Page 15 of The Hidden
“We are the Hidden,” she tells me and gestures to the room full of people. “We are gryphons who refuse to take the vow or bend the knee to unworthy leaders.”
I wait for her to elaborate, but she seems content with that explanation. “What makes them unworthy,” I ask, and a male close to us turns around and glares hard at me. “I’m not saying they aren’t; I’m just trying to understand,” I defend against the murderous look the stranger is now sending my way.
“It’s a really long story, but the Ouphe used to control and use us. We were required to enter into a vow of servitude at just sixteen. We fought for a very long time to break from that enslavement and from those practices, but our people are divided about the vow itself. Some leaders think that we should still swear fealty and take the mark of our ancestors. They pretend it’s to honor the original vow and the magic a gryphon can access if they make it. But really it’s so that the highbloods that have enough Ouphe blood in their veins can still control the rest of us.”
Tysa spits on the ground like she’s trying to rid herself of the taste of those words.
“We are the rebels that are fighting against that. We fight against control in all forms and the loss of our will. We are the Hidden,” she tells me once again, and this time, I look at the people in this room with a new understanding.
“And the alarms?” I query.
“They could mean a lot of things. A prisoner escape.” She stares at me pointedly, and I chuckle around a mouthful of some kind of meat that’s spicy and delicious. “It could be that we’re under attack, although the old magic in this mountain makes that unlikely. It could mean a returning patrol needs help, or the Avowed requesting a meet. We don’t fall for that trick much anymore though.”
I look around at the light smooth stone of the room and wonder what she means byold magic in this mountain. I notice something that looks like writing in the inside arch of the window, and one of the symbols triggers something in me. I stare at it, suddenly struck by the feeling that happens when a word sits on the tip of my tongue, but I just can’t seem to wrap my mouth around it. It looks so fucking familiar, and yet I can’t seem to place it.
A loud boom pulses through the room, and a couple people give surprised screams, including me. It’s a good thing I’ve quickly cleaned off almost everything except for some gray sludge on my plate, or it would have just gone flying all over me. Everyone looks around, but no one seems to know what the hell just happened. Gryphons suddenly appear at the windows, talons and claws gripping the sills as their bird-like heads search the room. Tysa and I scurry to our feet at their sudden appearance, and I’m taken aback by their size. The cutouts in the wall are massive and span the entire length, and yet these gryphons are still too big to fit through them.
I stare at them in awe, their features similar, but each of their colorings so different and unique from one another.Is my gryphon this mammoth as well?I wonder as I watch one of the new window visitors flap his wings to help him keep his balance. I want to step forward and touch one, but I also don’t want to lose a hand.
Behind me, the closed doors leading into the room fly open, slamming against the stone wall, and everyone jumps and screams again. It’s like we’re all watching a thriller movie, and every little thing that jumps out scares the shit out of the whole theater. I stifle a chuckle at the thought.
A shirtless Zeph storms into the massive room. Loa and some other familiar faces I recognize from the interrogation yesterday all shoot to attention and move to surround him. My gaze travels of its own accord from Zeph’s mussed up black curls to his strong shoulders. Muscles cord thickly around his arms and then they dip and tease my eyes at his bare chest and stomach. I lick my lips and tilt my head appreciatively. A small growl sneaks out of my mouth when someone steps in front of me and blocks my view.
The sound I’m suddenly emitting startles me, and the shock snaps me out of the eye fuck that was just happening. A low chuckle from the big bare chest in front of me has my eyes snapping up to meet an amused gray gaze.
“Altern,” Tysa greets Ryn with a curtsey.
I roll my eyes at the display which is probably dumb of me. I should be trying to learn about their customs and fit in here. Maybe if they like me, they’ll be more helpful in my quest to find my way back home. But the thought of curtseying to Ryn or Zeph gets my feathers all ruffled with irritation, and I can’t actually picture myself doing it.
