Page 12 of The Elven Spymaster's Thief

“Whew!” A massive man with slightly gray-tinged skin stood in the center of my study. His eyes were wide as his massive shoulders heaved with a series of heavy breaths. “That never gets easier.”

Next to him stood Adham, one of my most trusted shadow elves. Wry amusement sparkled in his pale eyes as his shadow form melted away, and his features became clear again. “You are the only one who reacts this way to wraithwalking.”

“Troy!” I neutralized my spell. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”

The gargoyle stood a handful of inches taller than me, but his heavily muscled frame dwarfed mine in volume. It made sense considering the wings he had stowed invisibly against his back. Flying with them required a tremendous amount of strength and endurance. To a one, the gargoyle species were broad-chested and large-shouldered men and women even in their human forms.

Troy, a prince of the western eyrie, had been my friend since we were both young. I held out my arms, and he met me halfway, crushing me to his chest in a massive hug. He would have lifted my feet from the ground, too, if I hadn’t planted them on the rug with my magic.

“Arg! You grow heavy in your old age, Illeron.” He released me, stepping back to pound my back with one massive hand. “You are overdue for a visit to our eyrie. Avia asks after you often. A pledgekeeper should see his charge at least once a year, and it has been three since your last coming.”

“The world is a restless place.” I motioned for Troy to join us. “Would you like food? Wine? Tea?”

“None for me.” Troy walked toward the table only to pause and tilt his head to one side. “And who is this?”

Avril had stood to her feet. Her hand resting a bit too casually on her hip. I suspected she concealed a weapon there.

“My companion, Avril.” I nodded to Troy. “Don’t worry, pet. Troy doesn’t bite. Well, not unless you are wrestling with him.”

“I never. Not since I was a fledgling.”

“Sit.” I reclaimed my chair. Troy accepted my invitation, drawing out the chair at the place at the end of the table. Avril hesitantly reclaimed her spot. Despite her efforts to appear at ease, she deceived no one. Avril was far too tense. Troy met my gaze with raised eyebrows when she studied her plate for a moment.

I shrugged. Perhaps she had issues with gargoyles. Now wasn’t the time to figure it out.

“The name is Troy.” He offered an open palm to her in the traditional greeting of the gargoyles.

She very reluctantly touched fingertips with him as required. Then, she immediately retracted her fingers.

“Why so skittish?” Troy asked. “I don't harm the unarmed.”

“Ah, but she is armed,” I pointed out.

Troy's gaze took in Avril's quickly dropped hand from her waist with amusement. “So she is. As a rule, I don't carry off friends of friends.”

“Avia would object,” I added for Avril’s benefit.

Troy laughed.

“And who is Avia?” Her brown eyes darted from Troy to me and back.

“My wife,” Troy responded. “I was just kidding about the flying off with people. I never carry anyone off against their will, except confirmed villains, of course.”

“Such as?” Curiosity brightened her eyes as they studied the giant gargoyle next to her.

“Those in the service of a magus or someone invading the eyrie.” He considered her with a playful grin. “Planning an invasion?”

“Only a fool would even contemplate it.” I filled my fork. “Any of that kind of activity along your borders recently?”

Troy turned the full force of his personality upon me. With a grimace, he admitted there had been. “We haven't had this much activity along our borders for forty years. Few of the trespassers are actually interested in our treasures, though. They are trying to steal our children, which is much worse.” Then he turned back to Avril. “Which brings me back to my question. Why are you so skittish around gargoyles?”

“It could just be you,” I suggested.

Undeterred, Troy didn’t turn away from studying my companion, who avoided meeting his eyes.

“I was stalked by a gargoyle a few months back.” She shoved food around her plate with an empty fork. “He snatched me and then threatened to drop me from a great height if I didn’t give him the information he wanted.”

“Did you comply?”

---