Page 63 of Cherished By the Gargoyle
“Goodnight, Ryllen,” I whisper as he leaves.
He offers to walk me to my chambers, but I politely refuse. As soon as he leaves, I make my way toward the gardens, knowing Thalric will follow me as my guard.
When I step outside, the cool night air greets me. The smell of roses and the delicate perfume of jasmine and moon blossoms is carried on the wind.
I step into the shadows beneath the heavy branches of an ancient oak, my pulse fluttering nervously. I know I shouldn’t be here, but my heart yearns for just one stolen moment, a heartbeat away from prying eyes.
I sense him before I hear him—the quiet rustle of wings, the faintest whisper of claws against stone. I turn, my breath catching as Thalric emerges from the darkness, his golden gaze piercing straight through to my soul.
In this shadowed sanctuary beneath the moonlight, nothing else exists but him. The fierce, desperate longing in his eyes, perfectly mirrors the aching need burning within my own trembling heart.
CHAPTER 41
THALRIC
Ifollow silently behind Aurora as we walk through the moonlit gardens. When she turns to face me, my chest tightens at the vulnerability in her eyes and the desperate longing etched in her beautiful face.
She rushes toward me, but I hold up a hand, stopping her gently but firmly.
My claws flex, desperate to touch her, to hold her close. “We shouldn’t be out here.”
“I just wanted a moment,” she whispers. “I needed to… see you. To talk to you away from everyone else.” A tear slips down her cheek. “I feel like I’m losing you, Thalric.”
Everything inside me aches to pull her into my arms, but I cannot. Clenching my jaw, I force myself to remain still. “I’m here,” I rasp, my heart aching with the weight of everything I feel but cannot allow myself to have. “And I’ll always be here.” Even if you cannot be mine. “I will never leave you.”
“Thalric, please.” Her gaze holds mine, full of such hurt and longing that it nearly breaks my resolve as duty and honor anchor me cruelly in place. “I just want you to hold me. I—”
“Aurora,” Fiora’s voice cuts through the darkness. She walks toward us, her emerald gaze sharp with concern. “You shouldn’t be out here. It’s dangerous.”
I’m not sure if she’s referring to the danger of being caught by the Fae prince or the threat of the witch—Malvara. Either way, I cannot deny that she is right. We should not be out here like this.
Fiora gives me a pointed look. “Both of you should be inside.”
I nod.
“I know,” Aurora sulks. “We were just enjoying the night air.”
Auri’s gaze flicks back to mine briefly, and I recognize the look in her eyes. It’s the same one I’ve seen countless times. My lips twitch despite myself. She is headstrong to a fault, and I’m sure she’s already thinking of a plan to get her way.
I follow silently behind them as Fiora walks with her back to her chambers.
Once Aurora is safely behind her chamber doors, Fiora turns to me. “I understand this is hard on you, and I cannot imagine your pain and frustration. But I must stress again that—”
“I understand.” I give her a solemn look. “I cherish her, and I would never do anything to put her in danger… no matter what it costs me.”
Fiora’s eyes shimmer with unshed tears as she rests a hand lightly on my shoulder. “My sisters and I may have raised Aurora, but sometimes it feels as though we raised you as well, Thalric. If there were a way around this curse, we would—” Her voice catches, and a tear slips down her cheek. “I’m sorry for all that has happened.”
Her words touch me. At first, I was upset at her and the others, including my parents. But now, I understand. They loveAurora and everything they did—all the secrets and lies—it was all done to protect her.
“You did what you had to in order to keep Aurora safe.” I could never be angry at them for that. “And I swear to you that I will do the same.”
I’m surprised when Fiora steps forward and wraps her arms around me in a gentle hug.
She is right. She and the others feel like family to me, and I embrace her in return.
When she steps back, it’s easy to see the sadness etched in her features. “Goodnight, Thalric.”
A maelstrom of emotions swirls deep within as I retreat to my cave beneath Aurora’s balcony. I walk over to my nest in the far corner and grab the pillow I took from Auri’s chambers. Her fragrance clings to the soft fabric—warm honeysuckle and lavender, the scent both calming and intoxicating.
