Nameless (29 page)

The last time Zo went to Sara and Ajax’s home had been in the middle of the night. Even then, she hadn’t paid a great deal of attention to where it was because of her recent whipping. She wandered through fields and forest in the general direction she remembered traveling. But the area inside the Gate was extremely vast. She could spend the entire day searching, and still not find the right Ram farmhouse.

Joshua and Tess would be somewhere along the western edge of the forest, close to the mountainous cliffs that dropped off into freezing ocean. She hoped Tess had been warm enough the previous night, and that Joshua didn’t feel over-burdened by the heavy responsibility entrusted him. The boy had become something of a little brother to Zo. She couldn’t imagine losing either of them in this dangerous game they played against the Seer.

After an hour of wandering without hope of finding Sara’s home, Zo collapsed on a log and buried her head in her hands. Why hadn’t she thought to ask Gryphon for directions?

Deciding that sitting wouldn’t help her sister or Joshua, Zo followed the familiar road she’d been avoiding through a blossoming apple orchard. Zo skirted the house, careful to avoid being seen by the violent pregnant woman she’d had the unfortunate opportunity to meet already. She hurriedly turned the corner to walk behind the house and ran directly into Stone.

Zo bounced off the Nameless revolutionary’s chest and landed ungracefully on her backside.

Stone reacted without pause, lifting her by the arm and hauling her back behind the Nameless’ shed near the border of forest. “What’s wrong? Why are you here?” He looked in every direction to make certain they weren’t followed. “You can’t
be
here. It isn’t safe for anyone.”

“I need to find Eva and Sara. Can you take me to them?”

“What’s going on?” His grip on her arm tightened with worry.

“It’s a long story. Gryphon has agreed to help Eva. We’re meeting this afternoon at his family home.” She didn’t bother mentioning her sister or the Seer. She couldn’t stomach saying the words out loud. As if that would make the situation less dire.

Stone blanched. “Does the Striker know anything about the rebellion? About me?”

Zo shook her head. “He only knows that Eva is carrying a Nameless’ child.” She touched Stone’s hand to remind him that he was still squeezing her arm. “Gryphon will help her.”

Tears sprang to Stone’s eyes and he quickly wiped them away. “I don’t know what sort of power you hold over this Ram, but … ” he cleared his throat, “this is a miracle. Thank you.”

“Nameless!” a shrill, familiar voice called from the front of the main house.

The muscles in Zo’s back flexed at the sound. She cast a sideways glance at the whipping post and felt her knees buckle.

“You can’t be seen here,” said Stone. He quickly went about explaining how to find Eva’s family home. “Thank you. Thank you.” He took Zo by the shoulders and kissed her full on the lips. “Thank you!”

He left her standing alone on the fringe of the wood, stunned.

Zo immediately set out to find Eva’s family home while Stone’s directions were still fresh in her mind. Thankfully, it wasn’t far. She wouldn’t be able to relax until she held Tess in her arms.

The house, like most other Ram homes, was likely constructed from the very pine trees chopped down to clear the land on which it sat. Goats roamed free on either side of the cobbled path leading to the house. They bleated a welcome as Zo passed, then returned to their loud grass chomping. The stone path led to a small porch where an elderly man and woman sat on a bench staring at her.

Zo stopped at the sight of them. Why hadn’t she thought this through? A Nameless couldn’t just walk up to the door and ask for a Ram. She needed a solid story to explain her presence.

The old man pulled himself to his feet, leaning heavily on a wooden walking stick. He didn’t question Zo, just stared expectantly.

“I’ve … I’m … I’ve come to deliver a message to Eva.” Zo stared at the man’s boots and inwardly prayed she didn’t look suspicious.

The old woman walked into the house, leaving the unnerving man on the porch. “Who sent you?” His voice cracked, but carried a baritone warning.

“Striker Gryphon.” Zo hoped it wasn’t a mistake to use Gryphon’s name, but she had to say something, and didn’t dare use Mrs. Drea’s name.

The old man squinted. “You are the Nameless healer. Gryphon’s newest pet.” His deep laugh barely carried to Zo’s ears but sent a shiver up her arms.

The door to the house opened. Eva bounded down the steps and took long, purposeful steps to Zo’s side. Her hopeful expression contradicted the disdain in her voice. “How dare you summon me, Nameless.”

The old man on the porch settled back into his chair, as if satisfied by Eva’s ability to handle a sub-human.

Desperation laced Zo’s whispered plea as they put some distance between them and the house. “You need to come with me to Gryphon’s family home. He wants to help you and your sister.”

Eva’s eyes became round. “Really? And he knows … ” she touched her flat stomach, “everything?”

Zo nodded.

“What is wrong with Sara?” Eva’s brows knit in concern.

“What does it want?” The old man called from the porch.

Eva didn’t even hesitate. She called over her shoulder, “Gryphon and his mother want to discuss a trade for goat’s milk. I’ll take care of it, grandfather.”

Eva walked down the path, and Zo followed an appropriate distance behind. Once they were a safe distance from the house Eva whipped around. “Does Stone know?”

“Yes. He’s very happy.” Zo blushed at the thought of Stone’s lips pressed against hers in celebration.

Eva stared off, her gaze unfocused. If Zo didn’t know better, she’d think Eva looked disappointed.

“Is everything all right?” Zo asked. “I thought this was what you wanted.”

Eva sighed. “It is. I just … ” she pushed her short-chopped hair out of her face. “If I leave the Gate, I won’t be with Stone.”

