Lillian sat at the metal table across from the youth, trying to persuade him into talking. She’d had mildly better success than him, but even his Sorceress was finding the newcomer a tough nut to crack.
“If you won’t tell us why you’re here, will you tell us what you can?”
“Yes,” he said in a friendly tone.
But then he said nothing else, and Gregory noted his Sorceress’s eyes narrowing.
“All gargoyles are stubborn.”
“I’m aware.” She rolled her eyes. “Perhaps a new tactic is in order. We might be asking the wrong questions.”
“True. While he might not be willing to speak about his mission, he seems willing enough to be here. He allowed himself to be captured, so he must want to tell us something.”
Lillian nodded and then turned her attention to their young guest.
“Do you know Corporal Anna Mackenzie or a young gargoyle by the name of Shadowlight?”
The gargoyle’s ears twitched. “I know them both.”
Ah! They were getting somewhere.
“Are they both still alive?” Lillian asked, leaning forward over the table.
“Yes.”
Gregory cleared his throat and asked what his Sorceress hadn’t. “Are they the Lord of the Underworld’s prisoners?”
“No.”
Lillian stood and walked around the table as if her nearness could force the truth out of the youth. “Are they returning to the Mortal Realm?”
“They are already here.”
Lillian and Gregory glanced at each other.
If Anna and Shadowlight were already here, why hadn’t they made themselves known?
Anna would have reported to her superiors as soon as she stepped back into the Mortal Realm.
Something was very wrong.
Truth in Shadows stood, the chains on his wrists falling away as another spell wrapped around his form.
“Stop!” Gregory barked the order even as Lillian summoned her magic.
But the foreign power built faster than Lillian could weave a counter spell.
“You should prepare yourselves,” Truth in Shadows warned. “Anna and Obsidian will seek you out shortly to carry out Lord Draydrak’s command.”
Then in a blink of an eye, the spell wrapped around the gargoyle flashed bright just as Gregory was leaping over the metal table. He landed on the other side, nothing but empty air between his talons.
“What the hell was that all about?” Major Resnick snapped as he marched into the room.
“I don’t know, but it isn’t good. Anna and another gargoyle called Obsidian will be arriving shortly to carry out Lord Death’s orders. I can only assume they mean to take us back to the Magic Realm to face the demigod.”
Gregory snorted. “They are welcome to try.”
Chapter 15
Obsidian
ANNA WOULDN’T ADMIT it to anyone, not even him, but he knew she was nervous about the inevitable meeting with her superiors and ultimately her father. Obsidian wanted to tell her everything would be fine. But that might very well be a lie. He knew very little about the human military or how it worked or what form her punishment would come in for following him into the Magic Realm against orders.
Yet whatever she faced, she wouldn’t be facing it alone. He would share in her punishment. And if the humans were foolish enough to separate them, the Legion would have something to say about it.
That, at least, was a surety. It was one of the few certainties. If he was honest, he was more than a little uncertain as well. Only a few months had passed in this world while they had been away. Yet so much had changed. He had changed.
He no longer knew his place here in this world. And what about his mother?
They hadn’t yet been able to discover what had happened to her. And his magic could not track her whereabouts because of all the concrete, metal, and magical shields surrounding the human military camp and the spa grounds. He could only track other gargoyles.
Obsidian had adjusted to this realm well enough that he knew where Gregory was at all times, which was good. The last thing they needed was to stumble upon the Avatars by accident.
Anna had been skeptical, thinking Lillian and Gregory would somehow sense them, but Thayn had only smiled, saying he and the Divine Ones had a few tricks in their arsenal.
That had given Obsidian pause.
The Divine Ones must think their Avatars’ allegiance was in question. That did not bode well for a peaceful future.
“What’s eating your ass?”
He glanced over at his Kyrsu where she was standing watch. He was supposed to be helping prepare for Truth’s sudden return. There was no guarantee that the Avatars wouldn’t be following close on the gargoyle’s tail.
His Kyrsu’s comment reminded him he should stay sharp and stop his woolgathering.
“Well, out with it,” she prompted, then added with a saucy little flick of her tail, “Not that I don’t already have a good idea what’s going on inside that head of yours.”
He huffed. “I don’t want to fight my sister.”
Her expression turned gentle, and she came over to him and gave him a friendly little lick.
Giving her a toothy gargoyle grin, he returned her affection.
He would miss this when they inevitably returned to human forms. He was certain Anna would want to resume that form once she had to deal with her people.
She gave him another nuzzle. “You won’t have to fight your sister. If it comes down to that, she’s my responsibility. You’ll have your hands full with Gregory.”
“There is that,” he agreed with a laugh.
He leaned in and wrapped his tail around her hips and rubbed his muzzle along hers. It wasn’t exactly the most innocent of touches, but he enjoyed her scent and desired her too much to resist.
Plus, he wanted to see how far they could venture before they triggered any unpleasant memories.
So far, they both seemed fine with these little not-so-innocent embraces. Not wanting to press too far, he relaxed his tail and allowed it to slide down her legs.
