Born of Magic: Gargoyle Masters, Book 2 (15 page)

She marveled at that and released his hand. “So, how old are you now?”

He squinted in thought. “One hundred and seven.”

Her jaw dropped and he laughed.

“I look good for such an ancient, eh?”

“Um…yes.”

He held his arm out and she set her hand on it, then they turned toward the door.

“It’s really no big secret, but we don’t speak on it much. Better if any enemies believe I’ve become immortal too. Then maybe they’ll think I have other strengths and stay away.”

“All right.”

“But I have had a long, full life. Having you back is a blessing. I would dearly enjoy watching you marry and have children before I pass. If you choose to do so with a gargoyle,” he shrugged. “That’s entirely up to you, my dear. Others have made that choice, and none have had cause to regret it.”

They reached the door and she faced him, suddenly filled with an overwhelming need to hug him. He stiffened at her touch for only a moment before wrapping his thin arms around her.

“I love you, Theda, as I loved your mother. I’m sorry she didn’t realize that.”

She released him and stepped back. “I don’t think even she knew what would make her happy. Some days she was so full of joy and happiness. Other she was like a dark storm cloud on the horizon, wanting to throw thunderbolts at everyone who neared.”

He nodded in agreement before opening the door. They didn’t have room to step out because Kephas filled the doorway.

Her father gave him an amused look and stepped back. “She is yours once again, Master Kephas. But please remember, she was mine first.”

He offered a sheepish look as he nodded. “Yes, your majesty.”

Kephas held out his hand and she took it without hesitation. He seemed to relax and the corners of his mouth turned up the slightest bit. Behind him, one of his brothers laughed.

“We’ve been given a room here,” Kephas said. “I’ll show you where it is.”

She barely hid her smile. “All right.”

She looked over her shoulder to find the King watching them.

“Good night…Father.”

Surprise lit his face. “Goodnight, daughter.”

Kephas led her to an ornately decorated room, more lavish than any she’d ever seen in her life.

“This was to be yours,” he said. “It remained a nursery for years, until the King had it redone for you as a young woman instead.”

She studied the peach and cream walls and the beautifully carved furniture. A mural on the ceiling depicted fairies frolicking in an emerald forest.

“It’s beautiful.”

“And everything a princess deserves.” He turned away from her. “It’s much larger than my room, and more feminine. I’m sure it will be more to your liking than where I sleep.”

The tone of his voice told of his tension. She went to him and smoothed her hands over his shoulders until he began to relax.

“It is larger, and more feminine, but not exactly more to my liking.”

“No?”

She made a show of looking around. “It’s nice, but is this a room you could imagine waking in every morning?”

He looked at the bed which was smaller than his and covered in frilly pillows. “Not quite.” Then he looked at her. “But if this is where you’ll be, then so will I.”

She also looked at the bed then and laughed. “I don’t think you’re going to fit on that bed. Your feet will hang off.”

“Perhaps. I’ll simply bend my legs. It doesn’t matter.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Well it doesn’t matter to me either.”

He frowned in confusion. “What doesn’t? My legs?”

“Where we sleep. Here or in your room. It doesn’t matter, so long as I’m with you.”

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her before planting a deep kiss on her. “I always want to be with you, Theda. I want to make you happy.”

“You do. And I want to be with you too.”

He kissed her some more before carrying her to the bed. They soon found out his feet did indeed hang off the end, but it didn’t stop them from making love long into the night.

Chapter Fifteen

Steinn watched the entrance to the pub from where he crouched in the mud a few feet away. Goran was on the other side where a back exit led from the kitchen. Those bitches wouldn’t get away this time. He suppressed a growl and tightened his fists as anger tore through him. It was getting worse. He hadn’t had sexual release in weeks, the longest he’d ever gone. But his first trip to Keva after the incident with Zephyr had been a disappointment for both him and the women he’d tried to bed. He couldn’t get the Pastelle out of his head.

The pub door swung open and he pushed all other thoughts away. This was too important to mess up. The women who were threatening his king and his brothers needed to be captured and questioned. He believed they also needed to be killed, but that was up to the king, not him.

