Meadow, she noticed, was hanging back, clearly more uncertain than ever about Anna and Obsidian’s relationship.
You and me both, Anna thought a touch worriedly.
Anna would face down the blood witch, fight the Lady of Battles in hand to hand combat, have tea with fucking Tin Man if need be, but the thought of Obsidian expecting a romantic relationship terrified her, and predictably stirred up the old memories and night terrors.
There were two ways she could handle this. Cut him off at the knees and crush any romantic notions he might be harboring and likely do substantial emotional harm, or she could direct his attention to a more suitable female and let nature take its course.
Anna’s gaze landed on Meadow again. Unless she was mistaken about the dryad’s feelings, the early groundwork was already laid out, all she had to do was nudge Obsidian into Meadow’s waiting arms. But first, she’d have to mend some fences. Otherwise, the dryad wouldn’t know Anna’s Rasoren was available.
Hmm, Anna thought to herself. Best way to do that is to convince Meadow that Obsidian and I are like two siblings.
This was more than just about Meadow, though.
Obsidian needed to continue growing and developing emotionally. It looked like he’d been doing just fine until she awoke. Now, he needed to get back to that level of emotional separation from her and the unnatural bond the Battle Goddess had forced upon them, or he’d never be independent.
Obsidian deserved a normal life.
And finding and falling in love with a nice girl—or dryad—was part of that.
Obsidian’s happiness was important to her. She just couldn’t be the cornerstone that he built his love life around. Besides, even if she hadn’t been…damaged, the darkly possessive bond that linked them together nullified any chance of them having a relationship where they were both equals. He’d always have the ability to command her. Not that he would, but it would hang over any relationship.
“Anna, did you wish to go first?” Obsidian was gesturing at the second smaller room that functioned as a bathroom.
She shook her head. Obsidian nodded in acknowledgment and then entered the room himself.
Anna turned her attention back to the dryad. “So... this feast. What’s the occasion, anyway? It’s a big deal obviously.”
Oath leaped on her question before Meadow could answer. “It celebrates spring and new life.”
Anna mentally tripped over that detail. It was spring? It took her brain a moment to realign itself and remember she’d been asleep for thirteen years.
How bad could a spring festival be?
“Oath is young, so he’s more interested in the food and music,” Meadow clarified. “But this is also a dryad sacred rite, marking the beginning of when many of my sisters will enter their yearly fertility cycles.”
Alrighty then. It was going to be that kind of shindig. Great time to wake up from your stone nap, Mackenzie.
“Not everyone will take part, only the ones who have hamadryads ready to carry a child and those dryads just entering their first fertility cycle and are yet unmated.”
Meadow paused for a moment, thinking.
“The dryads of Haven are likely different than the ones you might be familiar with. We remain mated to our gargoyle partners for life, unlike normal dryads who lead solitary lives and pick a new mate for each fertility season. We’re also physically and magically stronger thanks to our gargoyle heritage.”
“You make Haven dryads sound like a different species.”
“I suppose we are. The earliest dryad sisters to arrive on this island were normal dryads. But after a few generations of selective matings with the gargoyles, we are now very close to becoming a different race.”
“You really are the Amazons of the fairy folk.”
Meadows one brow arched in question and Anna explained what an Amazon was.
“Yes, we are a fiercer breed than our cousin dryads. Each subsequent generation grows stronger, and we have a higher ratio of full blood gargoyle sons. If a normal dryad mated with a gargoyle, she might have three or four daughters to one son. We’re down to two daughters to one son.”
The soft creak of hinges drew Anna’s eyes to the bathroom door.
Her breath hitched, then froze in her lungs.
Breathe, you twit!
She managed to draw in a deep gulp which attracted the male’s eyes.
Worse, she was sure her mouth was hanging open. But in her defense, one of the hottest dudes she’d ever laid eyes on was standing on the threshold. And she just gawked like a bystander at a house fire.
