When the last of the men filed out of the office, Killian sat stiffly behind the desk.

Gray trained his gaze ahead to the fireplace, watching the glowing logs. He pressed his back hard against the wall and waited for the words to come, down to the prison you go, kid, or I have a job for you …

Seconds crawled by.

Gray dared to cast a glance at him. Killian's soldier's cap was pulled down over his eyes. His jaw was relaxed. His body was languid in the chair.

Gray hesitated.

This had to be a trap. Gray stayed still, stayed right where he was. He remained like this long enough for Gray to start to fidget with a loose thread from the carpet, his mind whirring.

If he wanted to draw the soldiers away he needed to run, yes, but he needed a huge head start, and he needed to goad Killian so badly he'd put every man onto Gray's trail.

Gray couldn't do anything with just the clay and phoenix feather stashed underneath his bedroll, and the salt in the bathroom.

He needed more.

He needed fierilion weeds, or - or …

Gray continued to stare into the fireplace. The glowing logs. One snapped and sparks few.

Gray froze, his heart thudding. He needed apple. Apple seeds. It was so simple.

Firebreath fire.

He knew everything he needed, he'd just studied firebreath for his final alchemy exam, firebreath fire was perfect. It would be a huge distraction, he could use it to confuse, to shepherd soldiers away. Firebreath was dragon's clay and acid and salt and pheonix and apple seeds.

If he could get his hands on an apple.

Gray eyed Killian again.

Killian, Gray was sure, had not slept the night before. Killian was an inch from losing it - Gray knew nothing about wolf shifters but he was damn sure Killian had almost transformed right there in the office during the soldiers' lesson.

He might be genuinely asleep.

Perhaps this was normal, perhaps this was what Killian did - sleep at random times and places. Killian had said he slept with one eye open, but the man looked fully, genuinely asleep.

Gray chewed his lip. Achingly slowly, Gray stood. The carpet muffled his steps. Three more hobbling steps, and he'd be able to reach the door.

Two more.

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One.

The ornate door knob was cool in his hand. It opened silently. The landing outside was deserted. His heart thudded hard.

Killian remained still.

No angry yell.

Gray dallied, his hand on the door and tried to calm his mind.

If he was careful, if he was very, very fast, perhaps he could search for the kitchen, get the apple, and then be back before Killian knew better.

But, if Killian - anyone - caught him, Killian'd be beyond mad, and Gray couldn't do anything if he was stuck in the prison. Or dead.

Gods.

Risk prison, or risk not being able to do a damn thing to force the soldiers to leave town? He needed to not have Killian angry, he needed Killian to lower his guard, he needed to learn a weakness.

He had to keep playing this game of obedient prisoner.

But, there was no point playing this game if Gray wasn't playing to win.

And to win, apple seeds would be one hell of a help.

Gray rubbed his tight chest and then pressed a trembling hand over his eyes.

Breathe.

In.

Out.

Only, the more Gray tried to steady his body, the more he felt something tugging at the fringes of his attention, like a shy customer trying to hail him over a crowded tavern floor.

Gray swallowed. Slowed his breathing.

Slower.

Carefully, Gray lowered his hand.

His gaze locked on the window.

The window -

There was something in the sky. Several dark specks marked the expanse of clear blue. They were growing rapidly bigger. Coming closer.

Flying.

Gray's breath hitched.

'Seriously, kid?' said Killian.

Gray jumped out of his skin.

Killian was standing wide-eyed and to attention, and he'd done it completely silently.

'You really think,' said Killian, 'that I would let you-'

'Something's coming,' said Gray.

Killian's dark gaze narrowed as he took Gray in. 'What?'

'Something's coming,' Gray repeated, pushing down his panic. Time was really an issue here. Every second that passed, those things were getting closer. 'Sound the warning bell. Get everyone inside.'

'What did you do?' The edge in Killian's voice was pure steel.

'Sound the warning bell.' Gray pointed at the sky. At the things coming closer.

Killian glanced at the dark specks. He moved right up to the window. 'Birds?' he said, his voice utterly controlled.

Why wasn't Killian doing anything?

There was no urgency in him. No panic.

'No,' said Gray. He could feel them. These things weren't birds. 'They - they're angry - arm your men. Sound the bell.'

Killian threw the window open, squinting against the morning light. 'Dragons?'

'Now, Killian!' said Gray.

'What are they? What did you call? Hm?'

'I didn't call anything! Sound the bell.'

'Different creatures require different arms,' said Killian. 'I need to know what they are.'

They had to be three times the size of a man.

Could disembowel you with one swipe.

Gold glinted in their feathered wings.

Gray knew, he knew … but before, where it had been one and fought off by Branbright, Longwark, and Emeric, now it was too many to count.

'Mountain griffins,' said Gray.

Killian dragged Gray and slammed him against the far wall before Gray could tense.

Gray's head banged against the plaster.

A painting fell down.

He clenched at Killian's wrist. Gray was aware he looked guilty as hell.

'You called these bastards?' Killian snapped. 'You bonded with them?'

'No. It wasn't me,' he said, breathless against the squeeze of Killian's hand. 'Wasn't me.'

Killian's dark eyes were febrile. His upper lip curled.

'There's people outside.' Gray's eyes watered, hot and stinging. 'Sound the bell. The griffins are almost here. They're angry.'

Killian's hand tightened. Gray couldn't breathe. Couldn't swallow. Could barely struggle.

Killian was wasting time here, while the griffins descended on the town with no warning.

Every line on Killian's too-close face, every battle scar, showed Killian's wariness.

Gray closed his eyes. Forced himself to open them and meet Killian's brutal glare.

His vision was darkening at the edges.

'Kill me after,' choked Gray. 'Griffins first.'

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