Page 44 of Gryphon in Light

The trek from south of Deedun to k’Valdemar Vale was a long one. There was no urgent need for anyone to send messages, supplies, or people back and forth from the Guard encampment to the Vale, now that the Vale had Kelvren back, so no one made the effort to open energy-gulping Gates between the two.

So once Hallock had gotten the official word that yes, he was not just allowed, he was ordered to join Kelvren’s expedition, he and Genni had loaded up a horse with their gear, added two horses to ride, and prepared to set off in the direction of Errold’s Grove and k’Valdemar Vale. At least there was a road. This is Valdemar. Of course there’s a road. Anywhere in Valdemar without a road has a road under construction to where the next road will be built.

And then came a twist.

Just as he was adjusting the baggage on the pack horse, Ammari, with Jefti trudging along by her side, approached him. It did not escape him that Jefti had a bag slung across his back.

“Don’t tell me,” he sighed. “You want me to take Jefti. You realize the dangers of—”

“Is’t wuss than bein’ on a battlefield?” Jefti asked, his chin raised in an unusual gesture of defiance. “’Cause I done that. I helped with the wounded while there was still shootin’ goin’ on.”

“But—” Hallock turned to Ammari, but the woman just shook her head.

“This is Jefti’s idea, not mine,” she told him. “Jefti wants to help his gryphon.”

“I know all kinda useful stuff,” Jefti continued. “I ain’t afeered of hard work. I’m mighty strong for my size. And—”

Hallock glanced at his wife, but Genni’s expression was . . . oh dear gods . . . approving.

“You are still recovering from your wounds,” she reminded him. “Another set of hands on the road won’t come amiss. And when we get to k’Valdemar Vale, he can ask Kelvren himself if he can come along.”

Hallock gritted his teeth and turned to the boy. “And if Kelvren says no?”

“Then I reckon I’ll either come back here or stay there and work,” Jefti said, wilting just a little. He obviously hadn’t thought that far. “An’ if they got work for me, they prolly got work for Ma, and I can send for her.”

Hallock’s head told him that this youngling was trying to punch far above his weight, and this was a terrible idea. But his heart reminded him of how Jefti took care of Kel when no one else would. And that perhaps a removal to k’Valdemar Vale would not be such a bad thing. After all, he’d have the Owlknight himself there as someone to emulate and look up to, and from what he knew of Darian Firkin k’Valdemar, who himself had been a despised orphan, the Owlknight would probably find some way to take him under his capacious wing.

And those marks on his face won’t stand out so much when he’s surrounded by Hawkbrothers and talking lizards, and the gods only know what else they have in there.

“Ammari—” he began, and Jefti stepped up in front of her by a pace.

“I raised my boy to trust my boy. He’s tough as cadet soldiers, any day,” she declared.

“All right,” he said with resignation. “He can go to find work. But—”

Before he could say anything else, a giant shadow interposed itself between them and the sun. And a moment later, the gryphon Treyvan landed beside them, startling the horses so much that he and Genni had their work cut out to hold and calm them.

“Hurrr. Not usssed to grrryphonsss, I sssee,” said Treyvan. “Mussst have come frrrom thossse mercsss. Sssorrry. Animalsss usssually have to sssmell me to trrrussst me, but I wasss not mindful, and ssstarrrtled them.”

Hallock waved the apology off. It wasn’t Treyvan’s fault, after all; how was the gryphon to tell from above which horses would consider him a gigantic predator? Of course, he was a gigantic predator, and it was not unlikely he’d eaten horse in the past, but still. The great gryphon sat and sorted through one of his panniers, picking out bundles and scrolls. “If you would sssee thessse to theirrr rrrresscipientsss at k’Valdemarrr? Yesss. Good. I have come to inssspect the Worrrk left behind afterrr rrrejuvenating Kelvrrren forrr lasssting effectsss upon the land, and thought to sssee you off, Hallock Ssstaverrrn. And to thank you,” Treyvan continued. “Alssso, I am to give my offisscial blesssing for your unit to add a sssmall grrryphon outline to their Colorrrsss, to honorrr the ssstorrry. Tell Kelvrrren of the dissstinction.”

Each of them shared their plans, and as expected, the horses calmed. Treyvan’s facial feathers rippled backward when he gazed into the distance past the travelers, his large eyes seeming to focus on infinity for a handful of seconds. “Thrrree ssstorrrmsss gatherrr, to combine herrre by dusssk. Would you accssept a Gate to ssshorrrten yourrr jourrrney?” He paused. “If sssuch things trrrouble you, I will not be offended. Not all Valdemarrransss arrre comforrrtable with such thingsss. Therrre isss only a verrry sssmall chance that you will emerrrge on the otherrr side with two headsss, afterrr all.”

Hallock started. Was the gryphon serious?

“I am not ssserrriousss,” Treyvan added.

“A Gate would be much appreciated, Master Gryphon,” Hallock told him, thinking about how good it would be to bypass indifferent inns and rough camping. “But . . .” He turned to Jefti. “Lad, will you abide by what Master Treyvan has to say about you coming with me and Genni?”

Jefti went a little pale and looked stricken, but nodded. “Him bein’ Kelvren’s lord an’ all,” the boy gulped. “Reckon I got to.”

Treyvan sat back on his haunches and appeared to be deep in thought for a moment. “I think,” he said finally, “that Jefti and Ammarrri ssshould both go to k’Valdemarrr Vale. Willing handsss arrre alwaysss welcome therrre. Opening a Gate for fourrr will not take longerrr than opening a Gate for two.” He gazed at both of them with such intensity that they were both clearly uncomfortable with his regard. “You arrre not apprrreciated herrre asss you ssshould be. Ssso, you may go to k’Valdemarrr and ask Kelvrrren himssself if he requirrresss yourrr help.” He tilted his head to the other side. “Boy Jefti . . . you arrre not too old to learrrn the crrraft of the trrrondi’irrrn. Whitebirrrd thinksss you have the touch and the ssstomach for the tasssk. Hallock Ssstaverrrn, as my rrranked witness, sssee it is ssso.”

Jefti’s eyes widened at that, as did his mother’s.

“Ssso. Put the pack upon a horrrssse,” Treyvan continued. “And let usss be about thisss quickly. I wisssh to open a Gate for myssself and rrreturn to my mate and children within the candlemarrrk. I hope the latterrr have not demolissshed the Palassce yet.”

Wordlessly, Hallock took the bag from Jefti’s nerveless fingers and loaded it onto the pack horse. He mounted, as did Genni, and he gave a hand to Jefti, pulling him up to perch awkwardly on the horse’s rump behind him, as Genni did the same for Ammari. It was quite clear that Jefti had never ridden a horse in his life, because he immediately fastened both hands into Hallock’s belt with a grip not even death was likely to ease.