House of Vultures, Maggie Claire [fun to read .txt] 📗

into his cries. Antero rises from hisplace on the ground, joints moving stiffly as he walks toward thetrees. “I am leaving this place. I think I have done all that I canfor now. Show her no mercy. It is the only way.” Antero snaps thebond between his mind and Wolf’s, dancing away on thewind.

A wildness overtakes Wolf’s eyes as hebellows, “Fox! Prepare the forces! We have to find Mynah and hunther down!”

“You cannot be serious,Wolf! She just went into the Pith. There is no damage done,” Foxargues, gripping his leader’s shoulder to calm hisreaction.

“I have to save her.” Wolfrips himself away from Fox. “The Pith is a dangerous place, oldfriend. She has messed with forces that have altered her. Mynahcannot be allowed to bring its evil into our people.”

“You’re not thinkingclearly, Wolf. You’re talking about the girl that you love! Forgods’ sake, see sense!”

“I will see Mynahprotected, even if that means from herself,” Wolf persists, barkingorders at the nearest men.

“Where’s the boy?” Foxasks as he searches the ground for his patient. “Surely he canexplain—”

“He’s gone, Fox. But thathardly matters now. I have to kill Mynah!” In Wolf’s mind, thefuture is clear. Nothing can change mycourse of action. Mynah must die, and the sooner thebetter.

***

“There!” I shout fromwithin the Ddraig’s clutches. “The House of Vultures is in thatclearing. Take me down to them, Siri.” Siri slides low over thecanopy, making my eyes water with the sudden change. Along thefence, two bodies are draped in the traitor binds. I celebrate andholler when I recognize one of them is Condor. “He did it, Siri!Wolf defeated the House of Vultures!”

I do not see the spear that grazesSiri’s toes from the ground. My ears throb with the intensity ofher shrieking as I tumble through the treetops, falling through thebranches until I land face up on a sharp rock. My back cracksaudibly and radiates with pain, my voice unable to do more thangurgle.

My name is shouted by someone besideme, and I can feel the vibrations in the ground as Wolf runs to myside. Gentle hands cradle my head, blood clumping my hair intothick clods. Calloused fingers wipe my face, but the words thatWolf speaks are as cold as the first winter snowstorm. “There wasno other way to save you, Mynah. You had to die. I’d rather live alife without you than have you bring the Pith evils into thisland.”

Wolf’s voice sounds strange, like he’stalking in his sleep, and his eyes are glazed and unfocused. Yet Icannot ask him anything, nor can I seem to move any of mylimbs.

“What makes you think sheneeded saving?” Siri snaps as she watches from the cover of thetrees. I know exactly where she is, feeling her rage and sorrowradiating through the forest to me as clearly as if they are on abreeze.

“Who speaks to me?” Wolfdemands, hands reaching for the spear as the Ddraig steps out ofthe shadows. My breath rattles with effort in my chest as I try tomove my fingers.

“I answer to no one,” Siriroars, flames pouring out of her mouth with her fury. “But you willcower before me by the time I am finished! Why did you hurther?”

Wolf says nothing more, and althoughhe does not react in terror, I can tell he is frightened. The tipof his spear shakes with his trembling hand, his shouldersscrunched ever so slightly.

“Lis’n,” I manage to saythrough the blood filling my mouth, praying Siri will understand.The pain in my body slowly reaches my awareness, and a torturedmoan escapes my lips. My eyes flutter rapidly, the shock finallycatching up to my scattered mind. “Tell….” My words fail me as mybody begins shutting down, my vision blurring as white spots formalong the edges. Wolf returns to my side, his fingers tighteningaround my hand. I can feel his presence, but I cannot move orspeak.

“She is dying!” Siricries, stomping her way up to my side. The spear in Wolf’s handraises up to her throat.

“It is the only way,” Wolfpersists, brushing the spear tip against Siri’s scales surroundingher heart. “The evil of the Pith had to be stopped before itentered the Houses. I love Mynah, but not enough to risk everyone’slives!”

“Bloody fools!” Siricurses, sniffing the air around Wolf’s head.“Impossible!”

“What?” Fox stumbles up tomy body, his hands assessing my wounds. “Gods, no! There’s too muchdamage. I can’t stop this!” Tears well in Fox’s eyes as he bows hishead over me.

“How did the boy survive?His burns should have been enough to do the job—”

“So, you did try to killhim?” Wolf accuses, crouching over my body. He reaches for thespear, preparing to attack Siri once more. I cough and wheeze,desperate to calm him, but my efforts are for naught.

“Of course, I did! Thatlittle maggot was a spy from Déchets! He was only in the Pith insearch of its secrets.” Siri paces, eyeing Wolf suspiciously. “Youwere touched by the Windwalker. He shared his name with you, didn’the? You’re the reason he lives!” Siri slaps the spear out of Wolf’soutstretched hand easily. Her tail flattens him to the groundbeside me, and in a blink, Siri pins him under her claws. “Stupidboy! You gave him a place in your thoughts, and he exploited it! Healtered your mind with his magic; I can smell his taint in you.” Abreeze of ash and soot stirs around us, and Wolf shakes his head asif awakening from his nightmare.

“Lupe! What happened?”Wolf demands, his rage focusing on Siri as he struggles to freehimself. “Did you do this to her?”

“I’ve seen what’s in yourheart,” Siri answers strangely, her silver eyes glittering in thesunlight. “Does Mynah know what you’ve done?” Wolf grows still asSiri lifts her claws, yet despite their unmoving natures, hostilityroils in the air around us. I feel like a mouse caught between twotigers, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Sirismiles, fury in her features as she adds, “If you’re looking forsomeone to blame, you should attack yourself, Wolf. You’re thereason her body is broken, not me.”

“Impossible! I wouldnever….” Wolf’s protests die as he catches sight of Fox’s noddinghead. Slowly, Fox retells the events surrounding