“They are a shadow council which wields much power in the New Realms. They deal with matters outside the purview of any single race.”
“Any humans on this council?”
“Yes, one, though I do not know her name or status within the human world. The leader of the Guild is another member.”
“The Guild have their hands in lots of places, don’t they?” Larissa asked, though her tone made clear the question was rhetorical. She continued with barely a pause. “Why have this council? I thought the various races all kept their own ways of government, just as the human governments remained as they were from before the Great Collision.”
“The Seven Houses have always existed. When you have a threat such as the necromancers, you must have a governing body that can answer that threat.”
“And the gods? The Oracle? Where do they fit into this?”
“They are all powerful beings outside of all. They have their own agendas, would that we knew them. Never doubt that there are always deeper powers and deeper secrets at play.”
She wrinkled her nose, and he stifled the urge to lean down and nuzzle it with his own. “Have I ever mentioned I hate cloak-and-dagger stuff? I don’t even watch spy movies on TV.”
“I am sorry this has been brought into your life.”
She looked at him again, and to his surprise a brilliant smile dominated her face. “Have I ever told you that our dates have been some of the most exciting and eventful of my life?”
“Dates?” he asked. While not a custom gargoyles engaged in, he did know the meaning of the word. What she meant by that phrase interested him.
When hearing the word repeated to her, Larissa’s cheeks went scarlet. Ducking her head, she said, “I was kidding, being humorous. Trying to lighten things up.”
She was curled against him in her attempt to not be seen, her soft warmth a balm after the fierce battle. He could offer her nothing less and met her attempts at normalcy with his own. “I was thinking on how our next date could go. Maybe we should fight a cave troll.”
She looked up at him. Her face was still red, but her eyes shone with laughter. “Only a cave troll? I demand that we go to the top and meet a necromancer.”
Terak shook his head. “I am afraid that is too advanced for you. I’m willing to show you a wraith, but no more than that.”
She was smiling, and… Terak stopped.
He was smiling.
He was smiling and laughing and teasing the woman in his arms.
What’s more, he hadn’t put her down. They had been in her apartment for fully five minutes, and never had he the desire to let her go.
“Terak, what’s wrong?”
What could he say?
I would give everything to you if you always look at me with those eyes.
A thwup sounded on the balcony, and Terak turned to face their intruder. Valry stood there, her gaze held by how he cradled Larissa against him.
Anger surged through him, anger at the interruption, and anger at the reminder of his responsibilities. “Valry, what is the meaning of this?”
She strolled in, undaunted and unstoppable. “We were alerted to the battle tonight. When I heard of it, I had to make sure you were unhurt.”
“You were told never to come here.”
“My need to know my Intended was safe overrode all other concerns.”
“Intended?” Larissa’s voice cut through the words Terak was about to speak. He looked down at her, still cradled in his arms. Her eyebrows drew close together, and there was a shadowing, a hesitance in her eyes that he had not seen since the first night they had met. “What does that mean, Intended?”
Valry’s voice was quick, malicious. “I believe you humans call it an engagement. Lord Terak and I are to be mated.”
Larissa’s eyes were wide and round and hurt. “You’re going to marry her?”
Terak began to shake his head, and it took force of will to stop the movement.
Larissa started to look around. “I feel much better now. You can let me down.”
In reaction to her words his fingers gripped harder, disobeying the command from his brain to follow her order. He forced himself to let her go.
She continued, not meeting his eyes. “Once again I seem to owe you my life. Thank you for saving me. But I’m very tired right now. Would you please excuse me?” She turned and walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her without a backwards glance.
Terak left, leaving Valry to follow him. He did not wish to bring her to the perch he had spent so many nights watching over Larissa, so instead he brought her to another, further away but still with a view of his little human’s abode.
He wasted no time after they had landed. “Why did you say such a thing?”
“Why would I not? She asked a question and I answered it honest. Why are you upset she knows you are promised to another?”
“Part of protection is having her comfortable with me. I do not wish her to feel uncomfortable.”
Valry studied him, a hard look in her eyes. “Why would she care about our customs?”
He would not let himself be baited. “It matters not. You have defied my wishes, the wishes of your Mennak.”
Her claws ripped through the air in fury, her mouth in a snarl. “I am talking as your future mate! Why is she allowed more liberty with you than the female who will bear your young?”
“I am your lord first, your mate second, always.”
“And would you say the same to your human, Terak?” Her tone was disgusted, filled with her contempt of anything that was not gargoyle.
…which of these goals is your priority?
My priority will forever be her.
A human whom his Clan would never accept.
He must bring the Clan together. They were too fractured now, stresses from both within and without crushing them.
To be a leader meant sacrifice. His sacrifice was staring at him with hard eyes.
No, his sacrifice lay on soft blue sheets within blue walls with a halo of gold always surrounding her.
