House of Vultures - Maggie Claire (epub read online books .TXT) 📗

thoughts. Carefully I examine the maskof the person sitting beside my bed. It has been expertly paintedto resemble the one I created, but I see a few inconsistencies now.Flecks of brown and green are hidden in the cracks of the bark, arougher type than I had used for Panther. “You were listening atthe peephole too, weren’t you?” I mumble, more to myself than toCondor. Swearing at myself for not considering such a trick, Icannot help but wonder, “What did you do to the boy?”

“He’s safe, right herewith me,” Condor explains, his arm around a wide-eyed boy stillwearing his mask like he should. I can feel his fear through ourbond; I’d been mistaking it for my own scattered emotions allalong. I let my own worries cloud my judgement, and in doing so, Ihanded my plans over to my enemies.

“Just let me go, Condor.Please—”

“I warned you the night ofthe wake that I would do whatever was necessary to find out whatyou were thinking, Mynah,” Condor reprimands as he pushes Pantherinto my room. “So, you are planning to leave the House of Vultures?Too good for us now? Not only that, but you know this one’s realname. I’m guessing he was unmasked when you found him,right?”

“Caught him in one of thetraps,” I confess, lowering myself to the edge of thebed.

“Mynah? What are youthinking?” Panther shouts, cowering in the corner farthest fromCondor.

“What? There’s no point inkeeping secrets now,” I grumble, my head falling into myhands.

“Instead of killing theboy like you should have, you decided to control him. So, he’ssomeone important to you?” Condor pauses, looming over me in aneffort to threaten a confession out of me.

“I did not know him at allwhen I found him,” I supply, not even feeling pain when Panthertosses a tattered book at me in warning.

“He knows of the Pith butbelieves there’s something important there.” Watching Condor makedeductions about my actions leaves me feelingvulnerable.

“And something about thepriesthood,” Wren adds as he removes the fake mask from his trueone. He tosses the fake mask onto my lap, winking mischievously.“Here’s a memento for you, little Mynah. Not that you’ll be allowedto enjoy it for long.”

“So, he must be fromDéchets! That has to be right since there’s no priests in this godforsaken land anymore.” Condor paces between me and Panther,recognizing the truth of his accusations when I do not refute them.Suddenly he wheels on Panther, cruel laughter emanating from hislips. “My, my, she has been naughty! The only thing left is why?Why did you keep a child of Déchets alive, Mynah?”

I shrug in response, too overwhelmedto care about Condor’s questions.

“What will you do withus?” Panther inquires, hands raised to show peace.

“Mynah taught you aboutour ways, didn’t she? That’s how you have fooled us for as long asyou have,” Condor continues, staring at me with amazement growingin his eyes. “So, you let Wolf go to war based on a lie? Does heknow? He does! I can see it in the way you cringe! I was wrongabout you, Mynah, entirely wrong about you. You are trulydiabolical! You must not love him as much as he thinks, or youwould never have put him in such danger.” Condor paces the room,turning thoughtful. “On the other hand, Wolf must really love youdearly if he is willing to fight a frivolous war just to protectyour interests.”

I spit at Condor’s shoes, unwilling tosay a word. He moves with lightning accuracy, wrenching me uprightby my hair. Pulling my face uncomfortably close to his, I am forcedto stare into his dark, furious eyes. “What will you do with us?”My voice breaks as I beg.

“I’ll make an example ofyou both and hopefully draw out my cunning enemy at the same time.”Condor catches my wrists in his grasp, dragging my body down thestairs. Every step jars my wounds, pulling skin and stitches alike.We stop at the front gate, the boots of the rest of the elitemembers of the House of Vultures crunching on the gravel. Pantherlands in a heap beside me.

“Falcon, set up thetraitor bonds,” Condor commands as he shoves me hard against thefence. His mouth turns in a grim line as he pins me against themetal links.

No. I feel the blood drain from my face as my heart sinks to mytoes. “Please, Condor, not that.” Hating myself for my ownweakness, I bargain, “I’ll do anything, and I mean anything, if youwill spare us both. Have mercy, Condor?”

“You know, if you wouldhave given me a chance, we could have gotten along so much betterthan we did,” Condor murmurs to me as Falcon hurries to obey hermaster’s wishes. “We could have run this House together. I couldhave cared for you.” Leaning closer to my ear, he whispers, “If youwould have chosen me, I would have forced Falcon out of the House.I would have named you my second in command. If you would have justremembered….” Condor’s words fade as he brushes a hand across myhair. “You and I could have been happy—”

“I will always hate you,Condor,” I spit back, defiance in the face of death loosening mytongue. “Who has really been in charge here? You? Or Falcon? Itseems to me she is always the one whose hands are dirty with blood.You are weak! You do not lead this House at all. I have seen Wolf’spack. They have happy, productive lives. And what do we have,Condor? Nothing! We are sniveling rats in your ironcage.”

Falcon runs a solid wooden board alongthe top and bottom of the fence. Condor’s hold on my arms goesslack. “Despite what you might think of me, I have done my best forthis House. Did you ever stop to ask what price Wolf’s pack paysfor their contentment? If you knew, you’d hate him even more thanyou loathe me.”

“How could I ever hateanyone more than I do you? You’re the man who let Creeper killWarbler! How could you let such a monster live in our House?” I tryto wiggle away from him, preparing to fight rather than be strungup in the traitor bonds.

“I swear, I did not knowhe was dangerous,” Condor answers, his skin turning clammy with