Nameless (Nameless #1)(62)
Zo stopped at the sight of them. Why hadn’t she thought this through? A Nameless couldn’t just walk up to the door and ask for a Ram. She needed a solid story to explain her presence.
The old man pulled himself to his feet, leaning heavily on a wooden walking stick. He didn’t question Zo, just stared expectantly.
“I’ve … I’m … I’ve come to deliver a message to Eva.” Zo stared at the man’s boots and inwardly prayed she didn’t look suspicious.
The old woman walked into the house, leaving the unnerving man on the porch. “Who sent you?” His voice cracked, but carried a baritone warning.
“Striker Gryphon.” Zo hoped it wasn’t a mistake to use Gryphon’s name, but she had to say something, and didn’t dare use Mrs. Drea’s name.
The old man squinted. “You are the Nameless healer. Gryphon’s newest pet.” His deep laugh barely carried to Zo’s ears but sent a shiver up her arms.
The door to the house opened. Eva bounded down the steps and took long, purposeful steps to Zo’s side. Her hopeful expression contradicted the disdain in her voice. “How dare you summon me, Nameless.”
The old man on the porch settled back into his chair, as if satisfied by Eva’s ability to handle a sub-human.
Desperation laced Zo’s whispered plea as they put some distance between them and the house. “You need to come with me to Gryphon’s family home. He wants to help you and your sister.”
Eva’s eyes became round. “Really? And he knows … ” she touched her flat stomach, “everything?”
Zo nodded.
“What is wrong with Sara?” Eva’s brows knit in concern.
“What does it want?” The old man called from the porch.
Eva didn’t even hesitate. She called over her shoulder, “Gryphon and his mother want to discuss a trade for goat’s milk. I’ll take care of it, grandfather.”
Eva walked down the path, and Zo followed an appropriate distance behind. Once they were a safe distance from the house Eva whipped around. “Does Stone know?”
“Yes. He’s very happy.” Zo blushed at the thought of Stone’s lips pressed against hers in celebration.
Eva stared off, her gaze unfocused. If Zo didn’t know better, she’d think Eva looked disappointed.
“Is everything all right?” Zo asked. “I thought this was what you wanted.”
Eva sighed. “It is. I just … ” she pushed her short-chopped hair out of her face. “If I leave the Gate, I won’t be with Stone.”
“But if you stay, you’ll have to marry that Ram. Both you and the baby will die when they discover you’re pregnant. I’m sure Gryphon would help Stone leave with you. I know people outside the Gate who can help. You could start your life together in another clan.”
Eva shook her head. “You don’t understand. Stone won’t leave his cause here. Not yet. And what if he needs my help?”
Zo could only imagine what had brought this Nameless and Ram together in the first place. A love impossible to understand. “There is someone else who needs your help right now.”
Zo told Eva all about Sara and Ajax’s deformed child. “Gryphon asked me to find you and Sara and have you meet at his family home after mess training. He’ll speak to Ajax.”
“I still can’t believe she didn’t say anything to me.” She touched her stomach again. “I guess we were both afraid.”
Zo was relieved when Eva agreed to retrieve her sister Sara, alone. The sun was already at its highest point in the sky and Zo thought she might die if she didn’t get back to Tess and Joshua soon. The Seer would have left hours ago, and it wouldn’t be too much longer before Gryphon came back from training.
At mess training, Zander didn’t bother disclosing the details of his meeting with the chief and his advisors that morning at training. He pushed Gryphon and his brothers harder than normal. Sprints, weighted weapon drills, circuit training, sparring, phalanx formations, it didn’t matter the task, Zander stood with arms folded, appraising his men with hooded eyes, impossible to please.
“Again!” he ordered.
Gryphon and his brothers put their hands to the massive tree trunk that had been stripped of its limbs and rested at the side of the open field. They drove their feet into the ground and pushed, grunting and sweating as they rolled the giant log the entire length of the field. Gryphon’s shoulders burned, his legs felt ready to give out, but all he could think about was Joshua.
The boy had gone through so much. Losing his mother at birth and his father only a few years later, on the battlefield. And yet he was always so happy and desperate to please Gryphon, his mentor.
Gryphon pushed harder, growling and pumping his legs.
Joshua was his responsibility. And he’d let him down.
He’d let him down …
The log crashed into a heavy pine at the other end of the field. All of the men of his mess stood and placed their hands on knees to gather breath, but Gryphon just kept pushing. Kept working his legs, digging trenches into the soft spring ground like a mad man. He had to do something to help Joshua. He had to save that poor little girl from the Gate Master.
Even if it meant placing his own arm on the chopping block.
After training, Zander called everyone around. “Good work, today.” His gaze rested on Gryphon. “As you know, I met with the chief at the Horn this morning. The Raven soldier that Gryphon and Ajax captured finally broke. I don’t have many details yet, but plan on meeting at barracks tonight at dusk for a bonfire. We should have our orders by then.”