The anger left him. Weariness, bone-deep and aging, settled in. He looked at Valry, and whatever she saw had her reeling back. “We will be mated, Valry. You will bear my young and stand by my side. But never forget this – I mate you only out of duty. You knew this from the first as I never hid my motives, and you accepted them. So do not now or ever pretend to be an injured party, and never ask again which has the most importance to me. The answer will always be the Clan. Now, do you wish to be released from our Intention?”
She shook her head, mute before him.
“Return to the keep. Never come here again.”
She left without a word, and once she was out of sight Terak flew to his usual spot. As he watched over his little human he allowed himself one brief moment never to be repeated, a moment to imagine a life without sacrifice.
Why was she so shocked that Terak was engaged?
Larissa rolled over onto her side. Though only moments before she willed her eyes not to look at the time, the little buggers betrayed her. 2:43.
Terak was going to be married.
Larissa flung the covers aside and sat up. Screw this. If she was going to be up, she was going to watch a movie and eat some ice cream.
She strode into the living room and picked up the remote.
Click.
And then she remembered her television was on the fritz.
The remote fell from her hand and she collapsed back in the couch with a heavy sigh. With all the commotion of the last few weeks, getting a wizard out here to recalibrate it had been nowhere on her list of priorities.
Now she had no television and no ice cream. Sure, she could go to the refrigerator and eat the ice cream, but then she wouldn’t be a woman who was eating ice cream because she wanted a snack with her late time viewing.
No, she would then be a woman who was eating ice cream after hearing a guy she knew had a girlfriend.
No, make that an
Intended.
Larissa rubbed the back of her neck, trying to ease the tense muscles she found there.
Why the hell would she be upset over this?
She took a deep breath, a slow and forceful inhalation to expand her lungs and clear out the cobwebs.
Okay, she had gotten used to having Terak around and had some proprietary feelings where he was concerned. He’d saved her several times over, so it was understandable and natural. Anybody would react the same.
And tonight, he had stood between her and an army, a warrior whom demons bowed before, and said mine.
The shiver raced up her spine at the memory. It was said on a harsh growl, claws and blood entwined in his promise. Only death awaited anyone who challenged him.
Mine.
She owed him her life. She owed him so much.
Mine.
That was it. It was gratitude mixed with shock and the closeness you can only feel with someone when you have faced death with them.
There was nothing else to this insomnia.
She’d feel better tomorrow.
And she’d call the repairman.
Chapter Twenty
The ringing phone awoke Larissa. Even as she reached for the phone she looked at the time. 4:59. If someone wasn’t dead, they were going to be. “Hello?”
“Sweetie.” Olivia’s voice was soft on the other end. “You have to wake up.”
“Says who? What’s going on, Olivia?”
“The person who I said might help? He wants to see you, and he wants to do it now. I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.”
Olivia’s words wound through Larissa’s mind three times before she realized the implication. “I’ll be ready – wait, Olivia,” she said before the other woman could hang up.
“What?”
“People are watching me.”
“My friend already assumed that. I’ve got it covered. Just be waiting in the lobby.”
“I’ll be there,” said Larissa, hanging up the phone even as she went to her bureau for shirt and pants.
Gods, it would be so good to get some answers. If she knew the why, maybe Terak…
Terak.
His name brought her up short. What should she do? Who knew if he was guarding her? Maybe he left with his In-ten-ded.
She winced. Who knew her subconscious could be so bitchy?
Larissa sat down on the bed, wasting time she didn’t have but needing a minute. If she had gotten two hours of sleep she was lucky, and even that short time was filled with unremembered but unsettling dreams, the type that sour your mood the next day even when you can’t remember a single detail about them.
This needed to be put to rest inside her, fast. She didn’t have the luxury of acting all junior high school, pouting because the boy she liked didn’t like her back and taking it out on the world.
She liked Terak.
There. She admitted it. Damned junior high.
Maybe more than like, or within easy distance of that thought. But even if he didn’t have an Intended – not like that was a small issue – they still could never be together. He was a leader who was dragging his Clan into this new world and dealing with the consequences of those actions. And she was a human who once this was finished would go back to teaching kids and pretending everything outside the city gates didn’t exist.
Right?
No.
No. It was loud and clear and certain. No, she wouldn’t be going back to that life.
She could picture clear as day the look on her dad’s face as he worried over Michael, the only child who had ever left the nest.
Larissa loved her father, but for the first time, the thought of that look wasn’t enough to have her backing down.
No, when this was over, it was time to explore this world, to learn all the things she wanted to learn but denied herself out of the fear of hurting her father. It was time to make her place. It was time to cut the strings and leave the nest. She fooled herself in thinking moving out of the house was the only step she needed to take to make that happen, but she wouldn’t make that mistake again.
A lightness hollowed out her chest, and she couldn’t breathe deep enough to fill it. Tears and laughter were threatening in equal measure, and it would be really nice if her mind would choose a more appropriate time to make known these little revelations. She had ten minutes before she had to leave to meet someone who might know what’s going on.