Two cloaked figured emerged and walked through the deep mud surrounding the little building. This village was too small for a proper road and the rains had been heavy of late. It was a perfect place for hiding out and laying low. It was also a twist of fate that he’d found out about it from one of their former housemates. He watched the women leave the pub and head for a copse of trees nearby. The whinny of a horse echoed at their approach.

With their backs to him he shot into the darkened sky and landed near Goran.

“They’ve horses nearby,” Steinn said before jumping back into the thick air. Goran followed.

They spotted the women with their horses and landed lightly in the trees above. Neither Kevan nor animal had sensed them.

“When do you think that bitch will leave the castle?” Kalypso asked, her voice easily reaching the higher branches.

Iva pushed her hood from her head and glared at the woman. “How in the many hells should I know. We probably shouldn’t bother with her now. It’s not our fault that idiot lost her.”

Kalypso shrugged and also pushed back her hood. They now knew for certain these were the two they sought.

Goran looked at Steinn with one brow raised and Steinn gave a nod. They dropped from the trees to land loudly on the ground, frightening the horses into running away from the screaming women.

“Argh! You’ll pay for that,” Iva screamed.

Both women pulled their short swords but the steel couldn’t pierce the gargoyle’s skin. They knocked the Kevan’s weapons away with little effort and had them bound in no time.

“Release us,” Iva said angrily. “The council already meted out our punishment for holding your brother.”

Goran laughed and shook his head. “And the fact that you killed our Queen should go unpunished?”

Iva paled and Kalypso cried out, collapsing against Steinn dramatically. “No, please. It was all her idea. I’ve been powerless against her. Help me, please.”

“Oh, you bitch!” Iva hollered before struggling against her bonds to get at the woman.

“Enough,” Steinn growled before pushing Kalypso away in disgust. “You will both go before our King and he will decide what to do with you. If it was up to me, I’d put you out of our misery here and now.”

Kalypso had fallen to the ground, her cloak falling open to reveal a tight short dress beneath. She threw her shoulders back to push her ample bosom out. “Then what about one last romp, Steinn? I’ll take both of you. You can even leave me tied up.”

He stared at her with disgust, not even slightly tempted. Goran just shook his head.

“Be quiet before I decide to gag you,” Stein said.

Luckily that had the desired effect and both women quieted. Each gargoyle grabbed a Kevan and they flew to the King’s castle.

Theda held Kephas’s hand in a death grip as the women were brought into the throne room. She sat at her father’s left hand with Kephas standing at her back. It took all her strength not to jump from her seat and attack the women. She wasn’t taken by surprise this time. She wasn’t a frightened girl who had just watched her mother murdered. She was a woman who knew she could use some magical power and all of her physical strength to fight these women, even if she couldn’t kill them.

Kephas had promised to train her to fight, so she would never feel helpless again. She wished she had that knowledge now as she faced her mother’s killers. They didn’t even look her way. One kept her head bowed, eyes to the ground, as the other held her chin up stubbornly and glared at the King. Theda had no doubt these were the culprits, but what she wanted to know now was why.

She released Kephas’ hand and stood, descending the few steps to the floor, and approached the pair but remained more than an arm’s length away. Kephas’s warmth at her back made her bold.

“Why?” she asked. “Why did you kill my mother?”

The golden-haired one shrugged.

“Why not? Your father is an arrogant bastard who has outlived his reign and should let someone more powerful rule. We thought losing his Queen the first time would shake him, but it didn’t. So we decided to make it a more permanent loss.”

Theda gasped. “
You’re
the reason my mother ran away?”

Iva laughed. “You really think she was stupid enough to leave all this?” She motioned to the room around them with her bound hands. “She could be an idiot at times, but not
that
big of an idiot. Of course, thinking her beloved had strayed and enjoyed the company of a Kevan anytime he visited our lands might have simply been too much.”

That was the final straw. Theda lunged forward and slapped the smirk off the woman’s face. She was grabbed from behind and pulled back as two other gargoyles ran forward to subdue the Kevan.

“Enough,” the King said. “Kephas, please take my daughter to her chambers. She doesn’t need to be in the presence of these two any longer.”

