SkyFall (Taken on the Wing Book 2) (52 page)

“
Try again,
”
Aledaar
suggests but Lawrence
’
s next attempt is hindered by
a boot placed in a soft spot just below his ribs. Torrent
’
s long feathers snap the air as Lawrence
’
s body stops the forward
motion of his kick. The prone gryphon curls in a ball even as his legs try and
kick him toward the box.

“
Stop,
”
Tempest shouts as she impulsively pushes
her will at Torrent.
“
Stop.
”

Torrent freezes, one foot drawn back in
preparation to strike Lawrence again, then he puts it down and stares at
Tempest in anger and confusion.

“
No more,
”
she
whispers and hurries to Lawrence. She ignores Aledaar
’
s raised palm which she first thinks is
an order for her to stay put. When the six red-armoured gryphon guards hold
their position she knows the instruction is for them.

“
Please, free him,
”
she begs Aledaar. With Lawrence
’
s shuddering body in her arms it
’
s nearly impossible to stop him from
kicking his way closer to the box. Tempest wraps a hand around Lawrence
’
s to steady it as he spears
the key at the box, pushing it sideways. One of the dragonkin, probably Fury,
used his will on Lawrence and forced him to follow Aledaar
’
s orders. He
’
s as helpless as any of the golds under
Aledaar
’
s control.
“
It isn
’
t the key, My Generous Sire. It
’
s the hand which holds it. Release him
from your will and I will open the box.
”

“
Ah,
”
Aledaar sighs.
“
The exile Cooper was clever
but in the end his corpse will rot with yours and any others who defy me.
”

Soft sweat beneath Tempest
’
s tunic makes it cling to her skin as she
fights Lawrence. Even the dungeon-induced chill from his cold skin isn
’
t enough to cool her. Soft
sobs
break up his difficult
breaths
and make her heart ache. They
couldn
’
t do more to break Lawrence
’
s spirt than they
’
ve done already.

“
Lawrence
, you are of no more use to me. I release
you,
”
Aledaar hisses and Lawrence
’
s immediately stills in Tempest
’
s arms. His breathing eases though pain
still sends the air whistling through his tight throat.

“
Don
’
t,
”
Lawrence
gasps but he doesn
’
t have the strength to fight as she eases
the key from his shaking fingers.

Tempest
’
s own tired hand drops the key to the
stone floor before she can co-ordinate her fingers and thumb enough to point
the small piece of metal at the lock. She slides the key home and after the
tiniest of turns the lock yields with a soft snap.

“
Kick,
”
she orders Lawrence as she does the same.
At first he doesn
’
t move but when she repeats
the command with a strong dose of her will he obliges. It can
’
t be wrong to influence him to protect
him, can it? The idea doesn
’
t make Tempest feel any better
about manipulating him with the same magic from which he had just been freed.

Soar, where the heck are you?

The crack of several discharging portals
reaches her ears as she and Lawrence drag themselves up against the wall but
Tempest
’
s relief doesn
’
t last long. There aren
’
t enough closing portals to be Soar and
the number of dragonkin they need to have a chance against the Will. No more
than four have arrived and with her weariness and attention on Lawrence she didn
’
t hear the gryphons and
dragonkin arriving in the Council
’
s main chamber. The shuffle of
boots and occasional brush of metal on leather tell her the Will is gathering.

“
Lord
Fury,
”
Aledaar calls. The old gryphon
rises and takes the box from the floor before turning and placing it on the
gold chair. His eyes don
’
t leave the time-smoothed wood
and Tempest prays he doesn
’
t notice the absence of green
light flowing from between the bottom and lid and what it really means. She
needs every second she can give to Soar.

Fury strides in, pushing the gryphon
guard aside. Con is close behind him and Torch slides past, kneeling briefly in
Aledaar
’
s direction before taking
position next to Tempest. Aledaar doesn
’
t
notice the deep anger Fury casts at his daughter nor the disappointment on Con
’
s face. Fury comes to a sudden stop. His
axe sways, creaking against his leather trousers and for a still moment it
’
s the only movement in the room.

