Bird of a Wing (Bow 1)

Chapter 29

Tai'ray nuzzled the young human's hair, the little thing whimpering as the Tai'ray's knife scraped along his skin. Ryraso looked physically pained at the sound, his mates, still ready to fight but Tai'ray could feel their concern. Gutting warriors was one thing, slitting the neck of a young man barely old enough to be called so was another.

"Give up your weapons!" Tai'ray ordered harshly, in a dark tone that promised swift retribution if the order was disobeyed. Both of the men in front of him had earned whippings, he could make it worse if he wanted to. Except he didn't want to, at least not because he had put their backs in a corner with threatening Eyeri. He resisted the urge to grin as they gave up their weapons to his mates, instead keeping his angry facade firmly on his face.

"Winglord..." Ryraso went to say something but was cut off by a furious Tai'ray's growl.

"Silence! You have tested my patience healer, something I am not happy about. Kneel! Both of you!" Tai'ray thundered. Tai'ray was angry at his wayward chosen. Even so, he knew the significance of Ryraso calling him by his title rather than name. Ryraso was not just worried Tai'ray was going to hurt Eyeri, he was scared. Ryraso Too scared to trust that he would get away with the thing he had always been able to do no matter what, call the Winglord by name. Tai'ray's heart tightened at that but he had to steel it and stay strong. After all, Tai'ray knew himself that he wasn't going to harm Eyeri.

Ryraso fell to the ground with a heavy grunt, his head bowed, his hands on the ground in front of him in a familiar position. Tai'ray glared at Herymi as he hesitated to do so, refusing to think about the meaning of that gesture.

"If I am to kneel, I need some help, my lord," Herymi spoke respectfully in k'nairi, if not a little sheepishly.

Tai'ray looked the warrior up and down, noticing the injuries which Herymi had gained during his fight with Dyn'ad. His clothes were badly ripped now from the fight and Tai'ray could believe that he had also been injured. Grimacing inwardly, Tai'ray nodded at Dyn'ad, who helped support Herymi to the ground gently.

Once both humans on their knees, Tai'ray removed the dagger from Eyeri's neck, sheathing it in his belt. Eyeri shifted as if to move but Tai'ray tightened his grip around the boy's waist, keeping him pinned against him. Eyeri wasn't going anywhere. At this point, even if Eyeri hadn't been Ryraso's, he would be going with them regardless. Tai'ray would not leave a human this young and weak on his own in the woods where the D'mar were also camped.

Ignoring the two men on the ground, Tai'ray shifted the boy slightly so they were facing each other, cupping the young man's face gently to make sure Eyeri was focusing on him. "What is your name child?" He asked, already knowing Eyeri's name but also knowing the best way to start a conversation with a scared child was to ask something simple and easy. As he spoke he let out a soft set of clicks and purrs in his voice. Ones which everyone apart from Eyeri would know as sounds normally used to calm terrified younglings.

The clicks couldn't help but make Ryraso wonder if the Winglord knew how old Eyeri actually was. With how small Eyeri was, plus his meek nature, people often thought the boy was a lot younger then he was. Something which could work to their favour admittedly not with the Winglord, who was sure to find out his actual age, but other k'nairi.

"Eyeri," the boy answered, his voice full of fear, but it was strong and firm. He wasn't about to fall to pieces over having a knife put to his neck.

Tai'ray smiled impressed by this, a spark of interest lighting in his eyes. Here was someone who knew he was powerless but wasn't about to fall to pieces over it. Tai'ray was almost relieved and slightly hopeful, it would make this so much easier for everyone involved if Eyeri remained calm and didn't do anything stupid.