by Ciara Graves
“You say it tried to take her?”
“Yes. I assumed it attacked Greg’s apartment because it was after him for his magic. Our records are a bit vague when it comes to extinct races. Anything you could tell us would help.” I waited.
He nodded, whispering to himself.
“Joseph?”
“Sorry. This is not what I was expecting to hear today.”
“And I didn’t expect to be attacked by one.” I settled back in the chair. “My friend shot one. Will bullets kill them?”
“Highly unlikely, unless she gets damned lucky. Gargoyles were… are strong creatures. Their skin is tough. Very little kills them.”
“Great. That’s not what I hoped to hear today.”
“I’m afraid I don’t have much to offer in the way of guidance on this matter. Gargoyles were wiped out a very long time ago.”
“Why?” Iris leaned closer as she asked. “I thought they were guardians.”
“They were, but they were twisted by the darkness. Turned against those they were meant to guard.”
Shuval…
I tensed at the voice in my ear.
Neither Iris nor Joseph seemed to hear it.
I brushed it off as nothing.
As Joseph told Iris the history of the gargoyles, my mind drifted, and I no longer saw the room we were in, but another.
Mercy was there. Bowen, too. There was a third face, but it was blurred, as were the details of my surroundings. It wasn’t my place or Mercy’s, but some other. It was rundown. That was all I could tell. On the table was a map with lines running every which way across it. A list was next to it. Mercy was talking about finding the items. She said the name Envy and then another name that left me wondering who they were speaking of. Shuval. I’d never heard that name. Then Mercy was arguing with the two people, and then the memory faded away.
“I’m afraid that is all I can tell you,” Joseph said. “If they are truly back, it can’t be for anything good.”
I’d have Iris catch me up on the details once we were back at the office.
“Clearly, since they tried to kill one of your own.”
“Yes. Greg,” Joseph said as he stood. “Let me fetch him for you. I shall return shortly.”
As soon as he left, I stood to walk around the room, sorting through the memory that returned to me.
“What’s up with you?”
“Nothing.” I tugged on my beard as I walked. Those lines on that map. Were they important? What had they been about?
“You’re not really here right now. You sure everything upstairs is alright?”
“Fine. Just thinking about something else.”
“Mercy?”
I shrugged. “Partially. She and her boss seemed to be having an argument when she called earlier. And she hadn’t wanted me to come here alone.”
“Why not? The Gathered are the good guys.”
“That’s what I thought, too. I’m not sure. I might’ve tuned out when Joseph was talking. Anything important I should know?”
She tapped her fingers on the arm of the chair but didn’t push for answers like she usually did. “A lot about their history. Where they came from. The only interesting thing was that right before they were killed off, they formed an alliance with another race.”
“Which one?”
“Dragons.”
Shuval…
That name whispered across again. Why did I know that name? Had Mercy said it? Had Bowen? What were they up to? Did she know about the gargoyles already?
“That is certainly interesting,” I mused.
“It is. But seeing as there are no dragons left alive either, not sure where we’re going to get any more answers.”
Why did her words sound false? No dragons. At least none that would be willing to talk to us. The few who might remain were in hiding and for good reason.
The door opened, and when Joseph returned, he preceded a mage in green robes.
“I’m Greg Sherwood.” He proffered his hand.
I shook it and introduced myself and Iris. “I’m sorry to inform you, your apartment has been destroyed.”
“I heard.” His face was pinched with annoyance. His eyes darted all over the room as if speaking to us was not what he wanted to be doing at that moment. What was he hiding?
“Do you have any idea why gargoyles would have attacked your apartment?”
Greg’s beady eyes narrowed even more as he shook his head. “None I can think of. Last I heard they were all extinct.”
“And you don’t know if they’re drawn to magic? To mages?”
“If that were the case, they would’ve attacked us here. Would they not?” His tone was far from friendly. “I am a very busy mage, Agent. If you have questions that I can answer, please ask them now, so I may return to my work.”
“Your home was just destroyed. If you’d been there, you would’ve been killed.” I slid a sideways glance to Iris. Her head was tilted slightly, but if she was trying to use her power here, there wasn’t a chance it’d work on them, at least not for long.
“Why weren’t you home?” Iris asked.
Greg’s eyes slipped to hers, and his face softened, if only slightly. “I was working on a project here. Have been, for the last month. Hardly ever home.”
“And you honestly have no idea why the gargoyles would attack you?”
“They wouldn’t.”
With a confused look on his face, Joseph eyed Greg.
“Do you know why the gargoyles are back?” Iris pressed.
His face turned bright red, and I gently nudged Iris in the side, signaling her to pull back. She shook her head and stared him down.
He blinked, and the sneer that crossed his face indicated he’d broken through her magic. “I do not and for you to suggest such is insulting. I am one of the Gathered. A mage sworn to protect the innocent. You truly believe I would be behind gargoyles rising from the dead?”
“We have to cover our bases.”
