9) Upsets

It was a few hours before dawn when Carmon arrived at Crow's Tower with her changes. After settling Mirina and Grendel, the most injured of the group, the canary sent Mark back to Nalin, made sure the cats were comfortable in their rooms, and met up with Jink and Gabriel.

 

Carmon sat down and rubbed the back of her neck. “I have never been so busy. I almost wish Grendel wasn't hurt.”

 

Gabriel laughed. “That one would be a pain in the a*s o matter what state she's in.”

 

“How's Mirina?” Jink asked.

 

“She'll be able to move around on her own by the end of the week.” She looked at the door to her right that led to Mirina's bedroom. “Do you remember the day Grayson disappeared twenty years ago, Jink?”

 

“Yes,” he said with a nod. “He went for a fly. His father and I found him cornered by some Imperial Knights. When he came back after the fight he couldn't fly straight for several weeks.”

 

“I think more happened that day then we were told.” Carmon rubbed her face with her hands. “I always knew Grayson didn't tell us everything. There's a part of him he keeps from us.”

 

“I wonder why they would keep something like that a secret?” Gabriel wondered. “You'd think it would be better for everyone to know that she's a friend.”

 

“You'd think,” Jink agreed.

 

Carmon stood and put a hand on each man's shoulder. “Let's go tell Grayson the upsetting news.”

 

 

 

 

Grayson was pacing his room when the three came in. Before he could ask why Carmon was there the other men pushed him into one of the chairs in front of his fireplace. Jink had a hold on the crow's right shoulder, Gabriel had his left.

 

Carmon stood in front of him. “Don't worry. Its not that bad.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Grayson snapped. “Why aren't you with Mirina? What is going on?”

 

“Okay. First off, Grendel ignored Jink's order to not attack the merchant ship Mirina was on,” Carmon explained.

 

“What is Grendel doing in charge of some of our pirates?” the crow asked. “What do you mean 'was on'?”

 

“When Grendel was getting overly annoying after you turned her down for the seventh time,” Jink informed him, “I sent her as far away as I could.”

 

The small woman ignored them both. “She attacked the ship. A powerful blast of air pushed all the birds away from the ship The air came from Mirina's scythe. Grendel and three hawks met Arim, Bin, Fin, and Mirina on the deck, which Mirina had cleared.”

 

“Carmon,” Grayson said softly and slowly, “where is Mirina?”

 

“Mirina wears a crow pen feather on a chain around her neck.” The canary continued. “One of your feathers. Grendel is still suffering from her Grayson-is-my-betrothed delusion. As soon as she saw the feather she attacked.”

 

The color completely drained from Grayson's face.

 

“Grendel pinned Mirina on the deck with a raven claw to her throat. Mirina managed to push her off and went for her scythe. Grendel changed all the way and slashed Mirina's back. I pushed her away. She pushed me into the mast. Mirina managed to swing her scythe and a blade of fire hit Grendel's left side. She lost her wing.”

 

The shock was beginning to be replaced by worry and rage. “Mirina?”

 

Carmon took a deep breath. “There are four holes in her neck, three on the right side and one on the left. On her back are nine long, shallow gashes.”

 

Grayson's eyes darkened with rage. He started to struggle against Jink and Gabriel.

 

“Grayson, she'll be alright,” Gabriel said calmly.

 

“She'll be walking around in a few days,” Jink added.

 

“The wounds on her back are already half mended,” Carmon said with a reassuring smile.

 

The three watched as Grayson got himself under control. “Where is she?”

 

“In a guest room below your feet.” Carmon pointed down. “You can go see her if you promise to not kill Grendel. She'll suffer enough with the loss of her wing.”

 

Grayson nodded his agreement and the other men released him. He was off like a shot and no one had time to remind him that he only wore black, light cotton shorts.

 

 

 

 

Carmon walked quietly into the room she had left Mirina in earlier. She had given Grayson fifteen minutes to stare at her while she slept and she was now going to drive him off to get some sleep himself.

 

She walked to the bed, but didn't get all the way there. The bed was round, low to the ground, and really just a huge pile and soft blankets and pillows. She had settled Mirina in the bed's center on her side and covered her with a light blanket. Carmon had expected to find Grayson standing by the bed watching her sleep.

 

What she expected and what she found were very different. Grayson must have sat on the edge of the bed to watch her, for he was laying on his back with one lag hanging from the knee and one from the ankle off the bed. He looked like he had just passed out, and that was probably what happened. After spending almost two weeks not sleeping more than an hour or two at a time he was bound to pass out sooner or later.

 

The strangest thing was that Mirina had moved toward him. Even as the canary watched the pale girl's face twitched and she moved closer. Her hands fell on his arm and gave it a tug before falling limply against it. Grayson rolled on his side and scooted closer to her.

 

Carmon smiled and finished walking the distance to the bed. After a few minutes of poking, lifting and rolling she had the two laying next to each other. When she looked back at them before she closed the door they looked like they had been cuddle-buddies for all their lives.

 

The matchmaker carefully closed the door and went to her own cuddle-buddy.

Author's Note

Awwwww. How cute!
^_^