Page 58 of My Guardian Gryphon

The three of us passed by the private play rooms and then through another steel door into the living space of the Sisters. It really was like a prison down here. I’d never noticed it before, having only visited the castle club once or twice and then at night, but now, at the height of the day, it still felt heavy and dark and damp.

They lived in a dungeon. Granted, the space had brightly colored rugs, furniture, and art, but it was still windowless and cold. The fluorescent lights glared and gave of a persistent hum that probably would’ve driven me crazy in no time.

No wonder Gretchen spent every hour she could manage outside of the Sister’s designated quarters and as high off the ground as possible. The library was on the top floor of the Castle. The only parts higher were the towers, and those weren’t accessible to the Sisters.

Door after door after door. How far into this place had they taken Gretchen? “Where is she?”

“We’re almost there. I can feel Bailey close now.”

We swung around another corner, and Erick knocked on a closed wooden door that’d been painted bright red.

“Come in.” Bailey’s voice was soft on the other side of the door.

Erick turned the knob and opened the door, stepping aside so I could enter first.

“I’m headed back to the entrance. See you two later.” Javier gave a half-salute and disappeared around the bend in the hallway.

I hurried through the door into a small room, furnished with a double bed, an armoire with a mirror, and a small desk in the corner. That was it. This was what her room consisted of. A few drawings had been attached to the walls and I recognized Gretchen’s handiwork. She had a good eye for capturing the life below the surface. She’d drawn portraits of all three of the Blackmoors. Some of the pixies who visited the castle regularly were also among her collection. The black-and-white pencil drawings were realistic, each showing a part of the subject’s character so deeply it was like she’d trapped emotions on the paper. Over her desk was a large sketch of me…reading alone in the library. It was a side portrait. My eyes were trained on the book, my faced relaxed, and just the corner of my mouth showed the beginning of a smile that I’d caught and held back.

Like I always did.

“You always fight being happy.” Gretchen’s voice carried softly through the room from the bed ahead of me. “I wanted to draw you with a smile, but you don’t laugh enough. I couldn’t see—”

“It’s an amazing piece of art, Gretchen. People would give you their fortunes to have you do their portrait. Kings would woo you to their courts for your talent. You drew the truth and captured it. There is nothing to explain.” I moved to the side of the bed and sat on the edge beside her, sliding my hand over hers.

She started to jerk it away, caught herself, and left her hand tensely quivering beneath mine.

I removed my hand, swallowing the dread that’d been climbing in my throat from the second I’d know Xerxes had taken her. He’d stolen her from me in more ways than one. The fireball of energy that usually exuded from her presence was missing. In its place were glazed-over sapphire eyes that barely made contact with mine.

The bruises that’d covered her face and arms and probably every inch of her were fading before my eyes. Bailey’s blood was working quickly. Gretchen’s clothes had already been changed, unlike mine that still showed where the bullets had torn their way through.

“You’re very strong, sweet girl.” Bella leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Gretchen’s forehead. “Between the magick in Bailey’s blood and my dust, you should be in tip-top shape in a matter of hours.”

“Thank you.” Gretchen’s words were barely more than a whisper.

“I don’t have to say take good care of her.” The pixie met my gaze. “But I need to speak with you in the hall for just a few moments.”

My body tensed. Gretchen didn’t want me to touch her, but I sure as hell wasn’t leaving her side again this soon.

“We’ll stay until you come back, Alek.” Erick’s words of assurance didn’t help to alleviate my irritation, but Bella wasn’t backing down. She’d crossed her arms resolutely and was tapping her index finger on her bicep. Patience was not one of her gifts.

“I’ll be fine, Alek.” Gretchen’s tone tore at my heart. She was healed on the outside, but he had ripped out her joy, and I didn’t know what to do to even begin to put it back.

“I don’t want to leave you. I never wanted to leave you.” She needed to know that, that I wouldn’t leave her. I’d thought I’d made it clear before, but she’d left my house hurt and betrayed by the discussion Jared and I had so stupidly had where she could overhear. It had been thoughtless, careless, and I’d nearly lost the only thing in this world I cared about.

She was right in front of me now, but I still felt the distance. The pain she’d incurred was life a knife to my gut. I knew what Bella was going to tell me.

Gretchen met my gaze and nodded.

Did she believe me? Did she still think I would choose going home over keeping her? I’d only considered sending her back temporarily, until we had the situation with Xerxes’ soldiers breathing down our necks under control.

That’s not going to happen. Ever. And now without Rose…I wasn’t sure how we’d be able to keep him at bay at all.

I rose from the bed and followed Bella and her long blue hair through the bedroom door. She closed it gently behind us, her face long and drawn and tired.

“Do you need food?” Her naturally blue eyes were duller than they should’ve been, and her skin didn’t glow like it always did. Instead of alabaster and healthy pink, she was white and gray and…flat. “What’s wrong?”

“I need light. It’s difficult to be down here for so long. I’ve been healing and patching up people with Bailey for hours. I’m nearly out of dust, and I need the sun like a meth addict needs their next fix.” She let a soft sigh slip between her lips. “That’s not why I need to talk to you.”

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