It was Obsidian. Her magic told her as much. It shouldn’t have come as such a surprise. Shadowlight had once taken on human form—a gawky adolescent who had just happened to look like a younger version of one of her brothers.
However, this fellow didn’t look much like a Mackenzie.
No, he had more of the young god vibe going for him, and his hair—he totally rocked the hell out of them dreads. She’d always suspected his thick, lustrous black mane would work beautifully done up in dreads.
Guess she had her answer.
Gold bands at the end of each dread clinked together as he walked closer. Matching armbands circled his biceps, and he also had a wide collar made of hammered gold discs engraved with patterns that reminded her of Celtic knotwork. The rest of his chest was bare, which didn’t surprise her as gargoyles weren’t known to be big on clothing.
He’d traded in the traditional beaded loincloth for a paneled knee-length garment with a wide belt—also engraved gold—reminiscent of what ancient Roman gladiators wore.
Continuing farther down, her gaze reached his feet, encased in sensible leather sandals. It was the first time she ever recalled him wearing foot coverings.
Returning to his only familiar features, her gaze studied his eyes with their dark irises and vertical pupils; though, they were now human shaped instead of the larger, slanted orbs of a gargoyle.
Come to think of it, his eyes weren’t the only familiar thing. He’d coordinated their skin tones like he’d grabbed a bunch of paint chips and meticulously matched them to her until he found the perfect one and then replicated the hell out of it. If they walked side by side, they’d look like matching horses on parade.
Briefly, she wondered if it was consciously or unconsciously done.
Either way, she wasn’t sure if she should be flattered or freaked.
“Thump…and another female falls under Obsidian’s spell.” Truth’s tone was humorous, no envy to be found.
Anna snorted and side-eyed the other male. “Pretty boys don’t do it for me. Obsidian’s safe. I was just taking in all the changes. He used to look like a younger version of one of my brothers.”
Truth leaned forward, the picture of mischief. “And he doesn’t now? Hmmm. Wonder why that is?”
Obsidian reached out and cuffed Truth. “All of you out so Anna can get changed.”
She was going to point out that she could do that in the bathroom just fine, but Obsidian cut her off.
“Meadow, did you or Lark have any luck finding something for Anna to wear?”
“Yes actually.” Meadow shrugged a pack off her back and proceeded to pull out several garments. “I could stay and help.”
“Sure,” Anna said before Obsidian could utter a response. “We can chat while you show me what’s what. I’d love to hear stories about Shadowlight growing up.”
Obsidian arched an eyebrow. “You could simply ask to look into my head if that’s what you were really after. But it’s not. I’m on to you. You won’t learn anything juicy from my friends.”
Anna returned his grin. Poor deluded male. Women always dug up the dirt and shared.
Chapter 19
Decked out in her new outfit—composed of a short skirt, leggings, and midriff-baring top done in shades of forest green and sunset gold—Anna exited the dwelling with Meadow and rejoined the rest of the group. Obsidian was standing just outside like he’d
been assigned guard duty.
“Anna, you look lovely.” His voice, almost a low rumbling purr, made her stomach churn with nerves, and not the good kind.
It didn’t help that his gaze had paused for a moment at her chest, where the top’s fabric stretched a little too tightly, and then again at her hips where the shirt accented their flare. Dryads were generally a slimmer build than humans.
Sweat broke out along her palms, and she hunted for something sarcastic to say. Her gaze landed on his dreads.
“How in the hell did you find time to do them while Meadow and I were talking? We didn’t gab that long.”
“I used shadow magic to manipulate the strands.”
“Fuck. You’ve been holding out on me.”
He reached up and rubbed a long his scalp, looking somewhat embarrassed. “I tore out a chunk from my mane during the first attempt.”
“Eh? Really? Think I’ll stick with the old-fashioned method.”
Obsidian was still looking self-conscious as he turned and led the group away from his dwelling. Slowly Anna relaxed and then scolded herself for being a fool.
She hadn’t been this off balance since just after the attack.
