Keeper of the Flame (13 page)

“You have power?” The baby looked up at her with tilted chin and Lera had to laugh.

“A very good question,” she congratulated the gryphlet. “As a matter of fact, I do. That’s why my cousin sent those bad men to kill me. If I died, she would take my place and that’s something Helios cannot afford.”

Lera’s attention was caught by the return of the black dragon. He landed some yards distant. Far enough away that the wild game he held in one clawed hand wasn’t recognizable. Hugh used those sharp ebony claws to slice whatever it was and tossed the remains farther away from the campsite.

He walked toward her and her attention was snagged by how gracefully he moved even in dragon form. She wouldn’t have expected something that was so clearly born to be in the air could be as good on the ground. The gryphons were different. They were half cat and therefore able to prowl as well on the ground as their raptor could conquer the air.

Dragons? They were something altogether different. Purely their own species, not made by a wizard from two separate creatures like the gryphons had been.

“How do you like your mutton? Well done or pink in the middle?”

His voice in her mind made her feel warm in a good way. He was close enough now that he would hear her if she spoke aloud.

“Can you do medium well?”

“Most certainly, milady.”

“But what can we cook it on?” She looked around, even though she knew there hadn’t been any cooking gear in his pack.

“Watch and learn.”

He stood a few yards from the campsite and raised one clawed hand that held two cut portions of the meat. Opening his jaw, he blew a small stream of fire at his own hand.

The sight of it made her jump and for a split second horror struck her that he might be burned. Then she remembered. He was a
dragon
. He was impervious to flame. She knew that. She could see it with her own eyes. But flame was so dangerous to her gryphons. She was used to being wary of any kind of fire when they were around.

Hugh closed his mouth, extinguishing the flame, and moved closer. He had another piece of meat in his other hand. It was raw. He handed it to the gryphlet with due care for her soft skin, keeping her safe from his talons. Miss took it with eager paws and sat down again, nibbling on it with her sharp baby teeth.

A moment of black fog, and then Hugh stood there in his human form, holding two pieces of sizzling meat in his hands.

“I’m sorry we don’t have any plates to eat this from. It’s probably still too hot for you to handle safely.” Hugh looked a bit sheepish, which Lera thought was adorable considering he’d just hunted a meal and provided for all three of them. There was nothing for him to feel the least bit embarrassed about.

“Hang on to it for a bit.” She laughed when he brought his portion to his mouth and tore a chunk out of it. He grinned at her even as he chewed.

“Sorry, couldn’t wait.”
The intimacy of the shared thought touched her once again.

“Just as long as you save me some. What is that anyway?”

“Nothing I really recognized. Some kind of sheep, though it wasn’t domesticated. It was running wild with a small flock up on that hill over there.” He gestured with his portion of the meat toward a distant hilltop.

“That’s all right then. We allow the gryphons to hunt wild herds as long as they leave enough to keep each group viable.” She sat on the bedroll and Hugh followed suit, sinking gracefully to the ground even though his hands were full.

“You seem to know all about gryphons and the rules governing them. Part of your job, I expect.” The statement sounded more like a question and Lera realized the time had come for plain speaking.

“It is. Hugh, there is much I need to tell you.” She turned toward him, wanting to clear the air.

“Let’s eat first, talk later. I think this is cool enough for you to handle now.” He offered her the piece of meat.

“I don’t think I can handle all of that,” she said dubiously, noting the size of the hunk he’d cut for her.

“Don’t worry. Whatever you don’t eat, either Miss or I will. Come on.” He offered the meat once more, a coaxing note in his voice. “You haven’t eaten anything in hours. You must be hungry and with all that’s been going on, you need to keep up your strength.”

She couldn’t argue with that, even if mutton wasn’t her first choice for a hearty breakfast. Beggars couldn’t be choosers. She had to take what he offered and be grateful that she’d been rescued by someone who could not only defend her but provide for her as well. Truly, the goddess had been watching over her when she’d crossed paths with Hugh.

Lera bit into the juicy fillet, surprised by how good the salty meat tasted on her tongue. She’d been too upset to notice how hungry she really was, but things were safe for the moment and her hunger could no longer be ignored.

Silence reigned while they ate and Lera watched the baby gryphon a few feet away. Miss ate daintily for a gryphlet. Lera was impressed by her manners and the methodical way she concentrated on her task, not allowing the raw meat to come in contact with the sandy ground for even a second. Most children—even gryphon children—had more trouble with their coordination than this little misborn.

Within a few more bites, Lera began to feel full. The heavy meal wasn’t something she was used to first thing in the morning, but her starving body had needed the nourishment. As her eating slowed, she became more aware of Hugh sitting next to her. Watching her. She looked over at him. He was smiling in a way that heated her insides.

“I can’t finish this. Sorry.” She handed what was left of the meal back to him.

“Don’t be sorry.” He ripped the meat in half and tossed the larger portion to the youngster. Miss caught it with her outstretched claws and immediately dug into the tasty meal. Hugh ate the other piece more slowly. “So now, what did you want to tell me?”

Now that the moment was upon her, Lera didn’t know where to begin. She supposed it was always best to start with gratitude.

“First, thank you again for saving my life. Twice. Without you and Miss, I’d be dead now and my land would be in even more of an uproar than it already is.”

“Your land?” Hugh’s eyes narrowed.

“I told you it was my job to look after the gryphons of Helios,” she began. She wasn’t sure how he was going to take this and she wanted to break it gently. He nodded, his expression receptive. “Actually, there’s a bit more to it than that.” Maybe plain out was better than beating around the bush. She took a deep breath for courage. “I am the Doge.”

“The Doge,” Hugh repeated. She wasn’t sure what she heard in his voice. Was it anger or disbelief? Or something else altogether? The moment dragged on.

