Chapter 2 Audryn
AUDRYN
Behind my closed eyelids, the morning sun shone bright and warm. Not ready to wake up, I burrowed under the blanket. Everyone had slept near the fire except for me. I’d never been one to sleep peacefully with others nearby and preferred my space, even if the dropping temperature left me cold.
I had settled on a small hill for the night, grateful to be away from the others. Fisher protested, saying it was too dangerous, but Grave assured him there was little concern. With the wyverns camping nearby, they were sure to keep outsiders away.
The guard grumbled that I’d be too cold without the warmth of the flames, but when the king provided me with his personal bedroll, Fisher had no other choice than to let me be.
And though I didn’t want to take him up on his offer, the alternative of sleeping close to everyone else was an even worse option.
The magic of the land vibrated as life moved around me.
Critters scuttled and birds sang sweet melodies from nearby trees.
In the distance, the crackling fire had faded at some point during the night while my thoughts drifted to dreams of my mother.
I was grateful for the times she visited me in my sleep, but it always ended too quickly.
Several minutes passed before I gave up and decided to check in with the others.
I pulled the blanket back, exposing an eye.
A single furry bumblebee buzzed by and landed on one of the stalks of lavender intermingling with tall blades of vibrant grass.
His thick body waddled along the stem toward the plant’s nectar-filled blooms.
“Good morning, Kam,” I breathed through a smile at the familiar winged critter.
“Who’s Kam?” Grave’s deep voice surprised me from my morning haze.
Lifting my head, I scowled at the man lazily reclining back against a dark shadow. He was near my feet with his legs outstretched and his hands resting behind his head. The beams of the sunrise reflected on his skin, making him appear nearly golden.
“That’s none of your business,” I admonished, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
When my haze cleared, I realized Grave’s back wasn’t against a boulder or shadow, but he was leaning against one of the black beasts.
Zalzre had wrapped his body around me in a semicircle, effectively blocking me from the summer breeze.
The beast was fast asleep as a hum of air blew from the small gap in his maw.
“Were you both here all night?” I narrowed my eyes at the king. “There was a reason I chose to sleep here and not over there.”
“Temperatures dropped, and the wind picked up. You were going to shiver to death in spite of yourself. So, Zalzre helped out.” Grave paused for a moment and looked out over the swaying grass. “Who’s Kam? I don’t suppose you go around naming every bee you come across.”
I sat up and pushed my back against the leathery wyvern, taking in the slight warmth of his skin. The heat of the morning was absorbing into him just enough to take the chill off the reptilian-like creature. Zalzre shifted slightly and nudged into me, but didn’t wake.
“Did you know a bee works its entire life and still doesn’t make enough honey to sweeten one cup of tea?” I stared at the bee, still hard at work collecting nectar. “Funny how it takes so many little critters for us to enjoy a single cup.”
“Interesting,” Grave mused.
“They have no way of communicating through voice, so they developed body movement to talk with each other. Supposedly, they do so by scent too, but I’m not sure how someone even found that to be true.” Stretching my neck from left to right, my vision settled on Grave, who was watching the bee.
“I think there’s a lot you can tell from body language.” His gaze rolled to me. “Sometimes words fail us and our actions speak louder, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Hmm,” I considered.
“So, are you going to tell me who Kam is?”
Standing, I shook my head and looked at Fisher and Amalee who sat near the nearly extinguished fire. “Are we going to sit here all day?”
Zalzre shifted and peered up at me, only bothering to open a single golden eye.
Leaning down, I tentatively rubbed a hand over the smooth, taut skin of his neck.
When he pressed into my touch, I quickened the stroke to an aggressive pace.
The wyvern shifted and promptly kicked a frenzied foot into the king, sending Grave flying several feet down the hill.
“Hey!” Grave huffed and scrambled to his feet.
The beast let out a trilling noise and continued kicking out its foot in rapid succession until I stopped scratching. He was nothing more than a large domesticated animal cloaked in the skin of a nightmare.
“Everything okay over here?” Fisher closed the distance, wearing an unamused expression.
“Yeah, the king got booted by his trusted mode of transportation.” I cocked my head as Grave dusted off his pants. “So, everything’s perfect.” I smirked at him.
“I see.” Fisher eyed Grave suspiciously. “What’s the plan? Are we leaving?”
“Yeah, let’s go.” Grave tossed an object to me before walking away, not looking to see if I was prepared for the catch.
Thankfully, I’d reacted quickly enough; otherwise, my still-warm breakfast would’ve been lying buried in the grass.
I brought it to my nose and breathed in the heavy scent.
A mixture of bacon and eggs filled my nostrils; my mouth watered when I opened it up to see the soft roll cradling its contents.
“Is he bothering you? Because I’m pretty sure that wasn’t part of the agreement.” Fisher shifted and glanced in the king’s direction.
“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” I said, taking a bite as a creamy garlic and herb sauce hit my tongue. The familiar zing reminded me of a similar concoction my mother used to make with parsley and sage from our garden.
Fisher grumbled and moved to roll up the bedding.
I shoo’d him away and pushed my food into his hand so I could clean up. “When did you know Ryder made the deal with Grave?” I asked.
I’d been contemplating just how much Fisher knew but hadn’t bothered to tell me. Over the last few weeks, I’d nearly forgotten he wasn’t my friend and was working for the prince. The reality was a harsh reminder that Fisher was a guard first and foremost.
