First Queen of the Gryphons (Ishtar's Legacy Book 5) Read online

  First Queen of the Gryphons

  Ishtar’s Legacy Book 5

  Lisa Blackwood

  There is a price for pillaging the temple of a goddess...

  Hillalum, a gryphon of royal blood, is destined to become a king unlike any other before him, for the Goddess Ishtar has endowed him with a special gift—he is the first gryphon capable of taking on human form.

  Amata, a humble shepherdess, wishes only to live a peaceful life until raiders attack her village and kill her father and brother. A consuming need for revenge arises from that day.

  When King Hillalum’s goddess orders him to watch over a human shepherdess, he thinks he’ll find the sheep more interesting than the woman, but once he meets Amata, he soon understands the full scope of the deity’s plans.

  Ishtar wishes to transform Amata into the first of her Avenging Blades—a sacred warrior born into the world when danger stalks the line of the gryphon kings.

  But before Amata and Hillalum can complete the ritual to unleash the fierce magic of a goddess forged Blade, they must first win each other’s hearts. Only then will they possess a power great enough to rid their land of the raiders.

  Copyright

  First Queen of the Gryphons © 2019 by Lisa Smeaton

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and characters are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any print or electronic form without the author's permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 1

  His future mate had returned this dawn. Presently she was driving her small flock of sheep and goats high up the slopes like she did each day. Not for the first time, Hillalum wondered if she knowingly crossed the border between human and gryphon territory, or if she did it in ignorance.

  As a human, she likely couldn’t detect the scent markers of his people. When other humans ventured this high up into the mountains, his kind either drove them off or killed them.

  But not her.

  Not Amata.

  Not the woman a goddess had chosen as his mate.

  Amata might not look goddess chosen, but Ishtar possessed many aspects to her nature. One of which was a goddess of war. He could see why Ishtar would choose Amata for this role.

  She was tall for a human, with broad shoulders, strong arms, and long, muscular legs. He could easily see her leading armies to victory. But the human possessed hints of Ishtar’s fertility goddess aspect, too. Which had left him feeling confused and disconcerted on more than one occasion as an adolescent when he’d found himself admiring Amata’s womanly curves and plaited brown hair.

  Still, even when he’d been a juvenile, he’d known his duty and long ago had made it known to the rest of his people that if anyone harmed Amata, he’d end their life. Even her fat sheep and nimble goats were off limits, a stipulation he sometimes regretted.

  On more than one occasion, he’d gone hungry while he hid and studied her, not leaving his hiding place until she and her flock descended back down the mountain at twilight. It was better than frightening her since a gryphon on the wing was rather too conspicuous, and he didn’t want her to think he was stalking her.

  Although, he had been watching her for years. Long before he’d known her name. Even dormant, the pull of her magic was impossible for him to ignore and drew him to her repeatedly.

  To appease that need, he surveyed her while she was high up in the mountains, but Amata knew nothing about his protection, and that made her bravery in coming here shine all the brighter.

  Fierce and diligent, she watched over her flock with a longbow at the ready and her left hand resting on the pommel of her short sword. She scanned the sky and the slopes for predators, ready to wield her bow and arrows against any four-legged hunters who might think to make a meal of one of her sheep.

  As for the short sword, it was a gift from him to deter any two-legged predators with plans to prey upon her after the death of her father and brother three years ago had left her vulnerable.

  Amata didn’t know the sword came from him. She still thought it was a gift from the local priestess of Ishtar who lived in a temple on the edge of his territory. But he’d acquired it when a rich merchant had come with a company of soldiers to hunt Hillalum’s people for their fur and feathers. The hunters had soon discovered they were the hunted.

  Later he’d carried their valuables to Priestess Ereshti as gifts for his goddess and Amata.

  When he’d asked what item would be a worthy gift for his future mate, Ereshti had picked out one of the swords, saying it was well-crafted and worthy of his future queen.

  High Priestess Ereshti had been kind enough to carry the sword to Amata. That had been years ago, and Amata had grown into a strong, fiercely independent woman wearing his gift. That had pleased him greatly when he’d been younger. Hillalum snorted. It still pleased him.

  According to Priestess Ereshti, Amata’s magic would soon urge her to dwell in the mountains both night and day to be closer to him; though, she would not understand the reason. Their bond would only grow stronger with each passing season. Unfortunately, the priestess had told him to wait until Amata’s power awoke and she’d had a chance to explain what destiny awaited the shepherdess.

  His tail flicked with agitation at the reminder he had to wait upon the timing of others.

  Yet with his instincts urging him to seek his future mate, obeying the priestess’s words was growing more difficult. Reluctantly, he’d contented himself with what the priestess could tell him about Amata and only allowed himself to watch her from his hiding places.