“Of course, you do. Joseph, I suggest you see them out before they cause any more mischief. Quin will not be pleased to hear you let them in, to begin with.” He spun around, his robes whipping out to catch Joseph as he shoved past him.
“Ah, well then,” Joseph murmured, “sorry about that.”
“It’s alright. Please keep an eye on him and call me if you hear anything.” I handed him my card. “And I mean anything.”
“Yes, of course. I will see you out.”
The walk through the massive structure this time was far different than our walk in. Eyes watched us from every open doorway and balcony until we were back on the front step with Joseph.
“The gargoyles returning is a terrible omen,” Joseph whispered.
“Meaning what? Like a sign of the apocalypse?” Iris teased.
Joseph’s serious glance made me want to find Mercy to check on her. To make sure she wasn’t getting herself into trouble. “Who do you think is behind it? If you had to guess.”
“There are only two possibilities. Both are too impossible to believe.”
“Anything could be helpful. Just tell me.”
He took a deep breath and shrugged. “The dragons or the reapers. Either race is powerful enough to bring them back. As I said before, it was the dragons they allied themselves with, in the end. We can never know if we wiped out all dragonborn or not. For all we know, they saved the gargoyles, kept them turned to stone until the time was right.”
“Right for what?” Iris asked.
“Right for war. You say apocalypse as a joke, but, my dear, we could very well be seeing the beginning of one.”
“It was just a few gargoyles,” she argued.
“For now. I will stay in touch about anything I learn. Good day.” Joseph darted back inside, the door closed, and then we found ourselves standing on the sidewalk beyond the gate.
“That was cryptic as hell.” Iris crossed her arms as if chilled by the news. “Rafael?”
“Ye
ah, cryptic. That Sherwood is hiding something. Once we get back to the office, we’ll dig into his past, figure out everything we can about him.”
“Agreed. You think Joseph is on our side?”
“For the moment.” I was going to also do a search for the name running through my mind. Shuval. It had to be connected somehow. If not to this, then to whatever Mercy refused to talk to me about. Was she tied to Envy maybe?
Iris hailed a cab as I wracked my brain for any more memories. I needed more memories to surface. They refused. I texted Mercy what we learned once I was in the cab, but there was no response.
The hours dragged on with no reply from Mercy at all.
Worry that she was in trouble brought me to a decision.
I told Iris I was heading out early.
She was on the phone and waved, jotting a quick note that said she’d send me whatever else she found out.
I thanked her and left the office in a rush.
Chapter 4
Mercy
“When did you say the next Blood Moon is?”
I stifled a yawn and gave my head a hard shake. I needed to get to sleep, but Damian refused to let me leave until he knew everything we did about Envy and the rituals. “October 31st this year.”
“And you have how many artifacts?”
“One,” Bowen replied. “Safe in my vault.”
“One? Out of this many?” Damian tapped the list.
“But we know where some of the others are. It’s a matter of getting our hands on them before she does.” I went to take a drink from my mug, but it had gone cold. I stood to refill it, listening as Damian questioned the locations of the artifacts and how soon we could move on them. I was too damned tired to care at this point. I wanted to sleep.
Rafael had called and texted me two more times. Until Damian had taken my phone and shoved it in his pocket. He didn’t want me distracted while he got to the bottom of all this deception.
Not like he left me much choice. I sipped on the hot brew, extremely strong since Rufus made it, and forced myself to turn back to the table.
“We have no idea how many she’s charged?” He glared at the map of ley lines.
“Not unless we manage to grab hold of Envy or another hybrid who’s been doing her dirty work,” I said.
I’d almost had Envy. He’d been right in my grasp. Why hadn’t Rafael just knocked him out? Hurt him more? We’d have had him in our custody now and be beating the answers out of him. Then afterward, I could kill him and set his body on fire. Be rid of him for good. He could lead us straight to Shuval, and we could stop this war before it even started. Kill her too, for what she did to my family. What she did to everyone we cared for. I hated her, and I hadn’t even met her face to face. Hated them all for what they turned us into. Having to hide in the dark away from the world we were trying to save.
I shut my eyes as Damian droned on and on about planning for this or that outcome. Why did he think we’d let it get that far? Why not simply track down the source of the problem? If we killed off her hybrids, she’d have no one left to keep her safe. We’d be able to find her and rip her head from her body.
The mug in my hand shattered, and hot coffee splashed over my hands. “Shit.”
“Mercy, everything alright over there?”
“Fine. Except you’re wasting time.”
“We’re trying to plan,” Damian said.
I shook my head, dumping the broken pieces of the mug in the trash. “You shouldn’t be doing anything. You come here and think you can take over?”
“This was our job before it was yours.”
“And I’m the one who picked it up when you three gave up on finding Shuval.”
Rufus grunted. “Ugly, shut your mouth.”
“No. You shut yours. None of you would be doing this right now if it wasn’t for me. And you think you can what, keep me out of it because it’s dangerous? Give me lectures on how you swore you’d keep me safe?” I marched to the table and held up the map of the ley lines. “If we fail, no one will be safe. My life doesn’t matter. Not now.”
