I pushed the empty plate away and wiped my chin clean. James was right. The food wasn’t drugged. I grabbed an old water bottle from the nightstand and downed what was left of the contents while I did a mental inventory of my physical condition. I felt okay, but unfortunately, I was still too weak to leap off the bed or bolt for the door. I’d need a little time before I could make good on my plan.
‘Ready?’ asked James, watching me carefully.
‘Where are we going?’
‘Just to the living room,’ he replied. ‘There are some people who want to see you.’
‘Well, I don’t want to see them.’
‘Look, Sebastian,’ James said calmly. ‘I know this hasn’t been the best situation, but you have to understand. We had to keep you hidden until things got under control.’
Anger boiled inside me, but I ordered it back. ‘So I’m just suddenly free now, is that it?’
James crossed his arms. ‘Well, you’re not chained to the bed anymore, are you?’
‘No more needles in the neck?’
‘Nope.’
‘How thoughtful of you,’ I muttered.
James blinked. ‘You were unstable, Sebastian.’
Something about his reply shot fire through my veins, igniting the anger again. I narrowed my eyes, lips pulling back from my teeth. And I allowed myself to snarl. James seemed a little unnerved by my reaction, and he backed up to the door, eyeing me warily. I took a deep breath and forced my lips down. I’d never get anywhere if they thought I was still…
Unstable.
My anger dissipated as quickly as it had come.
‘Okay,’ I said resolutely.
I pushed the covers away and gingerly swung my legs over the side of the bed. Surprisingly, my body wasn’t stiff. But it wasn’t easy to move. Everything felt weighted down, like I was carrying a load of sandbags. The things on my back were wrapped so tightly I could barely see them, but I could feel all the new nerves tingling. It was a weird, uncomfortable sensation.
I grabbed the bedpost and stood up. I wobbled on my feet, but I didn’t fall. I worked on putting one foot in front of the other until I had successfully crossed the room. I leaned on the dresser for support while I caught my breath. A flash of something in the mirror caught my eye, and I went numb to the fingers as I found myself staring at my own reflection.
I knew my transformation had been extreme, but I’d been too worried about Josephine, too busy fighting and being drugged to take it all in. I’d pretended it away, ignored the obvious. But not anymore. As I stood gaping at myself in the mirror, the enormity of what had happened to me finally struck home.
The shape of my body was different; not larger, but thicker and more streamlined, almost as if I’d grown into it overnight. I ran my clawed hand across my stomach. My skin still felt like skin, but it looked like gray stone. It stretched over my chest and abs, defining muscles I didn’t know I’d had before.
I let my eyes roam over my new appearance, but this wasn’t some Peter Parker moment; he’d enjoyed his radioactive spider infused physique. But take away the red and blue costume and Spiderman was still a normal-looking guy.
The creature staring back at me wasn’t.
I barely recognized the gray face in the mirror. My features were shadowed, more sunken and angular than before. Two rows of sharp teeth glinted behind my darkened lips, and elongated, harshly tipped ears peeked through my pewter hair. The irises of my eyes were no longer gray but silver, and they glimmered eerily back at me.
This was the face Josephine had seen.
I was suddenly filled with so much disgust that I could taste it, like acid on my tongue. An inhuman sound erupted from my throat, and I swung my hand. Glass splintered into a giant spider web across the mirror. I pursed my lips against a sob and turned away. James didn’t say anything, but I could feel his gaze.
‘What are you looking at?’ I growled.
‘You, obviously,’ he answered calmly.
I fixed my silver gaze threateningly in his direction. ‘Well, don’t.’
I sensed his wariness, but he crossed his arms and leaned casually against the doorframe, meeting my gaze steadily. ‘You gotta admit, you’re pretty impressive, Sebastian. I mean, I wouldn’t want to meet up with you in a dark alley.’
I stared down at my shirtless chest, completely uncomfortable in this new body. ‘Is that supposed to make me feel better?’
‘No, I guess not,’ he replied, glancing at the broken mirror. ‘Come on, they’re waiting for you.’
