Page 87 of Queen's Griffon

“I can’t believe the Cap’s gone,” sniveled her friend.

“Me either. And now we need to make sure no one else dies. Let’s get Monty and get back to the ship.”

Simhi sniffed. “Aye. Let’s do that. But what about your stones? Shouldn’t we find them first? Isn’t that why you wanted to come?”

Avera’s lips tightened at the reminder. “Yes, but I’m wondering now if they were worth the cost.”

“You have to get them,” Simhi huffed. “Or the cap will have died in vain.”

Simhi made a good point.

“I know where they are, but the dragon won’t like me taking them.”

“Good,” Simhi snarled. “Stupid overgrown lizard, barbecuing the cap. Let’s go get them.”

“No, you stay here. I know where they are. I’ll be but a moment.”

Avera returned to the hoarding ledge and didn’t bother looking upward to see if the dragon had returned. She’d come for the stones, and by damn, she would leave with them. She marched quickly to them, quite the armful when gathered andcolder than expected, especially given where they’d sat. With them tucked close to her chest, she returned to Simhi.

“Those are the rocks you been looking for?” Her friend eyed them dubiously.

“Yup. Let’s find Monty and get going.”

Monty remained snoring, leading to a dilemma. The wheelbarrow had been incinerated, meaning they had to improvise. They laid Monty on the sturdiest blanket in Basil’s bed and would use it to pull him. Avera located a satchel and loaded the rocks inside along with some of the scrolls Basil had been obsessed with. She might not be able to read them, but perhaps she could learn on her voyage back to Daerva. Assuming she made it. After all, they had tunnels to navigate, a city to traverse, a boat to find and the Emperor’s lackey to avoid.

Numbed by Griffon’s death, Avera might have given up if not for Monty and Simhi. They kept her going and reminded her there were still people in need of saving in this world.

The tunnels proved the easiest part of the journey, despite the fact they encountered oversized bugs that Simhi savagely hacked. Monty woke whilst they were dragging him past the body of a dead rat. A rat so big it took both her and Simhi to fight it.

And what did the man remark? “What a waste, leaving it behind. Me mother would have made the best stew with its meat.”

Avera didn’t gag, imagining how much the Verlorians struggled with starvation when they first escaped.

Simhi had smartly marked their path on the way in, not taking any chances she’d get lost. It meant they emerged in Griffon’s father’s study where Avera glanced around and murmured, “So, this is where Griff grew up. Quite royal.”

A comment that led Monty to chuckle. “He would have hated to be called that. Verlora prided itself on being progressive. Our chancellors were always voted in.”

Avera frowned. “My history lessons showed a string of Leifs in charge going back centuries.”

“Longer than that,” Monty added. “While the people did vote, they always chose them to lead.”

Not anymore. Griffon had been the last of his line. It made her throat tight to think she’d been the cause of his demise.

Their trip across the city proved perilous. Knowing of the bugs, they stuck close to buildings using a stagger-type walk that her friends claimed wouldn’t draw them. It must have worked for they made it across the city just as dawn crested, the lightening sky a welcome thing to see.

Less promising? The bugling cry of the creature in the sky.

They ducked into a derelict warehouse and watched as the dragon did a circuit over the city, coasting on its massive wings, most likely seeking out Avera and the treasure she’d stolen.

She hugged the bag tight. She’d already lost Griffon on this quest. She would die before leaving empty-handed.

The dinghy remained moored where Griffon had left it, and they soon cast off, drifting into the perpetual fog. Avera kept the sack of eggs in her lap and lay Griff’s sword in the bottom. She averted her gaze from it lest she give in to the tears that threatened.

Monty kept watch as he rowed.

“Do you think there’s another kraken?” Avera murmured.

“Hope not. But who knows what’s hiding under the waves, waiting for the right moment to capsize us for lunch,” he darkly declared.

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