Which brought her back to Terak.
And any more revelations would be for later. Right now, she would leave it at she needed him near and by her side. He was the only one she could trust.
Dressed, teeth and hair brushed, shoes on with five minutes to spare, she went out to the balcony, waving her arms and jumping up and down. If he wasn’t near the silver ball was stashed in her pocket and she’d call him on the road.
Within moments Terak landed in front of her. Relief and a whole slew of emotions she threw into her mental lockbox ran through her. “You’re here.”
“Where else would I be?”
“I have some news. My friend Olivia knows someone she thinks might be able to help us. She called me and is on her way here to pick me up.”
Terak stilled, his claws flexing at this unexpected piece of news. Damn, she should have told him about this possibility earlier, but so much had happened and she forgot all about it. “Who is she taking you to see?”
Larissa shook her head. “I have no clue. Olivia wouldn’t say, but from what I gather he is a difficult man to talk to. He’s in hiding from something, I don’t know what.”
Terak was already shaking his head. “I do not like this. I do not want you going to an unknown.”
She wasn’t thrilled about the thought either. She was still shaky from earlier – both of the night’s surprises. There was nothing to be done though. “In this case, I don’t think we have a choice. The chance to learn something supersedes the fact we’re flying blind.”
Terak snarled, but Larissa paid it no mind. It was aimed at the situation, not her. “This Olivia, you are sure she is trustworthy?”
Talk about echoes in conversation. Larissa could only answer the same way she had earlier. “Yes, I’m sure. Of course, I don’t know him so I’m not trusting him. That’s why I want you to come with me.”
Surprise crossed his features. “You are not going to fight me on this?”
“Remember when I told you I’m not stupid and won’t go into situations alone I have no business in to try to prove something? This is what we call a case in point. But you can’t come as a gargoyle. You are going to need to switch into human form.” Terak’s mouth tightened and his tail twitched. Time for some charm. “You can protect me, I know you can, no matter what form you wear. And you can switch if it becomes necessary. But like you said, we’re walking into an unknown, and they don’t need to know I have a gargoyle watching over me. The less information we give them the better. So please, trust me?”
*****
In his human form, Terak rode in the backseat of the car as it traveled outside of the city limits. Larissa was at his side and her friend Olivia drove the vehicle. Olivia kept glancing at him via the rearview mirror, but didn’t say anything about the man who had unexpectedly joined them.
He wore a shirt that belonged to one of Larissa’s brothers. It was small, but not so much that he could not move in it. He wished that one of her brothers had left their human weapons at her home. He flexed his hand, despising the flimsy fingernails where claws should be. Yes, he could change, but what if those moments were the ones that decided Larissa’s fate?
They stopped in front of a large building, no decoration on the outside and no other buildings around it. It was a unique location, giving the impression of being completely insular, but in reality only minutes away from the bustle of the outer metropolis.
Upon entering, Larissa exclaimed, “I was not expecting this from the outside.”
He believed humans called this a “bar”, a gath
ering place for celebrations. But even without personal experience, he could see this was a place the very powerful and important would inhabit. Everything gleamed in rich tones and sumptuous fabrics, and one could almost feel the wealth that had gone into creating it.
“Right on time.”
Terak zeroed in on the voice that came from a door on the side. It was a human adult male, but he stood no taller than a youngling who had not yet reached majority. His brown hair hung in a careless fashion around his face, but his green eyes did not project carelessness – they were lit with intelligence and an edge that Terak ground his teeth against, and he fought his instinct to step closer to Larissa. He would give away nothing to this man.
Olivia motioned between everyone. “Rhaum, this is my friend Larissa and her friend, Terak.”
Rhaum’s eyes flickered between them. “Pleasure to meet you both.”
“Where is Simon?”
Rhaum answered Olivia’s question with a movement of his head, motioning to stairs across from them.
“Thanks,” said Olivia. Turning to them, she said, “Let’s go.”
Terak’s impression of wealth only intensified as they walked up the stairs and toward a hidden room in the corner. This was an important place, and that man – Rhaum – was not one to be disregarded.
Olivia reached the door first, opening it and going inside. When Larissa made to follow, Terak held her back, placing her behind him. Her mouth tightened but she did not gainsay him.
He edged in by only scant inches, enough to take in the room and the lone male inhabitant.
“What trickery is this?” Olivia had betrayed them. He would tear her limb from limb to inflict the same hurt upon her she had visited upon Larissa.
“No! No, I promise, it’s not what you think!” Olivia’s wails were entwined with Larissa’s scared, confused words behind him. “Terak? Terak! What’s happening, please.”
“So you know what I am, do you?”
The male’s steady, even voice cut through the confusion. He didn’t look up. Instead, his concentration was on the vials and beakers before him, all filled with a multitude of bubbling and colorful concoctions.
Stone Guardian (Entwined Realms) Page 16