For fuck’s sake. This was Obsidian. It didn’t matter that he’d shifted and now looked like the world’s sexiest guy. He’d harm her no more than Shadowlight would. And even if he was harboring ideas about nurturing a romantic relationship with her, she knew she could trust him to back the fuck off when she told him hell no.
He wasn’t the monster that had haunted her dreams in the months after the assault.
Giving herself a mental shake and a reprimand for losing her shit over something as foolish as Obsidian’s innocent compliment, Anna turned her attention back to her earlier conversation with Meadow.
She and the dryad had shared a bit of small talk, while the other woman had helped her pick an outfit but, unfortunately, Obsidian’s earlier comment had proven correct. She was unable to get the dryad to open up about his childhood.
Now, as the group swiftly made their way across the bridges and rope ladders, wasn’t the time to continue her previous chat with Meadow. It would have to wait until they were once again on the ground.
Luckily, they were soon on the ground. Anna soon saw other gargoyles shifted to appear human—or actually, dryad, she supposed.
Obsidian led them down a familiar path toward the larger gathering place. Sounds of a growing crowd could be heard just ahead. Music filled the surrounding forest. It was pretty and non-assuming. Exotic sounding woodwind and string instruments if she was to guess.
While they walked, Meadow continued her explanation of the Spring Rite from where she’d left off when Obsidian’s appearance in his humanoid form had distracted them.
“Later, after the dinner, drink will begin to flow, and a horn will call the revelers to dance. The dryads begin the dance and seduce the gargoyles into taking part, but really most already know who’s going to join the dance, since we ask days in advance.”
“Sounds like just good old dating.” Anna found herself grinning at the thought of gargoyles dating. It hadn’t occurred to her before.
“Just because a dryad invites a gargoyle to the dance and he accepts doesn’t mean it will end...”
Coughing sounded behind them, and Meadow glowered over her shoulder at Oath, who was making the universal ‘girls are gross’ look.
Anna grinned at Oath in silent agreement.
Meadow wouldn’t be put off, though. “The singing and dancing spreads throughout the forest and often goes until dawn.”
Yep. Have the picture, thanks.
“The new pairs will discover if they are compatible.” She looked over her shoulder, saw that Oath and Nightshade had dropped back, and continued her tale. “There is both a physical and emotional component to the bond between a dryad and her gargoyle. Some bonds form quickly, others more slowly. The elders encourage such relations but require that we don’t risk a child until we’ve completed our training at least to the level of Adept.”
Anna glanced behind at the two younger males. “What about the youths? What do they do while the adults are adulting?”
Anna really hoped the answer was retire to their own place and sleep until dawn. That’s how she’d preferred way to end her night.
Meadow looked truly startled. “Why, they are already dancing and having fun. A gargoyle signals his interest in courtship by sitting until a dryad approaches him. He’ll then only stand if he’s interested in that dryad.”
Great. So much for just sitting in a quiet corner and waiting it all out. Talk about an introvert’s worst nightmare.
“What if I get tired and want to rest for a bit?”
“Rest?” Meadow laughed. “We’re warriors. Think of this as an endurance test. The mentors will be watching.”
Nightmare. Total fucking nightmare. Commander Gryton and the captains were starting to look good.
Finally taking pity on her, Meadow patted Anna’s arm. “Don’t worry. You won’t be judged if you find this first full taste of our society too intimidating. Just follow Obsidian’s lead. You’re his Kyrsu. It’s his responsibility to see to your welfare and introduction into our society.”
She barely heard the dryad’s last three sentences. Her mind was still on the implied cowardice. The hell with that!
She’d battled demonic Riven, demigods, a blood witch, and an assortment of other riffraff. A freaking country dance did not intimidate Corporal Anna Mackenzie!
“Obsidian has never remained seated. I think he will this time, though, since he shifted into his wingless form. That’s another, more obvious sign, that a male has an interest in one particular female, and he wishes to impress her with his shapeshifting abilities.”
Anna choked on spit. After sputtering and wheezing loud enough to draw everyone’s attention, she managed a bored, “That, so?”
