The Lost Heir (The Gryphon Chronicles, Book 1) (36 page)

Jake let out a yelp of terror and ducked as the creature buzzed him, as if trying to figure out what he was before it moved in for the kill.

A bead of sweat ran down his face. He hid behind the chute, whispering over and over again, “Please don’t eat me, please don’t eat me.”

Whoosh.

The beast landed on all fours in the center of its lair. With his heart in his throat, Jake forced himself to look and see what he was up against. Slowly, he lifted his head, peeking over the metal edge of the chute’s slide.

Stalking closer, the creature stepped into the shaft of moonlight streaming in from high above and was fully revealed.

Jake stared in amazement. He could not believe his eyes. The creature was magnificent and terrible—and not supposed to exist.

“I know what you are,” he breathed in shock, as if the animal could understand him. “You’re…a Gryphon.”

At the sound of its name, the creature let out the piercing scream of an eagle and reared up on its hind paws, flexing its red-feathered wings and slashing at the air with razor-sharp lion’s claws.

A very angry Gryphon.

Jake stifled a shout and ducked, his hair ruffled by the wind from the creature’s wings. As its screech reverberated off the walls of the stone cell, the beast’s image was burned into Jake’s mind, standing on its hind legs, a gryphon rampant, just like on the ancient battle-flag back at Griffon Castle.

As soon as Jake steadied himself, he looked over the edge of the chute again, his pulse pounding.

The Gryphon had dropped back down on all four legs again, arching its neck, tossing its head, its golden eyes flashing in the darkness.

“Blimey,” Jake whispered, staring.

It had the body of a lion, with muscles rippling all down its flanks. Its long tufted tail whipped angrily from side to side as it approached him, setting each massive paw silently on the stone floor, claws gleaming.

It folded its powerful wings against its body; they were covered in scarlet feathers with a vague shimmer of gold at the tips.

So that’s where Fionnula was getting those magic red feathers,
Jake thought, fascinated by the creature that was about to devour him.

The Gryphon had the head of an eagle, but the sleek feathers on its head were also red, like its wings. It had a sharp gold beak, hooked for tearing flesh from bone. Its large, intelligent eyes were golden as well, fierce and piercing in expression as it stalked nearer, its stare fixed on him.

Jake did not like the way it was eyeing him. “Easy, big fellow. I’m friendly, right? What are you doing down here? I saw your picture all over Griffon Castle. I get the feeling that’s home for both of us, isn’t it?”

The Gryphon let out a mournful caw, though fury still burned in its eyes. It stepped closer with the prowling grace of a big cat, while its head cocked and tilted with jerky, birdlike movements.

Jake was encouraged. “Easy now. You don’t want to eat me, trust me on that. I wouldn’t taste very good. Nothing sweet about me.” He gulped as the creature advanced, then he tried to reason with it. “Blimey, how long has Waldrick kept you locked in here? He’s my enemy, too, you know. You and I should get along. After all, you’re a Gryphon, and it’s me, not Waldrick, who’s the rightful Earl of Griffon. Are you the one that found my family’s goldmine? I’m guessing my ancestors named our title after you…so, that would make us, what, practically cousins? Easy now, good birdie…” Jake took another slow, terrified step backward, praying the chain attached to the thick iron collar around the Gryphon’s neck would keep it from reaching him.

No such luck.

It leaned forward and sniffed him with the holes at the top of its beak, then it let out a scream right in his face.

Jake screamed back.

The Gryphon reared up and knocked him down with a shove of its front paw, spinning him so he fell onto his stomach.

He looked over his shoulder in horror as the Gryphon unsheathed the claws of its front paw with a moonlight glint. He squeezed his eyes shut for the death-blow as the claws sliced through the air, slashing toward his back.

“Huh?”

Instead of his spine behind torn out, he felt his hands jerk apart, and realized the Gryphon had just cut away the rope binding his hands.

Before he could react, the Gryphon bent its head and with its huge beak, picked him up gently by the back of his tuxedo coat and set him on his feet.

Jake turned around, astonished; then his jaw dropped as the Gryphon pushed its head against him and began to purr. Like some huge, cuddly lion.

