Page 9 of Gryphon’s Fire

I offered what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “I am.”

Reflecting my smile, Keir relaxed and said, “Help yourself while I⁠—”

“A gryphon just crashed into the ground.” Elvira was suddenly beside Keir, half her body concealed within the couch. I thought the statement warranted more concern than Elvira’s tone contained.

Keir did too. “A gryphon? Where?” He was already heading for his door, the meal forgotten.

Elvira and I followed. “I told you, into the ground. They⁠—”

“Inside or outside the barrier?” Keir impatiently asked.

“Inside.”

Keir glanced back at me. “Friend then.”

“Or at least they don’t mean anyone inside the compound harm.” I wasn’t certain that equated to friend.

“True,” Keir agreed before stopping so fast I almost ran into his back and Elvira nearly slipped right through Keir’s body. “The stove—I need to turn it⁠—”

“It’s already done,” Henry said as he walked out of the kitchen, a piece of potato nearly as large as his body grasped within his hands. “Damn magic did it before I could get to the controls. You know how I like to turn them. It’s like a slide.” Henry truly did sound disgruntled.

Before Keir could come up with some type of answer, Henry waved him off. “Go do what you gotta do. Just don’t expect there to be any potatoes left when you get back.” Henry shoved a huge chunk of potato into his mouth, grinning as his cheeks worked.

“I’ll cook more potatoes,” Keir absently said as he headed for his door again. None of us reacted as the door opened before he reached it, anticipating his needs. I’d unpack that later. Right now, we had a mystery to solve.

“You should stay behind and eat,” Keir said as he headed down a hall and toward a set of stairs leading to the surface. “You’re still healing, and if the gryphon made it through the barrier, then that means we should be safe.”

“Should be doesn’t mean we are,” Martin said as he and Grayson turned a corner, obviously headed for the same staircase. Before we could ask, Martin said, “Elvira told Tabitha and she called me. Tabitha would come but Navarre’s had a setback of some kind, and she said she needs to stay with him.”

A small, furry animal ran past my feet, chittering along the way. Looked like Jima had gotten the same message and decided to head topside also.

“Hey, Lazarus,” Grayson greeted. “Nice to see you out and about. You’ll have to tell me about your underground lair sometime. I wanted to come visit you in my wisp form, but Martin thought that might be intrusive.” Grayson’s tone made it obvious he either didn’t agree or was disappointed he hadn’t gotten his wish.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t go.” Martin defended himself.

“That’s because you know better than to order me around.” Grayson huffed. “No, he just made me feel guilty about the whole thing. Martin’s smart. He knows that if he tells me not to do something, that only adds fuel to my curious fire.”

“I did learn a thing or two helping raise Hikaru.” Martin’s irritated tone made it sound like raising the kitsune hadn’t been a pleasant endeavor.

We weren’t racing down the hall, but our collective gaits were quicker than a leisurely stroll. Jima reached the stairway before the rest of us and transformed into his humanoid form to climb. “Come on, slowpokes,” Jima taunted.

“Slowpokes, my ass,” Grayson mumbled. “I would have already been topside if I were in my wisp form. Walls and ceilings mean squat to my flame.” He reached for Martin’s wrist and pulled him forward. “Come on, Martin. Your legs are longer than mine. Get a move on.” When Martin stepped in front of him, Grayson swatted Martin’s ass. “A good ass never gets old,” Grayson crooned as he followed Martin up the stairs.

Keir hesitated at the foot of the stairs, his hand on the railing but his feet firmly planted. When I questioned, “Keir?” he turned and said, “I’m not alone. Looks like the gang’s nearly all here, so I’ll have backup. You don’t need to come. You should be resting and⁠—”

“I’ve rested enough,” I answered, the palm of my hand finding the small of his back and giving a little push. The position felt natural, as if my hand belonged in that space.

“You haven’t,” Keir protested. “I’m not calling you weak. You’ve been through so much. You almost died. Verona almost killed you. No one expects you to be a hundred percent yet.”

It was a generous sentiment. One I ignored. “I’m well enough for this. Go on. I’ll be right behind you.”

Keir opened his mouth, but any further protests died on his tongue. With a headshake and a muttered “I’m surrounded by stubbornness,” Keir began ascending the stairs, giving me an excellent view of his backside. Grayson was right; a good ass never got old.

Five

Keir

I shielded my eyes from the blazing sun. That was one of the downfalls of living underground. Your eyes adjusted to ambient light and forgot how to protect themselves from the sun’s mighty rays.