“Yes. But in the past, there’s been a lot of speculation, so who can really guess the mind of your Rasoren. Some think he just hasn’t finished maturing. Others reason he doesn’t like women. And then there are those who think he’s holding out for his human Kyrsu.” The dryad rushed on before Anna could refute that rumor. “Not that it’s anyone’s business. Those are just some of the general speculations. I thought you should know.”
Damn. She’d have preferred to remain ignorant. Now she had something else to add to the list of things she’d need to hash out with Obsidian one day soon.
“You’re very tranquil and hard to read,” Meadow said suddenly, surprising Anna. “Most would have some kind of visible reaction.”
“Tranquil?” Anna cracked a smile. “Not a word anyone who has known me for more than a couple days would use. I’ve been on my best behavior so as not to embarrass my Rasoren. I’m stubborn, sarcastic, ambitious, judgmental and have been known to fly into a rage easily. Not very pretty to see, I’m afraid.”
Meadow laughed. “I see so much of Obsidian in you. Or maybe that’s you in Obsidian.”
You don’t know the half of it, girl.
Just as they came to the end of the stone pathway where it opened into the vast clearing, Obsidian joined them. “Thank you, Meadow, for keeping Anna company while I spoke with Truth about tonight. Will you be joining us?”
“Unfortunately, no. I must help my mother with the wine, but I look forward to talking with your Kyrsu again soon.”
Anna watched as the dryad vanished into the crowd, then she turned her attention to Obsidian. “I don’t need a babysitter. If you want to go have fun with your friends without me, go.”
“I’ll not leave you after what Reaver did yesterday.”
Sighing at his predictable answer, she glanced around until she spotted Oath and waved him over. “Oath, you and the rest of your underaged friends will all help to keep me entertained tonight, right?”
Oath nodded his head so fast it almost vibrated.
“See,” she whispered along her mental link to Obsidian. “I’l
l be protected, and you can go court whatever girl has caught your fancy.”
It sure as hell better not be me.
“Oh, Anna. There is no girl.”
“Really? You like guys?”
Obsidian snorted. “It’s far more complicated than that, but I’ll tell you later. Not here.”
He wouldn’t even tell her over their mental link? Dammit. It had to be bad.
“Okay, later it is.”
Obsidian agreed and led her out into the gathering, his friends arrayed around them, once again acting as an honor guard and keeping the curious onlookers at bay for a little while longer.
As they made their way farther into the gathering, Anna spotted more of the humanoid looking males.
Anna’s attention soon turned from the gargoyles in their hybrid forms to something even more interesting—tables laden with food. They sat in ten long rows at the center of the clearing, situated in a rough horseshoe shape. A wide variety of fruits, breads, meats, and vegetables covered the surfaces. It all smelled heavenly. Anna’s mouth began to water.
Oath, Lark, and Nightshade peeled off to check out the food choices on the side tables, leaving only Truth walking at Obsidian’s shoulder.
It wasn’t until she was closer that she realized all the tables were made from magic.
“Wow. That must’ve taken someone some energy to shape all those from shadow magic.”
“You can sense shadow magic?” Truth asked with sharp disbelief. “But you’re human. That’s not possible.”
Fuck. She’d just stepped in the proverbial crap.
“Anna is unique. You must know that she was changed by the Battle Goddess even as I was.” Obsidian speared Truth with an intense stare. “Anna has many abilities the elders don’t yet want revealed. Do I make myself clear?”
The sharp command in his tone nearly had Anna standing at attention. This was the voice of a Rasoren—prime war leader of the gargoyle Legion.
“Is she gargoyle stock?” Truth asked in a low voice. “Has our enemy found a way to breed gargoyles and humans?”
“No.” The one word rang out.
It wasn’t a lie. She didn’t have gargoyle parents, after all. Truth must have sensed a hint of deception for his eyes narrowed, and his nostrils flared to take in Obsidian’s scent.
Legacy of the Sorceress (A Gargoyle and Sorceress Tale Book 6) Page 12