She bit back the knee-jerk reaction to call out, even though Shadowlight had promised to return later. Well, it was way past later and now he was just plain late. Middle-of-the-bloody- night late.
She frowned as she scanned the surrounding forest. Nothing moved. All was silent.
It was high time for a change of scenery.
Too many more nights in a forest feeling exposed to invisible eyes and she’d need to see the shrink. Damn it, she was better trained than this. No more losing her shit over something no more dangerous than an opossum.
She was just turning back toward the campfire when its light caught and reflected off of something dark and shiny at the tips of her fingers. Staring down, unable to look away, she slowly returned to the fire where the light revealed with clarity what her brain hadn’t wanted to acknowledge.
“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me!”
Yes, those were inch-long, black talons on the end of each finger.
“Magical mental link my ass!”
The kid had some serious explaining to do.
*****
A soft scuff and a crackle of dried leaves had Anna bolting upright, nearly stumbling into the fire in her haste to stand.
“Easy, it is only me,” said a familiar voice.
She scanned the shadows looking for the young gargoyle but couldn’t spot him. She could, however, sense him.
“Ah ha! There you are. Next time speak up before you scare three years off my life.”
“How is it my fault if you fell asleep?”
“It just is. It’s one of the fundamental laws of existence. Get used to it.”
“Ah,” he said as he became visible a second after he’d crossed the protective dome barrier. “I brought the supplies you requested. Soap. Clean clothes. A few other items I found in my sister’s bathroom. I don’t know what they all are for, but you’re both female.”
He left it at that, like he’d just explained one of the mysteries of the universe.
At the moment, he could have called her a female ape for all she cared. She pounced on the bag of supplies and rummaged through it as she backed toward her favorite ‘chair’, one of the larger branches of the fallen tree that made up her shelter.
“I’ll go hunt us up something to eat,” he said. She detected a note of amusement in his voice.
Great. A kid was laughing at her eagerness. Oh well. Upending the sac, she found what she’d most hoped to find. Toothpaste. There was even two unopened toothbrushes.
Who actually had a stockpile of toothbrushes just laying around?
“They are from the spa,” Shadowlight explained. “When I couldn’t find doubles in my sister’s possessions, I borrowed from the building complex they call a spa.”
“You really were just born three days ago, weren’t you?”
“Yes,” he said and turned away, more interested in finding food than talking, obviously.
“Rabbits,” she shouted at his retreating form. “Not squirrels again. Then we are going to talk! About these!”
He half turned to look back over his left wing and shoulder. She raised her hand and flashed her shiny new talons. The kid looked sheepish for a moment and then fled into the forest.
When she was certain he was gone, she gathered her new things and walked to the area where a small stream flowed under the energy dome. She’d already investigated the area which allowed the water to flow under or through it—she wasn’t really sure which, as she’d gotten a good zap for her troubles and decided it didn’t matter. There was no way she could wiggle under it. The stream was too shallow, only a couple inches of water flowing over a rocky stream bed.
Three feet in from the edge, the stream flowed into a little dip in the terrain. It wasn’t deep enough to bathe in, but she used if for washing. It was cold, but now that she had soap and clean clothing, temperature seemed like a minor inconvenience.
*****
Shadowlight padded through the forest on two legs instead of the preferred four. This way he figured it would take longer to get back. Besides, he’d forgotten to take the sack with him and the three rabbits he’d caught were easier to hold in his hands than his mouth.
Bi-pedal locomotion had a few advantages.
Ducking under a particularly low evergreen bough, he cleared it and spotted the shimmer of the dome ahead. He strained his ears but didn’t hear any sounds of splashing water, so deemed it safe to return.
The human sat next to the fire as she worked on her damp hair. It was longer than he’d thought, about midway down her back. She was the first human he’d seen with a proper mane.
Earlier, she’d had it fashioned into some kind of tiny braids that marched down her scalp, with the entire mass gathered at the back of her head where the braids were fixed to themselves in a complex pattern which mystified him. She’d somehow managed to fit all that under her helmet.
