“He has a point there,” says Quinn.
“Fine,” says Ronan. Then he addresses Karis. “We’ve decided. Larus, Typhon, Octavia, and Quinn will go, the rest will stay. May we have a moment to find our griffins before they depart?”
“You may,” says Karis. “You must tell me how you managed to tame them. We rarely travel south far enough to encounter them, but everything I’ve read suggests they’re wild and ill-mannered.”
“Well, some of them are more so than others,” I admit. “But our griffin Kira is really sweet.”
“Somehow, I don’t find that surprising if she chose you.”
I’m surprised by how kind Karis is, but then I probably shouldn’t be. If out of all the Orsa, she’s the one Ronan chose to ally with, it makes sense that she would be reasonable.
Octavia, Quinn, and Taran leave to track down the griffins, the rest of us staying behind to discuss logistics.
“I suppose I should arrange rooms for four of you here in the castle, then,” says Karis.
“No,” I say too quickly. “Sorry. There’s just too many memories here.” And too many chances of alienating our former enemies and ending up dead. “There are some cottages in the woods. They used to be empty in winter when the game had moved on. If you aren’t using them for anything now, we could stay there, maybe?”
There are two of them, or at least there were five years ago. One larger with several bedrooms, and a smaller building with just one. They aren’t anything fancy, but it was nice to relax by the fire there after a day out in the woods on those hunting trips I took with Larus, the ones where we didn’t catch anything.
Ronan’s eyes turn misty as he looks at me, realizing what I’m suggesting from my feelings.
A place of our own. A little corner we can carve out in the world that belongs to just us.
And—oh, gods—Seth and Taran will be sharing a house as well.
“Wait, I didn’t think this through—”
“Of course you may stay there, if that’s what you prefer. It will keep you closer to the fields where we train anyway.”
The others return after not long at all, Quinn riding Bitey into the great hall through the large double doors to the surprise and fear of the Orsa inside.
“Kira’s out in the courtyard with Typhon. Take care of him for me, will you?” Quinn asks me, looking at Ronan. “Keep him warm through the winter.”
“Quinn.”
“Taran will do the same for your brother if you aren’t careful. Damn, maybe I should stay after all. I really wouldn’t mind getting in that sandwich.”
“Quinn!”
“Tave agrees. Tave, get over here and tell this prude you agree with me about Seth and Taran.”
“What about us?” asks Seth.
I leave them to it; I’d really rather not know howthatconversation goes.
I make my way to Larus and Typhon to wish them safe travels. Ronan goes through a list of potential allies and what he can offer them, which Typhon jots down into a notebook. Seeing him writing reminds me of something.
“Do you know if any of our belongings are still here?” I ask Karis. “That is, House Verran’s belongings. I’m looking for some books that belonged to my mother. Just sentimental things, nothing of value.” Possibly some light sacrilege, maybe some clues about an ancient prophecy and our destiny. You know. The usual sort of thing people leave behind when they move.
“Most of the books in the library were either sold or destroyed unless we had a use for them. You’re free to look around. There’sa cellar near the kitchens that has become a sort of dumping ground for unwanted things. Be careful in there, though. There may be mice.”
“I know it.” I remember that cellar well. “It’s rats in there, not mice.”
Karis shudders.
Ronan finishes giving his instructions, and I pull Larus aside to thank him before he leaves.
“I know this isn’t somewhere you ever thought you would be again.”
