Nameless (18 page)

Ajax took Gryphon by the shoulder. “I hope not. We’re going to need you.”

Zo mentally tucked the information away for when she could find a day to escape to the river and drop a bottle or two. Though they were far away from her usual spot on the mountain, she could still hear the river over her left shoulder as they walked farther and farther away from Tess’ half-empty bunk in the Nameless’ barracks.

After Ajax left, Gryphon led Zo another half-mile down the wild path. He walked slowly, favoring one leg. His face paled from blood loss. Zo didn’t offer help. The Ram would be less of a threat with his injuries and exhaustion. Not that she cared much anymore. Even though Gabe’s death was just one more reason to fight, her body begged for rest. The simple task of putting one foot in front of the other became as arduous as walking through thigh-high mud.

Her cheek pulsed from the Gate Master’s most recent attack. She held her side without even realizing it. The pain from what she assumed was a broken rib was the only thing keeping her lucid. Sapping the numb anguish that had settled into her soul.

After several miles of walking, the forest thinned into an open field. A log building sat on a modest rise in the distance. Behind it the great wall of the Ram loomed tall and jagged against the night sky. They must have walked the entire diameter of the territory with Gryphon carrying Gabe on his back. The wall and a handful of miles were all that separated Zo from Commander Laden and his men. The thought should have given her hope, but all she felt was pain. Pain for Gabe. Pain for Tess. Pain that she and her sister would both spend the night grieving alone.

Gryphon’s whole body hurt. Sticky blood pooled in his boot as he walked. He held one arm to his stomach like an injured bird protecting a bad wing. His right leg buckled when he gave it too much weight. He couldn’t wait to lie down and fall asleep. Maybe in his dreams he could sort out the mess he’d made.

Gryphon told the healer to wait outside as he stumbled into his family’s old barn. He laid the Wolf down in a pile of stale hay and stretched until his back popped. His skin was wet from perspiring and his feet felt weighed down by rocks. Pressing two fingers to the Wolf’s throat, he frowned and left him there, shutting the door behind him.

Zo still wouldn’t look at him when he exited the barn and motioned for her to follow. They neared the house and the door flung open. Joshua bounded from the porch like a jackrabbit. The way he moved, it was no wonder he’d beaten them home. Gryphon extended his good arm to accept the kid’s help, but Joshua shot past him.

“I can’t believe you get to live here now!” he exclaimed. The healer’s eyes grew round as Joshua wrapped her in a tight hug. The bottles in her ever-present medical satchel rattled together. A rogue smile cracked her stoic expression. Joshua had that effect on people.

“A little help,” Gryphon grumbled as he tried to slough off his pack without jarring his shoulder.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, Gryph.”

“What? You’re not happy to see me too?” Gryphon said.

“Not as happy as your mom. She’s pretty upset, though.”

Gryphon sighed. “So you told her, did you?”

“I had to when she saw you coming up the hill with the Wolf slung over your shoulder.”

Gryphon felt the healer stiffen at his side. “Help me inside, Joshua.” He turned back to see the pale girl. She looked like she might be sick. “Come with us,” he ordered.

Gryphon leaned his spear against the wall and dropped his shield next to the mat. “Mother?” he called. The ghosts of voices that once filled the house haunted him. He refused to look up at his father’s shield.

“Gryphon!” cried a woman in the next room. Her steps came quick and light. She stopped three feet before him, and like all proud Ram woman, let him close the remaining distance.

In two steps he pulled her under his good arm. “I’m sorry, Mother. I didn’t plan to fight.”

His mother wiped a tear from her eye and swatted the back of his head. “Why? Why did you do it?”

Gryphon shrugged. “He didn’t deserve execution, Mother.”

“I didn’t deserve to lose my husband,” she said flatly. “War is war. We do what is required for us to survive.”

“I had everything under control.”

She eyed him like he was a kitchen mouse pretending to be a breadcrumb. “Look at yourself! Under control?” She closed her eyes and kneaded her forehead with her fingertips. Heavy frown lines permanently pulled down the corners of her mouth.

Gryphon tucked her deeper into his embrace and kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry, Mother.” The woman had endured more than her share of heartache. He hated to add to her pain.

Her fiery golden eyes whipped up to meet his. “If you leave me without grandchildren, I swear I’ll jump up and down on your grave.” She almost smiled before her eyes rested on the healer. “Who is she?”

Joshua put an arm around the girl. “This is the healer who saved my life.”

“A Nameless healer?” Gryphon’s mother narrowed her gaze. “Why would the Seer place a Nameless as a healer?”

“It’s a long story.” Gryphon sighed. “I’ll tell you everything in the morning.”

Gryphon’s mother stepped around her son and grabbed the girl’s chin to get a better look at her face. “Turn,” she ordered, gesturing for her to do a slow spin. Zo obeyed.

“Give me your hands.” His mother made a
tsking
sound and let them drop, shaking her head all the while. “You haven’t worked a day in your life, have you, child?”

The girl kept her head cast down. “Not in the fields, madam.”

“Madam, nothing. You’ll call me Mrs. Drea like the rest of our Nameless.”

“Yes, Mrs. Drea.”

Gryphon found that he’d held his breath through the entire exchange. The girl had never submitted to him with such earnestness. Obviously his mother was more intimidating.

“Mother, we’ve had a long day—”

“If this pretty thing is a healer, have her patch you up tonight. I won’t have you bloodying another set of linens. The girl can sleep in the barn until I find a place for her with the others.”

Gryphon’s mother grasped Joshua’s hand. “Look after my son, Joshua. He seems to be losing his mind.”