  Though, since his own magic had awakened at the start of the rainy season, the urge to meet Amata in person had grown tenfold. He now crept closer each day. The challenge of testing his skills at stealth was almost as rewarding as the thrill of possible discovery.

  Ahead, the tall, wind-swept grasses gave way to a large patch of grazed ground, and he realized he’d belly crawled until he was so close he could hear her heartbeat. Chagrined at finding he’d crept so near, he admitted he wasn’t sure how much longer he could obey the priestess’s words.

  And while he should put some distance between himself and temptation, he was likely in more danger of Amata discovering him if he attempted to retreat. At least that’s what he told himself as he sat there and fought the temptation to simply stand and reveal himself.

  Only the knowledge she’d likely react in fear and try to shoot him, stopped him from acting on that thought.

  As a gryphon in his prime, an arrow wasn’t much danger to him. His kind were as swift and deadly on the ground as in the air. Still, if she attempted to shoot him, he’d have to run since he couldn
’t disarm her without injuring her.

  No matter how tempting it was to reveal himself now, he’d have to wait until he could separate her from her weapons without harming her or causing her undue fear. That might just be a near impossible task.

  Hillalum grunted unhappily and settled down, resting his head against his paws and tucking his wings closer to his body as he prepared for a long day of waiting.

  ∞∞∞

  He was half drowsing after an afternoon of basking in her scent and enjoying the easy, hip swaying way she moved when Amata whistled.

  It was one of her calls to round up stray members of her flock. He raised his head enough to peer up the slope just beyond Amata’s right shoulder. He did a quick count. A sheep was missing. He’d been so focused on Amata, he’d missed when one of the sheep wandered off. Amata had noticed, though, and was now scouting up toward the mountain summit.

  The ewes were all pregnant. One of them had likely gone to find a secluded place to birth her young. The thought of a tasty, young lamb didn’t interest him as much as it once would have.

  If Amata was about to travel even higher into gryphon territory, she might run into the nesting grounds of a female of his kind. They were even less cool-headed than nesting males. Best he remain close.

  When Amata began the climb up the steeper part of the slope, Hillalum rose to all four paws and padded after his human. He had only taken a few strides when he decided he would provide her with her evening meal since she’d likely be spending the night on the mountain.

  And the best way to win a female gryphon’s trust was for the male to prove how useful he could be. Perhaps it was the same with human females.

  Chapter 2

  All the while Amata climbed up the steep slope, she cursed the ewe and the natural urge to birth her lamb in seclusion. Unfortunately, the ewe was young. This was her first time in labor, and Amata wanted to ensure the new mother didn’t abandon the lamb. Each member of her small flock was valuable to her.

  After the deaths of her father and brother at the hands of raiders, Amata wouldn’t let even one of her father’s sheep die if she could help it. Foolish as it might seem to one of the rich visiting merchants, as a simple shepherd, these animals were her father’s only legacy. And with her mother’s death at the time of Amata’s birth, she had no other connection to her family.

  Thus, the reason she was risking her own neck by venturing higher into gryphon territory to make sure both ewe and lamb made it back to the lower slopes safely. She cast an uneasy glance around her, taking in the view as she searched the sky for the shape of gryphons on the wing.

  She already herded her flock higher than other shepherds dared. To her mind, it was better to provide a meal to a gryphon than give the thieving bastards who’d killed her family a second chance to steal her father’s sheep and her brother’s goats.

  And there was also the chance the raiders might hold a grudge.

  After all, she’d shot an arrow through the heart of one of their sentries while the others slept, and then sang her flock away from the rest of their stolen herd. While she’d done her best to hide the signs of her back trail, it wouldn’t take any great feat of reasoning to deduce that one of the surviving shepherds had come after their stolen flock.

  Even though the raiders wouldn’t know which shepherd from which village, Amata had decided the safest course of action was to take her herd higher into the mountains where no one else ever ventured because of the gryphon threat.

  And now one ewe had decided to venture even higher into gryphon territory.

  “Fool wants to be dinner,” she muttered under her breath. “And I’m the greater fool for following.”

  By midafternoon, Amata caught up with the ewe only to find the female already in labor.

  “Bleeding gods!”

  Now she’d have to wait until after the lamb was born and able to follow its mother down the slope and rejoin the rest of the flock.

  She glanced up at the sky again to judge how long before sunset. She’d be cutting it far too close to nightfall if she waited until the lamb could walk. Carrying it was a better option, she decided.

  Being this high in the mountains after dark wasn’t a good plan for long-term survival.

  Once the sun set, she wouldn’t be able to see the gryphons against the darkened sky. Her bow, though big and powerful, wasn’t much of a weapon against something as fast as a gryphon. It would be even more useless against one of the beasts at night.