Then Hugh began to laugh. Now that, she hadn’t expected.

“I’m not kidding, Hugh. I am the Doge of Helios.”

“I believe you,” he said between chuckles. “I just find it funny that I came here to learn if the Doge was true friend or hidden foe to my land. I never expected an audience with the Doge herself.”

“Or wanted one, I suppose. You’re a spy, after all.” She saw the humor and had to chuckle herself.

“Ouch.” He winced comically, then relented. “You know, I’m not really a spy. Not the way you mean, at least. I’m just a…fact finder, you could call me. I certainly never intended to take in an orphan or rescue a damsel in distress. I don’t think a real spy would’ve so badly compromised his mission.”

“I guess you’re right. Whoever sent you here might be disappointed.”

“My brother sent me, and to be frank, I don’t think he expected much in the first place. I think he came up with the idea strictly to placate a certain woman.”

“His wife?” Lera asked. She wasn’t altogether surprised to learn that Hugh’s family was high-ranking in Draconian politics. With such abilities, it only made sense that they would be placed in the government of a land that favored dragons so heavily.

“No. Shanya is a… Well, I guess you could call her a friend of the royal family. She’s a seer of some renown. She was the one who said I had to come here and big brother went along with it. Even though I’m not known for my spy work. Most of the time, I deal with soldiers. Training. Fighting those who attack us. I spend a lot of my time in the Lairs.”

“Lairs? That’s where the dragons live, right?”

“Dragons, knights and their families,” he confirmed.

“Sounds nice.” And it did. That the dragons had human counterparts as part of their family structure—or vice versa—was something she’d never anticipated.

“So you’re the Doge.” Hugh’s tone was speculative. “I guess that’s why someone is trying to kill you.”

“My cousin, Sendra. That was her estate we landed at last night. You heard what the Eyes said. She hired them. If I die, she will most likely seize power.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s not. She and I have not agreed on anything in recent memory. She would turn our peaceful land into a warring nation. She has been urging conquest for years now and has thankfully been outvoted at every turn. But those are my counselors. If she took control, she would no doubt remove most of my people and replace them with her own sycophants. She could get away with almost anything and it would all be legal.”

“I don’t really understand how your government works. In my land, we have a king who makes all final decisions, though he is often influenced by the wishes of both his own counselors and the Dragon Council.”

“A Doge is sort of like your king, only the Doge can be either gender. He or she comes into power when the previous Doge either dies or abdicates. My father was the Doge before me and ruled Helios for almost ninety years. The magic extended his life beyond that of regular people, as it will mine. Father always said that when I was born, the goddess gave them a sign that I would be the next Keeper as well as the next Doge. Their belief was proven true when I was tested by the Fire and chosen as Keeper of the Flame. From that day, I have been responsible for the welfare of all gryphons in Helios.”

“So the Keeper looks after the gryphons,” Hugh repeated. “I don’t suppose there is anyone like me in your land. Someone who is both gryphon and human?”

“No. Gryphons were created from two creatures already part of this world. I believe dragons are an entirely magical creation. Though both were made by wizards, gryphons came from the land. Dragons, I now believe, probably sprang from the eternal fire itself. This is something I’ve thought through over the past day since seeing you transform. Though before meeting you, I never would have imagined there were people who were also dragons.”

“The eternal fire,” Hugh mused. “I like that.”

“It is part of our beliefs and part of my knowledge as Keeper. Fire is the one thing gryphons must fear above all. Oiled feathers and fur do not have any defense against the eternal flame. And just as people have free will, so too do the gryphons. If one transgresses to the point of capital punishment, they are given to the flame. That is my heaviest responsibility as Keeper.”

Hugh frowned. “The Keeper is also executioner of bad gryphons?”

Lera could see the little one watching them with wide eyes.

“No. Not really. I only keep watch over the eternal flame. It would be up to the gryphon court to carry out any sentence on one of their own. It happens so rarely, I’ve never been called on to unleash the flame. Goddess willing, I never will.”

Hugh seemed to take that in before asking his next question. Both his expression and tone was serious and thoughtful.

“Was your mother Keeper before you?”

“Actually, no. Until me, Keepers usually came from the House of Alagar, the original rulers of this city, which carries their name. About twenty years ago, my father moved his court here after the assassination of the entire line of Alagar. It was a dark time and my family came here to restore order and catch those responsible for killing off the noble House of Alagar. It was a tragedy.”

Hugh looked like he wanted to comment, but something made him hold his tongue. Lera filed that away for later consideration, continuing her explanation.

“From what I’ve been taught, the role of Keeper used to pass from mother to daughter in the House of Alagar, though it didn’t always work that way. Sometimes it would go to a niece or female cousin. Since I have no daughter, my cousin Sendra is the nearest in line for both of my roles. She could be made Doge, though I expect another would be found to act as Keeper until such time as the goddess grants that responsibility to another family line. Unfortunately, that would leave my cousin in charge of the government and military for far too long. The Keeper holds a quasi-religious, magical power. She is not required to be a politician or ruler. Her responsibility is to the Lady’s sacred flame first and foremost. And to the gryphons.”

“Sounds like Sendra could cause some serious trouble for this land and others if she seized power,” Hugh observed.

“I have no doubt of it. But I never thought she’d stoop to murder. Setting Eyes on me is something I never thought of. Never dreamed of. I knew we had disagreements of late about how the country should be run, but I couldn’t bring myself to believe that she wanted me dead. She’s my cousin. My blood. I didn’t believe it until last night, when I heard that assassin say he’d get a bonus if he made me suffer before he killed me.” The horror of those moments in the vineyard came back to her. “I didn’t know she hated me so much.”