.

“I do not answer to you, human.”

“No,” Lera said from behind Hugh’s shoulder. “Since I am Keeper of the Flame, you answer to me, Wing Leader. Is what Prince Hugh said true? Did you intend to harm me when you dove out of the sky?”

“Harm was never my intent, milady.” The gryphon made a courtier’s bow that Hugh had seen before. Suddenly, things began to fall into place in his mind. Now all he had to do was trap the bird and cage him in his own words.

“No,” Hugh agreed. “You intent was to kill her. Only my flame, and Hyadror’s intervention, prevented it, you traitorous bastard.” Hugh advanced on the gryphon. Simple mental commands sent the dragons to Ylianthror’s rear, to keep him penned. The twins had the Counselor under control and that only left Lera.
“Stay put this time, my love. I have a grievance with this bird and I intend to have it out with him.”

Hugh was glad when Lera remained behind him, even backing off a few feet, moving toward Mace, who’d come closer to be ready should he be needed. Good man. Hugh knew Mace would protect her with his life if necessary. Right now, that was good enough for Hugh.

“You accusse
me
?” The gryphon’s voice rose in outrage, then he seemed to gather his control. “Under our lawss, you cannot, ssince you were not there. You have no true knowledge of the eventss, sso you cannot sstand in protesst.”

Hugh smiled evilly. “Oh, I was there, all right.” So saying, he released his magic, bringing on the change from human to dragon.
“You tried to kill my mate, gryphon. And I believe you threw your own child out into the storm to die. For that alone, you should stand trial.”

Hugh was sure to broadcast his words to all who could hear him. Everyone needed to know what was going on here.

“Miss,”
he went on when the gryphon seemed about to burst with mounting anger.
“Come here, little one. I do not want you near that bad gryphon.”

Hugh held out his wing and wasn’t surprised when the child dashed out from behind the poor concealment of the throne. She ran to his side in a blur of gray and white stripes. He noted with satisfaction when Ylianthror laid eyes on her.

“You!” Ylianthror shouted, clearly out of control. Rage boiled over behind his raptor eyes as he lunged. Hugh blocked and the sound of talons scratching along impenetrable dragon scale resounded through the throne room.

The moment the gryphon attacked Hugh, the two dragons moved in unison to subdue him. They were all about the same size and the odds were not in the gryphon’s favor. Jenet and Nellin pinned Ylianthror to the ground and held him immobile with their talons and tails. Between them, Ylianthror couldn’t move.

Hugh changed back to his human form and crouched down to comfort the gryphlet who crowded close to his legs.

“He can’t hurt you anymore, sweetheart. I promise. Will you tell us who he is?” He tried to be as gentle as possible with the traumatized child, but he needed her to acknowledge his suspicions.

“Papa,” she whispered, but all within the throne room could hear her. The room had been built with acoustics in mind and Hugh was glad the confrontation had taken place here for that reason. He wouldn’t have to make her repeat her fearful testimony.

“This gryphon, Ylianthror, is your sire.” Hugh spoke the words with finality and looked up at Lera. Tears streaked down her face as she stood with Mace guarding her, off to one side, away from Orin and the twins.

It was all out now. They’d found a least one gryphon who was a traitor to Lera. There could be more, but there had only been one set of gryphon footprints in the orchard, according to Father Gregor.

“What do you want to do with him now?”
he asked Lera privately.
“We need to find out if he was the gryphon that inspected the scene in the orchard or if there’s more than one gryphon traitor we need to look out for.”

“Kendrik?” Lera motioned to the guard by the door. “Send for the gryphon restraints.”

“Already here, milady,” the young man replied proudly.

Hugh was glad the guard was on top of his game. The longer this traitorous gryphon remained unfettered, the less Hugh liked it. He would not rest easy until Ylianthror had been put into a hole from which he could not escape.