Page 37 of Fated to the Gargoyle
Yet, the sinking sensation swallowing me signaled that wasn’t the case.
Forcingmyself to crack my eyelids open,Ipeered out.Brightcity lights danced in my peripheral vision below, butIcouldn’t look down.
Aftertaking in a shaky breath,Islowly shifted my attention to the creature holding me.Itsclaws wrapped around my body like a cage—claws that didn’t resemble any gargoyleI’dseen thus far.No, these were more avian-like.No, no, please no…Ashudder racked my body.
Ibraved a peek over my shoulder, and a gurgling gasp caught in my throat.Everyhair on my body stood on end.Thecreature holding me wasn’t a gargoyle at all, but a phoenix.WhichmeantIwas utterly screwed.
Panicswelled higher andIstifled another scream.Itwouldn’t do a damn thing to help me.
Whatthe hell couldIdo to escape this situation?Icouldn’t fight.Thiscreature could simply drop me, and from this height, there was no wayI’dsurvive.WhichmeantIhad to depend on this monster to keep me alive.
Regretpiled on like bricks stacking up the walls of a fortress.WhathadIdone?WhyhadIrun?
Musteringmy courage,Iasked, “Who—who are you?” in a trembling voice, althoughIfearedIknew the horrifying answer.
Thephoenix responded with a birdlike cackle. “Youdon’t recognize me,Eloise?”Itssinister voice echoed through me, leaving my skin frigid.
Onepounding heartbeat.Thenanother.Threemore beforeIcould find my voice again. “Calix.”
Hisbreath was hot on my neck. “Surprised?”
Irecoiled but there was no way to escape him.
“Ye-yes.”Aftera shaky inhale,Iasked, “How?”
“Don’tworry about that.Thatmagic is beyond your comprehension.”
Andlikely dark as hell. “But—but why me?Whereare you taking me?”
Hedidn’t respond for several seconds, and the uncertainty of our destination amplified my terror. “You’llsee.”
Hisanswer didn’t help.
Hetsked. “Howfoolish you are, littleEloise.I’dbeen trying to find you, and you made it difficult by hiding out with the gargoyles.”Amirthless chuckle followed. “Thenyou walk right out into the open unprotected.Almosttooeasy…”
Ilifted my fingers to my temples and rubbed them.Whathe said was true.Iscrewed up badly.Insteadof putting my trust inDumontandAnyaand the sentries,Iran away.Whata tragic mistake that had been.Andnow…
AlthoughIwanted to press my eyes shut once more and not look below,Ihad to know where we were going.FlyingacrossMontrealin the grasp of a powerful monster was enough to make me want to scream the entire way, butIhad to be sensible and not freak out.
“Howare people not noticing us?”Surely, the people below would find the sight of a massive, winged creature carrying a woman through the sky unnatural, but no one had reacted as of yet.Itwas like—we were invisible.
“Areyou”—Iswallowed—“cloaked?”
Aftera few beats of his wings,Calixreplied, “Isee you learned a thing or two from those stone-heads.”
Thelights of the bustling city below spread farther apart as we appeared to be flying away from it.Wepassed over a tree-covered area and soon after flew toward a building—one with gargoyles perched on the roof.
Igasped.Ohgod. “Thelibrary?”
“Yes.Youknow whatIwant from there.AndIknow you can get through the wards.”
“But—”
Thetwo gargoyles animated as they broke free from the building and soared at us.Aburst of flames shot across the sky toward them—coming fromCalix.Ishrieked and curled into a semi-ball out of instinct.
“Backaway,”Calixshouted. “OrI’llburn her and the entire damn library down.”
Oh.My.God.Thismadman would destroy everything.Killme.Burnmy grandmother’s beloved library with all her books and art and magic.
