Clanless Read Online Free PDF Page A

compassion for the other girl. She put a hand to her aching head and fought another wave of nausea brought on by vertigo.
    Tess frowned. “You still haven’t recovered from the healing? Have you tried—”
    “I’ve never been any good at healing myself, bug. Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I’ll be fine by tomorrow morning.”
    “Maybe I could try—”
    “I said, don’t worry about it.” Zo didn’t mean to snap. This wasn’t Tess’ fault.
    Eva didn’t turn around, but in an uncharacteristically small voice said, “Gryphon was a good man. I mourn his passing too.”
    Zo pressed her hands into the sides of her head and tried to make the world stop spinning.
    Please don’t talk about him!
    How was she ever going to get Joshua, Eva, Tess, and a host of Nameless refugees to the Allies if she couldn’t even lean up against a tree without her vision spinning? She couldn’t save them and mourn for Gryphon and kick this illness all at once. Especially not while Gabe’s confusing kiss still lingered on her lips. How could she continue to be strong for others while she was becoming weaker all the time?
    That night, when everyone else slept, Zo pulled the cold night air into her lungs and let the smell of pine and lemongrass sooth her aching head. She took in another breath, and as she released it, resolved to put the pain of losing Gryphon away. Eventually she would mourn his death and face the guilt she felt for getting him involved. Until then, she would cage her feelings in a dark corner of her mind. If they spilled over, she’d fight to push them back.
    It took most of the night grappling with herself until she secured the vault of her heart and all thoughts of Gryphon were thoroughly laid to rest in the back of her mind for a time when she had the luxury to grieve.
    The task before her was different from her mission inside Ram’s Gate. No one—not even she—had expected her to survive her time working as a spy for the Allies. The consequences of her failure then would have ultimately only affected herself. If she didn’t find a way to control her grief and kick this sickness soon, hundreds of innocent people, including her own sister, would pay the price.
    She massaged her fingers into the muscles at the base of her skull with all her force, pushing Gryphon and the truth of his fate away.

Chapter 4

     
     
    Staring down an entire flock of Raven scared Gryphon less than learning what had become of Zo and the others. He was fairly certain that Ajax spared Zo’s life, but what if Zander sent someone to verify he’d done the job? What if she was really gone? He kept looking over to Gabe, waiting for the right opportunity to ask, terrified by what his new friend might tell him.
    They kept a fast pace, trotting with the Raven surrounding them on all sides. It turned out that Gabe and several of the feathered warriors were old friends. Gabe asked after their families and exchanged light banter, although the tension on the faces of the men was thick as clay.
    The Raven avoided Gryphon, almost pretending he wasn’t there. He couldn’t blame them. The Ram had targeted their people ever since the Kodiak clan had been raided. For years his people sent mess units, his included, on excursions to discover Raven food stores. Raven warriors were cunning and deadly. They swooped in like a birds of prey and attacked from the trees with their arrows only to disappear again. Despite their agility, many “birds” had fallen to Ram spears over the years, and men don’t easily forget a lost brother.
    Gryphon, Gabe, and their Raven escort jogged up a steep climb along the edge of the cliffs that dropped into the frothy ocean below. Pine trees and rocks bore a carpet of lichen and the brine of the sea burned the inside of Gryphon’s nose as he pulled air into his lungs.
    The trail narrowed, forcing him and Gabe to walk side by side. If he didn’t take this opportunity to ask Gabe about Zo and the others, he was a