Nameless (Nameless #1)(60)

“You need to find Sara and Eva. Tell them to bring the baby and meet at my home this afternoon. I’ll speak with Ajax at mess training.”

“What are you planning?” Zo gathered her things, purposefully avoiding Tess’ little hole in the floor. Her stomach dropped whenever she looked at it.

“There’s no time for this.” He guided her out the door and into the frosty morning air, his hand a whisper on her lower back. Gryphon’s breath clouded as he spoke. “Stay off the main road until you reach the turnoff. You don’t want to chance running into the Seer or Gate Master on your way.”

Zo shivered. “What about you?” She blew into her cupped hands to warm them. “You said the Seer can tell when someone’s lying.”

“I’ve had interrogation training. Let’s hope the system doesn’t fail me.” He smiled weakly.

A trained liar. She was putting her sister’s life in the hands of a trained liar. Perfect.





The most important part of deception happened inside the mind. Gryphon really needed to believe his own story, and if possible, avoid telling lies altogether, to convince the Seer. When he tweaked the timeline of events, everything he said was true.

Zo— no that wasn’t right—My Nameless healer never even mentioned she had a sister. The little girl is not here.

Unfortunately Tess wasn’t Gryphon’s only problem.

Gryphon closed the old barn door behind him. He cut the ropes around the ankles of the Wolf and removed his gag. “What’s going on?” the prisoner asked at once.

“I need to move you.”

“And I was so comfortable here.”

Gryphon didn’t have time for the Wolf’s sarcasm. “Tess is in danger. People are looking for her. They could be here any moment.”

“Where is she?” All humor fell from the Wolf’s face.

“Safe in the mountain forest with Joshua.”

The Wolf nodded his understanding. “Are you being watched?”

Gryphon helped him up to his feet. “Maybe.”

“Where is Zo? If they question her—”

“I know. She’s a dead giveaway. I sent her away.”

Again the Wolf nodded. “And you need me to hide, so they don’t discover you spared my life.”

Gryphon cracked open the door to the barn. “I’m going to walk back to the house and close the door behind me. I want you to crawl through this field until you reach the tree line east of the house. Watch and wait. I won’t be able to meet you until later this afternoon. If you get caught, it’s your own neck.”

The Wolf regarded him from the side. “And you’re not worried at all about me scaling that wall and running?”

“You won’t leave without Zo and Tess.”

“And when they return?” The Wolf’s whole demeanor tensed in anticipation.

Gryphon had made the decision long ago, but it didn’t make the words any easier to say. “You’re all leaving Ram’s Gate with my friend and his family.”

“You’re not coming?”

Gryphon thought of his mother. Of the shield hanging on his wall. Of his dreams to restore his family’s honor. Of his own hopes for success. Of his love for the Ram in spite of the clan’s many shortcomings.

“I can’t.”





Gryphon pushed his knife into the block of wood that no longer resembled the Ram. Now it was nothing more than a sharpened stake. Curled shavings fell to the floor. The scent of pine tickled his nose as always. The familiar smell and the steady strokes of his blade helped calm his nerves as the Seer and two guards climbed the hill to his humble family home.

When they were twenty yards away he stood to give her the respect she was entitled as the chief’s trusted counsel. Her black hair was pulled back into a severe bun at the nape of her neck. Her bird eyes examined the knife in his hand before scanning up to meet his face. Gryphon set the knife on the small deck table and walked down the steps to greet the Seer.

“Good morning, ma’am.” He offered a slight bow of the head to show submission. He thought the guards would begin their search right away, but they just stood there with arms clasped in front of them.

“Soldier.” She returned the gesture. “You’ve been expecting me.” It wasn’t a question. “Why are you not training with your mess?” she asked, her black Seer eyes unblinking.

“Zander was called in to meet with Chief Barnabas this morning. We aren’t scheduled to meet for training until third horn.” She likely knew the answer to her own question. She knew everyone’s business inside the Gate.

She studied him, pulling her brows together just a fraction. “Your mess needs you at your best for a pending mission. Someone of your particular skill is too valuable to lose. Especially now.”

Gryphon bowed his head again, wondering about the nature of his next excursion. “Thank you, ma’am.”

The Seer’s smile spread in a thin line across her face. “Which is why I sent Gate Master Leon last night.”

“You sent him?” Fear rose from his toes to his forehead, fogging his mind with icy doubt.

“With the proper amount of pressure, the guilty incriminate themselves.”

Gryphon couldn’t breathe, but worked to keep his face neutral. “Excuse me?”