Page 150 of Stone Temptation

Put it on.

Footsteps echoed around me, the sound of fighting, punches and weapons landing. The roar of the chimera, the hissing sounds of lizards born from its flames.

“You good?” Asher asked.

My aching head was in dire need of a time out, but I was okay for the most part. Could’ve been a lot worse.

“Yes. You?” I said.

He coughed, arms and wings still my shelter. “Yeah. Chimera blew a hole in the tower. Lizards everywhere.” Asher got to his feet, holding me. I closed my eyes, unable to stand the dust attacking them. “Fresh air coming up.”

“Sounds awesome.”

“Ready?”

“Let’s go.”

He broke into a run, the cold stone of his gargoyle skin rubbing against mine.

“Asher!” Seth cried over the rising chaos. “Wait!”

My protector leaped from dust into cold air, everything suddenly clearing. I blinked, opening my eyes enough to see the moon and the stars, a sea of clouds below us. I gasped on the fresh air, my lungs super grateful.

A chimera roared dangerously close.

Asher beat his wings harder. “It’ll be alright, Luke. It will be alright.”

Heavy fatigue took hold of me again, despite the air on my face. I tried to fight it, but my body was too weak to go to war. My fingers unfurled, the ring slipping free.

Whoops.

I passed out.

THIRTY-FIVE

Asher

The chimera with a gas mask human rider came at me from the left side, releasing a stream of red fire. I dove into the clouds, bursting out the other side. The lights of Brinecrest were peaceful below, a total contrast to the bollocks up here.

A second chimera launched a surprise attack from beneath me, jaws wide open. I pulled up at the last second, that hefty mouth almost chomping off my feet.

Not today, fucker!

Luke hung limp in my arms, completely out for the count.

A third chimera swooped in from the right side, spewing fire. Once again, I evaded it, extreme heat licking at my face.

Too close.

Chimera number four joined in from the clouds, the group lining up together above me. Every mouth open, fire blazing in their throats.

I plummeted toward the ground, swerving out to sea. This fight couldn’t happen around or above the town, putting human lives at risk. Their inner protection didn’t matter if the goat-headed fuckers behind me started taking out buildings.

It’d be a massacre down there.

Five gargoyle knights flew up from Brinecrest, two of them firing a string of arrows. The chimeras returned fire, the knights scattering.

I kept going, Luke my focus. Even if I ended up flying him to another country, I’d keep going until he was safe. And then I’d unpack everything Seth had told me.

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