I followed him with reluctant obedience. Each step was an effort, and my footfalls echoed heavily as I made my way to the living room. My mouth felt like a wad of cotton. I didn’t want to face Hugo or any of the others, but what choice did I have?
At the moment, I was nothing more than their pet.
Just like Augustine had said.
The room was full of Gypsies. All the guys were there, along with James’s wife, Genella and Vincent’s girlfriend, Dali. Hugo sat in the corner. Beside him stood a gray-headed man: Karl from the Circe. Whatever had been going on prior to my entrance stopped immediately. Every eye fixed on me.
I hunched defensively, and pressed against the wall, feeling all cornered animal again. My instincts screamed at me to bolt, but I curled my claws into my palms and forced myself to meet every stare.
It was Karl who broke the silence.
‘Good evening, Sebastian.’ He started to approach, and I tensed. Seeing my reaction, he remained where he was, offering a disarming smile instead. ‘I came by to see how you were doing.’
I was immediately suspicious. ‘Why?’
He smiled again, and the smile was genuine. ‘Well, to begin with, Hugo asked me to come and make sure you were all right. You see, I wasn’t always a trainer at the Circe, Sebastian. I used to be a doctor, specializing in your kind.’
My kind.
I shifted nervously. Did this mean more drugs and restraints? I felt like the victim in some sci-fi novel.
Karl held out his hands, which were empty. ‘I’m not going to do anything to you,’ he said gently. ‘I just want to see how your transition is coming along.’ He gestured to the sofa. ‘Will you come and sit?’
My gaze shifted to Hugo. He was leaning forward, elbows propped on knees. His eyes were bagged with dark circles, and his expression was strained, as though it was an effort to stay upright. He nodded at me, a slow movement that I took to be encouraging. I looked back at Karl uncertainly. So he was some kind of gargoyle expert?
‘Sit down, Sebastian,’ Karl said, his tone gently coaxing rather than demanding. ‘One quick examination, and then we’ll talk about everything over dinner, all right?’
There was something calming about the old man’s presence. I could see how he might have once been a doctor. His bedside manner was pretty effective.
‘All right,’ I said quietly.
Everyone continued to watch me as I lumbered to the couch. I sat and focused my attention on the floor. Hugo really did need to get his carpets cleaned. I felt the cushion deflate beside me as the circus trainer joined me. Karl’s hands moved to the lumps at my back, testing the crisscrossed section of cords.
‘You really shouldn’t keep these strapped down like this all the time,’ he said.
‘You didn’t see what he did to the walls,’ said Kris from the other side of the room.
‘It takes time to develop control,’ the circus trainer replied with an agreeing nod. ‘But harnessing them will greatly affect his future potential.’
‘Why don’t you just cut them off?’ I muttered.
Karl leaned forward, searching my face. ‘Why would you want to do that, Sebastian?’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ I snapped. ‘Maybe because they’re wings? Maybe because I look like a freak?’
‘You’re a majestic creature,’ he countered.
I almost laughed. ‘You obviously don’t know me.’
‘No,’ Karl said. ‘But I know wh
at you’re capable of.’
I lifted my head and studied him warily, feeling my lip curling back. But Karl didn’t seem bothered by me, not in the way the others were.
‘Impressive teeth, Sebastian,’ he said, clinically. ‘And in good condition.’
I raised an eyebrow at his casual response, but the circus trainer didn’t seem to notice. I ran my tongue hesitantly along my new teeth, feeling their jagged points. Karl’s gaze shifted to my shoulders, questioningly.
‘May I?’
He produced a pocketknife and cut the cords that were wrapped around my back and torso. Instantly, my wings expanded like a leathery accordion. They fell limply to each side, taking up the entire length of the couch. Karl began to examine them, probing with skilled hands. Despite my disgust for the hideous things, I found myself interested in his inspection.
‘The muscles and bones appear strong,’ Karl said as he worked. ‘And the wing talons are well proportioned.’
Wing talons?
I couldn’t help glancing back. I’d never really looked at them before, but now that I was looking, I could see that Karl was right. The tip of each section of wing ended in a curved, bony claw.
