The Complete Gargoyle and Sorceress Boxset (Books 1-9)

by Lisa Blackwood

  Now, close to his side, she grabbed the outer edge of his right wing, then darting around behind him, she jerked the wing along with her. Gargoyle wings were strong and flexible, but even they could only be forced so far without breaking.

  Obsidian, having guessed her strategy had taken hold of Reaver’s forearm, preventing him from spinning and freeing his wing.

  Anna forced the wing more, but even then Reaver only hissed in pain.

  “Now, Reaver, what do you think will happen first? Will the bone shatter? Or will the entire wing dislocate?” Anna bounced the wing gently in warning. “If you continue to be a jerk, we’ll all get to discover the answer.”

  Reaver snarled, but after a moment his rage-filled eyes focused on her. “I yield.”

  “Hmmm.” Anna glanced at Obsidian. “Wonder why I don’t believe him?”

  “Because it’s a lie.” Obsidian’s lips curled back, exposing his impressive fangs. “He only plans to surrender for now. He’s prepared to continue this later.”

  Sighing, Anna patted Reaver’s muzzle with her free hand. He didn’t bite her fingers. Smart boy. “Surrender for now, then. We can work through the root of your animosity later.”

  The male snarled again. Anna glanced where Obsidian’s claws were digging into Reaver’s forearm hard enough to draw blood.

  “I’d listen to her, if I were you, Reaver,” Truth said, entering the conversation for the first time.

  “Someone must bring her before the elders.” Reaver’s reply was sullen and anger still shimmered in his deep tones as he stared death at Obsidian.

  “Dumb fuck,” Anna smacked him alongside his muzzle to get his attention. “Where do you think Obsidian was taking me before you jumped us?”

  Muttering under her breath, she released his wing and stepped back. Obsidian used the opportunity to get right in his face. “Anna is my Kyrsu. Pick a fight with her, and you pick a fight with us both.”

  Finished with his dressing down, Obsidian shoved the other male away hard enough to make him stumble. Then without a word or backward glance, Obsidian started forward. Anna followed, then paused when she was even with Reaver.

  “Next time you pick a fight, I won’t be so nice. And in case you think I’m an easy kill, you might want to find out what I did to a blood witch.”

  Reaver wasn’t cowed though and spat ‘unnatural’ at her in passing.

  “Yes,” Obsidian agreed, suddenly back at her shoulder, his blade-tipped tail pressing against Reaver’s throat hard enough to draw blood. “We are unnatural. We are also a very formidable team. If you choose not to respect that, then I won’t be held responsible for your death.”

  The fierce, proud tone when he said the word ‘team’ reminded Anna of Shadowlight’s ferocious loyalty.

  As if sensing her emotions—and he likely was—he bumped his muzzle against her cheek and then turned and marched off again. Though this time his tail had curled behind her back to ensure she followed.

  Once they were well out of earshot, Truth bent double laughing. “Goddess, seeing Reaver get trounced by the tiny human—” More chuckling disrupted his sentence. “Best thing I’ve seen in half a year.”

  “Watch it, or Anna will come for you next.” Obsidian’s gruff tone was at odds with the glint of humor in his eyes.

  Truth chuckled louder but glanced at her and issued a hasty apology for calling her tiny. “I’m sorry. Truly. It’s just that Obsidian normally lets the verbal barbs slide off without so much as a flinch or flick of an ear.”

  “Eh? Well, if people are dicks, they better be ready for the consequences. I’m not as nice as Obsidian.”

  Obsidian’s tail twitched, tightening a fraction around her waist before relaxing again. “I may ignore insults aimed at me, but no one challenges my Kyrsu without consequences.”

  Anna glanced up at him “That goes both ways. If someone is stupid enough to pick a fight with my little brother, then they deal with me too. It’s the Mackenzie way.”

  “Little brother?” Truth rolled the words around as if he found a secret delight in them.

  Anna shrugged. “I may have just slept thirteen years away, but Obsidian is still only twenty-one to my twenty-four. He’s still younger than me. So ‘little brother’ is still officially correct.”

