Page 24 of Cherished By the Gargoyle
Yet.The word settles in my chest like a heavy stone.
“Please, Aurora,” Maribel says. “You must understand. We only want what is best for you.”
A broken sob escapes my lips, and I can barely breathe. Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them back as my pain is replaced by raw anger. “If that’s true, then why did you lie to me?” I lash out. “All this time I thought my parents were dead… that I was an orphan. But my entire life has been nothing but a lie!”
Devastated, I run to my room and slam the door shut, collapsing on the bed.
“Aurora, please,” Fiora calls out. “We didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“I don’t care!” I sob. “I hate you! I hate all of you!”
Hiccupping sobs rack through my body as I bury my face in my pillow.
It’s several minutes until I feel as though I can catch my breath. Brushing the damp hair back from my cheeks, I stare up at the ceiling, feeling numb and hollow.
Standing from the bed, I walk over to my shelves, lined with the many stones Thalric has given me over the years. My fingers find the starlight gemstone at my throat—the one he gave me—and I clutch it tight, as if I could draw strength from its warmth.
I gaze out the window at the pale moonlit gardens. My breath comes in ragged gasps as Fiora’s words spin relentlessly in my mind, tearing at everything I’ve ever believed.
I’m Princess Aurora. I’m cursed, and I am betrothed to a man I’ve never met—Prince Ryllen. Each truth is a shard of ice embedding itself into my heart.
A broken sob escapes me. How could my guardians lie to me? How could they let me believe my life was ordinary, simple, safe, only to shatter that illusion so cruelly?
And Thalric… Gods, Thalric. The ache of his name throbs painfully in my chest, threatening to unravel me completely. I love him and I don’t want to lose him.
Tears blur my vision. My room feels unbearably suffocating, as if the walls themselves are closing in. I cannot stay here. I need to find Thalric.
Resolved, I grab a satchel and pack quickly. Determination fills me as I slip into the night, toward the only thing I know is true—the Gargoyle who has claimed my heart and soul.
CHAPTER 12
THALRIC
Ever since I returned to my family cave and my room, I keep thinking about Aurora. As I lie on my back, wings stretched wide, staring at the stars through the open arch, I am still in awe that she chose me.
Tomorrow, we’ll inform our families. Then we’ll leave for the capital where she’ll apprentice as an apothecary, and I’ll train to become a royal guard, just like my family before me.
I’ll build her a nest lined with the softest furs, shelves filled with gemstones, herbs, and anything else she desires. A sanctuary made to her liking.
My tail flicks lazily as a rumble of contentment rises from my chest.
Without warning, a tremor moves through me, like a tether tugging deep within. Dawning awareness fills me. This must be the start of the bond—the connection that forms between mates. I’ve heard stories of its pull, but I never imagined it would feel as strong as this.
My heart stutters then surges.Aurora is near.
I get to my feet and stride toward the balcony. She’s standing below, cloak clutched tight, hair loose around her pale face.
Panic ripples through me as the saline scent of her tears touches my nostrils. Without hesitation, I launch myself into the night, wings catching the air before I land in front of her with a loud thud.
“Aurora.” I catch her face in my hands, my tail curling instinctively around her waist, as I frantically search for any signs of injury. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
She shakes her head. “We have to go. Tonight. Now. To the temple. We’ll marry there. Then no one can tear us apart.”
Her words crash over me, desperate and wild. “Slow down,” I murmur, pulling her closer. “Why are you so upset? What’s happened? Why—”
The air shifts behind me, and I freeze, recognizing the cadence of my father’s footsteps before I even turn around.
My father steps out of the shadows, Fiora at his side, his face set in a grim look.
