Read A Shard of Sun for Free Online Page A

left followed his daughter, Thyra, who carried Kjorn’s heir in her belly. The Vanir followed Ragna, Shard’s true mother. Though tensions and uncertainty strained them, Caj felt confident there would be no violence.
    It was time. He took a deep breath, hoping it wasn’t too late.
    “Will you make the rounds with me?” Sigrun murmured, brushing fondly against his feathers. “Your presence calms the females.”
    She was happy, no longer torn between loyalties, relieved that she could provide the pregnant females of the pride with hearty meals of fish, though the regular hunting remained poor. A healer’s dream, Caj thought. Peace time, good hunting. He wished he could feel at peace, too.
    Perhaps soon.
    When he didn’t answer, she drew back to look at him. He studied her dove-brown feathers, her face, an older, more refined version of Thyra’s, her brown eyes strained from long years of worry. “What is it?”
    “I won’t be going back to the nesting cliffs with you.”
    Sometimes, he thought she could see inside his thoughts. Her expression darkened. “What are you planning? Your wing isn’t fully healed. Where are you going?”
    “Some of this is my doing, Sigrun. I have to make right what I can.”
    “You have. We’re at peace!”
    “Not all of us,” he said quietly, his gaze lifting to the sky.
    Her gaze followed his, and she drew a sharp breath. “No. Leave it be. It’s folly, it’s too dangerous. He’s witless and mad with grief, my mate, please, it’s too dangerous. There’s a reason that Ragna has not sent warriors after him. Let him return to you instead, if he ever comes back to his right mind.”
    Caj rounded on her, raising his wings sternly. “What would you do, if it were Ragna? I don’t forget Sverin’s sins and mistakes. But I also can’t forget that he’s my wingbrother, my friend, and that I also left him alone and I lied. What part I played in his madness, I’ll never know. We all have mistakes to accept.”
    “You’re too good for him,” she whispered. A few gryfons paused to watch their argument openly, then, at Caj’s sharp look, they moved along, either to walk with the wolves or lift into the sky. Sigrun butted her head against his chin. “Please…”
    “I’m going to find him,” Caj vowed, ears swiveling forward in determination. “On whatever isle he shelters, or out at sea, or if he flies all the way back to our homeland. I cannot leave my wingbrother again, just as you would never betray Ragna.” He drew back to meet her eyes, firm. “I stood by you while you remained loyal to her.”
    It was the right thing to say, though he felt it was cheating. She looked struck, then the cool, controlled look of the healer stole over her face. “Then, I’ll come with you—”
    “No.”
    Her hackle feathers ruffed slowly, showing her displeasure.
    “My mate,” Caj murmured. “You see the sense of it. The females of the pride need you. And it’s better if I’m alone. If Sverin is witless, he would see two gryfons coming to attack. If he’s not, he sees you, who he…who…”
    “He hates,” Sigrun supplied, matter-of-fact.
    “Yes. And you’re not to send anyone else, either.” At her incredulous look he added, “I know it would be faster. But say someone spies him from the air, he could see and be gone, or attack. He sees only enemies, only threat. I’m his wingbrother. I have a chance, and I won’t risk anyone else in this.”
    She was quiet for a moment, and Caj could nearly hear her trying to think of another way in. She almost found it. “What about Halvden?”
    Caj flexed his talons against the snow and rock, a growl bubbling in his throat. “I would be very glad to meet Halvden again.”
    She wasn’t impressed. “How will you search, then? You can’t fly yet.”
    “I’ll use the tunnels to reach the different islands. The wolves are happy enough to lead us through.”
    After another moment looking grim, he watched her expression relax. She