  Setting down her satchel, quiver, and bow, Amata settled down to await the birth of the lamb. After a moment, she pulled her waterskin out of the satchel and took a sip.

  She nearly choked on the second sip as a muscular beast leaped from a ledge higher up slope and spread his wings wide as he soared toward her, his vast dark shadow racing over the landscape ahead of him. Snatching up her bow and grabbing an arrow out of the quiver, she exhaled as the big beast of a gryphon with a black body and burgundy tipped wings sailed over her position. But he didn’t attack, instead beginning a lazy circle in the sky overhead.

  Upon other occasions, she’d seen gryphons soar like that as they scanned the ground below for food. He was soon past her location, but she held herself still, more out of instinct than anything else.

  Gryphons had incredible sight. He’d probably picked out her location and already discarded her as possible prey long before he’d leaped into the air. Still, her heart raced. She’d only just started to breathe normally when the beast pivoted on the wing and looped back.

  She drew the bow but hesitated, some instinct staying her hand.

  While surprise and that strange instinct held her still, she watched him in awe. She was lucky. He didn’t attack. Instead, he darted through the air, dipping, spinning, somersaulting, and diving in an aerial show that left her in awe of the beast’s grace, power, and strength. Belatedly, it occurred to her this was likely a territorial display.

  After a moment, she realized her hesitation had just saved her life. Gryphons possessed a keen intelligence and were quick and powerful in the air. If her first arrow missed its target or didn’t hit something vital, she wasn’t likely to get a second chance.

  Above her, the big beast finished his display, but he still didn’t attack. One large, dark eye studied her for a moment, and then he tucked his wings close to his body and darted downslope, likely arrowing toward a herd of sheep in the foothills too far away for her to see. She followed him with her eyes as he sliced through the air, whizzed around an outcropping of rock along the side of the cliff, and raced on down the valley toward the smaller foothills.

  Within moments the majestic beast had vanished from her sight. Only after longer than she cared to admit was she able to convince her pounding heart to slow. Once she was calmer, she released her white-knuckled grip on her bow.

  She hunched down next to her ewe to wait, never taking her eyes off the sky and the spot where the big gryphon had vanished. He had to be one of the biggest she’d ever seen. She’d mentally labelled him a male but didn’t really know since both genders were equal in size and the females seemed as colorful as the males. So, male was only a guess.

  The nervous sweat along her back had only just dried when she spotted the big male winging his way back up into the mountains—a ram clasped in his powerful hind claws. Time slowed as her brain took in the details of his body. His wings were vast, four times the length of his lion-like lower body.

  Though he had paws, the structure of his feet must differ from a lion’s to accommodate his big talons and allow him to grip his prey while in the air. She couldn’t even imagine the stamina and power required to carry something that heavy halfway up the mountainside.

  Mesmerized, she continued to watch as he winged his way closer. When he was almost over her position, he released his kill, or it slipped from his grasp, and the ram landed far too close to Amata’s little camp.

  What was he doing? Had he accidentally dropped his kill?

 
But just then he tucked his wings and dropped gracefully down on to the slope next to his meal.

  Goddess! He seemed even bigger on the ground, and he was far too close. Her hand tightened on her bow, but he ignored her and started in on his meal.

  It was good he was ignoring her because she didn’t like her odds if he paid her any attention.

  She immediately noted a secondary problem. He blocked the only track leading down the mountain. The slope here was too steep to navigate her way safely around the gryphon and find her way back to the path.

  Even if she had a rope for climbing, she wouldn’t make the attempt with him looking on.

  The only other route was up, and the path got narrower and more treacherous, offering no real escape or even a place to hide. She glanced up slope anyway to weigh her options. There was no cave nearby, but there was a grouping of boulders near a sun-bleached tree that had succumbed to the elements years ago.

  The boulders and the pale corpse were the only things that looked even remotely like shelter. She judged both the distance and her chance of getting to the tree before the gryphon decided she was too close to his meal.

  If she moved cautiously, she might make it there without drawing his attention. At least she’d be putting distance between them. Beside her, the ewe had hunched down, unmoving even as she still labored.

  Amata waited until the big male was distracted butchering his kill with his sharp beak and deadly claws before she urged the ewe to follow her slowly upslope.

  She didn’t take her eyes off the gryphon, which made navigating the trail interesting, but she needed to know if her slow, cautious movements would trigger his hunting instincts. So far, he hadn’t even looked in her direction.

  Eventually, she made it to the tree. The ewe wedged herself under a small overhang created where a large boulder had come to rest against a smaller one.

  “That’s not the best hiding spot in the world,” Amata whispered to the sheep. “Though maybe you’ll be okay even if he comes up here; he might be more interested in hunting me for a little variety in his diet.”