Theda was still glaring daggers at the women when Kephas picked her up and headed for the door. She kept her gaze on them until the door closed. Then every bit of energy she possessed fled her and she slumped in Kephas’s arms. He tightened his hold as she sobbed against his shirt.

Every tear was like a dagger to Kephas’s heart. “Shh, it’s all right, my love. Your father will see that justice is served. Your mother will never be forgotten.”

She nodded even as she continued to cry. The tears wouldn’t stop.

They reached her room and he placed her gently on the bed but she immediately sat up. He sat beside her and waited.

“I’m s-sorry,” she said. “I don’t know why I’m so…emotional.”

He wrapped his arm around her hips and hugged her. “You’ve lost your mother and just faced down the women who took her from you. Anyone would be emotional.”

She looked at him. “Do you think my father’s angry with me?”

“No, of course not. Why would he be?”

“For attacking that woman.”

He frowned. “She more than deserved it. I’m just glad I didn’t give you a weapon before we went in there.”

That earned him a small smile that eased the ache in his chest. He wiped away the last of her tears, relieved to see them ending.

“I still could have hurt them with my magic.”

“That might not have been a good idea since you’ve never been trained to control it. You might have hurt yourself or someone else in the room.”

She sighed. “You’re right.”

“One of the wizards can teach you. I’m sure your father won’t mind.”

“My father wants to spend more time with me.”

“We can stay here as long as you wish, even if the King decides the threat has ended.”

Surprise lit her face. “Albain is still out there.”

“Yes, but he is powerless. The wizards ensured that upon his banishment.”

She frowned but said nothing else about it.

“Do you wish to stay and spend more time with your father?”

“Yes. A bit. I’m not certain how busy he is.”

“He has the Pastelle ambassador here, but I don’t know for how much longer. Other than that, I don’t know of any reason he can’t at least dine with you each day.”

She smiled again before leaning forward to kiss him. He growled and held her close when she tried to pull back.

She laughed. “Kephas. We can’t, not right now.”

“I want you, always.”

“And I you, but we need to find out what my father will do with the Kevan. I can’t rest until I know.”

He sighed and released her, but she didn’t leave his side.

“After I’ve spent a couple of weeks getting to know my father better, I would like to return to your castle.”

Warmth filled him at her confession. “Truly? You will stay with me there?”

“Yes. For as long as you’ll have me.”

He pulled her onto his lap and held her head in one palm so he could look her in the eyes. “Always, Theda. I never want to be without you.” He kissed her lightly. “I want you to be my wife, and have my children, if it’s possible. Even if it isn’t, I never want to sleep without you beside me.”

His hopes fell as her eyes welled up, but he just kissed her until she pulled away.

“Do you love me, Kephas?”

“Yes, of course. That’s what I’ve been saying.”

She threw her arms around his neck. “I love you too. And I want to be your wife and have your children.” She pulled back to look at him. “If it’s possible.”

“The wizards don’t know why Astrid and Phaidra became pregnant when no other woman before them did, but all we can do is try.”

“Then let’s try.”

He started kissing her more vigorously and she laughed. “Not now, Kephas. Not now.”

* * * * *

Albain sat far enough from the living wall that surrounded Halstrid to keep it from alerting the gargoyles to his presence, but close enough to still see it. He remembered the magic that fueled it now, along with other tricks he had learned over the years. It was all coming back to him, slowly. Such as the ability to scry.

He looked into the copper bowl of water on his lap and watched Wynn and the pink-haired woman talking over dinner. They discussed her brother and his brother and the trouble they had found in the woods.

The banished wizard laughed as he listened to them discuss Steinn and his lover. Oh what a scene that must have been! If the idiot gargoyle had indeed offended the Varish they would be vigilant in their reckoning. Now Albain might have a new ally. All he had to do was find them.

He tossed out the water and dried the bowl before shoving it into Theda’s old pack. He couldn’t remember why he had decided to keep the old, worn thing, but it seemed a waste to throw it out now. Maybe he would put her father’s head in it and give it back to her as a wedding present.