Page 92 of A Highland Gargoyle's Lucky Star
And all too soon, it becomes clear that we’re in trouble.
Chapter twenty
Elryk
Do not test how far a gargoyle will go to protect the ones they love—especially a fated mate. When pushed to the edge, a Guardian has the ability to enter a berserker mode and vanquish even the most difficult of enemies. However, there is a price to be paid for this almost god-like but temporary power. Little is known about this state or its aftereffects, as there have been few documented cases in recent history. What information has been recorded remains closely guarded by the gargoyle clans and not accessible to outsiders of any kind.
—Guardians of the Line: A Hidden History,by Dr. Targan Wildethorne
When the Sluagh horderegroup in the sky and fly toward Noah, my worst nightmare comes alive.
My fellow Guardians who’ve been fighting below take to the skies and manage to intercept quite a few of the enemy before they are able to land again, instead forcing the battle to our preferred ground.
What few people realize, and what gargoyles tend to keep quiet from outsiders, is that our kind are deadliest in the air. Our wings are designed for intricate aerial maneuvers and rough fighting.
In contrast, as I and many of my kin have quickly discovered tonight, the leathery wings of our foe are nowhere near as durable or as aerodynamic as ours.
But even with the clan’s quick maneuvers, there are still too many of the Sluagh aiming for our small trio.
Nearly two dozen of them land on the battlement at the same time, and Braewyn and I get separated in the chaos.
My heart nearly stops when I see Noah evade a direct attack that would have killed him.
Using every ounce of strength and speed I have, I rush to his side.
My blood is boiling and with a mighty roar, I slice in half the hideous creature that dared attack my mate.
Then I’m surrounded, the foul stench of these monsters making me gag.
My sword cuts a bloody path through the creatures, with relentless precision.
The Sluagh aren’t intelligent or experienced warriors. They appear to operate on an almost mindless instinct. It makes them easy to slay, but their sheer numbers are overwhelming even Braewyn and me.
When I manage to check on Noah again, it’s just in time to witness one of the creatures lunging for him.
This time, Noah doesn’t fully manage to evade our enemy, and he’s sent flying.
I watch in abject horror as he crashes into the battlement’s stone wall.
Braewyn makes a break for him, cutting down others in his path.
“Noah!” I roar, fury building inside unlike anything I’ve ever known. A strange rushing noise fills my ears.
Howdarethey.
A feminine voice I don’t recognize, fills my mind.“Kill them all and protect your mate. Vengeance shall be yours, my loyal Guardian.”
An influx of power—different from that of the ley line—flows into me and I swing my sword with renewed vigor, easily slicing through every gruesome creature in my path.
Enemies fall at my feet and I grin with satisfaction. I am coming for them all, and death is what awaits them.
Just as I break free and begin to make my way forward, I watch Braewyn help a staggering Noah to his feet and hurry him over to the door that leads back into the castle, and to safety.
And that’s when I see blood covering one side of his face.
My mate is bleeding.
I barely hear Braewyn shout to Noah, “Get out of here! We’ve got this.”