He was surprised she hadn’t just cut it all off like most other soldiers he’d seen.
“Ha! Picked that one up,” she crowed. “The thought leaking thing is a two-way street, my friend. No way am I cutting all my hair off. It’s the one damn vanity I’m still allowed.”
Slightly taken aback by the fact she was able to pick up on his thoughts, he froze halfway to her side. His blood was still making changes to her.
“Nice rabbits,” she said in her usual droll tone. “Bring them here and we can get them cooking. I’m not going to get any less hungry while I wait.”
He hesitated a moment longer, and then brought his kills over for her to spit. She seemed to know how to manage a cooking fire, so he left her to it.
She glanced his way. “You any good at foraging? You know, fruits and berries that won’t make either of us sick?”
“Maybe I can help,” came a voice from somewhere behind Shadowlight’s left shoulder.
He felt his stomach physically lurch with fear as he spun around to face Greenborrow. The leshii stood watching them from his position outside the dome. The dark frown, which had replaced his usual jovial expression promised trouble for Shadowlight’s newest friend.
How had the leshii found him? He’d taken extra precautions always to hide his trail when he came to visit his human friend.
Actually, it didn’t matter how the other had found him, he’d just have to fix this new development.
“I can explain,” he said by way of introduction.
Greenborrow snorted and leveled him with an intense look. “I highly doubt you have enough words in your vocabulary to explain this….situation to my satisfaction. However, it will surely be entertaining to let you try, so go ahead.”
*****
Anna eyed the newcomer, knowing her continued existence was about to come into question again. While the newcomer, with his baggy clothes, bare feet and wild hair didn’t look formidable, one of her freaky new senses picked up on something and warned her.
Yeah. This one fell into the category of ‘scary dangerous’ and it had nothing to do with his appearance.
Well, as she saw it, she’d won over the gargoyle, now she’d just have to gain this one’s trust. She didn’t fool herself. If she failed, she was dead.
No pressure.
She stood and strolled over to the stranger and held out her hand. “Name’s Corporal Anna Mackenzie. Shadowlight filled me in on the basics. By his response, you’re either Clan or Coven and likely here to finish what the Riven started. If I’m allowed input in the outcome, I’d prefer a clean death.”
Shadowlight made an alarmed whimper but she continued to stare at the wild man with her hand outstretched.
He held his stony expression for a moment more and then burst out with a great robust belly laugh, which sent more than one bird winging for safer locales.
He clapped both his hands around her outstretched one, giving it a hardy pump before releasing it.
“And mine’s Greenborrow,” he managed between bouts of laughter. “If your death is required, I promise I’ll try to make it
quick. In the meantime, let us see if we can find another resolution first, shall we? The boy is looking a wee bit upset.”
Anna glanced over her shoulder and saw the young gargoyle on all fours as if he was prepared to launch an attack. His ears were pinned back, and he shifted his weight from side to side, seeming undecided whether to snatch and grab her, or stay and fight Greenborrow.
It was kind of cute, like a half-grown puppy snarling and snapping to protect its toy from a bigger dog. Somewhat cute, or not, she didn’t need the kid getting involved and make matters worse.
“If my death isn’t required at this exact moment, mind if I check dinner? One of the rabbits is a bit close to the fire.”
Greenborrow gestured, waving her forward. “By all means. Plans are best discussed over food.”
Anna turned her back on the two and attended to the rabbits. With her back to them she was sure they couldn’t see her hands shaking. She’d called the other Fae’s bluff, and if she kept a level head for the next few hours, she might actually live to see her next birthday. Twenty-three seemed like a good goal.
When she had fussed with the fire as long as was possible, she turned back to the older Fae and asked, “So, which one of you would have won the fight? Just genuine curiosity.”
Greenborrow laughed again. “A gargoyle usually wins most fights, but Shadowlight is very young yet, and I’ve learned a fair number of dirty tricks.”