When they were alone, the healer started unloading glass jars filled with brown and green liquids onto a small table in their front room. “Wait.” Gryphon scratched his head and took a step toward the door. “I—I need to check on … something. I’ll only be a minute or two.”

“I’ll come with you,” said Joshua. The boy moved to follow him.

“No!” Gryphon inwardly cringed at his own abrupt tone. The last thing he needed was to pique Joshua’s curiosity. “Stay with the girl.”

“
Zo,
” Joshua emphasized. “She has a name, remember?”

Gryphon couldn’t help but look at the girl. She met his gaze for a moment then looked away. Gryphon cleared his throat. “Zo.” His deep voice struggled around the word.

It was the first time Gryphon had ever spoken her name out loud. A minor rebellion compared to the other mistakes he’d made over the past weeks, but somehow it felt intimately worse. Like an admission of the way he truly saw her. She was
Zo
to him as well. The thought made him even more lightheaded than before.

“I’ll be back soon.” Gryphon snatched one of the room’s two lanterns. He stumbled on the doorframe and left to greet the dark night. A light rain mixed with the sheen of sweat on his skin, as if the sky tried to clean away his sins. But even an angry storm couldn’t wash away the film of guilt lining his stomach. How had a string of rational choices led to this?

“Idiot.” He spoke aloud. Someone had to say it.

He took a calming breath before carefully opening the door to the barn. He held the lantern aloft as he searched the stalls. Gryphon felt naked without his shield. Exposed. After double-checking the stalls, a horrible reality settled upon him. The Wolf was gone. He pumped feeling into his fingers as his search became more frantic. Gruesome possibilities clenched at his gut like iron pinchers.

Gryphon tried not to panic, taking a long moment to think like his enemy. Where would he go? He might be able to scale the wall, but that would take a great amount of effort and he was seriously wounded. He’d need time to heal before any escape would be possible.

Suddenly Gryphon remembered the Wolf in the cave. The way he’d reacted to seeing Zo in danger. The man’s promise to kill him repeated over and over again. Gryphon sat down on a stool in the middle of the dark barn. He rubbed his face with his hands.

“You’re in some trouble, I imagine,” called a strained voice from a dark corner of the barn.

Gryphon’s head whipped up. He held up the lantern. “Where are you?”

“That is, unless they put you up to it.” The Wolf’s voice bit through the blackness. “Make a show of killing me, then let me live so you can knife me for more information later.”

Gryphon rose to his feet. “Come out. We need to talk.”

“My shoulder has already stopped bleeding. Perfect blade placement.”

Rain pelted against the roof of the barn. Gryphon couldn’t even hear the crunch of hay from his boots as he crept toward the sound. “I spared your life, Wolf.”

“Yes, but to what end?”

A crack of lightning struck outside. The ground shook from the impact as light exploded through the seams of the building, showing Gryphon his enemy only five feet away. The Wolf used the wall to support him. He held a pitchfork in his hands, the three deadly points fixed on Gryphon’s heart. “Don’t move, Ram.”

Gryphon held up his hands to show he had no weapon. His mind raced for a way out of the situation. He could run, but he’d earn himself a fork to the back. Not a good idea.

“Where is she?” the Wolf demanded.

When Gryphon didn’t answer right away, the Wolf stabbed at him with the fork. Gryphon jumped back but the metal grazed his arm, ripping his shirt. Gryphon dropped his hands. Furious. “You just made a big mistake.”

“Where is she?” cried the Wolf. He stabbed at him again, only this time Gryphon was ready. He sidestepped the jab and took hold of the shaft of the pitchfork. The lantern dropped to the ground, the light snuffed out. The men struggled until they both stumbled to the damp barn floor. Gryphon landed hard, losing his grip on the weapon.

The door to the barn flew open. Lightning flashed behind Joshua, Zo at his heels. The sight of them stunned Gryphon. Joshua raised his sword and the Wolf charged him.

Zo pushed the boy aside in time to catch the tips of the pitchfork in her stomach. The weapon clattered to the floor. Joshua cried out as Zo’s pale face dropped from the light of his lantern.

Gryphon slammed the stunned Wolf into the ground. His head connected with a stall door. Unconscious.

“I told you to wait at the house!” Gryphon yelled. The poor boy met him at Zo’s side. She clutched her stomach and forced down a cry.

“Bind and gag him. I’ll be back soon.” Gryphon went to help her stand but noticed dark stains pooling from the holes in her shirt. He switched his hands with some hesitation, pulling her arm around his shoulder while scooping up her legs.

“Where are you taking her?” Tears collected in Joshua’s eyes. He used his sleeve to wipe them away.

The girl rested her head on Gryphon’s shoulder, and he no longer felt pain from the fight. “To the house. She needs her kit and a warm fire.”

Zo reached a hand out to comfort Joshua. “It’s not deep, Ginger.” She gently ruffled his red hair. “I’ll be fine.”

Up at the house, Gryphon rested Zo on the floor by the hearth. He rushed to bring blankets and her kit. Her eyes didn’t even register fear as he pulled out his knife to cut through the clothes around her waist, the fabric wet and sticky. Three shallow holes oozed ink dark blood. Zo’s whole body trembled. “Who was that man?” she asked.

Gryphon could tell by her voice that she really didn’t know. “My enemy.” He hovered over her, his clumsy hands outstretched, wanting to help but not knowing how. “Tell me what to do.”

Zo closed her eyes and started taking slow breaths.

Gryphon grabbed her by the shoulders. “Tell me!”

She opened her eyes and slapped him across the face. Gryphon sat back on his heels and rubbed his cheek, stunned.