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

We have beenwondering how long it would be before one of your kind came.” Thebeast sighs, a rumble that ripples down her body in fluid rhythms.“We’ve been waiting for such a long time that some of the Ddraigshave almost lost faith entirely. We were afraid we had beenforgotten.”

Ddraigs.I stumble over the word. “I thought your kindwere a myth. My father and uncle….” The memory of Lion loomspainfully near the surface, and I struggle to continue. “They usedto tell me stories of winged creatures. Firebreathers. Dangerous,reckless beasts. They’d say that the stories were legends passed onby their great-grandfather. They were such fanciful tales that Ihad always believed they were fiction.”

“There is a long historybetween the dwellers of Cassé and our kind. It is rich with storiesthat show our mutual respect for each other’s species. However, formost of this century, we have spent our days in hiding,” thecreature explains, her voice almost sounding sorrowful.

“How many more of you arethere?” I question, wondering why none have ever beenspotted. No one ever goes to thePith, I recall. There could be hundreds or thousands of them living in thatcavern, and no one would ever know, would they?

“There are many more,Iris, but I am yours,” the Ddraig coos, a sound as intimate as thevoice of a lover in my ear. “My name is Siri, Cadogan.” Siri bowsher head low to me, a gesture I have seen many people use ingreeting.

“Cadogan? What is that?” Istruggle to remember a time when I had heard that wordbefore.

Siri huffs, answering me as though herexplanation is being shared with a child. “Cadogan means warrior inour tongue. You are my champion, Iris, and I am yourDdraig.”

“You have a bad habit ofsaying things and then acting like you’ve explained everythingperfectly. I don’t understand anything you’ve just said. I amhardly a warrior, Siri.” More like ascavenger, I add bitterly to myself. “Whatdo you mean, you are my Ddraig?”

Siri uncoils herself from around me,turning her great head to inspect my face closer. “It seems thatthe Ddraigs have spent too long in the Pith. Your people knew allabout us when we first went into hiding. Now it seems our historyhas died with your aged ones. What has happened in your world,Iris?”

“A great many things,” Iretort as I share with her the trials that have overtaken theCassé. When I finish, Siri roars so loudly that the rocks beneathmy feet quiver with the sound. It is an echo of heartbreak, agut-wrenching vocalization of loss and grief. My own eyes are wetwith tears by the time she finishes.

“We knew that trouble wasbrewing,” Siri murmurs, scuffing the gravel with her claws. “Youraged leaders believed that by us going into hiding, the people ofDéchets would give up their suspicions. It seems our disappearancehad the opposite effect.” She paces back and forth in front of me,her enormous feet clumping hard into the ground. Instinctively, Icurl into a ball so that my toes do not land in her way. “We knewit was folly to hide. We wanted to fight! But your leaders did nottrust our judgement.”

“Are the Ddraigs theweapon?” I question as Siri rants, her arguments ranging from pastmistakes to future hypotheticals. “That boy that was attacking mewhen you showed up—he is the son of the king of Déchets. He wascoming here to find the weapon in the Pith. Is it yourkind?”

“Hardly! We are theguardians, Cadogan. Déchets seeks the thing that we protect. It iscalled Carreglas, and it is better for us all if it stays buriedaway.”

Siri’s words make thehairs on my neck stand on end. Whateverscares a creature as large and powerful as a Ddraig is surelysomething to terrify mere mortals!“What does it do?”

“I cannot explain itsways,” Siri mumbles. “In our tongue its name means ‘The WanderingStone.’ Carreglas does what it pleases, goes where it wishes, andnone can understand its methods.” Siri’s back arches, almost like acat screeching at its enemy. “If Carreglas finds its way into thewrong hands, it could bring about ruination on us all.”

“We have to go back! We’veleft Panther unsupervised in that cavern! He could find Carreglasand take it back to Déchets!”

Siri rises from her stooped position,her huge, ethereal wings unfurling as she prepares to fly oncemore. A fire burns deep in her belly—the heat and light from itsbirth illuminates the scales of her underbelly. I cringe as theflames erupt from her mouth, suddenly understanding why few treescan grow in this part of the land. “We will return and deal withthe stranger. However, I seriously doubt that he’s made it past theother Ddraigs, Iris. He’s wily and clever, but only one man.”Holding a clawed arm out in my direction, Siri waits patiently asshe asks, “Will you join us, first Cadogan of theDdraigs?”

“What will you do to theboy?” I hedge, fearing I already know the answer.Was it really all for nothing? To save Antero’s life and start awar, only to have him die at the hands of thisDdraig? Mythoughts swirl from guilt to apathy as rhythmically as a pendulumswings. Did I not fantasize about killinghim myself? And yet I’ve sacrificed so much to keep him alive.Didn’t he throw my compassion in my face when he attacked me in thePith? He’s beentricking me all this time!What does Antero truly deserve?

“I will do whatever I mustto protect the Carreglas. No one from Déchets can ever getpossession of it. If they do, our lands will certainly be doomed.No amount of opposition will be able to keep Déchets fromovertaking us.” Siri flutters her wings, irritated by my lack ofresponse to her question.

“Is that such a badthing?” I wonder aloud as I consider her words. “I mean, life inCassé is nothing like it once was, Siri. Death, destruction,starvation, and pain haunt the steps of all who live in our landsnow. Everything I have heard shows Déchets to be a wealthy,prosperous place.”

“But at what cost?” Siriasks, and in my mind, I remember Condor saying the same words to meabout Wolf’s pack. What is the price forsuch wealth and freedom?Surely, he was not suggesting that Wolf wascolluding with Déchets?“Yes, Déchets has everything its people desire.But you