Page 85 of Queen's Griffon

Not that staying awake helped her situation. She remained tied to a table, the needle in her arm still draining her.

Basil muttered aloud, “What a lucky day. Four samples to work with and two of them of royal lineage. Surely one of them will provide the answer, assuming the boy is like his father. Better test that first.” The man hummed as he banged around, leading her to slit open an eye for a peek. Basil wheeled a barrow close to Griff’s prone body.

He knelt by it and unbuckled the sheath with Griff’s sword. “Ah, your father’s wolfframm blade. How fortuitous. I wonder how the dragon will react to it,” Basil muttered as he put it aside. He then tried to heave Griff into the barrow but lacked the strength to lift the thick captain.

Avera watched—in annoyed amazement—how he rigged a pulley system to heave Griff into the contraption. He then had his back to her, and only when he moved did she see he’dtied Griff’s hands. Given he crouched by Simhi and Monty, she assumed he did the same to them.

When Basil stood and turned toward her, she pretended sleep.

Basil neared and murmured, “Pity I didn’t have access to you sooner. Perhaps I should have read the letters your mother sent. A child of my loins would have inherited my brilliance. We could have worked on this together. Raised properly, you would have been willing, even eager, to donate your blood to the cause.” Basil sighed. “Perhaps you’ll come around. I doubt Griffon will, though. He’s just like his father. Unable to understand the sacrifice science needs.”

Avera bit her inner cheek as Basil suddenly pulled the needle from her arm.

“That’s enough blood to get me started.” He pressed down on the pinprick wound before wrapping a bandage around her arm. “Time to put Griffon to the test. Be a good girl. I’ll be back shortly.” He patted her on the head and then, with a creak of wheels in need of grease, left.

Avera’s eyes popped open. She didn’t have much time to free herself. If she even could, bound as she was.

At least the blood siphoning had ceased. She turned to look left and saw nothing of use. A glance to the right showed the same. She growled. How frustrating?—

“Ugh, how much did I drink?” Simhi groaned.

“Simhi!” Avera exclaimed. “You’re awake.”

“Barely. What happened? Hold on, I remember. That slimy bastard,” Simhi exclaimed. “He drugged us! And what’s this? Trussed me like a chicken for roasting too.”

“Basil took Griffon,” Avera announced. “I think he’s planning to expose him to the dragon.”

“Oh, that doesn’t sound good,” Simhi muttered. “We should go save the cap before that happens.”

“Would love to, only I’m just as tied up as you.”

“Me, tied up?” Simhi snickered. “This Basil obviously never had a sailor teach him knots. Give me a minute to get out of these ropes.”

It took her less than that.

Simhi stood and shook out her limbs, leading Avera to ask, “How come you weren’t affected by his sleeping drug?”

“I was, just not as much as he expected. Must be the same thing that lets me drink men under the table. Kreed jokes I’ve got a belly of iron, seeing how much alcohol it takes to get me truly drunk.”

“Can you untie me?”

“Of course.” Simhi made quick work of the restraints and while Avera sat up and stretched her stiff limbs, Simhi untied Monty, who remained snoring.

Simhi planted her hands on her hips staring at him. “Guess he won’t be giving us a hand.”

“With what?” Avera asked.

“Saving Cap, of course, that is once we figure out where Basil took him.”

“He left that way.” Avera pointed to a flap of canvas hanging on the rear wall.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s get Griffon back.”

Avera swooped up Griff’s sword before following Simhi through the tarp. The tunnel beyond proved warm and as they moved through it, the smell of sulfur tinged the air. They encountered no critters, a relief given what Avera had experienced thus far. Danger beyond her wildest imagination, and yet Simhi and the others had still chosen to come find Avera.

It tightened her chest to know Griffon and her friends hadn’t hesitated to come to her rescue. They’d sailed into danger, to a place Griffon swore he’d never visit, for her. Hopefully, she could repay his braveness by rescuing him.

“There’s a split in the tunnel up ahead,” Simhi whispered from her spot in the lead. “Which way should we go?”

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