Page 5 of The Gargoyle's Gift
Gaius
“What about the neighbors?!” she shrieked, voice somehow reaching me over the sharp wind as we flew toward the edge of the city. “That building is connected to human homes, Gaius! That part of the city is too dense, they will all burn! Are youlistening? We have to go back! People will be hurt!”
I glanced over my shoulder, finding her right on my tail, a look of concern and rage on her face as she stared me down. It was a very common expression for her, I’d come to realize, particularly when it came to me.
“It’ll be fine.”
“How will it befine? You just killed a man, stole everything of value from his office, and set his building on fire! With hisbody inside!”
I directed us toward the conclave, confident she would follow me if only to give me the lecture I likely deserved. She yelled several more questions, but I focused on flying. I landed at the very rear of the settlement, right where the trees began tothicken. I kept a hut I preferred away from most everyone else not far from the forge.
Lovette stalked right on my heels as I folded my wings tight against my back. Everything still felt wrong when I stopped flying. My whole body went stiff, like I’d aged a century because of the injuries I’d taken in my recent fight with a fae. In the air, however, I was as young as I wanted to be. Unscarred and free to move as I pleased.
“I need you to start explaining,” she demanded, hand propped on her hip as she paced the clearing, her eyes never leaving my face.
I hated that her anger made her more beautiful.
I hated that I found her beautiful at all.
“The fire won’t spread. There were measures taken on that business from the inside many years ago. Stone and concrete, mostly. The fire brigade will have tackled it already.”
“How can you be so certain?” She frowned.
“Because I tipped them off earlier today that they might want to keep a watchful eye on that block.” I raised an eyebrow and sighed, starting toward my favored hut. “Do you take me for a reckless fool?” I regretted glancing over my shoulder as I asked the question when I found those brilliant aquamarine orbs cutting me into a thousand pieces.
She tilted her head to the side, frustration pouring off her as she stepped lively to keep pace with me. For a stone kin, she was petite, and while I was not, my damaged leg did slow me down. “Is that a rhetorical question?”
It wasn’t. Not really.
Or rather, it was, but only because I was afraid of just how much of one she believed me to be. She was one of the few people who could directly challenge me and actually leave me wondering whether or not I was in the wrong.
She also made my chest ache. I didn’t like it. Any of it. Or her.
Mostly.
I shook my head to clear out the noisy thoughts as my hut came into view and said nothing more until we were both inside the small structure.
“Gaius!” she barked.
I regarded her blankly, but my insides were twisting. “Empty your pockets into there,” I ordered, indicating a wooden lockbox next to the bed.
She did as I asked, glaring holes through me the whole time. “Start. Talking!” She spoke in a voice barely above a whisper despite the fact that we were alone.
“The humans will be fine. Nobody will come after us. The fire will only spread through that place enough to make it look like Caster met the end he very much deserved. Never doubt, that, Lovette. He earned his fate.” I slammed the ledgers I’d pulled out of the bag down onto the small table. Never breaking eye contact, she put her hands into the pockets of her pants over and over, pouring the assorted jewelry into the box.
“What will you do with all this?”
My heart clenched as a burst of rage flowed through me. Did she really think I was the monster I’d pretended to be for so long? My anger flagged as quickly as it surged. She wouldn’t be alone, if she did, and I couldn’t blame her for seeing me as such, even if it had all started as a ruse. Many years had passed since I’d begun wearing that persona, and I’d been very good at playing that part. So good, the lines had blurred a concerning amount.
I’d become that man, stayed him, for far too long.
“Returning it to whomever it rightfully belongs to.”
She relaxed a fraction. “Is this what you’ve been doing? Playing hero? Trying to prove… what, exactly?”
My chest tightened, anger rising up again as she judged me. Bile coated my throat. “You wouldn’t understand.”
I could feel her own rage as it washed over me. Her arms crossed, and her glare only intensified. Shaking my head, I moved my stiff limbs into a position that would allow me to sit in the small straight-backed chair.
