Page 15 of The Stone Initiation
“You’re staring,” she growled. “Rude.”
The bus lurched then whizzed around a corner, ignoring the speed limit. “I’m sorry.”
Sheharrumped. “He’s right, you know. You’re going to die today.”
Wow. Blunt much? “You don’t know that for sure.”
“Yes, I do.” She sat back and looked across the aisle at the male gargoyle. “Tell her, Touron.”
Touron was more wiry than bulky, and he also sat with his back to the window—the only way for them to get their bodies to fit on a bus built for humans.
“The test will be designed to kill the weaker gargoyles,” he said. “You’re only half gargoyle so you’ll definitely die.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“It’s called reality,” the female said.
The doubt and fear I’d been staving off pricked at my senses. Was this me committing suicide? Should I have listened to Levi?
Romi’s face filled my mind. His smile, his laughter, the warmth of his hugs. I couldn’t walk away. Iwouldn’tbe a coward. “If I die, then I’ll die trying.”
The female side-eyed me. “The gargoyle way must be built into our genes.”
“It’s our curse,” Touron said. “Sheer pig-headed stubbornness.Andwe never forget a slight. Trust me, if you piss off a gargoyle, you know you’re gonna get served at some point. Might be icy cold by the time it gets to you, but it’s gonna come. We’re like elephants.”
I arched a brow. “Bulky and gray.”
He snort-laughed. “Nah, we never forget.” He wagged a finger at me. “But good one. You know my name, and this brittle rock is Sharniza. And you are?”
“Cameron.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you Cameron,” he grinned, but a moment later the smile dropped. “Shame we won’t get to know you better.” He slumped in his seat as if the realization had taken the wind out of his sails.
“Maybe she’s lucky that way,” Sharniza said softly.
What did she mean?
The bus jolted and shuddered.
“Oh, here we go,” Touron slapped the back of his seat. “Get ready forrrr—”
The world melted, colors spiraling and whirling. I was broken. Lost. Floating. I was gonna be sick. But before my stomach could eject lunch, the world righted itself leaving me gasping a lungful of air.
“You don’t hold your breath when going through a warp,” Sharniza said annoyed with me. “Don’t you know anything?”
No. No I didn’t. Because most of these things had been kept from me all my life. I was going into this blind. Stupidly and stubbornly. Mother would have kicked my ass so hard.
Panic formed a vise in my chest. No. Focus. I might not know much about the gargoyle world, but I was a fucking Basque. A halfblood, yes, but with the blood of one of the most powerful gargoyle families running through my veins.
If any halfblood could get through this, it was me.
I peeled myself off my seat. “I’m a fast learner.”
Touron offered me his hand. “If, by some insane miracle, you make it through this, we are so gonna be friends.”
I gripped his strong fingers, allowing him to pull me up.
“There are no friends at the academy,” Sharniza said flatly. “Not until you qualify and find your pack. You’re a fool if you think otherwise.”