So, like she’d thought. The older Fae would have creamed the kid.
Her gargoyle friend looked displeased by the other’s words, but didn’t contradict them, which was telling all on its own.
The older Fae took a seat on the other side of the fire from her, perching on the fallen tree trunk like he did it all the time. Then he turned his head in Shadowlight’s direction and looked expectant.
When that didn’t elicit a response, Greenborrow sighed. “Well boy, are you going to go get those blueberries half a kilometer back or not—you do realize humans are omnivores, they need more than just meat.”
Shadowlight’s indecision was almost humorous, if they hadn’t been thinking the exact same thing. It would be easy enough to do what needed doing while the young gargoyle was away for a few moments.
“Oh, please,” Greenborrow’s great shaggy eyebrows rose. “You both have my word no harm will come to the human while you go get the berries. Take the sack and pick only the darkest ones with the dusty coating—they’ll be the ripest.”
Greenborrow tossed a canvas bag in the general direction of the gargoyle. Shadowlight hesitated a few moments more.
“I promise not to tell her anything until you return.” Greenborrow proceeded to pull a knife and a chunk of wood from somewhere. Had he just pulled them out of the air? It sure looked like that.
After turning the raw chunk over several times and studying it from many angles, he began to whittle an image only he could see. He ignored all else around him as he worked and even began whistling an unfamiliar tune.
Shadowlight hesitated a moment more, and then with a twitch of his ears—one she was coming to equate with a shrug—he turned and vanished into the forest.
Well, wasn’t he trusting?
Anna wasn’t feeling half so trusting herself, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. So instead she tended the fire and the rabbits while she waited for Shadowlight to return.
It was one of the longest half-hours of her career.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The smell of dripping fat and wood smoke had her stomach growling for the third time. The rabbits weren’t ready yet, but she was eyeing them anyway. If the damned gargoyle didn’t get back here with something else to eat, she was going to start picking off the most done bits.
As if her silent thought summoned the kid, the gargoyle appeared out of the woods. He passed through the energy barrier like it wasn’t there and dropped down next to her. With the help of the fire’s light, she could see the wet blueberry stains on his claws. Glancing at his muzzle, she grinned.
His pearly whites were more purple than pearly at the moment.
He held out the bag to her and waited like a dog on point.
“Thanks, kid.” She took the bag and tentatively patted his shoulder, holding back the ‘good boy’ his happy wiggling inspired.
If it wasn’t for the wings and horns, she would have sworn gargoyles and canines had a common ancestor somewhere not too far back in the family tree.
“Ah, good you’re back,” Greenborrow said, setting aside his carving. “Though if I know anything about gargoyles, you probably ate as many as you picked.”
Greenborrow stood and stretched, and then came over to investigate the cooking fire.
He fell silent again and both Anna and Shadowlight tracked his every move as he rearranged the coals and turned the rabbits on the spit.
As Anna waited, she mentally coached herself not to lose her cool, showing anger or annoyance to this Fae could be very, very bad.
But oh, how she wanted to shout ‘out with it, old man’ but she didn’t.
Shadowlight flicked first one ear and then the other in Greenborrow’s direction. Finally the older Fae finished what he was doing and returned to his seat.
“Oh, yes, what were we going to talk about again?” he paused, looking thoughtful and then a smile spread across his face. “Right, Shadowlight was going to test his vocabulary and explain to me why he put all our lives at risk to save one human, when he’d been instructed to report any and all battle sites to me. Honestly, I suppose this mess is equally mine. His mother and father were busy elsewhere and they had entrusted his safety to me. I should have made certain there was no way Shadowlight would come upon such a scene without an adult at his side.” Greenborrow made a little shrug. “That makes any trouble the kid gets into my responsibility. However, we have a deal. So, Shadowlight, start talking.”
Anna found herself leaning forward. It was more than just because her ass was on the line—though that was part of it, certainly. She admired the kid’s spunk, his bravery and selflessness in saving her. She didn’t want to see him get hurt.
