SkyFall (Taken on the Wing Book 2) (48 page)

Hunter?

“
What the hell is the matter with you?
”
Hunter gets to his feet. With only a
glance at Tempest he takes an aggressive step toward Agony then two steps back.
“
You, you,
dragon
.
”

Agony hisses and a palm sized gob of
burning phlegm lands with a splat between Hunter
’
s
feet.

“
Hey!
”

“
I am dragonkin, not dragon,
”
Agony spits again. This time Hunter steps
sideways to avoid it sticking to his shin.
“
I
am Agony, heir to the rule of Ochre
’
s
Honour and you will obey me,
gryphon
, or I
’
ll pull out your feathers and find me
someone else.
”

“
That just makes total sense,
”
Hunter mutters. He remains crouched. With
his hands spread, he
’
s wary but he hasn
’
t bothered with his daggers. Although
Agony is loud and spits fire, Hunter faces her with justifiable caution rather
than aggression. It
’
s just like him to be curious
about her and the fact she
’
s pretty gives her more leeway
with him than Hunter would ever admit.

“
Just take the necklace off her and get on
your way.
”

“
Is that all? Why don
’
t you rob her yourself? Crazy
dragonkin
. I want no part of robbing a member of
the Will.
”

A third sticky burning ball, larger than
the first two, flies at Hunter and the scramble of movement to avoid it is
followed by a sigh of concession. With a grunt, he drops on his knees beside
Tempest.

“
Shit,
Cloud?
”

“
This is Lady Tempest,
”
Agony explains with a large amount of
patience. Her words slow as if she were explaining it to a child.

“
No,
”
Hunter disagrees.
“
Why can
’
t you take it off her?
”

“
It
’
s paralyzed her and me too if I touch it.
It won
’
t hurt you.
”

“
You sure?
”

The flat sound of a smack on Hunter
’
s leather helmet is his answer.

“
Cloud?
”
Hunter tries as he gives her shoulder a
gentle shake. Then his cold fingertips touch her neck as he unwraps the chain.
“
It
’
s just silver.
”

The moment Tempest is free of the dark
jewelry she draws a sharp breath and straightens her limbs, reveling in the
deep and painful full body stretch. Then Hunter gets a hand behind her shoulder
and helps her sit.

“
Hunter, Agony, thank you.
”

“
Do you know this gryphon, Lady Tempest?
”

“
Of course she knows me,
”
Hunter spits.
“
She
’
s my...
”

His voice fades and his brow settles into
a pained scowl. The events at Sky
’
s eyrie remain far in the past
for Tempest but for Hunter it was many weeks of apology on his hands and knees
and who knows what else Sky put him through to make amends for framing Tempest
for theft. He wears the same anguished frown as when he thought she chose Soar
over him. At the time she
’
d been so caught up in her own
personal humiliation she didn
’
t give much thought as to why
Hunter was hurt. Hunter
’
s pain gives way to sadness
then quickly turns to hope.
Darn.

“
I
’
m,
”
Tempest takes Hunter
’
s hand and tries again.
“
I
’
m his sibling
’
s female.
”

Hunter
’
s face falls then he forces a smile.

“
This is Master Soar
’
s brother?
”
Agony
asks then she laughs.
“
Of all the gryphons I could
have found.
”

“
Found? You kidnapped me.
”

Hunter digs through his pockets and finds
a large packet of dried meat. There
’
s
silence for a few minutes as Tempest chews, careful not to bite her tongue as
the weakness from the chain fades and her coordination returns.

“
Hunter, I found my sire. He wasn
’
t over there in Welch Peak when my dame died. Nor was my sibling,
”
she shakes her wings.
“
As you can see he isn
’
t gryphon. Tempest is the name I was born
with. Did they say why Lev sent for you?
”

Hunter shakes his head since he
’
s still recovering from the news about
Tempest and Soar.

“
I guess we
’
ll fill you in when we get there.
”

“
We need to go,
”
Agony says.
“
How long have you been here?
”

“
Night before last,
”
Tempest says around the last slice of
dried meat.

“
Two nights up here? But you
’
re pregnant for gosh sakes,
”
Agony
exclaims.

Tempest gives her a warning glare,
desperate to avoid dumping any more bad news on Hunter but the gryphon
brightens.

