Born of Magic: Gargoyle Masters, Book 2 (7 page)

“Zee,” he croaked.

“I’m here,” she replied. Emotion changed her voice, but she no longer cared if anyone knew about her tears. Only Zephyr mattered.

She held a cup of water to his dry lips and allowed him a few sips before pulling it back. “Take care. You’re badly injured. You need rest.”

He nodded, but then turned to Wynn. “Your brother, Steinn, was injured as well…but not seriously. He dropped me off here…before flying back to the battle.” He sucked in a painful breath before continuing. “We were closer here…than to your castle.”

“And my other brothers? Were they there to aid you?”

“No. We were…ambushed. Alone.”

“So you and Steinn were traveling alone together when you were ambushed?”

Zephyr nodded before hissing in a breath from the pain of that small movement. “Yes. Just leaving the King…to head home…to your home.”

Wynn nodded his understanding.

Well Zephara didn’t understand. Zephyr’s business was with the king, not the gargoyles. Why was he traveling with Steinn back to his castle? Then the memory of their conversation about the handsome gargoyles entered her mind and she barely hid a grin. Zephyr must’ve tired of what company he could find in Ilstred and hoped to convince one of the Masters to change his preferences, or at least experiment. She shook her head at the thought and released a sigh at her brother’s antics. It would have been more amusing if his libido hadn’t almost gotten him killed.

“Who attacked you?” she asked. “Did you see them?”

“Not clearly. Too dark…and quick.”

She feared that would be so and nodded her understanding. Wynn paced away a moment before returning to her side. “I must find my brother.”

“Yes, of course.”

He turned to Zephyr. “I hope you recover quickly. I should return soon with news.” Then he grasped Zephara’s hand and led her from the room.

She went willingly, knowing he wanted to say goodbye without others watching. As soon as they left the room he pulled her into his arms. “I hate to leave you for even a minute. But I must find my brother.”

“I understand. I wish I could go with you. But even if I could leave Zephyr’s side, the terms of my agreement with the wizards forbids travel away from the castle until my week is finished.”

“I know.”

He kissed and held her as if he might never see her again. She returned his passion even as she sought the truth from the ether. Her psychic senses were quiet, without so much as a hint of warning or reassurance.

Finally Wynn pulled back and released her. “I’ll return as soon as I’m able. I swear it.”

“I know you will. Now go, and take care.”

“I will.”

He placed one more swift kiss on her before striding out the front door. Her heart ached as she watched him pull it shut behind him.

Walking away from her was the hardest thing Wynn had done in his life. He
knew
this was the unease Orestes and Nel had spoken of about their own women. She was the one then, Wynn’s woman. Eternal-mates she had called it. He couldn’t deny it, nor did he want to, which was a pleasant surprise.

He took to the air and headed in the direction of the King’s castle, searching the ground for evidence of a battle. He soon found it, and then the form of an unconscious Steinn, partially hidden at the top of a large tree.

His brother was in human form, cradled within the thick branches of an old oak. They held him as securely as a mother’s arms until Wynn carefully pulled him into his own. The branches creaked as if in acknowledgement and smoothed into a more natural position. Wynn didn’t know what magic had caused such a thing but he was grateful. His brother was as bloody as Zephyr had been. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be able to say why he had reverted to human form until he woke.

For a moment Wynn considered heading back to Gregori’s castle so he would be with Zephara, but that would be a mistake. Steinn needed to be near the Wizard Stone, in their castle. With a groan he turned away from where his heart desired to be and headed home.

Chapter Seven

They were past the unmarked Pastel border when Kephas heard a woman’s scream. More outrage than pain sounded in her voice, but he jumped on Triton and spurred him toward the sound. The beating of hooves on packed earth resounded through the shallow forest and warned all of his arrival, but there was nothing for it. Getting to her was more important than stealth. He spied the cloaked figure running away as he approached the woman kneeling on the ground.

“Are you all right?” he called to her.

She looked up and at the sight of her familiar face all thought of pursuit disappeared. He reined in Triton and jumped off, landing next to her. She fell back and held up a bloody knife that was almost too small to be seen.

“Stay back,” she hollered. “They took all I had. Stay back!”

He held his hands out in a placating gesture. “I mean you no harm. Are you injured?”

She shook her head and continued to push away from him along the ground. He stopped in his tracks to keep her from injuring herself. She was the exact image of Queen Feshara, though much younger than the Queen should be. This, then, was the Princess.

“My name is Kephas and I mean you no harm. I’m a protector, not a thief or a man who would harm an innocent. I heard your scream.”

She stopped moving and watched him a moment before swallowing. “I’m Theda. I was robbed by bandits and my traveling companion chased after them…somehow.”

So her name had been changed? Her resemblance to the Queen’s portrait couldn’t be denied. He only wondered if she knew her true name, and her true place in their world. Was it the Queen who chased after the bandits?

“Your companion?” he asked.

She nodded. “A friend. He moved a lot faster than I expected for his age. He might even catch the bandits…I injured one of them.”

He wanted to pick her up from the hard ground but the fear still evident in her expression kept him in place. “I see.”

