Sstill, we will deal with you asss we were insstructed.”
“By whom?” Drake asked, not backing down. It didn’t do to show any weakness in one’s first encounter with a gryphon. “Who took Prince Wil and why? Neither Draconia nor the prince have any disagreement with your kind. This act of aggression will not go unanswered.”
The female bowed her feathered head in acknowledgement. “We are only messssengerss, but I can ssay that your prince will not be harmed. And he will be returned.”
Jenet strode forward to stand behind Drake, her scales rippling with irritation.
“I want him back right now, do you hear me?” She was shouting in a way Drake had never heard, truly upset. “You had no right to take him! No right!”
“Calm down, little hen,” the male gryphon said almost disdainfully. “Your prince is ssafe.”
Krysta watched the exchange with a strange mixture of awe, fascination and amusement. The dragons—Jenet especially—squared off with the gryphons. They were about equal in size and both species had sweeping wings, but where dragons sported a leather-like hide and glimmering scales, the gryphons had sleek wings of gleaming feathers the likes of which she had never seen.
Jenet was clearly upset, facing down the gryphons and breathing smoke in her agitation. Even Nellin bristled as the gryphons replied to the dragon’s silent speech, though he sat back and simply observed the exchange for the most part. Krysta could only hear the gryphons’ side of the conversation, but it was enough to indicate Jenet was definitely giving the half-bird, half-cat creatures of myth a piece of her mind.
Krysta took up a position beside Jenet, wanting to stand united with the dragons and men. One of the gryphons cocked its head at her, as if questioning her presence.
“I wish I could hear what Nellin and Jenet are saying to you birds. I bet they’d make me proud.”
The gryphon cocked his feathered head at her, his nimble tongue lolling while he clacked his beak. “Truly? It iss ssimple enough.”
Krysta stood up straight as she felt the gryphon’s incredible magic reach out to her. One feathered wingtip brushed her face, and the last thing she heard before she collapsed was a roar of anger from the dragons before her head hit the sand.
When Krysta woke moments later, there was a cacophony of sound in her head and her senses were scrambled.
“You meddlesome bird. Now look what you’ve done!”
“Will she be all right?”
The first voice was gruff and angry. It sounded male, but like neither Mace nor Drake. The second was female and worried, if Krysta was any judge. Both were musical and rumbling, like the voice of a storm.
“Stop shouting.” She sat up, holding her head with both hands as she struggled against the pain. “Please!”
Strong arms supported her back, and she looked up to find Drake at her side. Searching for Mace, she found him confronting the gryphons, sword drawn. The gryphons didn’t look too worried, though they backed away just slightly, giving them space.
“Did she bump her head? Check her head, Drake.” Jenet craned her long neck over Drake’s head, bringing her concerned, jeweled gaze into Krysta’s line of sight.
Krysta tried to shrug him off as Drake ran his hand lightly over the back of her scalp. “Did Jenet just ask if I bumped my head?”
Drake stilled, and all eyes turned to her. “How did you know?”
“Ssilly humanss.” The male gryphon tossed his beak, ruffling the feathers around his neck.
“She can hear us.” Nellin’s voice was low and gruff, his giant face swam into her line of vision as he craned his neck to look at her. “Can’t you?”
“Stars! I can,” Krysta whispered, feeling Drake’s hands tighten on her shoulders. “But how?” She looked to the gryphon who’d touched her. “Why?”
“It iss ssimple magic. Conssider it a gift to new friendss.” The male gryphon tossed his head again as the smaller female moved forward.
“My mate hass a ssoft heart. We both like you, Kryssta. And your family.”
“But more,” the male spoke once more, “you are our alliess now.”
Krysta stood with Drake’s help, then moved out of his arms to face the gryphons. She held their gazes for a long moment. She realized what these amazing magical beings had given her and tears formed behind her eyes that she refused to let fall. Now was not the time for tears. Now was the time to forge new friendships that might see them through the tough times ahead. Krysta bowed low to each gryphon in turn, in the Jinn