Shadowlight looked down at his hands as he thought over what Greenborrow had said. “She had killed three Riven by the time I found her, well two and a half. The last one was impaled on a trap she’d set. She was brave even when she first saw me.” He paused. “She didn’t want to become one of them. She asked that I kill her.”
Anna reached out and touched Shadowlight on the forearm. “I would never have asked had I known you were only a child.”
He flashed her a toothy grin. “I know. You have a pure heart—a noble spirit. It fought to remain free of the Riven’s taint, but there were too many bites and you were losing that battle.” Shadowlight looked over at the leshii. “I would have done my duty had she not asked to die by my hand. I’m a gargoyle, born knowing my duty—age does not factor into this. She asked to die, so she wasn’t yet a Riven. She didn’t want to harm others. She wasn’t afraid for herself. Even at the end, she worried what would happen to others when she rose a Riven.”
Shadowlight stood and paced around the campfire. “But she also wanted revenge against those whom had murdered members of her team, her military family. Her heart and spirit burned as brightly as any gargoyle’s. I couldn’t kill her.” He dropped his head, his shoulders drooping in defeat. “I know I failed my duty to the other Fae, but I would have betrayed a part of my gargoyle nature if I hadn’t tried to help her. She serves the Light, as surely as I do.”
Greenborrow nodded. “That’s all I wanted to hear. Well, all I wanted her to hear and you to admit. You did nothing wrong, my fine young gargoyle. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Shadowlight’s entire being perked back up and he darted forward to give Greenborrow a sloppy looking kiss. The leshii batted at the gargoyle and made half-hearted exclamations of annoyance.
“Thank you for understanding,” Shadowlight said with one final wet-looking kiss before he droppe
d to all fours and settled back by the fire.
Greenborrow dragged his forearm across his face a couple times before continuing. “However, everyone is still going to make an attempt on your pet human’s life. I had planned the same thing until I was close enough to see just how you had saved her.”
Again, Shadowlight was on the defensive. “I didn’t have a choice. The Riven taint was too strong to be removed by normal magical means, but my father’s memories pointed to another solution.”
“You gave her your blood,” Greenborrow stated. His guess was really damned accurate Anna noted.
“Yes,” the gargoyle admitted, sounding entirely too guilty about it.
Now that couldn’t be a good thing.
“Did you give her a choice?”
Anna was sick of the other two talking over her head. “Yes, he gave me a choice. He even read the list of risks involved, and how I probably wouldn’t survive.”
“Did he tell you the blood exchanges would form a magical link between the two of you if you did survive?”
“Yes. We can already pick up a few of each other’s thoughts.” She glanced down at her fingernails and flexed them so the leshii could see. “But I’m guessing there are a few more things still to be discussed.”
Shadowlight cringed. “Those and the other changes came as a bit of a surprise. I was going to tell you about that,” he said, sounding very young and uncertain. “But I didn’t have a chance, and then Greenborrow found us.”
“The boy didn’t fully think through his actions,” Greenborrow said with an assessing look directed at her. “Now it will be up to us to protect him from harm.”
A thrill of alarm hummed through her being at his words. “Are you saying his people will try to harm him because he acted to save me?”
“Yes, and no.” Greenborrow rubbed at his whiskers. “The boy could certainly come to harm while trying to protect you from the other Fae, and he could be equally harmed by your death.”
“What do you mean?”
“Our young friend has done something never done before when he saved you, a mere mortal. Gargoyles rarely share blood. Their blood is tied to their magic, even outside of their bodies. Gargoyles are immortal, as in they don’t age and they are hard to kill. Occasionally, they will take a dryad mate to increase their numbers.” Greenborrow held up a hand to silence her when she was going to ask a question. “But there are no female gargoyles, well, there is one, but that’s a discussion for another day.”
Sorceress Hunting (A Gargoyle and Sorceress Tale Book 3) Page 13