Page 58 of Tournament

Raven team all mounted up on their borrowed griffins. They probably shared my sentiments about being trapped inside a carriage for hours on end. The commander of our guards–Currant, the same female powerhouse who had been head of my personal guard during my entire stay–waved her hand, and we headed out. Most of the guards rode up in front or to the sides, while Raven team took up the back, leaving me plenty of space. Which suited me just fine.

Jasper, Bach's gangly red-headed squire, had insisted on making the trip with his idol, rather than returning home. But even he must be able to sense that there was something wrong between me and Raven team, because he took one look at us and chose to ride out front with the guards.

As we passed through the palace gate, cheering crowds of townspeople threw flower petals and looped garlands over our horses and carriage, all under the watchful eye of our guards. I smiled and waved, and my reluctant mates did the same. But a heavy ball of bitterness had settled in my belly.

Balefire shifted restlessly underneath me and stretched his neck out to snap at a passing well-wisher, probably sensing my urge to flee. Mist and moonbeams, all I needed was for my mount to take someone's arm off right now. I reined in the vengeful pooka, and he pranced in agitation the rest of the way through town.

Once we were clear of the city, the road opened out into a level lane bordered by thin silver trees with fluttering yellow leaves. I glanced at the serious faces of the men around me, then urged Balefire up next to the commander, where the mischief-minded monster tried to start a fight with the woman's griffin.

"I need to let him stretch his legs or he'll never settle," I told Currant tersely. Truthful. But also, not the only reason I wanted to let the pooka run.

Currant steered her well-trained griffin away from Balefire and gave me a stern look. Then she jerked her head at a nearby guard, a thin man with a gray beard and sharp blue eyes, who rode a leggy griffin that probably ran like the wind, compared to his stockier counterparts. "Take Niles with you."

I nodded and let Balefire have his head as she finished calling out behind me. "And don't go past the bend in the road!"

I leaned low over Balefire's neck and finally took the first full breath I'd taken in what felt like weeks. "Run," I whispered to my wild, kindred spirit. "Run as if we were free."

We couldn't escape the responsibilities and the changes that were nipping at our heels. But for one small, blessed moment, I could pretend I had wings.

Balefire snorted a tendril of shadowy smoke and leapt into motion as we raced toward home.