Once free, she stepped back. “For what it’s worth, I’m doing more than a little praying that we don’t have to fight the Avatars. I’d hate to see what that would do to this planet.”
“Or this entire realm,” he offered helpfully.
With that dark thought, he again looked out over the small ridge that overlooked one side of the town. The trees gave enough shadows even with the sun high in the sky that they could have hidden without the aid of their shadow magic.
But he wasn’t so foolish as to risk discovery until after Truth’s return.
Obsidian’s friend had volunteered to go, saying he was eager to meet his best friend’s older sister who just also happened to be the Mother’s Sorceress.
After Thayn had finished weaving spells around the young gargoyle, Obsidian and Anna had opened their mental link to track his progress and be ready to trigger the spell that would return him to their side when he gave the signal.
Since Obsidian and Anna had completed the magical bond between Rasoren and Kyrsu, they could now pinpoint and track the location of every gargoyle.
Truth was presently in no danger, though he’d been inquisitive of the human’s machines. Obsidian’s mind was just beginning to wander again when he detected a change in Truth.
The other male began to broadcast his surroundings in more detail. He hadn’t even bothered to do that when he’d been captured by a unit of human soldiers.
“The Avatars come,” Truth whispered along the link.
“We’ll be ready to pull you out if we sense danger,” he reassured his friend.
Anna snorted. “Gregory is a protector and loyal to all gargoyles. He won’t hurt Truth.”
That was true.
Obsidian turned his attention to the one-sided conversation between Truth and the Avatars. Then, at last, Truth shared his message with Lillian and Gregory.
It was time.
Summoning his own magic, Obsidian reached out and triggered the spells Thayn had woven upon Truth.
Immediately the spell responded. Then with a bright flash of light and the scent of the Avatars’ startlement on Obsidian’s tongue, Truth emerged from a swirling cloud of shadow magic.
“I’d say we just surprised a pair of billion-year-old Avatars,” Anna said. “Not sure if that’s a good thing, but mission accomplished.”
Truth gave himself a little shake and made an exaggerated show of checking all his extremities. “Good. Everything is still where it’s supposed to be. Felt like I’d left a few pieces of me back there.”
Obsidian reached for his friend to drag him into a hug. “You did well. You kept an Avatar out of your head.”
Truth snorted. “Only because he allowed me to keep my secrets. I’ve never felt such ancient and vast power before.”
“You’ll get used to the Avatars,” Anna offered. “They are down to earth and mellow once you get to know them.”
Truth silently mouthed Anna’s words back at her. Obsidian chuckled harder and began to explain the phrase to his friend.
When he was finished explaining, Anna tapped Obsidian on his arm. “We need to be ready for when everything goes sideways. And everything in my life always goes sideways.”
Obsidian very much hoped his Kyrsu was wrong this time. If the negotiations with the Avatars went ‘sideways’ then that would be devastating for all the realms.
But before they could convince the Avatars to return to Draydrak’s island, they first had to meet them face to face and discuss giving up their son to Lord Death.
Obsidian’s wings flicked nervously a second time.
Chapter 16
Gryton
THE RESTLESSNESS WAS rising again. Though Gryton ignored it. Not that there was anything he could do while trapped in his cage. He sat with his legs crossed, eyes closed, and his upturned hands resting on his knees as he projected the appearance of calm indifference toward the leshii.
Greenborrow was watching him again while the Null slept.
While he didn’t acknowledge the leshii’s presence and the fae endeavored to do the same, Gryton was certain this round of guard duty was a subtle punishment for the ancient leshii’s last defiance. Gryton kept his expression neutral, but inwardly he was smiling at the leshii’s periodic disgruntled huffs.
It wasn’t until another prickle of warning crawled up Gryton spine that he snapped his eyes open and studied the leshii. The alarm intensified, but there was no sense of threat emanating from the fae.
This was something else.
If he hadn’t been soul-bound to the Null, her natural ability draining him even as she slept in another building, he would have recognized what he sensed immediately.
After all, the two he suddenly sensed had once been slaves to his collars.
Grinning at the realization they’d both survived what the blood witch had attempted, he allowed the leshii to witness some of his pleasure. Things were about to get interesting.
Perhaps Gryton would even escape his cage for a short while.
“What are you grinning about?” the leshii growled.
“There are two newcomers to this realm.”
The leshii arched a brow. “You can sense more gargoyles? It doesn’t surprise me that he didn’t come alone.”
Gryton’s merriment vanished.
The leshii already knew of the visitors? Yet Greenborrow hadn’t called Shadowlight by name. Perhaps he was unaware of the gargoyle’s identity?
But that made no sense either. From what he’d gathered, Greenborrow and the cub had been friends. The leshii would have recognized Shadowlight even if he’d only seen him briefly as the soldiers escorted him elsewhere.
If Shadowlight wasn’t the gargoyle the soldiers found, then the other arrivals could only be legion gargoyles loyal to Lord Death. Damnation! Why couldn’t it just have been Anna and the cub returning alone? But they weren’t alone if there was already another gargoyle spy here.
