Page 87 of The Poison of the Earth
“Real dangerous,” I mutter, but at that moment the Fae holding its leash sees Ollie and jerks the griffon away. Ollie looks put out.
“What’s her name?” I ask the black-haired woman holding the griffon I imagine I’ll be riding.
She snorts. “They don’t have names.”
Ollie makes a noise of outrage.
“She’s gonna have names for all of them by the time we land,” whispers Kai.
I grin.
Lord Flamestaff turns, apparently having had his fill of Lilac. “Mount up and we’ll be off. It’s about four hours to Larkstead, so we’ll be there in time for you to settle in before dinner.
I watch Ollie swing herself up, wanting to help her, but knowing we need to keep our relationship hidden if this is to work. The female Fae starts helping with her leg straps and I reluctantly tear my eyes away. I approach the griffon again, hand out and it sniffs me.
“Can I get on your back, pretty creature?” I ask softly. She eyes me again, then prances her back end towards me. I smile and climb up into the saddle. I grab the buckles and start doing them up myself, lest that Fae try to touch me. I suppress a shiver.Bizarre. Before Ollie, I would have been throwing her heated glances, even though I adore Kai. But now? Now the thought of anyone but them touching me damn near turns my stomach.
Flamestaff’s griffon takes off first and the rest of them follow. I was expecting it to feel similar to a horse taking a jump but it’s much more violent than that. The griffon throws herself forcibly into the air and as her wings beat, her entire body drops rather concerningly. Once we get to a height though, the flight is smoother, as she holds her wings open and glides with only the occasional wingbeat. We head northeast. The speed at which we travel is surprising even if I knew how long it would take. Faster than I would expect we’re out from the dense forest of Thistle Grove and headed over Lake Woe. My heart clenches. Kai and I used to swim there–the northern end—every summer on a camping trip with our fathers. I look over at Kai, on a russet griffon. He looks a bit ill, gripping tightly to the saddle horn. I swing my head, surveying the Flamestaff family. Korben is in the middle of them, lookingdistinctlyill. But Ollie. Ollie is laughing, her arms thrown wide. The sight of her makes me grin. I wonder why she is so comfortable flying. Perhaps it’s just the freedom.
The hours pass quickly; the rush of the wind in my ears is hypnotic, and the adrenaline from the fact that I’m strapped to a griffon’s back high in the air steady. We pass the edge of the Pinwood Desert. I can just see tiny dots that must be the famedGiant Ivies Cacti. They are said to be too large for five men to touch around their trunks.
Soon I can see the Quiet Mountains in the distance. My griffon makes a cawing noise that sounds happy.
“Glad to be home, girl?” I ask as I lean forward. Her head ducks.Did she just answer me?The Larkstead family took over the griffon stables of the previous fire Fae rulers when they came into power and, as tradition dictates, are the only Fae allowed to own the creatures.
The Quiet Mountains span the top of the lands of Faery, a dividing line across the northern land, separating the rest of Faery from the Backveld Tundra, a wet, frozen, unsteady land that extends into the Gelid Ocean. Nothing above that has ever been found, most explorers having never returned. It’s a cold, desolate place, and I expect the Larksteads to be similarly cold and hard, even though they are the leaders of the fire Fae.
Larkstead Castle approaches quickly, once I determine that’s what I’m looking at. Two tall stone bell towers stand next to each other at the front of the town. From there, the walls of Larkstead extend at right angles back and are built directly into the mountain. The magic used to carve the mountains’ sides into the walls was surely earth Fae done.
The set up leaves the town shaped like a large trapezoid, and at the back, partially carved from a mountain itself is the castle. The castle has several wide open turrets and Flamestaff leads us to one. The town below looks to be in good standing. That’s a plus; I consider a run-down, ill-taken care of town to be a failing of the rulers. My griffon veers gently and backdrafts its wings for a surprisingly smooth landing.
I lean and unlash my legs and slip off. I see Kai hurry over to help Ollie so I step to the front of my mount.
“Thanks for the ride,” I say softly, scratching above her beak. She headbutts me gently and it makes me smile.
Kai quickly steps back from Ollie once she has her feet. We must maintain the ruse that we are not bound to each other.
“Come,” commands Lord Flamestaff as servants swarm us to take the griffons. We follow him into the building and down a dim curving staircase. Ollie seems stiff in my periphery.Probably from the long ride,I think.
“The steward,” Lord Flamestaff directs us towards a gray skinned man with flame-red hair. “Dinner is at sundown. Downstairs and to the right.” And he storms off.
The steward bows and my eyebrow rise. I don’t have our staff show such ridiculous deference.Like Nell or Cook would anyway, I think, amused.
“I have rooms ready for the four of you,” he says, eyes downcast.
“Sweet!” yells Korben. “Where’s mine?”
The steward straightens and paces down the long dark hallway. The one side of the hall is obviously the mountain itself, while the opposite wall has doors along it.
He stops, “For Commander Lonan,” he gestures as he opens the door.
He points to the next door, “For General Kai.” He clears his throat, “Lady Allie and Captain Korben are on the floor below.”
“No,” I snap, “My contingent will be housed on the same floor. I see other doors on either side of ours. Move other guests if you need to, I don’t give a fuck, but wewillbe on the same floor.”
My tone must be serious enough for the steward bows again. “Apologies, my lord. I did not realize this would be an issue. If the Captain and the Lady might stay with the two of you, I can have rooms on this floor ready by the end of dinner?”
I nod, placated. “Come,” I say, gesturing to both of them as Kai strides to his door. I shut the door behind us and my eyes take in the guest suite.