  Her glower dared anyone to claim differently at their peril.

  Truth nodded and grinned, a great flash of white teeth. Then he leaned closer and sniffed at Anna. She doubted she’d ever get used to the utter bloody rudeness of gargoyles. They were touchy-feely and had absolutely no concept of personal space, or that it was impolite to sniff at a person.

  “Truth,” Obsidian warned, his earlier humor absent from his deep timber. “Know ‘little brother’ will bust the horns off any male who goes sniffing around Anna uninvited.”

  Truth choked on more laughter but took a couple of steps back in a show of obedience. Eventually Obsidian had his fill of glowering at his friend and turned his attention back to her.

  “As much as Reaver annoys, don’t challenge him unless I’m near. He is dangerous.”

  “I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut when I’m confronted by pricks. But I’ll try to behave.”

  “Thank you. Reaver tests the patience of even Banrook, and he’s the easiest going of the mentors. Reaver’s personality is likely why he hasn’t yet been called to take his Adepts Trial.”

  “And that burns his tail,” Truth interjected from behind. “He’s three times as old as me—I’m almost thirty-nine. In fact, you never had a chance of Reaver liking you. You’re Obsidian’s Kyrsu, guilty by association. This great lout,” he patted Obsidian’s shoulder, “has outstripped all of us. It’s likely that he’ll make Adept before his twenty-second name day. Reaver is one hundred and eighteen and still a journeyman.”

  Anna only half listened to Truth’s words, still stuck on Reaver’s age. She’d thought him Obsidian’s peer, but he was old enough to be their great-great grandfather.

  Beside her Obsidian snorted.

  “What?” Truth’s brows folded down.

  “Anna mentioned Reaver’s old enough to be our grandfather if he’d been human. I was just thinking that a dryad would actually have to take an interest in him first.”

  The other male’s eyes widened in surprise and then turned thoughtful. “Honestly? A grandfather? Humans breed so swiftly?”

  “Shorter lives,” Anna clarified for him. “If we live to a hundred, it’s considered extremely old.”

  “Ah.” Truth seemed intrigued but continued with his earlier explanation why Reaver hated Obsidian so much. “So, when you and Obsidian—mere novices—nearly defeated a blood witch...”

  Was that a mix of awe and fear in Truth’s voice?

  “Well, we were lucky. The witch and the other captains underestimated us. We wouldn’t be as lucky a second time.”

  “No. I suppose not.”

  Anna was about to turn the discussion in another direction when the trees along the manicured path thinned. She could also now hear the low rumble of many conversations over the breeze rustling the thick canopy of leaves. Only, it wasn’t entirely the breeze stirring the leaves.

  Above them, the canopy shook with an unknown number of gargoyles making their way toward what she assumed was a clearing in the dense forest. Her senses still weren’t sharp enough to pinpoint the exact number of gargoyles overhead, but she’d guess at least ten. To either side, more pale cobblestone pathways snaked their way through the forest from other directions, all leading toward a central point.

  “Come closer.” Obsidian held out a wing. “I’ll hide you using shadow magic. That way the others won’t see you and swamp us with questions until after we’ve met with the Council of Elders and my other mentors.”

  After meeting with Reaver, she could only agree with his logic. She stepped in closer until his wing curved around her, blocking out the forest and much of the noise.

  “Just curious. But what will others see when they look
at you?”

  “They’ll see me carrying a saddle and using my wing for balance to prevent it from bumping against my side with each step.”

  “A saddle?”

  “Gargoyles wear saddles when we need to carry the dryads to the mainland or for a hunt.”

  That was logical.

  Behind them, Truth snorted with renewed humor. “Normal gargoyles carrying a saddle isn’t a strange sight. Obsidian carrying one? That’s something no one has seen. Even though your ‘little brother’ is sought after by many a dryad, he’s never allowed himself to be saddled or carry a rider. His appearance with a saddle will spawn much speculation about who has finally netted him.”

  “Let them speculate. They’ll know the reason for the deception soon enough.”

