Midnight Frost

mountain in time to get the ambrosia flower back to Nickamedes.
    “Come on, Gypsy girl,” Logan said, grinning. “It’ll be fun.”
    I sighed, thinking that his idea of fun was far, far different from mine.
     
    I helped Logan climb up onto the gryphon’s broad back; then I got up in front of him. I also grabbed Ran’s net out of my backpack and used it to tie Logan, Vic, and myself to the creature—because I really, really did not want to fall off. I also hoped the net would make the three of us that much lighter. I’d seen Black rocs carry more than one rider, and the gryphon probably had the same sort of strength, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt.
    The gryphon seemed amused by my wrapping the net around and around all of our bodies, and he gave a little huff, as if he was laughing at me.
    “What?” I muttered. “In case you haven’t noticed, you’re the only one with wings here. Logan and I can’t fly like you can. If we fall off, well, we won’t even have time to scream on the way down.”
    The gryphon let out another huffing laugh.
    Finally, when I was as ready as I could be, I gently put my hand down on the gryphon’s head and smoothed out his bronze fur.
    “Please take us back,” I said.
    The gryphon let out a loud, fierce, wild cry and launched himself into the air. In the space of a few heartbeats, we’d shot up hundreds of feet into the sky. My hands tightened around Ran’s net, and I felt Logan’s arm slide firmly around my waist.
    “Easy,” he murmured in my ear. “If Vivian and Agrona can do it, so can we. The gryphon isn’t going to let us fall. So just relax and enjoy the ride.”
    It took me a few minutes to unclench my fingers and jaw enough to do that. The gryphon flew at an easy pace, his wings spread wide, sailing up and down on the air currents. Slowly, I began to enjoy the high, airy, weightless sensation. It was almost like we were a feather floating this way and that on the breeze. Eventually, I was able to look over the side of the gryphon’s body. For a moment, I wished I hadn’t, as the forest, trees, and rocks zipped by us below, becoming a white, green, and gray blur. But I slowly got used to the sensation, and I realized just how wonderful it was—like being completely, utterly free.
    I wondered if this was how Vivian felt whenever she rode her Black roc. I wondered if she got any happiness out of soaring through the sky on the creature—or if she ever enjoyed anything besides hurting other people. But I pushed thoughts of the Reaper girl out of my mind, determined to enjoy this moment for as long as I could.
    The other gryphons joined us in the air, even the baby, and they formed a sort of honor guard around us. I found myself laughing and waving at the creatures, even as the wind tore away my happy chuckles and sent them sailing down to the ground so very far below. Behind me, I could hear Logan laughing and cheering, as well. He was enjoying the ride just as much as I was. Even Vic chimed in on occasion with a Jolly good show. Jolly good show, old boys.
    We flew down the mountain, and I got glimpses of the winding trail that we’d first come up. Once he sensed us relaxing, the gryphon picked up the pace, pumping his wings back and forth, and flying faster and faster. Soon, we left the mountaintop completely behind and were zooming over Snowline Ridge. Below, the people and cars on the streets looked like tiny toys half-buried in the snow. I leaned over the gryphon’s side and waved, although I doubted anyone could see me. A few people looked up as the gryphons’ shadows slid over their heads, but they quickly ducked back into whatever shop they’d come out of. I kept laughing.
    Finally, though, the academy came into sight. Like everything else, snow covered the grounds, but I still spotted the wall that ringed the campus, as well as the buildings on the main quad.
    I leaned forward. “Set us down there,” I told the gryphon. “Right in the middle of everything.”
    The creature nodded, let out another screech, and started circling down toward the ground.
    One kid looked up and caught sight of the gryphons. He started yelling at his classmates, and, soon, everyone’s heads were turned up in our direction. All I could hear was the wind roaring in my ears, but I could imagine the chatter of conversation on the ground.
    People came rushing out of all the buildings, mouths open, eyes wide with shock. It took me a few minutes, but I finally spotted my