Ryn gives Tysa a nod and a smile that has her blushing. I feel the sudden need to slap him, and I clench my fist to stop myself. It’s likeInvasion of the Body Snatchersup in here, only it’s justmefighting against this new seriously horny and possessive stranger inside of me. It’s fucking annoying. I growl at Tysa because something inside of me decided she blinked too much in Ryn’s direction, and then slam a hand over my mouth becausewhat the fuck! My eyes widen and fill with apology, and Tysa’s brown gaze snaps to mine.
“I’m mated, milady. I would never…” she stammers, and I feel even worse.
“I never thought you would,” I quickly reassure her and then realize what I just said. “I mean, you can if you want, I don’t fucking care. That’s between you and your mate. I don’t even know what that was,” I say gesturing to my mouth. “I think I had some serious indigestion or something, and that was just a gnarly burp,” I ramble until Ryn’s chuckle has us both turning to look at him.
He’s staring at me, his storm cloud gray eyes twinkling with amusement. Maybe I’m so used to being looked at with suspicion and disdain by him—and pretty much everyone else here except maybe Tysa—but I’m stunned silent by how beautiful he looks when he’s smiling. I almost fucking gasp with how taken I am by it, and that just pisses me off. Why am I all swoony these days? I like to fuck. I like pleasure and flirting and the chase. I do not fucking swoon. That weak-in-the-knees shit is for romcoms and needy bitches. I am as far as you can get from needy.
Ryn’s eyes run down my body, and his gaze looks momentarily bewildered before he starts to blush. The pink moves up his chest, past his neck, and creeps slowly into his cheeks. When he looks back up, his eyes are banked with want, and his hands twitch at his sides.
I glare at him.
“Like it?” I challenge, lifting my arms and doing a little spin so he can see all angles, and I can catch my breath for a moment from that heated look in his eyes. “Loa had Tysa make it for me. What was it you said, Tysa, oh that’s right, something worthy of a highborn straight from the streets of Kestrel. Wherever the hell that is,” I grumble as I spin.
I almost choke on the words when Ryn reaches out and runs his index finger over the bare skin of my lower hip. My clit gives my vagina a green light to start her engines at his touch, but I slap his hand away because I know I can’t trust those instincts.
Ryn looks at me, shocked, and I can’t tell if he just realized that he was touching me or he’s shocked that I just batted his hand away. Either way, I’m trying very hard not to care. My nipples pebble, and I know it will be obvious through the top of this dress. I force myself to think of shit that isn’t sexy and isn’t fuel for the flames, but I keep flashing back to the pools and me in the center of a Ryn and Zeph sandwich.
“I’ve never been overly fond of the fashion of Kestrel, but I can appreciate that what it lacks in practicality, it makes up for with…” he trails off for a second in thought. “Appeal. This is an image worth saving,” he tells Tysa and taps at his temple.
Her smile turns beaming, and I’m both happy for her and trying to figure out if Ryn just said what I thought he did. I shoo my thoughts away from exactly what Ryn might be doing with the images he’s saving in his mind of me in this dress, and turn to Tysa.
“Instead of more beautiful dresses, do you think you could make me some pants and a couple shirts?” I ask. “I don’t have any money, but I’m a mechanic, and if you have anything that needs fixing, I would gladly trade my services for yours.”
Tysa mouths the wordmechanicright after I say it. She looks puzzled, but it seems, the wordfixingshe understands, and her brown eyes light up with excitement. “Really?” she queries, and her unbridled enthusiasm makes me suddenly uncertain of what I’m promising.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m pretty handy, but even I have my limits. If it’s within my power and ability, I’d be happy to trade my help for some pants and shirts,” I agree, trying to be clearer on the terms of what I’m offering and expecting in return.
“Yes!” Tysa exclaims. “By all the stars in the sky, yes, I accept.” She curtsies and then starts to bounce away. She immediately comes back and curtsies in front of Ryn. “Are we all clear, Altern?” she asks, and when he nods yes, she scurries away again.
