Free By the Silver Wind by Jess E. Owen Page B

determined.
    “My lord. I understand that you said any Vanir who wish to accompany you, may do so.”
    His stomach twisted. “Yes, I did say that.”
    “Excellent.” She called two names over her wing, and looked back to Shard, eyes glittering as two huntresses his own age walked self-consciously forward. “Ilse, Keta, and I offer our talons to you and the conqu—prince Kjorn’s mission.”
    Shard looked at Keta, a shorter and more compact version of her mother, still filling out from her days of exile in the Outlands. Truly a lovely Vanir overall, with feathers of gray, touched at the wings and face with a hint of pearly rose. Ilse, her nest-sister, had been adopted by Ketil in the Outlands, though she was an Aesir whose family was exiled from the Dawn Spire. She stood taller than both, rich dun and russet in coloring, with hints of iridescent orange.
    “My lord,” Keta murmured, dipping her head and not quite meeting his eyes. Whatever she thought about her mother’s meddling, she’d never said, and Shard didn’t want to put her on point by asking. “I’m happy to help you.”
    “And I,” Ilse said, “am happy to help the Vanir prince, and the heir of Kajar.”
    Together, they bowed, and Shard could only say, eyes narrowed at Ketil, that he was glad to have them.

    The sun stood at first quarter, and Shard gathered at the sloping council bluff with those who had volunteered to accompany him and Kjorn as they treated with the creatures of the Winderost.
    In all, their traveling party had swelled to nearly fifty. Ketil and her daughters, Toskil, and two other, older exiles who had been friends to Shard’s father. Brynja and nine of her huntresses who’d been exiled from the Dawn Spire, twenty exiles from the Dawn Reach who answered to Valdis and went for Brynja’s sake, Dagny, Asvander and ten of the Lakelanders who felt an unwavering loyalty to Asvander and to Kjorn’s bloodline all waited to depart.
    All in all, Shard thought they made a respectable company, a good escort for the future king of the Winderost, and large enough to handle almost any trouble. He took a moment to thank the other Vanir who had chosen to come, though he wondered, in the bottom of his heart, if Stigr and Frar had not insisted they go just to watch over Shard.
    Given all he’d been through, he almost didn’t mind, though it still took him off guard to be bowed to, and addressed as ‘my lord’.
    “Shard.” Stigr approached and mantled. He eyed the company of gryfons and nodded once, looking satisfied. “Fair winds. We’ll see you again at the Narrows.”
    “Take care of yourself, Uncle.”
    “Don’t worry about me. And Shard . . .”
    “Yes?”
    He looked thoughtful, then fluffed his wing. “Be careful.”
    It was so simple, Shard laughed, then took a deep breath against the pang of regret that Stigr would not be at his side on the journey. “I will.”
    “Good. Then I’ll see you soon.” He stepped back and mantled his good wing, fanning the end of his long tail. Shard dipped his head.
    Brynja approached them, and Shard realized she’d been standing off, waiting for them to finish speaking. “All stand ready, my lord. My huntresses, those of the Reach, and the Vanir. Asvander and Kjorn are speaking to the clan leaders of the Ostral Shore, arranging our meeting at the Narrows.”
    “If they actually show up,” Stigr muttered.
    “I have no doubt,” Brynja said, “that they will honor their oath.”
    Shard nodded once, and Brynja cast him a reassuring glance as Asvander and Kjorn approached.
    Kjorn caught Shard’s eye, looking encouraged at the site of their traveling band, and nodded once. “All stand ready?”
    “All ready,” Shard and Brynja chorused.
    Kjorn opened his great, golden wings to the sun. “Then we fly.”

~8~
Return to Star Isle
    R AGNA FLEW WITH HALVDEN to a long cliff on the coast, where last summer the pride had attempted to begin a colony of gryfons on the Star Island. She