In complete shock, Jake reached down and cautiously touched the creature’s sleek, feathered head.

Another realization suddenly dawned on him. “You’re here because of your feathers, aren’t you?” Jake recalled Fionnula’s words in the memory he had witnessed inside Uncle Waldrick’s mind. ‘
Bring me that creature. I mean it, Waldrick. Elemental magic of an immortal beast like that is extremely rare.’
“They’ve been stealing your magic feathers just like they stole my parents away from me, haven’t they?”

“Caw,” the Gryphon said indignantly.

“Poor fellow.” Jake ran his fingertip along one individual feather, marveling at it. “I can’t believe it,” he murmured, half to himself. “Well, you must have very powerful magic if one of your feathers can turn that ugly squid into a lady.”

The Gryphon growled at the mention of Fionnula but was apparently so happy to have a companion in his lonely cell that he sat down on his lion haunches and just looked at Jake. His eagle eyes glowed golden in the darkness, as if to say,
Entertain me.

Jake’s heart was filled with pity that such a noble beast had suffered such injustice—kept in this dungeon, used for the magic in its feathers, and scornfully referred to as a ‘monster.’ Those wings of his were made for flying. This strange, beautiful creature should be free. Jake set his jaw, suddenly full of determination. “Right. Don’t worry, Red, I’m going to get us both out of here.” Rubbing his wrists, he took a confident stride past the large animal to have a look round at the cell.

There had to be a way out.

If he had managed to rescue Gladwin and the satyr and the others, he would jolly well get the Gryphon out of here, too. Just like a Lightrider.

Like his parents.

“These rock walls look pretty solid. And you’re too big to fit up the chute.” He dropped his head back, staring up the long, narrow ventilation shaft. Up at ground level, it was covered with a metal grill. But maybe…

Jake loosened up his hands, then drew up all his concentration, summoning up his telekinesis.

Pah!
He flicked his fingers, aiming straight up the long, dark, ventilation shaft.

The Gryphon squawked, spooked by the crackling energy that flew like lightning from his fingertips.

To Jake’s dismay, however, the metal grate at the top of the air shaft did not budge. “Blast. Either that thing’s too heavy or I’m too far away.
Unless…
you could fly me up there?”

With a low, sad caw, the Gryphon showed him the rusty iron shackle chained to its back leg.

Jake frowned, but he was abruptly reminded of the bobbies putting the handcuffs on Derek. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Here in the dark cell, the thick chain ran from the solid cuff around the Gryphon’s leg to an iron bolt in the floor.

The rock ledge above was as high as the winged beast could go, tethered like this to the ground.

“You know,” Jake mused, resting one hand on his hip as he stroked his chin in thought. “I could try to zap that for you. Don’t know if it’d work, but it’s worth a try. You broke my bonds. Maybe I can break yours, too—but you have to promise not to have a conniption, right? Don’t bite me or anything. I’m not going to hurt you. So—try not to go mad when I zap you.”

It stared at him warily, as if to say,
Maybe I will and maybe I won’t.

“But if I get that shackle off your paw, you have to let me climb on your back and fly us up to that opening. Then I think I can try again to blast that metal grate aside. Between the two of us, we might just be able to get out of here tonight.”

The Gryphon tilted its head with a curious “Beh-caw?”

“We’ll have to work on that collar later. For now, just hold still. Brace yourself. I’ll do my best not to singe your feathers—or your fur.”

The Gryphon shook itself, then held motionless, waiting with a slightly worried look while Jake rubbed his hands together.

He didn’t want to hurt the creature, not the least because he wasn’t sure how the Gryphon might react. If the beast got scared or thought Jake was trying to hurt it, it could take his head off with one quick bite of that razor-sharp beak. All of his training with Derek to control his powers had better pay off now.

Jake focused on the cuff around the Gryphon’s back leg; his hands grew warm with the waves of magic tingling down his arms.
Please work.

As he concentrated, summoning up all his powers, he recalled what Derek had once told him, how his parents were Lightriders and helped magical creatures in distress.

Surely this was his moment to prove he deserved to be their son. Finally, this was his chance to shine…

Now!

He flung his fingers at the iron manacle with a low cry of effort.

It burst apart. The Gryphon screamed—but not in pain.

