[Firebringer 03] - The Son of Summer Stars Read Online Free PDF Page B

three-quarters of a year’s time, when I return, we may speak again.”
    “We shall!” exulted Lell, ramping with delight.
    Her mother, Ses, had ascended the rise. She nudged her filly with one firm but unobtrusive shoulder. Lell caught her breath, and with a glance at her dam, managed to collect herself. She swallowed.
    “That is, I would welcome it,” she answered formally. With a deep bow first to Malar, then to Illishar, she added, “I thank you.”
    The prince’s sister fell back with Ses to stand at the far edge of the rise. Malar crouched again and, with one prodigious leap, launched herself into the air. The gryphon queen rose, wings stroking rapidly at first, then locking to glide as she gained sufficient height. In a bound, green-winged Illishar followed. He seemed to have less trouble rising aloft than his larger, heavier companion. One by one, in swift succession, other formels followed, straining for lift in the windless air. None faltered. In another moment, all were airborne, wafting upward in a ragged vee. They headed south toward the valley’s nearer slope. The Gryphon Mountains lay a day’s flight beyond, across the Pan Woods that bordered the Vale. Tek moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with her mate.
    “Do you see, Mother?” Lell behind her whispered excitedly. “How he flies! How he sang. He remembered my name. In under a year’s time, he will return to us. My gryphon.”
    Baffled, the pied mare turned to watch the amber filly gazing after the green-gold tercel. Her eyes shone like those of some moonstruck half-grown. Tek snorted. Nay, ridiculous! It would be a year or more before Lell could join the Ring of Warriors, probably two or three before she pledged a mate by the Summer Sea. Whickering, the pied mare shook her head, convinced she had misconstrued the other’s youthful enthusiasm. She leaned against her mate. Above and to the southwest, the tercel’s form and those of the formels grew smaller and smaller yet.
    “Do you think he would teach me gryphonsong?” she heard the prince’s sister breathe. “Mother, what must it be like to fly?”

4.

    Wind

    A puff of breeze played across Jan’s face. The young stallion closed his eyes, relishing it. A moment later, when he opened them, the last of the soaring gryphons were just disappearing beyond the edge of the Vale. Dawnlight illumined the sky, burning it saffron and rose. The few remaining stars winked out. Tek leaned against him. The prince of the unicorns breathed deep, savoring the clean, warm scent of her, pied black as spent night, rosy as the coming dawn. Gently, he nipped her neck and watched his dam, Ses, and sister, Lell, descend the rocky rise. Below, he glimpsed unicorns walking, rolling, rising and shaking off. With a soft whicker, Ses bent to nose Dhattar and Aiony. They stirred. On the rise, his mate beside him murmured.
    “Next spring, then.”
    He nodded. “Aye.”
    “Good.”
    He turned, surprised. “You’ve no fear?”
    The warrior mare shrugged, chivvying him. “More relief than fear. Six years have I awaited this trek—since I beheld the Firebringer rush burning from heaven in the vision of my initiation.” She nipped playfully at the tassels of his ears till they twitched. “Our folk have waited longer still. Four hundred years.”
    Her nips grew smarter, more insistent. He half reared, wheeling to fence with her. Laughing, she met him stroke for stroke, their horns clanging loudly in the morning stillness. Breeze lifted, and they broke off, panting. He saw his mate’s gaze fall lovingly on Dhattar, up now and harassing Lell. Aiony rolled in the grass at her granddam’s forehooves, refusing to get up. Around them, other unicorns frisked and grazed. Tek nudged him.
    “My thanks for your waiting till the twins were weaned,” she murmured. “I’m no strategist like you, no diplomat. Just a warrior—and a singer of sorts. And now a dam. I could not have borne forgoing the coming fray for the sake