Chapter 88
CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT
Ellery
I knew entering the cavern with the gargoyles was going to cause a stir, but most of them remained outside. Many of them didn’t want to return to a cavern after their last experience in one, and I didn’t blame them.
The first guards we passed looked about to shit themselves when the creatures, hunched over in the tunnel, crept past them. Only three of them had come with me, but three was more than enough to scare the most hardened of soldiers.
The claws on their toes created a soft tapping sound against the dirt as they walked, and sometimes the points on their wings would scrape the ceiling or floor. This tunnel was a lot more confined than their last one, and Indon grumbled about it more than a few times.
It had crossed my mind that the gargoyles could be playing with me and waiting for me to lead them to more amsirah for them to kill, but they didn’t need me for that. They could fly out over the towns and villages and find thousands upon thousands of amsirah to slaughter.
It seemed crazy, given the history of our species, but I trusted them. Maybe it was the forest talking to me.
Before we arrived at the cavern, the dim glow of torches and lanterns flickered within the corridor. They didn’t illuminate much of the space, but I welcomed the sight of it.
Despite being exhausted, hungry, thirsty, still cold from our flight here, and heartbroken, I was eager to see my friends. They were probably worried sick.
When the tunnel ended, I stood at the end of it as I took in everything they’d accomplished while I was gone.
Dozens of lanterns and torches were set into the walls, beds had been established, clothes were nestled into the small spaces the amsirah claimed, all the animals were secured away, and most amsirah slept soundly.
Only Xanthus remained in the main part of the cavern, probably because no one wanted to deal with him. He stood near the entrance and lifted his head when I entered; he nickered at me before lowering his head and returning to sleep.
Ianto, Scarlet, and Luna sat near a wall only fifteen feet away. Their bloodshot, swollen eyes were focused on the entrance. I imagined I looked more exhausted than them, but we still had so much to do.
When the three of them spotted me, they all pushed themselves to their feet and hurried forward. Indon’s emergence from the shadows froze them in place as their jaws dropped.
“Holy shit,” Luna breathed.
I didn’t realize Ruby and Mr. Fletcher were also still awake until he rose from the beds they had created. Ruby stayed seated with her son’s head in her lap; Billy slept soundly.
What few other amsirah remained awake stopped speaking as the three gargoyles spread out around me. Terror emanated from them as they huddled closer.
I didn’t blame them for their distress. As far as they knew, I’d led a new enemy straight into the only safe space they had left.
“It’s okay,” I whispered. I didn’t want to wake anyone else up, but I had to do something to ease the fear of those gawking at us. “They’ve agreed to help us, and we’re going to work together against the aristocrats.”
When silence met my words, I didn’t offer any other assurances. Instead, I walked over to my friends with the gargoyles following.
They all still stared at me like I’d lost my mind, and maybe I had after finding Ryker’s finger, but the gargoyles were our greatest hope to win against the nobles.
Perhaps we could have met with them outside of this cavern, but with the duke’s men in these woods, that could prove to be more treacherous.
Indon said he had an idea, and we all needed to sit down and formulate a plan.
While I was good at organizing robberies, I wasn’t so adept at developing plans for war.
None of us had much experience with that, but with all our minds working together, I was sure we could come up with something to defeat our enemies.
Whatever plan we came up with had to ensure Ryker and the children weren’t killed or used as shields during our attack. I had no idea how we were going to do that.
Apprehension curled in my stomach as I realized the easiest part of this might have been freeing the gargoyles. Now the real work would begin.