Clanless (Nameless #2)(51)

Gryphon’s cheeks reddened. “I haven’t changed the world.”

Raca frowned. “Right now we are tracking people who are free because of you. You did that for Zo, am I right? You left your home, your people, your family … all for her.”

“Enough.” Gryphon didn’t want to be reminded about what he left behind. His pride. His family home and friends. His own mother. They would all hate him now.

“You changed the world for her.” She nodded, satisfied that her point was made.

Gryphon cleared his throat. “These tracks are only about a day old. We should intercept them tomorrow.” He wandered around the woods picking up dead branches and snapping them over his knee to break them down for firewood.

“She’s lucky to have you,” said Raca.





Boar waited for Stone, Zo, and a small contingent of weary Nameless men a mile outside the charred remains of camp. They guarded eight Nameless who knelt in their midst, their hands bound behind their backs. Most of the Nameless captives’ clothes and all of their shoes were missing, stolen by the desperate Clanless.

Only a Clanless would bother stealing the shoes of a former slave.

At Stone’s command, the handful of men that acted as his guard stopped twenty yards away. Zo stepped up to Stone’s side with her hands clasped in front of her, arms locked straight and knuckles white with fear.

“You came,” said Boar. His gaze rested on Zo, and he showed his yellow teeth in a frightening grin. “I’m glad.” He gestured down to the Nameless at his feet. “I think they’re glad, as well.”

“We will make the trade, Boar, but you stole nine of my men. I only count eight.”

“I didn’t realize Nameless could count,” sneered Boar. Then he shrugged like it didn’t matter. “Our agreement changed when you refused me. I planned to kill one of your men every night you prolonged our arrangement.” He nudged one of the men on the ground with his boot. “Like I said, this lot is glad to see you.”

“You filthy—”

“Take your men and leave the girl, and my band of Clanless will not bother you anymore.” He almost sang his offer. His smile was so wrong that Zo took an involuntary step backward. Was this man psychotic?

Stone’s skin turned a reddish hue. The muscles in his neck and jaw flared like he’d enjoy nothing better than to detach Boar’s head from his neck.

Zo touched Stone’s shoulder, trying to calm him before he tried to kill Boar with his bare hands. “Do this for Eva, Stone. Do it for your men and those suffering in camp.”

Stone nodded and exhaled out his nose, but couldn’t manage to speak, so Zo spoke for him. “We have a deal,” Zo said. “I will go with you, but first you need to let our men go.”

Boar licked his lips. He flicked his wrist at one of his men—the same gesture he gave when he had the Nameless woman’s throat slit.

“Don’t!” cried Zo.

But instead of cutting another throat, Stone’s men cut the ropes binding the Nameless. The men struggled to their bare feet.

“Good,” said Boar. “Now walk to me, my dear.” He rubbed the side of his nose with his thumb and licked his lips again.

Zo took one steadying breath then reached inside her shirt pocket and handed her letter to Stone. “Give this to Commander Laden. It explains everything and will ensure a future for the Nameless, as well as Tess and Joshua.”

Stone’s eyes asked forgiveness as he accepted the missive.

“Walk!” shouted Boar.

Zo flinched under the command but hiked up her pack and stepped away from Stone and his guard. The walk lasted a lifetime. Each step marked a hundred days with those she loved that she might never experience. A memory of time wasted that she’d never get back. She should have told Tess more stories about their parents. Why didn’t she teach her the lullabies their mother used to sing to them when they were small? Tess would never sing them to her children. Those precious memories would die with Zo.

Zo stopped just outside of Boar’s reach. “Now let them go.”

Boar nodded and the Nameless men scrambled away from their wild captors. Zo felt their stares at her back. Their guilt. Their relief.

Boar held out his hand, like he was talking to a young child or perhaps a very close friend. “Come along, Healer. We have ground to cover.”

Zo would rather swallow a knife than take his hand. But there was a wild glint to his eyes. Unsteadiness in his outstretched hand. For some reason, the cruel side of Boar didn’t frighten her as much as the calm and calculated side. She had a distinct impression that the longer she played the docile creature the longer she might live.

And she needed to live to teach Tess those lullabies.

Zo reached out and accepted Boar’s hand.





Chapter 20





The next morning Gryphon ran with more energy than he had since leaving the Nest. Today he would see Zo and Joshua and Tess.

My family.

It was strange how people had the ability to create holes in your life. With them, he knew the emptiness he’d felt for abandoning his clan would be filled. A little voice in the back of his head reminded him that he would still never be welcome with the Allies, but he shoved the thought aside. There was too much to be grateful for today to worry about the trials of tomorrow. With the people he cared for by his side, everything would find its way of working out. It simply would.