woman.” His deep chuckle turned his face red. When Gryphon didn’t join in, the chief sobered and frowned. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Yes, sir. I think he’ll speak to me. I might be able to learn something about our enemy.”
Barnabas harrumphed and sunk back into the cushions. He waved his hand. “Your heroics have earned you the right, I suppose. Only prepare yourself for disappointment. The Wolf hasn’t muttered a word since he came here. Even my interrogators have failed, and we both know how persuasive they can be.”
Gryphon could only imagine. “Thank you, sir.”
Chapter 14
“I want you to keep this pressed firmly against the wound. Understand?”
The little girl pinched her eyes shut and nodded. Zo frowned at her effort not to cry. Even little girls had to be brave inside the Gate. Thankfully the weighted training weapons children used were blunted.
“What’s your name?” Zo squatted down to meet the girl’s eyes.
“Iris,” she whispered.
“Iris, the next Ram Chieftain? I’ve heard of you.”
The little girl opened her eyes and giggled. “I’m not a going to be a chief.”
“Oh, no.” Zo put her hand to her mouth in mock surprise. “I guess I wasn’t supposed to tell.”
The girl giggled again until the door flew open. It banged against the wall, making both Zo and the child jump. On sheer reflex, Zo turned to shield the child from danger with her own body. She didn’t have time to analyze her own reaction. The girl was young, but she was a Ram in blood. Zo’s instinctive concern surprised her.
“I need you to come with me, healer.” Gryphon looked down at the cowering girls and frowned. “I … I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Zo tried to remain calm for the child’s sake. “Should I finish with Iris before we go? I’m almost done.”
Gryphon moved to the corner of the room and leaned against the wall. “Of course.”
Zo reached for a strip of cloth but accidentally knocked the whole basket to the floor. Her stomach rolled as she hurried to pick up the mess.
“Re-remember what I told you, Iris. Keep this bandage on for two days. Don’t get it wet if you can avoid it. If it falls off before then, come back and I’ll refit one for you.” Zo glanced at Gryphon as she grabbed another strip of cloth. His bulky arms were folded across his broad chest, his chin down, his eye appraising under a hood of thick brows.
“Uh, if I’m not here,” Zo’s hands slipped as she tightened the wrap, “someone else will help you.”
Iris slid off the bed and gave Zo an easy hug before running out the door. Thankfully, it wasn’t too hard to care for these Ram children. Especially when they were as young as Iris. Zo couldn’t blame them for the pain the Ram had caused the other clans over the years. She looked over to Gryphon’s towering form and rose to her feet, hugging the basket of cloth to her chest. Gryphon and others like him were not so innocent.
“You’re coming with me.” He took a step toward her.
Zo looked at the ground and nodded. She carried the basket over to a table and, in a last-moment decision, tucked a thin scalpel up her sleeve before turning to face her enemy. She would end her own life before they had the chance to torture her, if it came to that.
Gryphon’s hands tightened at his sides. “The man we’re going to see will require medical attention. You’ll need more than the knife to help him.”
Zo froze, unable to hide the shock on her face. Her little stunt had likely squashed what trust he might have had for her. “I … I’m sorry—”
“Just get a kit together. We don’t have much time.”
They left the Medica, Zo walking three steps behind Gryphon on the cobbled road through town. “Will you let me speak?” she asked as they turned onto a dirt trail leading into the thick forest fringing the town.
Gryphon looked back and nodded. Zo absently put one hand to her cheek, wishing she’d had time to apply
“Yes, sir. I think he’ll speak to me. I might be able to learn something about our enemy.”
Barnabas harrumphed and sunk back into the cushions. He waved his hand. “Your heroics have earned you the right, I suppose. Only prepare yourself for disappointment. The Wolf hasn’t muttered a word since he came here. Even my interrogators have failed, and we both know how persuasive they can be.”
Gryphon could only imagine. “Thank you, sir.”
Chapter 14
“I want you to keep this pressed firmly against the wound. Understand?”
The little girl pinched her eyes shut and nodded. Zo frowned at her effort not to cry. Even little girls had to be brave inside the Gate. Thankfully the weighted training weapons children used were blunted.
“What’s your name?” Zo squatted down to meet the girl’s eyes.
“Iris,” she whispered.
“Iris, the next Ram Chieftain? I’ve heard of you.”
The little girl opened her eyes and giggled. “I’m not a going to be a chief.”
“Oh, no.” Zo put her hand to her mouth in mock surprise. “I guess I wasn’t supposed to tell.”
The girl giggled again until the door flew open. It banged against the wall, making both Zo and the child jump. On sheer reflex, Zo turned to shield the child from danger with her own body. She didn’t have time to analyze her own reaction. The girl was young, but she was a Ram in blood. Zo’s instinctive concern surprised her.
“I need you to come with me, healer.” Gryphon looked down at the cowering girls and frowned. “I … I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Zo tried to remain calm for the child’s sake. “Should I finish with Iris before we go? I’m almost done.”
Gryphon moved to the corner of the room and leaned against the wall. “Of course.”
Zo reached for a strip of cloth but accidentally knocked the whole basket to the floor. Her stomach rolled as she hurried to pick up the mess.
“Re-remember what I told you, Iris. Keep this bandage on for two days. Don’t get it wet if you can avoid it. If it falls off before then, come back and I’ll refit one for you.” Zo glanced at Gryphon as she grabbed another strip of cloth. His bulky arms were folded across his broad chest, his chin down, his eye appraising under a hood of thick brows.
“Uh, if I’m not here,” Zo’s hands slipped as she tightened the wrap, “someone else will help you.”
Iris slid off the bed and gave Zo an easy hug before running out the door. Thankfully, it wasn’t too hard to care for these Ram children. Especially when they were as young as Iris. Zo couldn’t blame them for the pain the Ram had caused the other clans over the years. She looked over to Gryphon’s towering form and rose to her feet, hugging the basket of cloth to her chest. Gryphon and others like him were not so innocent.
“You’re coming with me.” He took a step toward her.
Zo looked at the ground and nodded. She carried the basket over to a table and, in a last-moment decision, tucked a thin scalpel up her sleeve before turning to face her enemy. She would end her own life before they had the chance to torture her, if it came to that.
Gryphon’s hands tightened at his sides. “The man we’re going to see will require medical attention. You’ll need more than the knife to help him.”
Zo froze, unable to hide the shock on her face. Her little stunt had likely squashed what trust he might have had for her. “I … I’m sorry—”
“Just get a kit together. We don’t have much time.”
They left the Medica, Zo walking three steps behind Gryphon on the cobbled road through town. “Will you let me speak?” she asked as they turned onto a dirt trail leading into the thick forest fringing the town.
Gryphon looked back and nodded. Zo absently put one hand to her cheek, wishing she’d had time to apply
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