“When I dropped you off at breakfast,” he said, not hesitating.
I raised an eyebrow and doubted he was telling the truth.
The guard threw out a hand. “Had he given me advance notice, don’t you think I’d have brought other clothes from home, and not just the spare uniform I keep at the castle? Do you really think this was some big ploy that I was in on?”
Zalzre rose to his feet, took several steps forward, and shot into the sky in a flash. I nearly tumbled back from the gust his wings created when he launched.
“I hate those things.” Fisher cringed. “They’re nothing but death and destruction.”
“Says who?” I watched the creature soar high above with Ralti. “They’ve seemed fine enough so far. I mean, they aren’t the cutest to look at, but I imagine the gryphons aren’t either—though I’ve only ever seen one in a sketch.”
He huffed. “Wait until you’ve seen a wyvern in battle. Stay alive as long as I have, and you’ll realize they are brutal. They’ve torn my friends to shreds just for the fun of it.”
Rivale hadn’t seen war in over thirty years, and when it had, the witches attacked along the entire western coast of Crofea. The book I had read said there were rumors that Kuroden had colluded with Oras witches, which only solidified why Ryder hated Grave as much as he did.
I finished rolling up the bedding and grabbed the sandwich from Fisher.
The sun continued to rise as I finished my breakfast and admired the dancing lavender on the rolling hills; the area really was beautiful.
The ground stuttered as the two wyverns landed near the fire.
Zalzre promptly extinguished the remaining embers with a mouthful of water, sending steam into the air.
“I could’ve helped if you had asked.” Fisher looked at Grave and gestured to the fire ring. “No need to have your beast flying around and terrorizing the locals when I can conjure water.”
The king shrugged. “Your type is weird about magic. Why would I ask when doing so is considered rude?”
I rolled my eyes. Suddenly, he’s concerned with civility?
Grave continued, “Though I suppose you’re one of the few your prince allows to even use it. Must be nice.”
Fisher scowled.
“Don’t turn your temper on me. It’s your leader who’s banned it.
” The king grabbed my bag and took it to the harness strapped around Zalzre’s chest. “But we’re no longer in Rivale, so those rules don’t apply anymore,” he said, and turned to me, “to either of you.” Zalzre bowed down into the lavender, and Grave gestured with his hand. “Let’s go.”
The ride was filled with silence as the sun finally sank past the horizon. We flew toward a dark chasm. Dim lights from the land below came into view and brightened as we grew closer.
“I reside in the capital,” Grave pointed to the valley where onyx mountains surrounded every side but the south.
“Congratulations?” I narrowed my eyes on the specks of light below. The moonlight didn’t bounce off the area; instead, it was as if the light itself was swallowed into the void.
Zalzre dove, and I grasped the unwavering hand that remained on my abdomen.
The king’s thick forearm pulled me into him; it was the silent reassurance I’d begun to welcome during the trip.
Whether he had kept me safe out of obligation or simply because he’d needed me for his own plans, I couldn’t tell, but I was grateful nonetheless.
The rapid descent stalled to a sickening halt as we landed near the front of a massive black stone castle.
The building was pressed up against dark cliffs like the structure itself was carved from the mountain.
Sharp edges of rock jutted out and over several portions of the building, threatening to topple down on it.
A shiver ran down my spine. “I don’t suppose you might have taken a wrong turn?” I asked as the soles of my boots hit the black ground with a crunch. Bending down, I grabbed a handful of the rocky soil. It wasn’t dirt at all, but small pieces of black and grey stone minced into dust and gravel.
“Nope.” He chuckled and stretched out an arm. “Welcome to Grant Castle.”
“Grant?” I turned to face him. “Your father was King Graystorm, was he not? I read about him in a book from the library.”
“First, why were you reading about Kuroden? Interested in visiting before Ryder secured you the trip?” His brow lifted and fell. “Second, not everything you read in a book is true. You must always consider who has written the words.”
He turned and started toward the castle without waiting for my reply.
Silver hardware adorned the black entrance doors.
Two women stood in guard uniforms similar to those worn in Rivale.
They gave large smiles and a slight dip of their chin in Grave’s direction.
It was a stark difference from those who worked for the Suttons.
“Graystorm wasn’t your father?” Following at his heels, I pushed back my windblown strands. “I need my bag, you can’t just leave it outside.”
“I’ll get it, but we’re having dinner with my mother first.” He turned over his shoulder and smiled. Amber eyes brightening, he wasn’t the dangerous man I expected, but someone I might’ve been friends with under different circumstances.
“Audryn,” Fisher said, moving to my side, “you need to stay close while we’re here. You can’t just walk away and go off on your own.”
Grave stopped abruptly, causing me to nearly bump into his back.
He spun and shot a look at Fisher. “I believe you have this arrangement all wrong,” the king growled.
“You’re accompanying her because I allowed it, not for any other reason.
She’s not the property of King Sutton, the prince, or you. You will treat her as such.”
Fisher’s nostrils flared, but he only lifted his chin and held his tongue.
“Weird thing to say considering you’ve basically purchased me from Ryder for the month,” I spat and stepped forward. “Shall we assume I belong to you instead?”
Grave eyed me. “You belong to no one.”
The guards pulled the doors wide, revealing the opulent interior of the building. Grave cleared his throat and left me standing on the stoop with my mouth gaping.