  On that note, Obsidian ushered Anna along the path until it ended in a clearing. Trees lined the vast space on the north, west, and east sides, leaving the south open to the sky where a cliff dropped into the ocean.

  She’d had loved to see if she could spot the mainland Truth had mentioned, but sightseeing would have to wait. There were a few hundred gargoyles between her and the ocean, and somewhere in the mass Obsidian’s mentors would be waiting to see her.

  Chapter 9

  EYEING THE MEADOW, Anna watched as several dryads and gargoyles dragged wood into piles she hoped were for giant bonfires and not pyres for sacrifices. There were sixteen piles so far, in various degrees of completion, but to gauge by the space, there was room for another ten.

  Around the outside edge of the meadow, many smaller cooking fires already burned with pots and spits suspended over them.

  With amusement, Anna couldn’t help but think it looked like a super-sized version of the Mackenzie family reunion.

  “Here comes Oath.”

  Obsidian was facing east, and sure enough, the youngster was running through the crowds toward them.

  “That was fast,” Truth mumbled. “Wonder if he took time to say anything beyond ‘Anna’ and ‘awake’ before charging back here at full speed?”

  Obsidian grunted. “Not likely.”

  Oath skidded to a halt, searching for Anna, but his gaze failed to find her. Next, he tried to get a good sniff but was blocked by Obsidian’s wing. Undeterred, the youngster sidled up next to the bigger gargoyle.

  “Nice try. Were you able to find the Masters?”

  “I found Maradryn first. She’s in her usual spot.” Oath glanced over his shoulder at the eastern tree line. “Nightshade, Lark, Meadow, and Storm are all making their way to the other Elders currently in Haven. Maradryn said to have them meet at her cooking fire.”

  “That is likely wise,” Obsidian agreed.

  Together they headed toward the eastern tree-line. Skirting the worst of the crowds, Obsidian homed in on a campfire where a dryad was tossing pieces of cut-up vegetables and meat into a cauldron suspended over a large bed of embers. When they reached the cookfire, Obsidian released his shadow magic but kept his one wing mantled around Anna to hide her from the rest of the gathering behind them.

  The dryad didn’t halt her work, merely nodding at Obsidian and then finished slicing a few more tubers and tossing them in after the rest. She moved with the natural grace all dryads possessed, but that wasn’t what seized Anna’s attention.

  This dryad’s eyes missed nothing. And while her body might appear relaxed, she contained a shimmering intensity all predators, or highly skilled warriors, possessed.

  Upon closer examination, the other woman was taller than Anna, wider across the shoulders, and had more muscular arms. She was a positive Amazon. Close cropped dark hair and a lack of adornments suggested this woman wasted very little time on vanities.

  Anna liked her already.

  When at last they reached the campfire, the Amazon looked up and smiled at Obsidian, transforming her somewhat strong features into something softer.

  “My heart, I’m glad you came to me. I’d be hurt if you’d gone to Rook first.”

  “I know you and Banrook keep some kind of point system as if to discover which of you I adore more. It’s pointless. I love you both equally.” Obsidian leaned down, giving the woman an affectionate nuzzle.

  In return, she reached up into his mane and gave him a good head scratch. Obsidian purred happily. Eventually, he turned back to Anna.

  “I’d like you to meet Master Maradryn. She was one of the first island residents to take me in and mother me. She is also one of our greatest dryad healers.”

  The Amazon was a healer? She looked like she’d be more skilled at breaking people open than stitching them back up again.

  And master, not mistress? They must not differentiate between the genders. Could this society be a study in true gender equality?

  Interesting. But perhaps not so surprising. Both species were a single gender. Anna supposed that meant dryads and gargoyles might lack the usual gender bias.

  She scanned the woman, her magic stirring to aid her study. Looking for she knew not what, but if she was to guess, it was to discover if this woman was worthy of Obsidian’s evident devotion.

  Anna stepped out from Obsidian’s wing and then held out a hand.

