Page 97 of Ties of Dust

There wasn’t time for everything, but Flora didn’t waste a second of what time they had. When she’d recounted her progression through attraction, denial, trust, and finally what she called unashamed adoration, Miriam’s eyes were shining.

“I’m almost jealous,” she said. “It sounds like you’ve stolen quite a prize from me.”

Flora gave a pained laugh. “You say it jokingly, but I really have cut you out, Mim. I feel bad about that.”

Miriam’s laugh was much more natural. “Don’t. I’m not really coveting your prince. I’m delighted for you, Flora. Although I will miss you.”

There was no time for more. Cassius was returning, deep in conversation with Prince Theodore.

“That was quick,” Flora said. When the men reached them, she raised an inquiring eyebrow at Cassius.

“The Siqualians are very ready to negotiate an alliance as proposed,” he told her. “The king has written a letter to my father confirming as much. They have also graciously released me from the proposed marriage of alliance that we had previously discussed.”

He glanced at Prince Theodore as he said it, but Flora didn’t press for details about who had helped convince whom of what. There was no time—everything but the essentials would have to wait.

“We should be off, then,” she said.

“It’s already dark, Flora,” Miriam said anxiously. “Are you sure you can’t sleep here and leave in the morning? How much difference will a few hours make?”

“Days’ worth of difference,” Flora said regretfully. “Because we would lose our magical means of transport.” She buried her fingers in the lion-like fur on her griffin’s back. “But we’ll see each other againbefore long, Mim.”

Miriam enveloped her in another hug. “I’m glad you’ve reclaimed your position as princess,” she told her. “You deserve it.”

Flora smiled at her friend. “I would have taken that as an insult when we first met. But now…” Her gaze passed to Cassius. “I’m inclined to think it’s a good thing after all.”

Cassius was already holding out his hands to boost her onto the griffin’s back, impatient to reach his home and stop the impending disaster. Once Flora was settled, he followed her on, locking his arms around her and placing his mouth next to her ear so she could hear his words.

“Will he know where to go?”

“He will when I communicate with him,” Flora said. “The journey will be longer this time, Cassius—twice as long.” Her abused muscles screamed in protest at the thought, but she steeled herself. “I was teasing you before, there’s no way Griffy will let us fall. We should both try to sleep if we can.”

Cassius said nothing as the griffin took to the skies again. Flora could feel his doubt, but she suspected he would succumb to sleep soon enough. She was utterly exhausted, and he couldn’t be far behind.

The wind whipped through her hair, cold and unpleasant. Focusing her weary mind, Flora harnessed a fraction of its movement, converting the magic into an invisible blanket of warmth that settled over her and Cassius. It wouldn’t last long, but it was certainly nice. She felt herself beginning to drift…

Flora came to as the griffin began to descend. She was relieved to see the Carrackian capital ahead. She hadn’tintended to sleep the whole time and leave all navigation to Griffy. But he’d managed beautifully. It was fortunate that griffins were drawn by concentrated magic. He would have had no difficulty recognizing the presence of a city by the signature of refined and active magic inside it.

At her urging, the griffin soared gently over the city, too high up for archers to target him. She didn’t steer him toward the castle. She prompted him to descend in a spiral and drop them in one of the city’s celebrated parks. They would walk to the castle rather than arriving dramatically by griffin this time.

“Thank you, Griffy,” she murmured to the creature once they’d both dismounted. “I owe you more than I can repay. I hope we will meet again.”

The griffin rubbed its beak against her shoulder, then abruptly took to the sky. In seconds it was invisible against the inky blackness.

“Will he fly all the way home now?” Cassius asked. “He must be exhausted.”

“I imagine he is exhausted, but he has little choice,” Flora said. “Griffins can’t sleep anywhere but their own nests. It’s why they don’t like to go so far afield.”

She was already walking toward the castle as she spoke, and Cassius kept stride. The cobbled streets were deserted, the hour well past midnight.

“I suppose everyone is in bed now,” Flora said.

Cassius shook his head. “My father won’t be in bed.”

She raised an inquiring brow, and he shrugged. “I’m supposedly abducted, and war is looming. He won’t be in bed—he’ll be in his war room, planning how best to crush those who are threatening me.” He sighed. “My father isn’t the warmest man, but he cares in his way. As your parents’ atrocious conduct reminded me.”

Flora grimaced, not eager to talk about her family. “Well, if your father is up, it makes our task easier.”

Even if the king had been sleeping, their arrival would have roused him. They caused a sensation when they approached the barred and guarded door of the castle.

---