‘The wings are a bit dull, though,’ Karl said. He looked past me to Hugo. ‘What dosage have you been giving him?’
‘I hadn’t really been measuring,’ Hugo replied. ‘Enough to keep him out of it. We couldn’t afford to have him escape.’
I glared at my brother and growled. Karl immediately patted my shoulder like he was trying to calm a bristling dog. Hugo met my gaze with a hard look in his eye.
‘You’ll be shot on sight if they see you at the Fairgrounds,’ my brother said with cold certainty. ‘Marks knows what you are now, and you can bet his men are on high alert, keeping their precious clan safe. You, Sebastian, are their primary enemy right now.’
My already low spirits plummeted – not because I cared about Quentin or his band of less-than-merry men – but because my plan to get to Josephine instantly went from slim to nearly impossible.
‘The Marksmen have orders to kill you, Sebastian,’ Karl explained. ‘Your brother’s just been trying to keep you safe.’
‘He has a funny way of showing his concern,’ I said, scowling at him.
‘I had to get you away from the Circe and out of sight before the place was crawling with gadje,’ Hugo replied. ‘Drugging you was the quickest way. You were wild and disoriented, and I couldn’t fight both you and Marks at the same time.’
‘But you didn’t have to keep…’
‘Yeah, I did. If I hadn’t, you’d have bolted for the Fairgrounds the first chance you got.’ The furrows in Hugo’s face deepened, and his voice dropped low, like a confessional, just between us. ‘I’m right, aren’t I?’
The anger cooled. I propped my head in my hands and nodded reluctantly. ‘Yes.’
Hugo’s face hardened, but my answer seemed to hit him with the same force as if I’d struck him with my claws. I remembered the hushed conversation he and Karl had exchanged over my lifeless body, and I grimaced. I didn’t know what else to say, if there was anything to say at all.
Karl returned to studying my wings. ‘I know you’re concerned about Josephine, but there’s no need to worry, Sebastian. I assure you, she’s perfectly safe.’
‘I’ve heard that before,’ I replied. ‘But I can’t believe it.’
‘Well, you’re going to have to,’ Hugo said firmly.
Karl jumped in before I could reply.
‘All that being said about the dosage, you really should be more careful, Hugo. Too much Vitamin D, and you’ll have poor Sebastian turning into a statue. He’ll be no good to anyone, then.’
I went rigid all over. ‘A what?’
Karl kept examining my wings, folding them in and out. ‘Gargoyles have unusually high levels of melatonin in their systems. We’ve found that injecting the creatures with Vitamin D disrupts the levels, making the gargoyle lethargic. But too much of it can be dangerous.’
‘Vitamin D,’ I repeated, confused.
‘Yes,’ he replied, prodding the muscles around my spine. ‘I’m sure you’ve noticed that the sun bothers you. It will grow increasingly difficult for you to be in broad daylight as time goes on. It’s one of your unique traits.’ He finished his examination. ‘Your wings should have a more shimmering look at this stage, but I’m sure the dullness is due to the high dosage you’ve been receiving. You’ll be feeling more like yourself soon.’
‘A statue?’ I asked, again. I hadn’t considered that possibility before. Everything had happened so fast.
The old man scratched his beard. ‘Well, yes. After all…’
Hugo stood abruptly. ‘That’s enough, Karl. Sebastian doesn’t need things to be any more complicated than they are now. He’s got enough to deal with as it is.’
I stared at Hugo in surprise.
‘Yes, of course,’ Karl replied, apologetically.
‘Let’s eat,’ Hugo said, moving into the kitchen.
For the first time, everyone turned their attention from me to my brother. It was an odd shift, to be sure. One moment, Karl was sitting on the couch examining the two leather kites sticking out of my back, and the next, Hugo was calling everyone into dinner as if we were some ordinary family in the suburbs.
I was still amazed at how readily the others obeyed him. Hugo had always been the one in charge, but I’d never realized just how much authority he had, then again, that was back before I knew he was the head of a Gypsy clan.
