Fearless (Nameless #3)(4)
She hadn’t told Gryphon about the pact she’d made with the passionate Kodiak leader, just as she hadn’t bothered to explain the frightening new depths of her healing abilities. She and Gryphon had endured so much, a part of her wanted to forget about the future. To close her eyes, like a child playing hide-and-seek, and hope her problems couldn’t see her if she refused to see them.
So many secrets.
They agitated and festered like an untreated wound. Zo hated keeping anything from Gryphon. She would tell him about her blood oath soon enough—once they had some time to enjoy one another’s company without talk of wars and her destructive new abilities.
“You are welcome here,” Laden said to the Kodiak, snapping Zo’s attention back to the present. “My guard will show you where the few Kodiak Allies make their camp. You’ll be given rations, work, and time on our training fields.”
“And we will discuss how the Allies plan to help our families at first light tomorrow,” the Kodiak stated with a firm nod.
Zo held her breath. The Kodiak’s demand crossed a line and Laden wasn’t known to tolerate such disrespect. He surprised Zo by taking one of her hands and absently tracing her fresh scars with his thumb. He didn’t take his eyes off the Kodiak as he dipped his chin. “Until tomorrow.”
Laden gestured for one of his guards to lead Ikatou and the others from the tent, leaving Gryphon and Joshua to stand alone, their hands clasped in an “at ease” position behind their backs.
Laden must not have seen them over the massive forms of the Kodiak. One look at Gryphon and all confidence melted from the Commander’s face.
“Who … ” He checked his tone, reining in his initial shock until his voice took on an almost deadly quality. “Who are you?” He walked over to Gryphon and looked him square in the eyes. They were perfectly matched in height.
Gryphon didn’t flinch under the commander’s scrutiny—a fact that said a great deal about Gryphon’s character. Not many withstood the intimidating inspection of Commander Laden.
“You are the Ram Tess and the Raven twins spoke of?” He walked a complete circle around Gryphon and Joshua, studying, calculating. “They say you saved Zo and Tess at Ram’s Gate.”
“And you are the coward who sent her there.” Gryphon stared at the back wall of the tent, flexing and unflexing his fists.
Commander Laden reluctantly peeled his gaze from Gryphon and looked to Zo. “Whatever threat this man has given you, you need not fear it, Zo. I can protect you from him and his clan now that you are outside the Gate. So tell me truthfully, can these Ram be trusted? Were you followed? Is your arrival a part of some plot to learn our location?”
Zo knew it would take some convincing for Laden and the Allies to trust Gryphon and Joshua; still she couldn’t help but feel defensive.
“They are the reason Tess and I are alive. They have left their home and abandoned their Clan to bring us here. I trust them more than any living person on this earth.” Saying the words out loud confirmed the truth to her very soul. She looked down to her fidgeting hands and focused on not letting tears breech the barriers of her eyes.
“This boy and his little pup,” Laden stabbed a finger in their direction, “have been trained their entire lives to believe that you are nothing more than an animal. They are a poison. A plague. No matter what lies this boy has fed you, he is our enemy.”
“You’re wrong,” said Zo. “I’ve been inside the walls of Ram’s Gate. I’ve seen the hatred you speak of, but Gryphon is different.”
“Gryphon?” Laden rearranged the papers on his desk, seemingly needing to give his hands an occupation. “A very Ram sounding name, isn’t it?” He ran a rough hand through his dark hair.
“We were careful coming here,” Zo added, doing her best to ease his agitation. “No one followed us.”
Laden’s mouth formed a thin line as he surveyed Gryphon and Joshua. “I will need some time to consider all our options.”
Zo noticed Gryphon’s face turning various shades of red. His arms shook with rage. “What’s wrong?” she mouthed.
Before Zo thought to stand in his way, Gryphon exploded from his position next to Joshua and in one impossibly quick motion, grabbed the commander by the neck with one hand. “How could you send her to the Gate?” he shouted. “How could you do that to her?”
Four guards converged on Gryphon, wrestling to free their leader. Joshua loyally jumped in to help his mentor.
Spittle flew from Gryphon’s mouth and he yelled even louder. “You had to know what they’d do to her!”
The guards finally wrestled Gryphon off Laden and held him face down on the ground, wrenching his injured arms behind his back. Joshua was forced to the ground next to him. Neither continued to fight.
Zo’s heart hammered. She looked from Gryphon to Joshua to Commander Laden and back to Gryphon. What was he thinking? It was hard enough to convince the commander to trust them without openly attacking him in his own tent.
But since when had Gryphon governed his actions with regard to his own safety? His sudden boldness affected her so deeply that she found herself completely and utterly lost for words.
As the guards lifted him to his feet, Zo rushed over and placed a hand on Gryphon’s chest. With that one desperate action, she hoped to convey all her voice failed to. I’ll take care of everything … and … thank you.