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

“Can we move past this,Iris?” Wolf asks me suddenly, his hand running through his hair ashe stares at his feet, unable to look me in the eye.

I know he’s forgiven me by the way heuses my true name. Still, I need to hear the words aloud. “I don’tknow. I mean, I’ve known about Lion since the day of his death.Despite everything good that I remember about the man, Lion becamea monster in this broken world. His death avenged Lynx and herunborn child. You are the one who has to find a way past what Ihave done. I killed an innocent man.” The kindly laughter of Hawkseems to float on the breeze, haunting in its softlullaby.

“I loved him, Iris, Iwon’t deny that. But Hawk was not exactly an innocent man either.He had his own dark secrets,” Wolf answers as his tentative fingersrun along my jaw. Even though his eyes tear, I can tell he’s notrepulsed by me. “Iris, I have kept one thing more from you. Sirisaid that we both had to unburden our hearts, and I think it istime to tell you this. There is nothing you have done or will dothat can change how I feel. I have loved you for a long time, andif you killed Hawk to save him from misery, I can accept that. Thisdamned world that we live in turns the best of us into monsters attimes. But I love you. I will love you more tomorrow, and nothingyou’ve disclosed to me changes that.”

The racking sob I’ve been holding inmy chest pours from my heart as I climb into Cane’s waiting arms.Between my sorrows I tell him everything that I remember about hisfather, leaving out only the way I’d found him before his death.All the happy moments—how he’d taught me to shoot a bow and throw aknife, how he’d sing by the fire light when we’d had good luckwhile hunting late on warm summer nights. One dusk, when I wasbarely ten years old, he’d found me crying and told me storiesuntil I could fall asleep. He’d carried me to my bed and tucked mein just like my own father used to do. As I finish my tales, Caneraises my face to his, kissing away my tears. We hold each other inthe scalding sun and let ourselves burn, needing each other in thatmoment more than anything else.

When we can finally break away, Canepulls me toward the cave’s entrance. He leans over and kisses myforehead before disappearing into the cavern, calling, “I willcatch you when you fall.”

I hope those words aremeant also for my heart, I think as I jumpinto the darkness.

Cane’s steady arms never falter asthey halt my descent. Fire erupts in an arc around us as I push outof his embrace. My eyes search the cavern’s expanse for any sign ofdanger. “Siri! What’s wrong?”

Another Ddraig, a black iridescentcreature, roars over us, his scales glistening green and blue as heshakes his head. “It is a welcome, Cadogan, the first of many, wehope.” The beast focuses its great eyes on Cane, twisting his headfrom side to side as he inspects the newcomer. The Ddraig sniffsthe air, staring at Cane expectantly.

“What is your name?” Icall out to the black Ddraig, but he seems to be too interested inCane to hear me.

“How are you claimed? Whodetermines which Cadogan and Ddraig belong together?” Cane inquiresof the hulking creature. He is one of many in the cave; glitteringeyes in various hues pepper the shadows along the cavern walls.Some spiked tails swish impatiently in their hiding places. All itwould take is for one of them to startle, and the entire cavernwould be a blur of wings and fire.

“Cadogans and Ddraigs arematched by blood,” Siri answers as she slinks up beside the darkcreature, nuzzling his chin. “The blessing skips generations atrandom, but it connects you to one of our kind. No one has everquite understood it. What is your true name, boy?” Watching them, Iam sure that they are communicating beyond what my ears can hear. Isee it in the way the black Ddraig’s eyes squint, the subtle shakeof his head, and the widening silver eyes of Siri before she staresat me once more.

“Cane,” he replies, hishand slowly linking to mine.

A murmur rumbles throughthe surrounding Ddraigs as they pass his name through their ranks.While only Siri and the other Ddraig stand before us, the sounds ofthe others resonate through the tunnels. When no beast stepsforward to claim Cane, dread thrums through me as loudly as myheartbeat, and I squeeze his hand in reassurance.Surely, if anyone of us has the heart of awarrior, it is Cane. “Are there otherDdraigs still hidden in the cavern’s tunnels?” I ask hopefully.However, Siri’s silence is answer enough. This can’t be right!Cane has to have a Ddraig!

“You have a twin, do younot? What is his true name?” the black Ddraig inquires, his gruffvoice softening as he speaks.

I did not want to hear Condor’s truename, to have that binding of minds grow between us. I breathe asigh of relief when Cane answers stiffly, “I do not know; we werenever close enough to share such intimate information. Why does thename of my twin matter to you?”

“There is somethingstrange about your blood, Cane. I am sorry.” Siri sits in front ofme and says no more, as if that explanation is enough to end ourconversation.

Her revelation fills me with shock.“Wait, what? There’s got to be more—”

“What do you mean,‘there’s something strange in my blood?” Cane demands over myconfusion, pacing in front of my Ddraig. “What does thatmean?”

Siri huffs indignantly, breathing deeparound Cane once more. Her nose wrinkles as if she smells somethingrotten. “I can’t explain why you should carry this odor, but youwill find no Ddraig here that will claim you. I amsorry.”

“What happens now?” Ipress, unwilling to let this conversation go. “There has to be away to remove this impurity…,” I give Cane an apologetic lookbefore continuing, “so that he can become a Cadogan once his bloodis cleaned, right?”

“We will bring the rest ofyour houses here to see if they