“Why are you here?” It’s a question I’ve been meaning to ask, but haven’t had time.
“Because of Kera. She saved my life. Helping her is the least I can do.”
I don’t believe him. “Really? That’s it?” I hesitate, but I have to know. “No one’s told you about Navar? About Lani?”
“I’ve been told.” His lips grow thin and his voice cold.
“Then you know he’s dead.”
“He’s not the only one who needs to pay for what he did.”
I had my suspicions, but the way he looks, like he’s ready to explode from the hate climbing through him, confirms it. “You know about Granel.”
I’ve never seen anyone shutter their emotions so quickly. When he meets Granel, and he will, I’m a little scared his control will snap. I have no doubt he’ll try to kill him. I give Reece a sad smile. “It seems we’re all a little unstable around here.”
Bodog sidles up and nudges me. “We are close. Come.”
I wipe the metallic dust from my hand, and we all follow.
After a few more yards, Bodog points to a niche in the tunnel where an exit slowly climbs to the surface. “Go there.” He then turns and moves in the opposite direction, passing Reece, who frowns and asks, “Where’s he going?”
“To prepare,” Bodog says.
“Good idea,” Halim says excitedly. “We should camouflage ourselves.” He squats and starts rubbing spit- laced dirt on his already filthy skin.
“Hey, don’t take the light,” Reece calls after Bodog, but the little man doesn’t stop. “Little ugly guy, I’m talking to you!”
“His name is Bodog,” I remind him.
“Whatever. He’s getting on my last nerve. He can’t leave us here in the dark.”
By now, I’d think Reece would notice Bodog does exactly what he wants when he wants. I motion after the receding light. “You go tell him that.”
It’s not really a suggestion, but Reece takes it as one. “Fine. I will.”
He quickly follows the fading light around the bend, calling for Bodog to stop. A handful of seconds tick by, and then his voice booms down the tunnel, “Dude, that’s not right.”
I can imagine what Bodog’s doing, and the image isn’t one I want to dwell on. Reece’s footsteps rush back our way, and when he reappears, he’s carrying the light, though he doesn’t look happy. “He’s sick.”
Halim cocks his head and asks innocently, “What’d he do?”
“The hell if I understand what I just saw, and I hope I never see it again.”
We hear the slow plod of footsteps, and then out of the darkness, Bodog returns, his skin shining lily white.
Reece stares agape at him. “Let me get this straight. We’re about to sneak into a place to steal a griffin, and he decides it’s a great time to become a glow stick?”
He’s got a point. But I also know whatever Bodog’s done, it’s his way of psyching himself up.
“He’s right, Bodog. You can’t go out there like…” I motion to his body. “Camouflage means you blend in, not draw everyone’s attention.”
“And you worried about taking me along?” Halim smirks as he rubs a fistful of dirt on his face and neck.
Bodog flashes an uneven, jagged smile and pulls out a dark brown cloak. He slips it on, successfully muting his glow factor. I tug the hood low over his bony head, making sure to tuck in his floppy ears. “Did you have to do it?”
“They will not see me,” his voice floats out from the heavy cowl.
I’ll never understand him fully. “If you say so.” He’s been more right in the past than wrong, and by this point, there’s nothing I can do but hope he’s right. I face everyone. “Ready?”
Bodog is the first one up the tunnel and out in the open. Reece follows, then Halim. I signal Signe. “Your turn.”
Her hands spread against the tunnel walls that rise to the surface, almost as if she’s forcing herself to stay put, and raises her face to mine. I see a flash of uncertainty. “There’s something you should know.”
I don’t like the sound of that. Ever since I returned to Teag it’s been one bad surprise after another. “What?” I ask, dreading what she’s going to say.
“Griffins are volatile creatures. They respond best to women. Only on the most special occasions will they even allow a man to approach them.”
“You’re kidding, right? Tell me you’re kidding.”
“N-no.” Guilt has her inching for the exit.
“You could have told me this sooner.”
“I didn’t want you to be put off. This really is our best option.”
I feel like I’ve been tricked, that this trip was pointless. “Is there anything else you need to tell me? ’Cause I don’t think I can handle another surprise once we get out there.”
“Other than I’m highly attracted to my deceased sister’s beau and am feeling terribly guilty about it? Nothing that I can think of.”
With that, she scurries out of the tunnel, leaving me with the knowledge that not only do Halim, Reece, and I have serious issues, but she’s carrying a load of her own. Right now, the only normal one of us seems to be Bodog, and he’s lit himself up like Casper the friendly ghost.
We’re going to fail. It’s a given.
And then I feel it. Nothing.
The earth has stopped shaking. In fact, it hasn’t shaken in some time.
As soon as I poke my head out of the tunnel, I instinctually want to go back. Dead bodies lie everywhere. Fire burns at odd intervals in every direction. Heavy smoke clouds my vision. I can barely see two feet in front of me. Bodog leans on his walking stick muttering to himself as Reece picks up a blood-drenched sword and rasps, “This is getting bigger by the minute.”
I shake my head. I knew an all-out attack would happen. I just didn’t know when.
Signe’s steps are fragmented, made clumsy by more than the uneven ground. She stares out over the battlefield and whispers raggedly, “All of Teag is burning. Who would do this?”
I point to the sword Reece is holding, and she confirms it’s for a
“Yes,” he says and wraps his arm around her shoulders as she blinks away the moisture clinging to her lashes.
“Do you recognize anyone?” I ask. “Any of you?” All I can think of are Leo and Wyatt. I left them in the village, left them somewhere safer than where I was supposed to be going. Granted they both wanted to be here, but I still feel responsible for them.
“No. Maybe.” Signe hides her face against Reece’s chest. “I cannot look.”
Reece’s frown grows intense. “Where’s Halim?”
Signe immediately pulls away, her face showing her sudden panic. “Halim? Halim!”
“Here,” his high-pitched voice answers.
I race toward the sound and stop when I nearly stumble over him and the body he’s hovering over. I yank him to his feet. “What are you doing?”
He yanks free. “Listening.”
Halim drops to his knees and puts his ear to the man’s mouth. “Go on.”
Reece and Signe emerge from the smoke, and we huddle around and wait. It doesn’t take long for the last breath to leave the man. Halim sits back and places his fingers over the man’s eyes, forcing them closed.
“What did he say?”
“He is a Corlian.”
“From the land to the north of us?” Signe doesn’t hide her surprise. She examines the sword I still hold. “But they are our allies.”