Genella and Dali headed up the distribution of bowls piled high with seasoned noodles, the good salty packaged kind. Sodas were passed around, and soon everyone had taken up residence in either the kitchen or the living room. I sat motionless on the couch, watching the scene.
I’d heard people refer to an unspoken tension as the ‘elephant in the room’. Now, I realized, I was that elephant. The others moved around me, talking in scattered conversations as they ate. No one paid much attention to me, yet my presence was overwhelmingly obvious in the room. I sat alone, my hideous new additions taking up the entire piece of furniture. The whole thing was enough to send me over the edge of the emotional cliff I’d been teetering on for days. I ran a shaking hand through my hair, trying to remain calm.
I had to think.
‘Here, Sebastian.’
I glanced up. James was holding out a bowl of noodles, along with a plate of leftover chicken and biscuits.
‘Thanks.’
I ate in silence, head bowed over my food, attempting to ignore my gray hands. But the wicked-looking claws and the dandelion tattoo on my wrist made that impossible. The sharp points of my teeth got in the way as I chewed, drawing pricks of blood from my bottom lip. The food tasted like ash and settled heavily on my stomach. My throat tightened with a sob, but I forced the food down rapidly so I wouldn’t break down. I couldn’t lose it, not here, in front of everyone. I was an outsider now, an object. A possession.
A pet.
Karl returned to the couch. ‘Does the food help?’ he asked.
I tapped a claw against my empty bowl. ‘I suppose so.’
‘That’s good. I know your kind requires a large amount of sustenance.’
My hands tightened around the plastic. ‘Could you please refrain from using that term? You make me sound like an alien.’
‘I’m sorry,’ he replied, sympathetically, ‘but acceptance will come as your transition completes itself, Sebastian. Just give it time.’
‘I know you’re trying to help,’ I said. ‘But you’ll forgive me for saying it provides little comfort.’
Karl regarded me for a moment, as if debating something. Then, suddenly, he shifted closer. He reached out, as though he was examining my wing again, but he leaned into my ear.
‘Listen, Sebastian,’ he said in a voice meant for only me to hear. ‘I want you to promise Hugo that you won’t go to the Fairgrounds.’ A growl rumbled in my chest. I could feel Karl tense, but he conti
nued. ‘It’s the only way you’ll get them off your back. And we need you to stay safe.’
My growl died in my throat. ‘What do you mean?’ I whispered back. So far, no one was paying any attention to us. ‘Who is “we”?’
‘There are still some of us who hold true to the tradition of the guardian. You were meant to be sealed to Josephine, despite the claims of the Corsi clan. Deep down, I believe Hugo knows it as well.’
My eyes flicked in the direction of the kitchen. ‘If he does, then why is he forcing me to stay? I haven’t seen Hugo’s parents in over two years. What kind of hold can they have over him that would make him treat his own family this way?’
Karl’s old face wrinkled even more. ‘Zindelo holds more power than you know, Sebastian, and defying a bandoleer is unacceptable. Punishable. Your brother is honor-bound to keep his father’s wishes.’
‘So why couldn’t he just tell me that?’
‘There’s a delicate balance of power within the structure of the Outcast nation. The Corsis are one of the oldest and most respected clans in our society, but Hugo must be careful not to appear weak. Leaders can’t allow personal feelings to interfere with decisions made for the good of the clan.’
‘Okay, I get why he wants me here.’ I wiped my hand across my mouth, hating the way speaking around my new teeth both sounded and felt. ‘But how does my staying help Josephine?’
Karl glanced over his shoulder and I knew our time was drawing short. ‘The manner of your awakening has overridden all traditional protocols, so I believe there’s an unusual importance to Josephine that could very well put her at risk, should you go to her and be exposed as her guardian before the clan. Until the true purpose is revealed, you need to keep yourself safe…for her sake.’
My ears burned with the heat of his words, which so eerily mirrored Ms Lucian’s, this mysterious, unanswered reason Josephine had been singled out as my charge. But before I could say anything in return, Hugo entered from the kitchen. I pulled away quickly. Karl moved as well, taking one of my wings and folding it to my spine with an easy flair.
Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1) Page 27