Page 40 of The Kingdom's Reckoning
Graeson slammed his fist against the post. The horseshoes hanging on it rattled, threatening to fall.
"Where’s the nearest stable?"
"About six miles west," Bengi said, picking up a broom that had fallen.
Graeson groaned and spun around.
That was in the opposite direction Kalisandre had likely gone. By the time he found the stable, he would be even further behind than he already was. He pressed his hands against his temples, cursing the gods as he stared at the sky outside the stable.
There is a way,the god within whispered.
In the distance, a roar filled the air. Graeson’s hands fell.
Then, before he knew it, he was running.
"Come on, Nyrri,"Graeson pleaded. He lifted the leather saddle and dangled it as if he could somehow trick the drakonis into thinking it was a treat. "It’s not going to hurt you."
Nyrri blew out a puff of air and rolled onto her back as she sprawled out on the crisp grass. She pawed at the air as a butterfly flew by, her claws nearly slicing the insect’s wings.
"There are plenty of butterflies in the sky. You can chase as many as you want—birds too." Graeson inched closer. "Just let me?—"
She released a whine and rolled over in the opposite direction, tucking her paws beneath her stomach.
Graeson groaned. "Oh, don’t be like that."
Nyrri huffed and tipped up her chin in disdain.
You are wasting time,the god hissed.
Graeson held back his retort and focused his attention on Nyrri.
"I didn’t want to leave you, all right? I begged them to take you with us, but Medenia said there wasn’t any room on the boat."
Nyrri glared at him, and her ruby-red eyes turned into slits.
"That’s not what I meant, and you know it," Graeson said.
He couldn’t believe he was arguing with an animal right now, but Nyrri was his last hope. She was faster than the horses, which still had yet to return. Her landing may have needed some work, but her wings were fully healed. She was strong enough. She had soared through the sky countless times now.
Graeson groaned, and the large saddle knocked into the backs of his knees. Medenia and Graeson had worked with theroyal saddler to create the leather seat over the past few weeks, but they had yet to put it on Nyrri. Every time they tried, she threw a fit. Once Nyrri had even knocked the princess into a rosebush, the thorns ripping through her silk dress. Ophelia nearly combusted when she saw the minor scratches marking the princess’ arms and back.
Graeson scratched his chin. "Honestly, I think Medenia said that because she wanted to keep you for herself. But don’t you want to see something new? Something other than this godsforsaken garden?"
Nyrri continued swatting at the butterfly that circled her as if he wasn’t even there. As if she was perfectly content to be surrounded by butterflies and decaying flowers.
This is a waste of time, the god complained, his patience dwindling.To have wings yet refuse to fly—such a pity.
Graeson may have been a demi-god, but he couldn’t force Nyrri to fly.
The saddle hit the ground with a sad thump. Graeson plopped down beside it. He propped his elbows on his knees and rested his chin on his interlocked hands. "You know, I expected more from you. Do you remember when you saved us? We would have been dead if it wasn’t for you. You didn’t have to stop, but you did."
Gods, what was he doing? Talking to animals wasn’t anything new to him, per se. They might not have been able to talk back, but Graeson still believed they could understand him. If nothing else, they could understand emotions: love and fear, hate and sorrow. But he had never had to convince his horse Calamity to do anything. She loved riding—anytime, anywhere. Still, as foolish as it might have seemed trying to convince Nyrri to put a saddle on, he persisted.
"I know you have a good heart, Nyrri. Thebestheart." He was laying it on thick, but desperate times called for drastic measures. "Kalisandre needs us right now."
Nyrri’s paw stopped in the air, her talons withdrawing an inch. An ember of hope ignited in his chest.
He kept going. "Kalisandre is out there, and she needs us. She needsyou."
