Riona and her griffin looked up sharply, but then relaxed. Shree sat back on his haunches, tail lashing, and Riona carefully let go of his wing. “No, thank you,” she said. “We’re fine.”
Rannagon had a bloody tear on the front of his tunic, but he glared at the guards. “I told you not to come in here.”
“Sorry, my lord. We’ll just leave.”
Arren stepped around the guards. “Lord Rannagon.”
Rannagon looked at him, apparently noticing him for the first time. His face fell. “Arren?”
Arren paused and then bowed. “Lord Rannagon, I—”
Riona came toward him. “Arren Cardockson, explain yourself.”
Cold dismay bit into him. “My lady, I—”
Riona waved at the guards. “Get out and close the door. Don’t come back unless we call you.”
They bowed and left. Once the door had closed behind them, the Mistress of the Eyrie confronted Arren. Her griffin, Shree, stood tall with his wings half-open, still savage with anger. Riona looked a little more composed. “Where have you been? Answer quickly.”
“I—I was at Rivermeet, my lady.”
“So I heard,” said Riona. “And what were you doing there?”
“I was sent there to catch a wild griffin,” said Arren. “I caught it. It’s at the Arena now. I—” He took the bag of money from his pocket and showed it to Rannagon. “I’ve got the money, my lord. I can pay you now.”
Neither Rannagon nor Riona touched it.
“Arren, why did you do it?” said Riona. “I don’t understand.”
Arren blinked. “Why did I do what, my lady? I was following orders, that’s all.”
Riona pointed at the couch next to her seat. “Sit down.”
Arren sat. It was soft and comfortable, and he resisted the temptation to lie down. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess,” he said. “I only just got back.”
Riona seated herself on her own chair, and Shree crouched by her hand. Rannagon remained standing, his hand on Shoa’s shoulders. The yellow griffin’s tail was swishing, and she looked restless.
“Now,” said Riona. “Tell me everything. Start from the beginning.”
Arren took in a deep breath. “I came here to report to Lord Rannagon after the raid on the smugglers’ den on Tongue Street. He told me I would have to pay compensation to the dead smuggler’s family, and when I said I couldn’t afford it he said he knew a way I could earn some money. He said there was a wild griffin out near Rivermeet that had started killing people, and that if I caught it I would be paid. I said I didn’t think I could do that because I’d never done it before, but he said he thought I could do it and it was easy. He gave me some poison and said that if I put it on an arrowhead it would put the griffin to sleep, and he gave me a map to the village. I didn’t want to do it, but Eluna—” He paused a moment, wincing. Just saying the name made him feel a sudden thump of pain in his chest. “She—she agreed to do it for me, and I couldn’t argue with her. Lord Rannagon said I should leave the next day and that he would take care of my affairs while I was gone. I had doubts, but I went anyway, and the day after I got there Deanne arrived.”
Riona had listened closely to this, expressionless. Beside her, Shree started to hiss.
“So, that’s your story, Arren?” she said once he had finished.
“Yes,” said Arren. “If you ask Lord Rannagon, I’m sure . . .” He looked appealingly in Rannagon’s direction, but Rannagon only stared back impassively.
“You’re sure that’s everything?” said Riona. “There’s nothing else you want to tell me? Remember,” she continued, even as Arren opened his mouth to speak, “I am your friend. I can understand that there were mitigating circumstances. Obviously, you are not well-off money-wise, and you were upset over what happened in the smugglers’ home. And I can understand that you have a thirst to prove yourself—you’re young, after all.”
Arren clasped his hands together, his long fingers entwined. “I—yes, my lady, I didn’t think it through properly. Eluna pushed me into it, and Lord Rannagon asked me not to tell anyone else about it.”
“You’re right. You didn’t think it through,” said Riona. “I knew you were impetuous, Arren. You’re young. It’s only to be expected that you would be overconfident. However, that does not mean I can forgive you for what you’ve done. Lord Rannagon told me everything.”
Arren looked up.
“Indeed I did,” said Rannagon. “Arren, do you really think