Page 69 of Gryphon’s Fire

“I spoke with Martin earlier today, and so far, there have been no sightings of either wyvern around the Magical Usage Compound. That doesn’t mean they aren’t nearby, only that they are keeping a far enough distance to either not be found or noticed.”

“Hmm.” Grandmother took a bite of French toast before stabbing a nearby sausage and adding it to the mix. “I do not like the unknown variable.”

“Nor do I,” I answered and Lazarus nodded his agreement.

Lulabelle dropped her silverware and crossed her arms. “How on earth did Jaakobah even know about Verona?” When we blankly stared at her, Lulabelle threw up her hands. “Oh, come on, we all know it was him or at least his cronies. Gryphon feathers don’t just randomly fall from the sky.”

“Of course it was him, dear,” Grandmother answered around another sausage link. “None of us were doubting your statement.”

“Okay. But my question still stands. How did Jaakobah find out?”

I looked to Lazarus and watched him set down his utensils as well. “I’m afraid I wasn’t overly subtle regarding my intentions when Jaakobah visited Keir in Minnesota.” Tapping his claws along the table, Lazarus’s lips thinned and his eyes narrowed. “It was a mistake on my part. I realize this and take full responsibility for the error.”

Grandmother rested her hand on Lazarus’s fingers, stilling them. “Jaakobah threatened your intended mate, did he not?”

“In so many ways,” Lazarus answered.

Grandmother continued. “He laid claim to that which is yours.”

Lazarus’s jaw tensed and smoke rolled out of his nostrils. “He did.”

“Then there is no fault to be found,” Grandmother determined. Pulling her hand away, she went back to eating. “Your actions were natural, admirable, and most likely, restrained.”

Lazarus shook his head. “Still, my claim likely incensed Jaakobah. It would be natural for one such as himself to investigate me more. Once Jaakobah learned my name and the thunder I hail from, finding information regarding Verona’s actions would not be difficult. However⁠—”

“That doesn’t explain how he knew she was alive,” I finished.

“No, it does not,” Lazarus agreed. “Thalia did not know this fact until Verona had already been freed and those hiding her were dead. I have to believe that very few wyvern knew of Verona’s true fate.”

“A conundrum to be sure,” Grandmother answered. “One we may never know the answer to.”

Taking up the drumbeat on the table, Lulabelle’s agitation was palpable. “But to free her… To what end?”

I answered before Lazarus had the chance. “Because Jaakobah realizes he can’t defeat Lazarus on his own. Jaakobah believes I have agreed to bond with him. But that doesn’t mean that Lazarus will simply give up. Death can break a bond. And it is a bond breakage I would survive because the bond is in name only.”

Lazarus smirked. “Jaakobah expects me to interrupt the bonding ceremony.”

I shrugged. “Either that or do something later. And even if you didn’t fight for me, Lulabelle’s right; Jaakobah hates you on principle. You didn’t have to blackmail me into being with you. That has to be a blow to his ego. Jaakobah needs to get rid of you in the most painful way possible. Nothing would hurt me more than losing you, and even if Jaakobah hasn’t realized how deep my feelings are, he still knows your death would cause me pain.” Inhaling deeply, I added, “It is but another way he intends to break me.”

“Keir’s right,” Grandmother agreed. “The only way this works for Jaakobah is if Keir is little more than a figurehead. He can’t afford for Keir to have ideas of his own. To have a will of his own that he is all too ready to express. Jaakobah needs Keir to be a shell of who he is. He needs Keir’s name and legacy. He does not need or want the gryphon attached to it.”

“Fuck me,” Lulabelle groaned, earning a chastising gaze from Grandmother that she ignored. “Jaakobah’s a real piece of work. Every time I think I’ve figured out all his slimy ways, I learn something new that makes me want to purge my mind of everything that’s even slightly connected to him.”

I could sympathize. “Once he is defeated, I would like to never speak his name again. I do not wish to hear his name spoken. I would like for it to have been as if he never existed. The death of Jaakobah’s body isn’t enough. We must purge his toxic existence from our society so that none will follow in his footsteps.”

“Easier said than done,” Grandmother answered. “Killing the individual is the easy part. Killing an idea is far more difficult. Sometimes that is advantageous. Other times it is to society’s detriment. I fear this is the latter and not the former.”

Silence reigned as we all digested that sour piece of knowledge.

Rolling Grandmother’s words over in my head, I came to a frightening conclusion. “Verona is here in Europe, not in North America.” I turned to Lazarus to see if he agreed.

“Given our earlier conversation, that seems reasonable,” Lazarus unfortunately agreed.

“Do you think she’ll attack when Keir issues his challenge?” Lulabelle asked.

“Perhaps,” Grandmother answered. “I would think it wiser to keep Verona’s presence a secret in the beginning.”

Lazarus didn’t necessarily disagree, but he knew Verona best and said, “It may not be up to Jaakobah.” Wincing, Lazarus stared down at his half-finished plate. “Verona isn’t stable. I have no idea what their agreement is, but there is no guarantee Verona will stick to her promises.”