“
Really?
”

“
Yeah, Hunter.
”

“
What
’
s that?
”
Agony
interrupts and grabs Hunter
’
s left wrist, twisting it so
she can look all the way around.

“
A watch,
”
Hunter gives Tempest a
what the hell look.
“
It tells the time.
”

“
You
don
’
t just
know
what time it is? Gryphons are
so
hopeless.
”
Agony casts Tempest a what the hell look.
Tempest can
’
t help but laugh.

“
Bring the chain, Hunter. Maybe we can use
it.
”

She holds a hand to each of them and
together they pull her to her feet.

“
Agony, I would be deeply in your debt if
you would portal Hunter the rest of the way to the eyrie.
”

“
What? Portal?
”
Hunter asks.

“
Just do what she says,
”
Tempest
says.
“
I
’
m
anxious to see Soar.
”

“
Wait,
”
Agony puts a hand on
Tempest
’
s elbow.
“
Aledaar
’
s messenger said the courier had been
captured so Soar and the others have departed for Bolshevik Island. We believed it could only be you in custody.
”

“
Darn,
”
Tempest drops her chin, more than disappointed.
“
Lawrence, Cooper
’
s guard master, took the box from me and
put the chain around my neck before he left me here. He
’
s the courier Aledaar has. The box is
gone.
”

“
They left right away,
”
the green says.
“
We thought Aledaar had you. Then there
was another messenger, a gryphon, who said you were here.
”

“
I
’
ll have to hurry to catch up,
”
Tempest rushes through the words in the
hopes that giving them speed will get her to Soar faster.
“
They
’
ll waste time trying to find me. I have
to get there before I lose my chance to kill Aledaar.
”

“
Cloud?
”
Hunter interrupts.
“
You
’
re
worrying me.
”

Agony continues as if he isn
’
t even there.
“
Nobody knows where their meeting place is
but them. You
’
d waste energy searching and
probably be caught by the Will and locked up or worse yet Lev will make the
attack and you won
’
t be there to do your part.
”

“
Why are you dressed like the Will?
”
Hunter pushes. His head snaps back and
forth between Tempest and Agony, impatient with them both. Soar wouldn
’
t have put up with being left behind in a
conversation like this although his aggravation would be as tangible as Hunter
’
s. Then
Tempest notices he holds her hand and has
been since Agony said Soar is gone. Not in a romantic way at all either since
his fingers aren
’
t intertwined with hers. He
’
s stepped up to protect her in her male
’
s absence.

“
You
’
re being foolish, Lady Tempest,
”
Agony insists.
“
But I think you
’
re right. Their attack on Bolshevik is
based on the belief you
’
re there. We need to consult
with Lord Render. He
’
s in charge of the eyrie guard
for the time being.
”

Who is Lord Render? Must be one of the
green dragonkin Soar found to help.

“
Will one of you tell me what is going on?
”
Hunter demands.

“
I
will,
”
Agony says then with a running
dive, she
’
s off and airborne.

“
Do what she says,
”
Tempest reassures. The poor gryphon is
nervous. He
’
s gone from getting snatched
out of the sky to voluntarily going with his kidnapper.

“
I am happy for you and Soar,
”
Hunter whispers.
“
I came to care for you at Sky
’
s even though I always felt your spirit
belonged to him.
”

“
I
’
m grateful to have you, Hunter.
”

Tempest takes off, wings a little stiff,
and Hunter has no trouble keeping up. The bright sun is at their backs as they
fly in the direction of Welch Peak.

“
Oh,
”
Hunter exclaims as Agony
’
s portal cracks open. Tempest
’
s lights the sky half a kilometer further
on.

“
Fly toward it,
”
Tempest suggests and he changes direction
only to be caught in Agony
’
s grip. Hunter shouts until
his protests are swallowed by her closing portal.

Tempest flies on to hers but she isn
’
t going home, not quite yet. Nobody can
know the relic is safe and she can
’
t take it home. Cooper will
sense its presence.

Cold, salty mist greets Tempest as her
portal discharges into the Pacific Ocean. She gains altitude and circles until
she
’
s certain she
’
s alone. Far below, her chair, her place
of solitude, bravely faces the ocean. The natural rock formation waits sixty
feet above the surf.