Chapter 54 By The Griffin
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
BY THE GRIFFIN
ADELINE
As Ardruna and I return from the sanctum, I fully expect to find Roane gone, but he’s right where we left him, seated on the floor by the fire. Talton is perched on a fallen chunk of marble nearby.
“Here they are,” he croaks. “Welcome back to the nest, wanderers.”
Roane looks up and again I’m struck by the hollowness of his cheeks and the blankness of his gaze.
“Did you solve every mystery in the world?” he asks softly. He’s being sarcastic, but it’s as if he can’t put any energy behind the taunt.
“Listen, Ro.” Ardruna pads over to him. “You want her gone. You want all of us gone. But although book characters can’t leave, visitors can. Maybe you could go, too. No reason to stay here any longer.”
“I can’t go,” he says, his voice a low drone.
“Because of your oath? The deal you signed?”
“Fuck the oath. Fuck the deal.” He shakes his head. “I just can’t go.”
“Have you tried to escape?” Talton asks. “Before you met us?”
“I have. I looked everywhere for a way out,” he says in the same quiet voice, “but I found no exit. All doors were closed to me.”
Ardruna watches him. “Are you telling me the truth?”
“Yeah, I swear it on the Time Sword.”
I frown at his declaration. Time Sword? Why does that sound familiar?
“Any ideas on how she could escape, then, since you’re so set on her leaving?” Ardruna insists. “Anything else you haven’t told us?”
His eyes close. His head bows. “Druna… Sorry I said that. I don’t want you gone. Sorry I lied to you. Please, stay.”
A lump lodges in my throat. I wish… I wish he’d say those same words to me. How crazy is that?
“Fine.” Ardruna is still for long moments, then she bumps her head against his shoulder. “I already said I’d never leave you, Ro. So get over it.”
He lets out a choked laugh. “On it.”
“I’d never leave you, either, you stupid oaf,” Talton says.
“I know,” Roane whispers.
It’s such a soft, tender moment and I feel like I’m intruding. Not the best feeling, especially since I’m the one they want to send away.
I clear my throat. “So, about leaving…”
“He just said he hasn’t found a way out,” Ardruna says. “If there is no way out, it’s a moot point. Besides, he doesn’t really want you to leave, do you, Ro?”
He frowns. “Druna, she has to go.”
Her growl rises in volume. “Dammit, Ro.”
Right… “Listen, I have an idea,” I say. “There is one creature said to have great wisdom.”
“Don’t tell me. I know. It’s me.” Talton hops around. “I’m the wisest of birds—”
“It’s the griffin,” I say. “It’s worth giving it another shot.”
“And how do you purport to make a griffin tell you…” Roane nods. “Ah. The egg.”
“The egg, yes. Griffins collect knowledge. They may know of another way out of here.”
“That’s a terrible idea,” Ardruna says. “You can’t go up there again. We’re lucky that griffin didn’t come seeking revenge and snatch her up again after—”
“It’s a great idea,” Roane says.
I swallow hard and risk a glance at him. He isn’t looking at me, though, his gaze empty.
“Griffins are nowhere as wise as I am,” Talton declares. “If you give me some time to think, I’m sure I’ll come up with a solution.” He tilts his head to the side. “Why are you all looking at me like that? All right, I’ll ask around. I have connections.”
“We don’t have time for you to interrogate all the monsters in the land,” Roane says.
“Oh, we’re in a rush?” Talton flutters his wings. “Exciting.”
“Yes, we’re in a rush.” Roane gestures at the egg. “We’ll take it and negotiate.”
“We?” I arch a brow at him. “What do you mean?”
“How were you planning on getting up there,” he gestures with his hand, “on the roof of the world?”
“I was planning on asking your firebird very politely whether he’d fly me up there,” I confess.
“No need. He’ll obey me and I’ll take you. Phoenixes are dangerous steeds.”
“And now you’re suddenly worried about my safety?” I blurt out. “Seriously?”
He fixes me with his gray eyes. “I always am.”
I open my mouth. Close it again. The truth is, it’s a huge relief having Roane fly me up there. I’m all bluff and bluster, pretending I’m not afraid or worried about this crazy plan I’ve concocted, but the more I think about it, the crazier it seems.
I stole that griffin’s egg. The creature may not have known where to look for it, but if I appear at her nest with the egg, then she’ll put two and two together.
She’ll be within her rights to snap me in half with her powerful beak or crash me with her talons.
Or maybe even just kick me out of the nest. That’s deadly enough.
Roane gets up with a groan, pulling his hair back and tying it off with a leather strip. “Better leave your precious book here, so it doesn’t get singed.”
“Excuse me,” Olm says. “I’m going with you.”
I pat the book nestled against my breasts. “It will be fine.”
“Suit yourself.” Roane’s gaze stops where I’ve pressed my hand, a dark fire lighting up in his eyes. “Lucky book.”
I shake my head. “You need to stop saying things like that. That ship has sailed. Now the only thing I want is to get away from you as quickly as possible.”
“Brought this on yourself, Ro,” Talton chirps. “You naughty boy. Won’t you miss her when she’s gone?”
Roane scowls.
The urge to laugh is strong and inappropriate—mostly because I’m still so damn angry with Roane. So damn sad.
It’s not because he lied, I realize, or even because he said he doesn’t want me around anymore. It’s mostly because I still want him, because deep inside me, there is a flicker of hope saying he’ll come around and apologize. Say he wants me here.
Say it, I plead with him in my mind. Say it! Stop pretending you felt nothing when you held me and kissed me and touched me. Pleasured me.
But Roane only gathers his belt of knives and scimitars and buckles it on. “Let’s go.”