Clanless (Nameless #2)(71)

“I hope he’s alive,” said Zo. “He’s going to pay for this.”

Gryphon whipped around, needing to see her face.

He didn’t have the chance before she tucked her body into his side for warmth. The cold tip of her nose pressed gently against his rib cage. He draped his arm around her, drawing her even closer to him and lifted his other arm for Joshua to do the same.

“I’m good,” the boy said, even though Gryphon saw him shiver.

“I didn’t ask if you were ‘good.’ Now get over here.” He pulled Joshua over by his collar and tucked him close to his side. The two people he cared for most.

“Thank you for saving the Raven,” Zo mumbled into his shirt.

He squeezed her to let her know he’d heard.





Gryphon woke to the feel of cold steel pressed against his throat. He stared down the blade to find Zander with the rest of the mess surrounding them.

“Get up.” Ever the soldier, Zander kept his voice neutral, adding pressure to the sword until Gryphon had no choice but to rise. Zo and Joshua had fallen asleep resting on his shoulders. When his arms fell away, they stirred awake.

“Gryphon?” Zo gasped beside him. Joshua attempted to stand, reaching for the dagger he kept on his belt.

Ajax stepped in and kicked the knife out of the boy’s hands before he could so much as point it in someone’s direction. He pushed Joshua to the ground and planted a foot on his chest with enough force to make the kid groan.

How could Gryphon let this happen? He never fell asleep on watch, especially not in the middle of the day. He only meant to give Zo and Joshua a chance to rest, to have both of them huddled against him in total contentment. Gryphon didn’t even remember closing his eyes.

The cycle was starting all over again, always coming back to the undeniable theme that he couldn’t protect the ones he loved most. Zo would have been safer with the Clanless. Joshua should have stayed with the Nameless refugees. Everyone would have been better off if Gabe’s lie were true—if he had died.

Why didn’t he kill Zander when he had the chance?

“Dispose of the boy and keep the healer.” Zander turned a cool look at Ajax. “Since she’s still alive, I’d like to handle her personally.”

Ajax’s scowl didn’t fit him, his mouth better suited to laughter. “You know the orders, Zander,” he said without moving to obey. “Barnabas wants Gryphon and the girl alive. The Seer believes she has information about the gathering of the clans.”

Gryphon and the other brothers of their mess gawked at Ajax. All their lives they’d been programmed to accept a higher-ranking officer’s word without question. Ajax publically reminding Zander of Barnabas’ orders bordered on sedition.

Zander’s neck and cheeks flared red. His hand trembled on the sword still pointed at Gryphon’s throat. His eyes were sunken and his skin a pallid gray. “I know our orders, Second.” Zander’s nostrils flared, his chest pumping. He turned back to Gryphon.

“Second?” Gryphon raised an eyebrow at Ajax, earning a stern glare from his best friend.

“Someone had to take your place, Gryph,” said Ajax. He dug his boot harder into Joshua’s chest, as if to prove a point. Gryphon couldn’t decide if it was an act or not. He’d like to think his friend was on his side, but Ajax had a family to consider inside the Gate. He couldn’t overtly help Gryphon without risking his wife and newborn son.

Gryphon watched Joshua from the corner of his eye and made sure to keep Zo behind him when he turned back to Zander. “I’ll come quietly if you let the healer and the boy go free.”

“I’m not leaving you,” said Zo quietly. Her hand gripped the back of his calf where she knelt.

Zander laughed. “For once, I agree with your little pet.” He sidestepped Gryphon and bent down to speak to Zo. “He should have kept you at his farm with the other animals. Now he has to share you with the rest of us.”

Gryphon’s fist flew without his permission and landed squarely on Zander’s cheek. Bone shattered beneath his knuckles and Zander hit the ground hard. Gryphon’s mess brothers converged. Zo rushed into his arms. He held her for one fraction of a moment before strong hands pulled them apart amid Zo’s shrill protests.

Joshua fought free of Ajax and charged in to help, but one of Gryphon’s brothers threw an elbow into his face. Ajax caught him and dragged him away from the chaos. The boy hung limp in his arms.

“Don’t touch him!” Zo cried at Ajax. “How can you do this?” she yelled. “How can you betray your best friend?”

“Shut her up,” yelled Zander as he climbed to his feet.

Noah, a tall, lean man with light hair and a thin mouth, grabbed Zo’s wrist. She whipped around and clawed at his face before he caught her other wrist and kneed her in the stomach. Doubled over in pain, her moan reverberated in Gryphon’s ears.

Zander pressed his fingers to his cheek and winced. “You’re cowardly enough to hit a man when he’s not looking? I taught you better.”

Red tinged the corners of Gryphon’s vision. He had to draw Zander’s attention away from Zo and Joshua. He leaned forward, away from the arms that bound him, and spat, “You’re afraid of me, Zander. You always have been.”

Zander wiped his bloody lip on his sleeve and stepped toe to toe with Gryphon. He schooled his features and kept his sword hand loose at his side.