“
If you would be so kind, Master Fury,
”
Aledaar
’
s voice is barely a whisper.
“
Bring me that foul green bitch Flay. I
believe she is in Lev
’
s eyrie and she will come. It
is time we used Conflagration
’
s life to motivate her, yes?
”

“
My Generous Sire,
”
Fury grunts before he turns his back on
Tempest. He doesn
’
t spare her a glance. Bringing
Flay will spare the life of Fury
’
s son, Tempest
’
s brother and there is no doubt Aledaar
will carry out the threat against Con if Flay doesn
’
t come. It
’
s a task he could have sent
Torch for but instead he displays dominance by sending Fury to bring another
member of his kin for enslavement.

Tempest shudders. She knows her dear
friend won
’
t hesitate to come.

“
You did this,
”
Con growls. He dives for Tempest and Lawrence only to be restrained by the gryphons at the door. His gold eyes grow in
brilliance in spite of the knife at his throat.

“
Shut up,
”
the gryphon who hit
Tempest in the leg barks at Con. Con quiets but doesn
’
t stop his struggles.

Aledaar kneels before the box. He raises
the gold relic to his lips and whispers before kissing it then he leans
forward, hiding the box from Tempest
’
s
sight. The soft vibration of the hinge opening is quickly followed by the snap
of it dropping shut and Aledaar jolts in disbelief before opening it a second
time.

“
Fury!
”
he roars and Tempest pulls Lawrence closer.
“
Where is the relic, Tempest?
”

If Tempest could sink into the stone
floor she would but she
’
s pinned between Lawrence and the wall. Aledaar spins to his feet, the heavy gold relic swings across his
chest and his wings knock the empty box to the floor before he stops and
exposes his teeth to Tempest.

“
No answer?
”
Aledaar
asks and Con curses in surprise at the sight of the empty box.

“
My Generous Sire?
”
Fury calls from the entrance. He doesn
’
t fail to see there is no relic.

“
This traitor,
”
he spits at Tempest then he calms as he
considers his next words.
“
Has confessed that she came to
assassinate me on the order of Sire Lev.
”

He knows why I
’
m here
.

Aledaar
’
s thin smile spreads as he pleases
himself with the scenario. Everyone in the room knows it
’
s a lie, at least on Aledaar
’
s part since it
’
s really the truth, yet none contradict
him. Even Fury remains stone-faced at the accusations brought about his
daughter.

“
I will have the Sire and Dame of
Vancouver Island dead and the exile Daniel Cooper in chains at my feet.
”

“
No,
”
Tempest whispers. Even with Shadow so
well protected, they can
’
t hold out against a full
assault by Fury and the Council
’
s Will for long.

“
As you will,
”
Fury nods then departs. He
’
s no more than a few paces out the door
when Tempest
’
s skin tingles with the
ominous potential of a portal opening overhead. High above through dozens of
feet of cold stone, a small rend in the sky appears. The growing power of the
destination end of a portal charges everything beneath it, including her.

“
Oh,
”
Torch moans. She feels it.

Danger.

Both dragonkin instinctively tense their
portalling muscles to resist the discharge they sense coming from right above.
It isn
’
t much protection but through
the stone it might be enough. If they were in the open they
’
d have to flee or be cooked when the
portal closes. When Torch cries out, Tempest knows Render
’
s instincts about the young gold are
true. She is untrained and untested and will only serve to slow an attacker for
her last few breaths. Tempest
’
s own stand against Torrent a
decade earlier is proof of that.

As Tempest
’
s skin crawls through the final second
before the portal opens she reaches in her left sleeve and pulls out two pieces
of the silver chain. If one will make Torch a stumbling drunk then two should
knock her flat.

The mountain shakes with the simultaneous
discharge of several portals. The cacophony deafens them to all but their own
cries as the electrical charge ignites the silver wall lights. For a moment the
room is lit in blinding white, just long enough for Tempest to see the gryphons
lose their footing. The big one who hit her in the tunnel drops to his knees
before collapsing over on his side.

Torch reaches for Tempest. The Tempest
uses her index finger to pull back the terrified young dragonkin
’
s collar before dropping the two pieces
of chain down the back of her red leather armour. She goes limp, falling
against the wall before sliding sideways.

The lights brighten in timid, uneven
bursts until most explode, leaving a single flickering silver glow on the wall
above her head.

“
Play dead,
”
Tempest
wills Lawrence as the mountain yields under its strongest and final shudder.

“
Climb,
Soar!
”
Fire shouts.