Chapter 37
Annealed Glass
Griffin
Several Months Ago - Grypheem
“Brother, it is time. You have spent nearly four years here growing more sullen and angry. You must return to Violencia. There is a man I need you to find, no one else has been able to.” Drago sat on the couch in Griffin’s quarters glancing around the space. “It’s as if you don’t even live here.”
Griffin followed his gaze, there weren’t any personal items. And that was by design, this wasn’t Griffin’s home, he planned to leave here as soon as he could. And now Drago was handing him exactly what he wanted.
But he didn’t trust it.
Didn’t trust him.
“You took all of my freedom from me and locked me away in my quarters,” Griffin griped.
“Our father wanted me to keep you safe. It was his dying wish. And I have done just that, but now I must ask for your help.”
Griffin stiffened, his eyes flashing to his brother’s. This was the first time Drago had spoken of their father’s death in any regard, no matter how much Griffin had pressed.
Griffin felt as if he were walking across annealed glass; he was scared to ask the wrong question, to press down too hard. He wanted answers, but he understood even in this instance, Drago would not be the one to give them to him. “When do I leave? What am I doing?”
“Do you remember Raven, the cherished woman who was killed several years ago?”
Griffin was grateful he wasn’t looking at his brother, that his gaze was focused on the stained-glass that was caught in the sun. He was not sure if he could have kept the emotion from his face.
Yes, he remembered Raven. He dreamt of her more often than not.
Anadil made sure of it. She wouldn’t let him forget about her.
She had sent him countless pictures of Raven since he returned to Violencia.
Made it known that Raven was alive and suffering.
Except the pictures had abruptly stopped, and he had gone half-insane in their absence.
“Sure,” he answered neutrally.
“She was pregnant. And her child’s father, his name is Jayce. You need to find him. He has been tucked far away running operations and continuing on. I want to offer him protection. Once you locate him, you need just let me know and I will extricate both of you from Violencia.”
“Her child? Did Raven make it?” Griffin was testing his brother. “I thought you had said she died.”
Drago met Griffin’s gaze, his lips quirking in humor. “I was under the impression she had. But never mind that, Jayce is your target.”
Griffin’s heart beat in his chest. Who can I trust? Anyone? Even Viktor and Niko seem too tied to Anadil and Dragos.
There had been one singular man he trusted with his life.
“When do I leave?” Griffin asked.
Drago smiled, getting to his feet and brushing off his pants. “Tomorrow.”
Present Day – Grypheem
Griffin buttoned his sleeve staring at the mirror in his brother’s quarters. Summoned here against his will. He was in layers and layers of clothes, thick, heavy and scratchy. He wanted more than anything to rip them off and find Raven. To leave here and never return.
But he had a wedding to attend.
His own.
“She hasn’t been pregnant the last week you have tested her. Leave it be. We will depart before the High Priestess can check herself.” Griffin spoke to his brother in the mirror.
Drago tapped his foot anxiously. “Sure.” His attention bounced around the room, never landing anywhere. The space was oddly bare. The dresser that was typically littered with ostentatious jewelry was empty save for Drago’s communication tablet.
Griffin eyed it, he really needed to reach out to Illiyana. Request she keep Raven safe while they went to war. But he couldn’t do that in front of his brother.
“Where is Julian?” Drago asked distractedly, fidgeting at his sleeves.
“He’s still getting dressed. He’ll be here soon to join me at the altar to wait for Raven.”
“Good, good.” But Drago was clearly not paying any attention. “Amelia is with Raven helping her prepare too.”
Griffin turned to face his brother fully. “After this, we will go to Violencia as planned, you readied the ships?”
But a sharp knock at the door interrupted Drago’s answer.
“Sir, this is urgent.” Troy’s annoying voice was a plague as it entered the space.
Griffin withheld any reaction, watching as Drago met him at the door. As he whispered into his brother’s ear. As he handed him a single piece of paper. As he turned on his heel trotting away quickly.
Drago opened it, his eyes widening, his face paling. The sheet fell through his fingertips to the ground and then he was sprinting from the room.
Griffin’s heart pounded into his throat as he walked in a trance towards the door.
As he bent over to pick it up.
Raven is pregnant.
The test results were clear.
His attention flicked to the dresser. To the device his brother left behind.
Griffin rushed to it, opening and calling Illiyana. She answered on the first ring, her familiar mask filling the space.
But as soon as she saw Griffin’s face she removed it. “Oh god, it is you. Griffin, where have you been? I must tell you—”
“I need your help.”
“Listen, Griffin. Listen to me!” She was screaming, her eyes unfocused.
“I tried to contact you, but I couldn’t.
I sent spies but they were intercepted. There is an imposter in your group.
Girl, come here!” Illiyana’s typically serene facade was shattered as she breathed heavily.
“We have a girl. Player 32. She was thrown from your brother’s ship, but we were there.
We found her.” Illiyana whipped the camera to a woman.
Griffin had seen her face in the pictures that came out after they escaped the game.
The woman with Illiyana was the exact replica of those pictures. Except she wasn’t injured at all. Her face unbandaged, no scars, no missing hair.
“Amelia.” The panic that clawed at his throat was almost too much. “Oh god. Oh god.”
He didn’t end the call, choosing to run to his quarters, to where Raven should be getting prepared, but by the time he made it there…
She was already gone.