Clanless (Nameless #2)(77)

“What are you doing here, Jax?” Then realization dawned. If Ajax was here then the rest of the mess wasn’t far behind. “Where are the others?”

“We’re camped at the summit. I came alone so we could talk.”

Gryphon stepped closer to Ajax and rested his good arm on his brother’s shoulder. “You’re going to be in trouble when Barnabas learns you retreated.”

Ajax offered a tired smile. “It’s actually worse than that.”

“What do you mean?”

His large friend took a deep breath; his shoulders raised and dropped under Gryphon’s hand. “After you escaped, we reported everything to Barnabas.” He shook his head. “Barnabas banished the mess as punishment. We’ve been running rogue ever since.”

Gryphon shook his head. “No.” He refused to believe it. No wonder they were so desperate to capture him. No wonder his brothers wouldn’t so much as look him in the eye.

Gryphon swayed on his feet, then rolled back from his heels to sit on the soggy ground. Water seeped through his pants and rain pelted his body, but he didn’t care. “What have I done?” he muttered, covering his face in his hands. “What about your families? Sara, and the baby. Are they all right?”

Ajax didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to. Gryphon understood life inside the Gate for the family of a banished soldier all too well. “I … I’m so sorry. What can I do, Jax? How can I fix this?”

Ajax went still, his voice barely heard over the rain. “There is something you can do.”

“Name it, brother.”

Ajax stared at the ground, unwilling to meet Gryphon’s eyes. “The only way Barnabas will let us regain our citizenship and the honor of our families is if … we bring him your head.” He seemed to have a difficult time swallowing. His voice took on a desperate tone. “The mess. They see me as their leader now. I’m responsible for them, Gryph.” His head fell forward into his hands. “I don’t know what to do!”

Gryphon swore and stepped away from Ajax.

Zo. How could he possibly walk away from Zo now that they finally had each other? “I want to help you, Ajax. But I … I just can’t.”

Gryphon jumped as Ajax dropped to his knees at Gryphon’s feet. “It kills me to beg you, brother, but think of their families.” He wiped rain from his agonized face. “Think of my family. Of Sara. How will I protect her and our baby if I’m not allowed near them? You know what will happen if the Seer finds out about the baby.”

Ajax threaded his fingers through the grass at Gryphon’s feet and made a fist with shaking hands. By now the Seer would likely know about the baby and the birth defect. The malformation of the child’s lip was something Zo claimed could be fixed in a minor surgery, but the Ram didn’t accept any born outside perfection.

Gryphon dropped to the ground next to his friend and rested a hand on his shoulder. “We will find a way around this, Ajax. I’ll find a way to help you.”

Ajax slowly lifted his head, his face coming level with Gryphon’s, his chin trembling. “If you ever considered me a brother, you will help me save my wife and son.”

Ajax’s words ripped through Gryphon’s chest. “I’d do it for you, Gryph.”

Gryphon swore and turned away. A knot in his throat made speaking impossible. He couldn’t believe this was happening, couldn’t fathom the words that tumbled out of his mouth next. “I will give myself over to Barnabas.” A pause. “But there’s something I must do first.”

“What’s that?” Ajax didn’t pull his eyes from the ground.

“I need to get Joshua and Zo to the Allies. It’s the only place they’ll be safe.”

Ajax frowned. “You would send Joshua to fight against us?”

“I would send Joshua away to live, brother. He has no future with the Ram. Even you can see that!”

Ajax shook his head. “You and that blasted boy. You set your mind to protecting something and you’ll change the stars to do it. You would make … ”

“What?” Gryphon asked when Ajax faltered.

Ajax looked him square in the eye. “I was going to say that you’d make a good clan chief someday, but … ”

“But there isn’t going to be a someday. Not for me,” said Gryphon.

Ajax swore. “I’d follow you to hell and back, Gryph. But the others, I can’t abandon them. I have to think of Sara.” He smiled weakly. “I guess we’re not that different after all.”

“Go back to the Gate,” said Gryphon. “Tell them I’ll come and turn myself in in a month. Maybe two.” How would he explain this to Zo? Why did taking the honorable road require him to hurt those he loved? He’d need that time to get Joshua settled. To say goodbye. He closed his eyes and counted to ten before opening them again.

“That won’t work,” said Ajax.

“Why?”

“Because the chief has ordered the Ram to relocate to the south. They’re leaving the Gate. The Great Move is officially underway.”

“The Great Move?”

“We’re marching on the Valley of Wolves. Barnabas sees it as our new home, and final battleground in his quest to control the region.”