She stood slowly, lowering her feeble knife. He would’ve laughed at anyone else holding such a weapon against him, but he was too busy being amazed by her courage.

“Are you injured?” he asked again.

“Just my pride. I was too distracted to see the three bandits jump from the brush. They took my pack before I realized what had knocked me off my feet. I swiped my knife through one as he ran, but I think I only got his arm. And now everything I own is gone.” Her shoulders slumped as she looked off in the distance. “Everything.”

He could no longer fight the need to protect and aid her. He turned to Triton and pulled a waterskin from his saddle bags, then slowly approached her.

Theda watched the huge man walk slowly toward her. The look of wary concern on his face was almost comical. It was that look alone that kept her from bringing her knife back up. Lot of good it would do, though. If it even pierced his thick skin it would probably only make him laugh. His skin was an odd grayish hue that matched his hair and clothes, as well as his mustache and short beard. He stopped an arm’s length away—his arm’s length—and held out the waterskin.

“Water?”

Her throat suddenly felt parched and sore. She gave a short nod before accepting his offer with her free hand. His full lips curled up the slightest bit and she almost dropped the water. Damn he was handsome, despite his odd coloring.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

“You’re welcome. Do you wish to wait here for your companion? Or should we follow in his wake?”

She started at his use of
we,
but had to admit having a protector of his size would be comforting. But what did she really know of this man? Albain had been wary, but he’d admitted the gargoyles were only dangerous if angered. So long as she didn’t anger Kephas, would he remain peaceful? There was really only one way to find out. She didn’t want to be left alone when there were bandits about.

“I suppose we should follow,” she finally said.

He nodded and started slowly along the path. She fell into step beside him, but not too close. The path was wide enough to allow wagons through and he and his horse took up nearly half the space, but she remained walking along the opposite edge. Silence reined between them for a few minutes as they set an even pace that was neither hurried nor leisurely.

She kept her gaze locked straight ahead, lest she give in and stare at the strange man. He almost appeared carved from stone. The cloak on his back also had a strange shape, as if it covered a pack or some abnormality on his back. From the corner of her eye she watched him glance at her every few steps, and finally gave in to the urge to speak.

“What?” she asked.

“I said nothing.”

“But you keep looking at me. Is there something on my face?”

He grinned and shook his head. “Not at all. I’m just curious about you.”

“Why?”

“You seem very young for a woman wandering these lands alone.”

She huffed in annoyance. “I wasn’t alone. My companion ran off after the bandits, remember?”

He nodded. “That’s right. Your companion seemed to think running off after your satchel a good enough reason to leave you alone on the road, fully exposed and vulnerable.”

“I’m not vulnerable. And he’s just an old man anyway. I never said he was my protector. If anything, I should have been looking out for him. But he gave me no warning when he ran off after the thieves.”

That earned her a raised brow, but she looked away angrily.

“So, you’re traveling these lands with an old man and nothing more than that little bit of metal to protect yourself?”

It did sound a bit ridiculous when worded like that, which only angered her more.

“That isn’t any of your business. I don’t even know who you are.”

“I told you. I’m Kephas, a protector from Halstrid. One of the Gargoyle Masters who protect the realm.”

Equal parts fear, awe, and curiosity rose up in her and she wasn’t sure what to say.

“You have no need to fear me,” he said. “I’m a protector of innocents. So unless you’re guilty of some crime, I would have no cause to quarrel with you.”

Kephas fought down a grin as she tossed her pretty head in obvious offense. There was no doubt in his mind she was as innocent as a newborn babe, in many ways. Her discomfort bothered him, but he couldn’t let down his guard until they found her companion or the thieves. Until then he would remain in gargoyle form.

“Of course I’m not guilty of anything. Other than getting distracted earlier.”

“When you were attacked?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

He was trying to think of something else to say when Giga ran up from wherever it had disappeared to. Theda startled at its sudden appearance but didn’t seem too surprised to see the creature.

“You have a pet?”

“It appears so, though I think he’s adopted me rather than the other way around.”

“He?”

“I’m only guessing.”

The creature looked up at Theda and seemed to grin. “Giga! Giga me!”

“Giga?” she asked.

“That appears to be his name.”

“Ah. Hello, Giga. I’m Theda.”

Giga nodded his head as he continued to walk beside them. “Theeeeeda. Theeeeda bye.”

“I believe that means you’re traveling with us.”

“Mhmm,” she mumbled.

He watched her a moment longer before turning his attention back to the path ahead. Tracks were still visible where the thieves had fled, as well as a deeper mark that must have been her companion’s staff.

“This companion of yours, is he handy with that staff as a weapon as well as a walking stick?”

“I honestly don’t know. I don’t know much about Albain other than he’d been in the fishing village a time or two.”

Kephas froze. Theda continued on a couple of paces before she realized he was no longer beside her and looked over her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“You say his name is
Albain
?”

“Yes.”

Theda took the few steps back to where Kephas stood scowling. Despite the anger on his face she no longer feared him. If he had wanted to hurt her he could have easily done so already. So why did the mention of the old man’s name anger him? Albain’s earlier words about the gargoyles echoed through her mind.