In victory!

As the metal cuff and chain fell off the creature’s leg and clattered to the ground, the Gryphon leaped into the air, free to fly. It soared up and up in a spiral.

Jake tilted his head back, watching the animal in awe. Now that the Gryphon was unleashed, he could truly sense its magic, and see the golden shimmer that danced across its wings.

But the mighty beast could only fly so high before the metal grate at the top of the shaft blocked its way and reminded them both that they were still jailed in this stone cage.

The next step in their escape was now upon them.

The Gryphon seemed as ready as Jake was to try, landing gracefully in front of him. Its golden eyes gleamed with pleasure.

Jake smiled as he walked toward it. “Feeling better, I see.” It let out an enormous caw and stretched its wings, showing off. Jake grinned. “See? That wasn’t so bad. Now comes the hard part. You ready to go for a fly, boy?”

The Gryphon snorted and leaned down a bit to help him climb onto its back. Jake grasped the iron collar around its neck. He was going to have to hold onto something when they were airborne. “Easy… Steady, now.”

He wasn’t sure how the beast would react when he climbed aboard. He moved with extreme caution, pulling himself up onto the Gryphon’s back. He straddled it, hooking his knees under the front of the creature’s muscular wing joint. He hugged his legs around its flanks, like riding a horse—though he had only just started learning how to do that at Bradford Park.

As the Gryphon took a few prancing steps, Jake was amazed at the power of the mythical animal beneath him.

“All right, boy, I’m ready if you are.” Gripping the iron collar with both hands, Jake gave the creature a light squeeze with his legs.

At once, the Gryphon flapped its wings and launched into the air; it climbed on a sharp angle. Jake clutched the collar for all he was worth, dizzied as the ground dropped away beneath them.

With each whooshing wing-beat, the Gryphon bounded upward, pushing off from one rock wall to the other, propelling itself higher on a zigzag path, like a great jungle cat climbing a tree.

Jake held on for dear life.

In seconds, the metal bars across the air shaft were before them, thick and heavy. They looked rusted shut.

“Can you get me any closer?” he cried.

The Gryphon concentrated, too, almost hovering midair and slowly rising toward the bars so Jake could get a good shot to zap the blasted thing.

As they came into position, he closed his eyes, calling forth all the magic in his veins. Big Red, as he’d already dubbed the Gryphon, was doing his part; now it was Jake’s turn to do his.

Drawing on every ounce of magic in his bloodlines and trusting his new friend not to drop him, he let go of the collar and threw both of his hands up with a shout.

The metal grate crashed open, nearly ripped right off its hinges.

Jake reached frantically for the collar to catch himself from falling, already sliding down the Gryphon’s back. Red flung his wings open wide to catch the air, then tucked them close to his body and soared through the opening.

Clear!

Jake let out a wild cheer as the Gryphon’s wings began to pump. He felt the mighty rush of air as they rose on the breeze; he let out another wild whoop as they climbed into the night sky, heading straight for the stars.

After a moment, he looked down in wonder as the lights of London twinkled beneath them, far below. His heart swelled with pride in his home city when he saw the moonlight gleam on the famous dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Maybe he’d had a home all along. All he had needed was to open his eyes and see it all around him. This place, with its bustling crowds; its cheeky orphans; its hansom cab drivers; its courtiers and clowns, nobles and beggars and businessmen; its scientists inventing wonders that made life better for people around the world; its pickpockets and pie-makers; and of course, its bobbies like Constable Flanagan. In this moment, Jake felt connected to them all.

It was like Doctor Celestus said. Maybe he had never really been as alone as he had felt.

Meanwhile, Big Ben glowed like a wide, watchful eye. There was Parliament, and farther up the river, the Tower of London—which probably had more ghosts than he wanted to think about.

His hair blowing wildly, Jake gazed down in wonder on garden squares, roofs and rookeries, mansions and museums.

It went on in all directions for so many miles. Parks, markets, theatres. And like a friend’s arm thrown around the city’s shoulders, the River Thames winding by, its endless water gleaming in the starlight.

The Gryphon circled, soaring higher, its lion-paws taking long, running strides, as if it were racing over solid ground instead of wispy clouds.