Page 41 of Queen's Griffon

Avera hunted down Simhi in the kitchen and jabbed a finger in her direction. “I can’t believe you abandoned me!”

“Seems to me like you and the cap needed some privacy,” Simhi quipped, taking a bite out of a fresh pastry.

The comment heated Avera’s cheeks. Had her friend guessed what had happened? “That man purposely tries to be annoying.”

“Bah, he’s just being Cap. Always taking care of everyone.”

“By arguing all the time?”

“Oddly enough, you’re the only one I’ve seen get such a rise out of him.” Simhi’s cheek dimpled. “Kind of entertaining watching him lose his composure.”

Avera grabbed her own pastry and took a bite as she slumped against the counter. “He just won’t listen to me.”

“He’s trying to keep you safe.”

“But if I don’t succeed, no one will be safe. Zhos will destroy the world.”

“Assuming the evil being is telling the truth. Wouldn’t be the first egomaniac to inflate his plans.”

Avera blinked at her. “It bespelled an entire town—including the animals—to serve it and created monsters out of a puddle. I’d say it’s capable of doing what it says.”

“But you stopped it both times, right?”

“Yes, but only by accident.” And by blood.

“If you ask me, that’s how most heroes are created. Not by design, but circumstance.”

“I’m no hero,” Avera murmured, taking another bite.

“Said every hero ever. Cap’s the same way,” Simhi confided.

Avera finished off her treat and stood, her eye caught by a figurine next to a fruit basket. “What’s that?”

“Looks like a crab.” Simhi laughed as she picked it up and waggled it. “Hideous and cute all at once.”

Avera couldn’t help but think of the last time she’d seen some figurines. They’d come to life and attacked Avera and her friends. “Think Cook will notice if we toss it?”

“Why would you do that?” Simhi asked, her brow creasing.

“Remember how I told you about that snake in my room back in Daerva?” By now Simhi knew just about everything that ever happened to Avera because she insisted on all the details.

“You think it’s magic?” Simhi squinted at the crab and turned it all around. “How can you tell?”

“I don’t know.”

“Only one way to be sure then.” Simhi dropped it, and when it didn’t break, brought her boot down on it until it turned into shards. “Oops. If Cook asks, it slipped out of my grip.”

Avera shook her head but smiled. Probably worrying for nothing. She spent the rest of that day in the library, going over her notes, not that they helped much. She needed to reach Verlora, and it was becoming quite obvious Griffon wouldn’t be the one to take her.

Which meant despite his glowering disapproval, she needed to try again with one of the captains in port. Surely one of them would broker a deal. After all, she wasn’t asking them to go into danger. Just to send her ashore with a promise she’d return with some Verlorian artifacts. Surely those would fetch a big enough price to pay for her passage.

As for Griffon… he’d be angry and bluster about her negotiating behind his back, however, she owed him nothing. The man had kidnapped her. Threatened to ransom her. Kept her a captive, of sorts. Kissed her and ran off.

How could she face him after that? Before heading out to town, she needed to scrounge for a weapon. Griffon had disarmed her, and she didn’t know where he’d put her handy extendable dagger. However, she’d noticed he kept a small armory—unlocked, to her surprise—on the main floor. He’d not technically forbidden her a weapon, so she felt no guilt in browsing the selection and then almost squealed as she found her dagger. She happily strapped it on. Being armed made her feel slightly better about once more confronting the sailors in the tavern, some who could be quite crude. If they tried to take liberties, they’d taste the sharp sting of her disapproval.

As she went to exit the castle, she ran into Griffon entering. He took one look at her and frowned.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

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