Oh aye, very friendly until you do something they don’t like. Then they turn deadly in the blink of an eye.

What had the old man done that the Masters didn’t like?

“You know of him?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I know of an old man who goes by that name, and it’s not exactly a common one. He was a wizard once, and his motivations will always be in question in my eyes. That wizard is known to carry a staff that he is capable of using as a weapon.”

“A wizard?” she asked with a slight laugh. “That’s ridiculous.”

Wasn’t it?

The expression on Kephas’s face seemed to argue that not only wasn’t it ridiculous, it was true. She shook her head and started walking again. He followed.

“I don’t truly know Albain. He spoke with my mother a few times in the village where we lived, but I hadn’t seen him for months before running into him today. He fed me and offered companionship on my way to Halstrid.”

“He planned to travel to Halstrid?”

“He seemed confused about that, but was willing to remain with me that far.”

“Hmm.”

They walked on a bit more before finally seeing a dwelling ahead. More dotted the landscape as well.

Giga hissed and stood on his hind legs, sniffing the air. Then he looked at Kephas. “Giga hiiiiide. Giga hiiiiide.”

Then he ran off into the nearby brush. They watched him go without a word.

“Looks like Giga will hide now that we’ve reached civilization again,” she said to break the silence.

“Yes. It appears so.” Kephas looked around. “And there’s no sign of your
companion
.”

“Um…no. But we didn’t start out together. I just sort of found him. Perhaps he changed his mind about traveling together.”

They walked past the home and continued on until a collection of buildings became visible. Kephas stopped and turned to face her.

“Have you been in Pastel before?” he asked.

She shook her head and looked around. “I’ve been in the Outlands of the Southern Rim since I was a babe.”

“We’re in a land called Pastel and the people here are referred to as the Pastelle.”

“Pah-stay.”

“Yes. They are…different than humans.”

“Like you?”

He seemed surprised by her words and looked down at himself. Then in the blink of an eye he changed. He shrank a foot in height and lost some of his girth. The odd lumps beneath his cloak smoothed out so his back appeared normal. The gray tint over his hair and skin disappeared, changing to tan, along with hair as black as a raven’s wings. The shaggy strands began to sway with his movements, whereas before they hadn’t. His short beard was just as dark and neatly groomed to cover only his chin.

She took a step back. “What did you do?”

“I’ve taken on my human form. I was in my gargoyle form before.”

“Oh…I see.”

His light brown eyes held amusement but the corners of his mouth remained firm. He held one large hand out, gesturing for her to precede him. She managed not to stumble as she walked past him, but it was a near thing. Compared to the few men she’d been around her whole life, he was a very fine specimen.

“So you’ve always lived in the Rim but weren’t born there?” he asked.

She glanced at him before returning her attention to the buildings and the people around them. Did she really want this mysterious man to know more about her? Living among people who thought she was a freak of nature had made her wary, but she sensed only mild curiosity from him. Besides, who would better know what it’s like to be different than someone like him who was created rather than born?

“No. According to my mother I was born in Halstrid.”

Kephas was supposed to be looking for the Queen as well, but where was she? There was no doubt in his mind that this was Princess Theodora, but her wariness made him tread carefully. If her mother had spoken well of her homeland, then she would’ve known she could trust him the moment they met. It was his duty to protect her.

“Your mother remained in the Rim while you travel to Halstrid?” he asked.

Her shoulders slumped and she shook her head. Though her expression remained blank, the tightening of her jaw told of her discomfort. An immediate desire to hold and comfort her gripped him. He had to fist his hands to keep from reaching for her.

“My mother died. I buried her in the woods near our home. Then I set out.”

Shock rang through him, as well as a sense of helplessness. “I’m very sorry for your loss.” How would he break this news to his King?

“Thank you. It’s only been a matter of days. I still feel numb about it.”

He did reach out then, no longer able to help himself. His hand looked so large when he set it upon her shoulder, he feared hurting her. She looked up with surprise, but not fear. Hope soared through him and he smiled at her. When she smiled back it was as if the sun had burst forth through storm-clouds after weeks of hiding. His heart lurched in his chest and he forgot to breathe for a moment.

Then she faced forward again and his hand slipped off her shoulder. The spell was broken and a profound sense of loss hit him.

“She was a wonderful woman, but we never seemed to agree on anything. Now I travel to find my father to see if maybe he’s any different.”

“Your father? Where is he?”

Theda hesitated and wanted to curse herself for opening her big mouth. It was just so nice to have someone actually listen to her for a change. She’d grown so used to being ignored that Kephas’s attention quickly grew addictive. And he didn’t seem to judge her at all. He just seemed curious.

Still, if he was a protector of the realm then he worked for her father, the King. It might not be safe to reveal that she was the Princess to this man, no matter how safe and protective he might seem. If the King truly had kicked her and her mother out, then he wouldn’t be happy to have her return.

“Um…I’m not certain. I only know he lived somewhere in Halstrid and he’s human. I’ll have to ask a lot of questions when I get there.”