  The dryad’s expression was inscrutable as she stared at Anna’s offered hand. She didn’t take it. Instead, her gaze followed the hand up the arm and on to her face. Maradryn’s gaze searched Anna’s, studying her in the same way she’d studied the dryad earlier, seeking to find something that would prove Anna was worthy of Obsidian’s devotion.

  “Anna Mackenzie at your service.” Anna gave the other woman a nod of respect. “Previously known as Shadowlight’s big sister, protector, and doer of whatever nasty things that needed doing. Don’t quite know what I am now, but willing to help out in the war against the Battle Goddess in any way I can.”

  The other woman’s dour expression melted away into delight and she laughed. “Anna Mackenzie, your role will not change. You will become Obsidian’s Kyrsu, as Lord Death decrees, and continue to protect your gargoyle partner ferociously and do great violence to his enemies. Which is a great and noble thing, but before we go into all that, I wish to thank you for protecting my much-beloved Obsidian when he couldn’t yet fully protect himself.”

  Anna bowed her head. “I will strive to make everyone proud.”

  “Good. Continue to keep a sharp eye out. While there’s no darkness here, not like there was deep within the Battle Goddess’s domain, there are still a few who do not trust Obsidian’s power or how swiftly he has advanced. They would have preferred he developed slower to more fully examine his nature. You understand what I’m saying?”

  “Yes.” Anna did, completely.

  “Good, because those resentments will only flare up brighter when our strong young gargoyle here takes his Adept Trial. So, Anna Mackenzie, snarl and bite, prowl and hunt. Take down anyone who is foolish enough to raise a hand against your Rasoren.”

  The older woman fell silent for a moment as she gave the fire a stir. When she looked up again, it was to smile good-naturedly. “But for now, eat and grow strong once more. You will need it.”

  Chapter 10

  OBSIDIAN GLANCED AT the woman he viewed as a mother and then back at Anna. He probably should be more insulted than amused that the two women thought he needed protection. Hadn’t he been looking out for himself for many years now?

  In truth, he looked forward to paying Anna back for her protection and guidance when he’d been a child. He’d start by helping her navigate these new waters.

  Surprisingly, her concern also made him happy. It meant she was relating to him like she’d used to when he was Shadowlight, her beloved little brother and teammate.

  Maradryn gestured for them to sit and eat, which he was always happy to do.

  Anna didn’t turn down the offer of food either. Maradryn happily kept up a one-sided conversation as they ate, filling Anna in on some of what she’d missed while asleep. Like a proud mama, the woman took particular pleasure in telling stories abou
t his prowess as a hunter and warrior.

  She even mentioned how many of the dryads had been so impressed they sought him out over older gargoyles. The praise and commentary made heat suffuse his cheeks, but he didn’t rise to her baiting. Especially since she had her own agenda about whose affection he should return.

  The Council of Elders had, upon occasion, seen fit to interfere with his life, but mostly, they butted out of his personal relationships. Though, clearly, Maradryn would like to have more influence.

  “Well, you’re no fun,” she said with a grin.

  “Try not to be.” His tone mimicked one he’d heard Anna use many times.

  Maradryn rolled her eyes and then gazed at Anna. “I should likely refrain from questioning you until the rest of the Elders arrive. However, I have a few subjects I’d like to broach before the rest of the council sidetracks you with yet more questions.”

  Obsidian drew breath to interrupt and was waved to silence before he’d even uttered a word.

  “Yes, yes. You’ve told us everything you knew. However, you were a child. Anna will have a different outlook on events. Perhaps she even caught nuances that went over your head.”

  Anna nodded slowly in agreement though she didn’t look like she welcomed an additional line of questioning before the official debriefing.

  When the two women sat down across the fire and discussed past events, his thoughts turned inward.

  When he was younger, it hadn’t once occurred to him that Anna might not want to be a gargoyle, that she might seek to return to her purely human existence if that had been an option. He had been so starved for love, and Anna was the only one with the time or inclination to lavish it upon him, he’d taken her love as a sign of acceptance of her fate.

  But as he grew older, he realized that it wasn’t acceptance so much as it was her innate nature to look ahead, survive, escape, endure—all without whining about what fate had thrust upon her.