Rise of the Gryphon by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love Read Free Book Online Page A

picked a spot beneath several towering pine trees and gave Storm a pointed look when she asked, “What about your fighter?”
    Dressed again, Storm took up his place next to Evalle and crossed his arms, a silent sentry. Evalle said, “He stays.”
    “Very well.” Imogenia lifted her arms, whispering as she turned in a circle. When she stopped, she said, “I’ve used a spell to guard the others from observing us or hearing our words.”
    Evalle turned to the witch. “What do you know about Tristan?”
    “He’s an Alterant working for the Medb.”
    So the Medb were feeding that lie into the rumor mills, huh? Evalle shook her head and scoffed. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
    Imogenia toyed with a silvery-white strand of hair. “He’s building an Alterant team of fighters.”
    Could that be true? “Alterants are harder to find than a trustworthy deity.”
    “Tell me about it. Why are you looking for Tristan?”
    Evalle could have shut down the witch by refusing to answer, but it was better to give her the information Evalle wanted repeated instead of leaving her to speculate.“I’m going to be generous and answer your question in spite of owning both fighters right now.”
    Tension stiffened Imogenia’s posture, but she kept her tongue still, waiting on Evalle’s answer.
    “Tristan left in a hurry the last time I saw him, slipped away before he paid a debt I intend to collect.” Evalle cast a look over Bernie’s dejected form. “Where’d you find your Alterant?”
    “Not far from here, but I don’t have to tell you where, since that wasn’t part of the deal .”
    “In that case, let’s get back to what I want. Is there a way into TÅμr Medb undetected?”
    Imogenia snickered. “I can’t tell you that.”
    “Looks like we’re done then.”
    “I didn’t say I wouldn’t , I said I couldn’t.”
    Evalle turned to Storm. “Is she telling the truth?”
    He gave it a second, then nodded.
    Imogenia leaned forward, staring at Storm. “You want me to believe he can detect a lie?”
    “Believe what you want, but lie to me one time and I’m walking away with your Alterant.” Evalle regretted having to leave Bernie with Imogenia, but Storm had taken this risk to get information she needed. She wouldn’t waste it. She’d search for Bernie later, once she got Tristan back.
    At this rate, she’d need business cards soon for Evalle’s Alterant Rescue.
    She continued her interrogation. “I heard you planned to trade your Alterant to the Medb.”
    Inside the eye slits of her mask, Imogenia’s gaze narrowed with menace. “Who told you about that?”
    That had been a guess. “Let’s revisit the fact that I’m not the one answering questions. How’d you intend to meet with the Medb if you don’t know where TÅμr Medb is?”
    “Same way as everyone else looking to cut a deal,” Imogenia said with a wave of her hands, indicating this was common knowledge. “At the ABC.”
    Evalle debated admitting she didn’t know what Imogenia referenced, but the minute Evalle left this venue she lost her best shot at intel. Go strong or go home. She raked a hand over her head. “ABC?”
    “You don’t know?” Imogenia enjoyed a smug moment. “The Achilles Beast Championship.”
    “Championship fights. Where? When?”
    Time slid by as Imogenia debated something. “Tomorrow night. Cumberland Island.”
    Three hundred plus miles away, just off the southeast corner of Georgia, but Evalle would gain more information by sounding unfamiliar with the area. “Where’s that? We’ve just arrived from Brazil a couple days ago.”
    Imogenia nodded and seemed to relax. “I was wondering why I hadn’t heard about you . . . or him around the beast fights. Can’t be too careful these days.” She explained about accessing Cumberland Island by ferry from a town called St. Marys at the farthest southeast corner of Georgia on the Atlantic coast.
    Evalle cast a look over at Storm but spoke to Imogenia.
    “Is