Chapter 2
I waited in the main foyer for the messenger to return, and he was right on time, his eyes watching me suspiciously. He didn’t trust me, and I didn’t trust him. Our tribes had been at war for what seemed like forever, it would be foolish for us to trust each other.
Yet, I had to follow him into an unknown land and towards an uncertain future, I picked up the single book I was going to take for the journey and stepped forward, bowing politely.
“I’m Lucinda Thorn.” I say smoothly, clutching the book in my hand.
“I know who you are.” He says blandly, looking me up and down as though inspecting me. “Follow me, we have no time to waste.”
I nod, my temper slowly rising as I follow him from the castle, not once turning back to look at my home. If I did, I would cry, and my father always said we must harness our emotions and hold them steady for they could easily consume us.
I am just about to enter the carriage when Syrian comes barrelling out of the castle and rushes towards me, pulling me into his embrace. I wrap my arms around him and hold him close, knowing that this will be the last time that I see him.
“Don’t go Lucinda, we can fight them of in the eastern lands, don’t throw your life away.” He whispers in my ear.
“I have to go.” I smile sadly, pulling back. “This is the path my life has taken, and I will honour my name.”
He watches me, much like the way my father does. “You’ve always been so brave, don’t rush into this because you are worried about the consequences.” he turns to the Griffin. “Do not harm her.” he growls.
“I have no such orders; I am to deliver her to our high king Dieter.” Says the Griffin, his impatience clear. “We must leave now, or we shall be late. Then the attack will proceed.”
“I am ready.” I say confidently, giving Lord Syrian’s hand one final squeeze before I climb into the carriage.
“I’ll see you again in the sky.” Syrian calls just as we begin to move, my heart clenching painfully,
For a while we ride in silence, the messenger staring out of the window and I reading my book. But the silence was deafening, and I could no longer stand it. But what could I say? I knew nothing of the Griffin’s and their way of life, no one outside their home did. They allowed no visitors into their home, not even messengers were allowed to enter their great city.
“what’s it like in the great city?” I ask, hoping that the messenger will answer me.
He looks at me from across the carriage and smiles slightly, “It's a haven for our kind, anyone of us can enter the city and we know we’ll be safe, provided for.”
I smile, it sounds just like the Dragon capital. “What’s your name, you know mine, yet I know nothing about you.”
“I’m Dranon. The king's personal messenger.” He says his face blank of any emotion.
“What’s he like?” I ask, gazing out of the window, watching my home fade.
His face grows hard, “He is a strong leader.”
“That’s all you can tell me?” I frown, it wasn’t very much to go on. “What are his likes and his dislikes?”
“He likes to be obeyed and demands respect; he doesn’t like to repeat himself.”
“You sound like you respect him yourself.”
“I must, he is my king.”
I frown, doesn’t this man have his own mind? “You can have a king and not respect them.”
“Maybe in your culture yes, but not in mine.” He snaps, clearly annoyed.
“I just want to know what the man I am going to marry is like, that’s all.” I say, trying to defend myself.
I've never seen a Griffin up close, let alone had a conversation with one, but this guy seems to hate me before he even knows me. I get that our people have been at war for centuries, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t work together to get along.
Perhaps the king will hate me also, perhaps this is a trap, one I threw myself into.
But I didn’t care so long as the eastern region is safe. The children there have done nothing wrong, and their lives have barley even begun.
“Women shouldn’t speak out of turn, clearly your people give the females too much freedom.” Dranon growls, his wings sprouting from his back.
“What in the world is that supposed to mean?!” I growl back, my eyes shining a brighter shade of blue when I lose my temper.
Dranon lifts his hand and strikes me across the face, knocking me into the door of the carriage. “Do not raise your tone at me woman.”
“How dare you?!” I scream, clutching my cheek.
Yes, perhaps this was a bad idea.
I needed to get back home before we left Dragon's territory, we would fight them back instead of this arrangement.
“I have changed my mind; I demand you take me home.” I say, straightening my spine.
Dranon bangs on the roof, and I think he’s about to tell the driver to turn around, that is; until he speaks. “Bring the iron.” he commands.
My eyes widen and my stomach drops, iron burns us, it’s the only metal we can't stand, and our biggest weakness. I throw open the door when it stops and attempt to shift, but before I have the chance I am thrown to the ground and the shackles and locked around my wrists.
Dranon hauls me to my feet as I scream in pain, the iron excruciating against my skin. “The choice was never yours, my king commanded that I bring you to him.”
As he speaks my eyes grow heavy and I am thrown into darkness, the pain too much.