“You must warn the Avatars of Anna and Shadowlight’s return. If they have come with other gargoyles, it is likely on Lord Death’s orders. Surely I need not tell you how bad that could be?”
The leshii snorted. “The human hybrid and the cub are no threat to the Avatars or anyone else.”
“Underestimating them is a mistake, leshii. Those two youngsters excelled far. They nearly killed a blood witch. There’s no telling what new tricks they’ve learned under Lord Death’s tutorage.”
Greenborrow narrowed his eyes, and by the set of his jaw, Gryton could tell the leshii would not carry his warning to the Avatars.
“If what you say is true, which I highly doubt, Anna and the cub are likely still scouting for your location so they can kill you as Lord Death wants. I, for one, will not get in that demigod’s way if he’s commanded his servants to snuff you out of existence.” The leshii cackled. “I’ll even unlock the cage door for them if they get here before your parents do, misbegotten one.”
Gryton flashed his fangs at the leshii but didn’t continue the conversation.
There was one thing the leshii had overlooked. While Anna and Shadowlight had advanced quickly, they were both years away from being a real threat to Gryton. Even soul-bound and caged, there was little they could do that would cause him irrevocable harm. They didn’t have the strength to kill him unless the Null was working with Lord Death.
But from what he could tell through his regrettable soul link with the insufferable human, she was still deeply asleep.
If she were working with Anna, Shadowlight, and the other legion gargoyles, then she wouldn’t be sleeping during an attack.
Gryton frowned.
Lord Death would know Anna and Shadowlight weren’t yet a match for him. Why then would he send them? They wouldn’t be able to win a fight against the Avatars either.
The human military? But what could Lord Death want with a war with the humans?
No. None of those possibilities made sense. He was missing something.
What did the demigod want if not him?
Gryton’s mind stilled, calming even as his elemental magic lashed out in response to what he’d just realized.
There was another being, still helpless and innocent, that might be seen as a violation of Divine will. Could that be Death’s plan? To seek out and end Gryton’s unborn sister before she matured into something much more powerful?
No! You will not have her. You will not have that beautiful bright new soul.
His sister—the one creature in the universe that might be like him in some small way.
Gryton bolted upright and leaped toward the cage door, bellowing at the leshii. “Let me out now!”
“Ha! You’ve already caused me enough trouble. I’ll not be stepping out of line again. Gregory threatened to turn me over to the scientists. You’re likely just looking for a way to escape and get back at me. I wasn’t born yesterday.”
Gryton bellowed the order a second time.
“No.”
“Have it your way, fae,” Gryton hissed as he called on his magic. The spells worked into the walls of his cage and surrounding room flashed a warning a moment before tendrils of power lashed out and wrapped his body in bands of raw energy. One encircled his throat as if it could choke him into submission.
Everywhere they touched, the cold power dug below his skin and stimulated his nerves, blasting him with a wave of agony.
But pain had been his companion from the moment of his birth. Pain was familiar and could be withstood. That was one thing no one understood about him—not the Battle Goddess, not the Lord of the Underworld, not his sire and dam, perhaps not even the Divine Ones understood. No amount of pain could ever stop him. His own magic inflicted more pain upon him than any other being could ever hope to match.
His fiery magic came to his call. It danced along his skin and burned away his clothing. The tendril around his neck continued to grow colder and imposed more agony. But it
and the others wrapping his body couldn’t contain his power. The spells woven into the clear-walled cage disintegrated, burned away by his fierce, unrelenting power. The bands covering his body fell apart. With a grunt of disdain, he flung away the remnants of the tendril around his neck.
Moments after the cage’s ineffective defenses failed, his fire magic expanded outward. Soon holes opened as the material melted, dripping to the ground, where it hissed as it began to eat into the floor below the cage.
As more of his power answered his summons, scales grew from his skin, shaping themselves into armor.
Between curses, the leshii was shouting warnings to the soldiers outside in the hall, but they ignored the fae and came rushing inside instead of fleeing. Greenborrow’s curses grew louder and more creative.
The humans continued to ignore the fae and advanced on Gryton’s cage. They did not issue a warning—which he would have ignored. Instead, their weapons all pointed at him and began to spit their tiny, painful little projectiles.
As his scales finished growing into impenetrable armor, he exerted control over his magic. When it bucked and fought, he closed a mental fist around the flows of power until only a little fire glowed between the plates of his new armor.
Looking up at the guards, Gryton grinned and released a wave of magic. This flashy show of destruction was for the guards, to inspire terror in the hope they’d be reluctant to engage. On an emotional level, he didn’t care what happened to the leshii or the human soldiers. Yet he retained enough sense to know killing them wouldn’t benefit his own future.
But if the thought he’d reduce them to ash kept them off his trail for a short time? All to the better.
Turning his hands palm up, he slowly raised his arms, fire magic swirling and dancing around them.
The leshii’s eyes widened. “Out now!”
Gryton directed the next wave of destruction toward the soldier farthest to the left of the group.
The Complete Gargoyle and Sorceress Boxset (Books 1-9) Page 165