The Shadow's heir

Torc’s eyes had gone wide. “You have a griffin?”

“That’s right,” said Laela, brazenly putting her hand on Oeka’s head. “Now, we’ve got t’get goin’, if yeh don’t mind.” That said, she pushed past him and went on her way with her head held high.

She passed other people on her way-servants, mostly, but also one or two of the royal officials, all of whom gaped, and then bowed low. Laela watched them, first with wonder, but before long she felt her pride and confidence soar. Oh, my gods, she thought, over and over again. Oh, dear gods. .

It was probably the greatest moment of her life. By the time she reached her room, she was almost strutting.

She had talked to Arenadd before she left the Hatchery and knew what to do. She opened the door and let Oeka go in ahead of her. “This is my place,” she said. “Our place now. Make yerself comfortable while I go an’ get yer nest ready.”

Oeka acted as if she hadn’t heard her at all. She padded into the room and began to explore, shoving furniture aside and poking her beak into nooks and crannies. Laela left her to it and crossed the room to the wall opposite the door. There was a large tapestry hanging there, and she tore it down to expose the arched opening on the other side. Laela went through it and found a huge, bare, stone room. There was a water trough and some mildewed straw on the floor, but that was it. The other side had another arched opening, this one leading out onto a balcony without railings.

Laela took it all in and nodded in satisfaction. A griffin had lived here once, and now Oeka would. But she would have to find someone to bring more nesting material.

She went back into her room, where she found Oeka standing in the middle of the floor and giving her an impatient look.

“I’ve opened up the nest for yeh,” Laela told her. “Come an’ look.”

The tawny griffin yawned and came toward her. Laela let her pass, and watched hopefully while she walked around the nest, flicking the old straw aside with her feathered tail.

“It ain’t much now, but once we’ve got some new straw in. .”

While she spoke, Oeka turned dismissively and walked back through the archway, pushing past her without a backward glance.

Laela followed. “I know it ain’t pretty, but we can soon-hey!”

Oeka reached the bed, and casually climbed up onto it.

“That’s my bed!” said Laela. “Yeh can’t just. .”

Oeka gave her a look, and Laela’s indignant tones faded away.

“Uh, I mean. . well, I guess yeh can use it,” she stammered. “I’ll go an’ see about the nest.” She backed out of the room as quickly as she dared.

The servants, obviously used to this sort of thing, brought several baskets full of freshly cut dry reeds and grass, clay jugs of water, and a newly slaughtered pig carcass. In very little time, they’d made the nest fit for a griffin, and when Oeka smelled the food, she got up off Laela’s bed and sauntered into the nest.

Deeply relieved, Laela opened her wardrobe and took out a new set of clothes-the one she had on had been utterly ruined by the griffin’s talons. She checked herself after she had stripped, and marvelled at the fact that she had nothing but cuts and a few bruises. If she had wanted, Oeka could have torn her to pieces-Laela had no illusions about that.

Frightened, but awestruck as well, she dressed and sent a servant to bring her some food.

By the time it arrived, Oeka had wandered back into the bedroom. She sat down by the fireplace and watched as Laela settled down to eat.

The griffin’s silent stare was deeply unnerving. Laela did her best to look relaxed as she picked up a piece of bread. “So how do yeh like yeh new home? I can make it better, like. Over time an’ that.”

Oeka, of course, said nothing, but she was obviously listening.

Laela swallowed a mouthful of food. “Look, I dunno how to say this, so I’ll just say it. . uh. .” She hesitated. “Thanks for choosin’ me. I mean, it’s. . well, it’s an honour. I dunno if I’ll make a good griffiner, but I’ll do my best.”

Oeka shifted and clicked her beak.

Laela put her cup down. “I won’t let yeh down, Oeka,” she said. “I promise. Whatever yeh want from me in return for choosin’ me-I’ll give it. Even if I ain’t got much.”

The tawny griffin put her head on one side. Finally, as if she had made a decision, she stood up, snatched a wedge of cheese off Laela’s plate, and strutted away.

“Yer welcome,” Laela said weakly.

Fortunately, Oeka didn’t seem to want anything else. She threw her head back to swallow the cheese and left back through the arch. Laela got up to see what she was doing, and saw the griffin go out onto the balcony and launch herself into the air.

Laela felt oddly relieved.

Once she had finished eating, she sat back in her chair and thought. What should she do now?

Well, what do yeh want to do?

Tell Yorath, of course. She wanted him to hear the news from her first. With that in mind, she got up and left the room, her heart pounding with newfound excitement.

Yorath sat back. “Tell me ye’re lyin’. Please.”

Laela grinned. “Can’t. That’d be a lie. I never was that good at tellin’ lies anyway.”

He looked her in the face. “Ye. Ye are a griffiner.”

“Yeah, I am.”

Her blunt reply obviously threw him off. “What’s the griffin like?” he asked eventually.

“Only small,” said Laela. “Well, not that small. Arenadd-I mean, the King-says she’s got big paws. That means she’ll be very big when she’s grown up.”

“What’s her name?”

“Oeka. Means ‘Greeneyes.’”

“So what’re ye going to do now?” said Yorath.

“How d’yeh mean?”

“Well, ye’ve got to be trained. An’ after that. . griffiners have big responsibilities, Laela.”

Nervous heat touched her cheeks. “Well. I already got the trainin’ sorted out. . dunno about the responsibilities, but I know I’m meant t’look after her an’ that. .”

“Trainin’ is sorted out, ye say?” Yorath raised an eyebrow. “Who are ye apprenticing with?”

“What’s that mean?” said Laela.

“Who’s going to train ye?” said Yorath. “Teach ye griffish an’ the rest of it?”

“Oh. Well, the King said he’s gonna do that himself,” said Laela.

The effect on Yorath was amazing. He lurched as if she had hit him and recovered himself with an obvious effort. “The King,” he said very slowly. “Ye. . are going t’be apprenticed to the King.”

“Yeah, I am,” said Laela. “He said he’ll teach me griffish an’ fightin’ an’ how to fly on a griffin’s back. An’ some other things, he said.”

Yorath rubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t believe this,” he said. “Ye’re apprenticed to the King. First he vouches for ye in the Hatchery-makes ye a griffiner, in other words-an’ now he’s going to train ye himself.”

“Yeah,” said Laela, but some of the confidence had left her voice.

“How in the Night God’s name did ye get so close to him?” said Yorath. “Takin’ ye in is one thing, but this. .”

“Well, I did save his life,” Laela pointed out.

“Seems he really took that to heart,” said Yorath. “Well.” He sighed. “I s’pose that means I’ll have t’go back to regular work from now on. Ye won’t be needing me to teach ye any more.”

Laela took his hand. “Don’t be daft; I’m nowhere near knowin’ how to speak Northern. Anyway, we’ll still be seein’ each other, right?”

“If ye want to. .” Yorath looked uncomfortable.