“The hell it doesn’t.”
“Stop, just stop. All of you.” I slammed the map down and rested my hands on the table. “You all have taught me how to take care of myself, whether you believe it or not. There’s not going to be a road for me to take where I won’t be fighting for my life. I am not about to back down or hide or go on the run.” I held Damian’s gaze, then Bowen’s, and Rufus’s. Even Todd looked at me like he suddenly had sympathy for his murderer. “This is my fight, as much as it is yours.”
“But you kept this from me.” Damian strode around the table and gripped my shoulders hard. “You lie to me constantly.”
“Because you overreact. Just like you’re doing right now.”
He hung his head and backed off. Bowen and Rufus both looked ashamed at how they’d been acting. All of them wanted to keep me safe, and I understood, but I wanted to do the same for them. They were the only family I had. I went to Damian and hugged him like the reluctant father-figure he’d turned into.
“You can’t ask me not to fight for your lives, too,” I murmured as he hugged me back. “You know I’m a damned good fighter.”
“I know. I just wish I could make this all go away. Make it so you never have to face any of the same darkness we did. That you already have.” He ran his fingers down my scarred cheek. “But your parents would be kicking my ass if they heard me telling you to back off.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
He glanced at Bowen and Rufus, even Todd. The ghost made him uneasy and his arms tensed around me, as if he could stop me from sinking any lower than I already had. “War changes people. Sometimes for the worst.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to stop Shuval from fulfilling her plan.”
“That’s what worries me. Your parents said the same thing and look what happened to them.”
“They didn’t listen to you. I know, I saw that night, remember?” I squeezed his arm. “I’ll listen and take your advice, but you have to stop hiding shit from me too. I’m tired of lying to everyone.”
“Even Rafael?”
I tilted my head side-to-side. “I’ll worry about him when I have to. Right now, we need to focus on these artifacts. We have that key. Might not be a bad idea to go back to Sector 1462 and see if we can find anything leading us to Envy or Shuval.”
Bowen hissed quietly, but I ignored him. He could be pissed as long as he wanted about my having gone in alone. My reckless attitude lately was as much his fault as it was Rufus’s and Damian’s. Everyone was treating me like I was incapable of taking care of my own ass. Like I hadn’t dealt with terrible injuries before. Even my magic was doing better than it had in a long time, something Gigi should be ecstatic about. Not that it had anything to do with her. No, I was pretty sure it had to do with a certain demon who came into my life. It was far from perfect, but the last couple of times I used it, just in the last few hours, it didn’t explode in my face or leave me exhausted. I was going to take that as a good sign.
“We will work on a plan,” Damian said as he directed me toward the door. “You look like hell. Go get some sleep. We’ll talk later.”
“Just like that?”
He nodded, but it wasn’t hard to see the deception in his eyes. Damn him. He was up to something again. Fine. If he wanted to play his games, I’d let him. At least, until I wasn’t so freaking exhausted.
I shrugged and told them to text me if they came across anything new, then left.
I was halfway down the main drag when Todd’s transparent form appeared beside me.
“What? You don’t like hanging out with the guys?” I teased.
His face remained serious. “I don’t like the gargoyles being back.”
“Pretty sure no one does. If they’re linked to Shuval, we’ll figure it out and stop them.”
“But why are they here? What are they after?”
“We’r
e working on it.”
He stepped in front of me, and I stopped short, not wanting to walk through him.
“What’s got you all worked up?”
“I know what happened back there with the coffee mug.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” I glanced around, sensing eyes on me. “Can we continue this back at my place? I look like a crazy person.”
“Mercy, listen to me, alright? You might think you’ve got it under control, but you don’t.”
“What would you know about it?” I glared at two witches then hurried down an alley.
Todd’s ghost glided along behind me.
“I do have it under control. My magic is fine. I’m fine.”
“Keep telling yourself that.”
“Something going on that I don’t know about?”
His form shimmered, and I thought he was going to disappear on me. Then he solidified more than he ever had before and got right in my face, forcing me back into the wall. “You’re walking a fine line. You killed me, and I get it. But those thoughts mulling around in your head? You’re out for blood, and I’m not the only one who senses it.”
“Blood is going to be the only way to end the war before it starts.”
“That’s what you’ll tell yourself with every life you take,” he uttered.
The knowing tone in his voice throwing me off.
“I was the start of your descent. Who’s going to be next? How many are you going to kill to get to Shuval?”
I wasn’t sure what to say, but then the words slipped from my lips without my intending to. “However many it takes.”
“Then you’re going to turn out just like I did. Is that what you want?”
“Worked out well for you until I shot you in the head.”
His fist slammed into the bricks beside my head.
I jumped when they cracked. For a ghost to make physical contact with an object, it had to pull on extreme amounts of energy or be extremely emotionally charged. It appeared Todd was the latter.