The Conduit The Gryphon Series

CHAPTER 15

My thoughts turned dark as we headed back to the truck. It made sense for the Gryphon to make me his Conduit. I was his last resort. His panic button if Gabe and Kendall failed. But they wouldn’t fail. They never did. They would embrace their new talents and keep me out of harm’s way. I would remain an awkward, useless lump that they were now saddled with the burden of protecting. What kind of lives could they have if they constantly had to watch out for me?

I threw the keys to Gabe. I probably shouldn’t trust myself to drive the REAL warriors around.

Kendall climbed into the back seat and laid down. In seconds her rhythmic snoring filled the truck. I clicked on my seat belt then stared, out the window at the outline of the mountain range.

“You know why he picked you, right?” Gabe asked.

“I have some idea.” I mumbled.

“I bet you do.” He pulled us out of the parking lot onto the road that led into town. “Want to hear my theory?”

“Not really.”

“Tough. It’s because you’re the strongest.”

“HA!” I spat. “Yeah, cause I was the one that pushed an entire football team 100 yards.”

“I don’t mean physically. The physical strength he can give you. That’s easy. But the spirit to fight had to already be there. Like it is with you.”

“The spirit to fight? Look at me. I’m no fighter. There are elementary school kids bigger than me. And I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t even win in a fight against them. Some of them bite.”

“Are you capable of shutting up?” He snapped. “I’m talking about your spirit. Who you are, not what you are. You don’t give up. That’s just not you. When Dad died you made me get back into sports. You made Kendall go back to dance, and cheerleading, and every other thing she’s involved in. You got Mom out of bed each day during the worst of it. You put everything on hold to get us back on our feet. We were all ready to curl up and die. But you wouldn’t let us. You’re the real fighter. Maybe you just became the Gryphon’s Conduit, but you’ve been the power in our family for a long time.”

That was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to me. I blinked back the tears that welled up in my eyes. “Thanks.”

He grunted. His quota for sentimental conversation reached.