“But if you stay, you’ll have to marry that Ram. Both you and the baby will die when they discover you’re pregnant. I’m sure Gryphon would help Stone leave with you. I know people outside the Gate who can help. You could start your life together in another clan.”

Eva shook her head. “You don’t understand. Stone won’t leave his cause here. Not yet. And what if he needs my help?”

Zo could only imagine what had brought this Nameless and Ram together in the first place. A love impossible to understand. “There is someone else who needs your help right now.”

Zo told Eva all about Sara and Ajax’s deformed child. “Gryphon asked me to find you and Sara and have you meet at his family home after mess training. He’ll speak to Ajax.”

“I still can’t believe she didn’t say anything to me.” She touched her stomach again. “I guess we were both afraid.”

Zo was relieved when Eva agreed to retrieve her sister Sara, alone. The sun was already at its highest point in the sky and Zo thought she might die if she didn’t get back to Tess and Joshua soon. The Seer would have left hours ago, and it wouldn’t be too much longer before Gryphon came back from training.

At mess training, Zander didn’t bother disclosing the details of his meeting with the chief and his advisors that morning at training. He pushed Gryphon and his brothers harder than normal. Sprints, weighted weapon drills, circuit training, sparring, phalanx formations, it didn’t matter the task, Zander stood with arms folded, appraising his men with hooded eyes, impossible to please.

“Again!” he ordered.

Gryphon and his brothers put their hands to the massive tree trunk that had been stripped of its limbs and rested at the side of the open field. They drove their feet into the ground and pushed, grunting and sweating as they rolled the giant log the entire length of the field. Gryphon’s shoulders burned, his legs felt ready to give out, but all he could think about was Joshua.

The boy had gone through so much. Losing his mother at birth and his father only a few years later, on the battlefield. And yet he was always so happy and desperate to please Gryphon, his mentor.

Gryphon pushed harder, growling and pumping his legs.

Joshua was his responsibility. And he’d let him down.

He’d let him down …

The log crashed into a heavy pine at the other end of the field. All of the men of his mess stood and placed their hands on knees to gather breath, but Gryphon just kept pushing. Kept working his legs, digging trenches into the soft spring ground like a mad man. He had to do something to help Joshua. He had to save that poor little girl from the Gate Master.

Even if it meant placing his own arm on the chopping block.

After training, Zander called everyone around. “Good work, today.” His gaze rested on Gryphon. “As you know, I met with the chief at the Horn this morning. The Raven soldier that Gryphon and Ajax captured finally broke. I don’t have many details yet, but plan on meeting at barracks tonight at dusk for a bonfire. We should have our orders by then.”

As everyone gathered shields and weapons to leave, Gryphon pulled Ajax aside. “You’re coming with me.”

“I have to get home to Sara.”

Gryphon kept hold of Ajax’s arm. “Sara and the baby are at my family home.”

Ajax outpaced Gryphon as they headed down the path that led to Gryphon’s home. “What’s going on?”

Gryphon didn’t mince words. “Would you leave the Gate to save your child?”

Ajax’s eyes doubled in size. “You can’t be serious. My family can’t survive alone outside the Gate.”

“What if I found someone to help you? Someone who could take you to another clan? Would you go?” Gryphon didn’t dare mention that Ajax’s family would be traveling with three Wolves and most likely, Joshua. Better to ease him into the idea.

Ajax’s eyes grew clouded. His grip tightened around his spear. “I … Is there no other option that you can think of?”

Gryphon put his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I can’t see another course, brother.”

Ajax still couldn’t seem to answer.

“Joshua’s in trouble, Jax. I don’t have time to explain, but if you want to leave the Gate, I will help get your family outside the walls.”

“When?”

Gryphon didn’t have an answer. It seemed like his whole life was swirling faster and faster into a dangerous vortex. “Soon. Maybe tomorrow. .”

Ajax looked like Gryphon had just punched him in the face. “Would you come with us?” he gasped.

Gryphon grabbed a fistful of his own hair. “I don’t know.”

He couldn’t imagine not having Joshua in his life, but knew Zo would kill for the boy. Her face instantly came to mind: her full lips and defined cheekbones, her perfect blue eyes and defiant stare. The idea of losing both her and Joshua forever was almost as terrifying as losing his home. His honor. Everything he’d worked for.

I’m going insane
.

Zo didn’t even care about Gryphon. Likely hated him. But for some ill-conceived reason, that didn’t matter. Gryphon wanted to be near her, wherever that was.

But then he thought of the Wolf. Zo would never prefer Gryphon, her enemy, to one of her own kind. And did he really want to leave everything to watch Zo commit to another man?

For the first time ever, he suddenly regretted sparing Gabe’s life.

Zo ran through the thick foliage at a reckless pace. Branches and briars tugged and tore her dress as she moved. But she didn’t care. Nothing mattered until she held her little sister in her arms.

When she reached the farmland surrounding Gryphon’s home she was completely out of breath. Mrs. Drea had her back to Zo, beating out the wool rugs. Zo didn’t want to explain her frazzled state to Gryphon’s mother, so she made a large arc around the field near the edge of the woods, and approached the log house from the rear.

Gryphon must be inside
, she thought.

Suddenly, a large man stepped out of the trees. His clothes were tattered rags, his messy light blond hair matched a patchy beard and mustache. Zo tensed and took a step backward.

Gabe?

He couldn’t be real. She’d seen him die with her own eyes. Gryphon had strangled him the same way he’d almost killed her in the cave.