Chapter 12 – Celaeno
CELAENO
None of the gargoyles speak much the rest of the day.
We stop for a couple of breaks, and then when evening sets in, we see the lights of a big city.
Grey steers us away from it, circling around until we find a massive, sprawling manor a short flight from the city.
It’s surrounded by a tall, strong wall of white stone, and the castle is made with the same stone.
The tiny forest and garden within the wall looks to be newly tended, and there’s a “for sale” sign posted out front.
The lights are turned on, but there aren’t any cars outside. And there’s a general sense that no one has lived there for a long time.
We land in the front yard. Ender goes to the front door and pulls out a small set of tools.
Kneeling down before the handle, I realize he plans to break in.
I want to ask them if this is a good idea.
Aren’t we risking getting caught? I want a soft bed and bath more than anyone could imagine, but I’m not sure it’s worth breaking into a house.
But I’m still mad at all of them for not seeming to care about Aglaope just because she’s a monster, so instead of asking my questions, I walk away, heading for the back.
For a while I don’t really pay attention to the garden, other than a passing thought that it’s kind of lovely. And a ridiculous display of wealth.
My mind is just consumed with thoughts of Aglaope. She’s little more than a child. A semi-immortal who has already had a hard life. Unwanted and unloved by the other sirens, she was miserable when I briefly stayed on her tribe’s island.
Through my time there, I saw her for what she was: a fighter. A smart child with a will to survive at any cost. And now? She had gone against her people, destroyed everything she’d worked for, just to protect me and my gargoyles.
We owe her so much.
Certainly more than to disdainfully act as if being a siren meant her sacrifice meant nothing.
Moving down a path, I look up to see a statue. I continue on until I’m in front of it, and then I stare in shock. It’s a gargoyle. One still in its stone-form. It’s also… a woman.
I rack my brains. I’ve seen a lot of art in my long life. And many gargoyles perched on the tops of buildings. In fact, in my bird-form I’ve slept beneath the comfort of stone gargoyles more times than I can count, taking refuge from the rain.
Because I never really knew that the monster-hunters and statues were the same. I bet few monsters know that, because if they did, we’d likely have gone around smashing all the statues before they could shift into creatures capable of killing us.
And yet, as I stare at this statue, I’m distracted by my sadness, my curiosity aroused. What made this statue remain when the others transformed? And what artist created a female one, and for what purpose?
“Holy shit!”
I spin around to see Grey and Ender staring up at the statue.
They rush toward me.
Ender reaches up as if to touch the statue, then curls his fingers back. “Do you think the Elites know about her?”
Grey shakes his head, his gaze distant. “We’ll have to tell them so they can purchase this place while it’s available.”
“They buy places with gargoyle statues?” I ask.
Ender answers without thinking. “Not all statues awaken. Some statues take a great deal of time. But our leaders try to buy places like this, to protect our kind as much as possible.”
“And especially because she’s a female,” Grey’s voice is soft.
I hate that I feel a ping of jealousy. “Why does that matter?”
“They’re rare,” Ender answers, and Grey shoots him a dirty look.
Rare? Why? I open my mouth to ask questions.
Grey cuts me off. “That’s more than you need to know.”
I glare at him. “Remember this the next time you have any questions.”
He raised a brow. “Noted.”
Journey comes hurrying down the path. “We have a problem, guys.”
“Stay here,” Grey orders me.
Ender and Grey rush after Journey, and they all head for the house.
I feel annoyed as I stand in the garden. These gargoyles owe me nothing, not really, but this song and dance is getting old. I don’t expect them to treat me like a friend, or even someone they care about, but I’d be nice to not be treated like shit for a little while.
“Who are you?”
I whirl around at the sound of the strange man’s voice, my heart racing.
Three men stand behind me. All have nothing more than a band of cloth tied around their waists. All three have long hair and wild expressions. And they’re massive. As massive as my gargoyles.
Something about them makes me uneasy, like I’m facing three wild animals rather than men.
“I—I was going to stay the night. Do you live here?”
The men exchange a glance.
One of them steps toward me, his eyes almost golden in color. “We live here. It’s our home. It has been for as long as we can remember.”
“I’m sorry,” I tell them. “I’ll go.”
“No,” he says, and his tone is tender. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen a female. And you—you’re a beautiful female.”
I know I should be scared by these three. There really is something dangerous about them, but I also get the feeling that they won’t hurt me. It’s the same way I feel about my gargoyles.
Taking a deep breath, I take a chance. “You guys aren’t human, are you?”
The golden-eyed one shakes his head. “No, we’re gargoyles.” He moves closer and reaches out, his fingers stretching out until he brushes my cheek. “Does that frighten you?”
For a minute, I’m torn. Moments flash in my mind, of Ender, Journey, and Grey looking at me like this. The times when their touch was gentle. I don’t want this gargoyle the way I want them, but there’s something strangely precious about this moment.
It’s like a reminder that without my label of “monster,” I can be seen as a woman. As attractive.
“Who the fuck are you?” Grey’s voice comes from far behind me, and he sounds enraged.
The gargoyle before me stiffens, but he continues to touch the skin of my cheek like he can’t stop. His gaze pulls from mine and goes to Grey.
“You’re the gargoyles that were born here, aren’t you?” Grey asks, but he still sounds angry.
The man who touches me nods. “And you are gargoyles too. Is this your female?”
“No,” Grey rushes out.
It stings how much the one word hurts.
The man cocks his head. “Then, can we have her?”
“No fucking way!” Ender shouts, and I realize Grey isn’t alone. “Get away from her!”
I turn just slightly to see all three of my gargoyles at the top of the path that leads down to where we stand. And I’m shocked, because they look angrier than I’ve ever seen them before. Do gargoyles not like each other?
“She’s not yours…” the gargoyle continues.
“But she does belong to us,” Journey says, the words holding a possessive tone.
“Which is it?” The gargoyle asks. “Is she yours or not?”
I wait, holding my breath. Will they make some kind of claim to me to keep these strange gargoyles from wanting to take me? Or do they hate me so much that they can’t even pretend to make this situation easier?
“She’s our prisoner,” Grey says, his words dropping like ice.
“Prisoner?” The gargoyle looks at my collar.
“Since when do gargoyles imprison females?” He snarls.
His hand drops from my cheek, and he pulls his sword free.
“We have been asleep for a long time, but not so long as to have forgotten that we are protectors! Defenders of the innocent! And I swear, gargoyle or not, you will die by my sword if you try to harm a female.”
My heart beat races in my ears. The two gargoyles behind this one withdraw their swords, but my gargoyles remain standing. Ender and Journey look to Grey, and I can see them waiting for the slightest signal showing what they should do.
A woman’s voice whispers in my ear. “Be careful.”
I shiver, glancing around. Cold fingers seem to trail up my spine. A ghost? It’s been awhile since a ghost reached out to me. Fewer and fewer since my time in the Underworld.
“She isn’t a female, not really.” Grey pauses.
Don’t say it. Don’t say it. If he says it—
“She’s a monster.”
His words drop between all of us like stones. The wild gargoyle looks to me.
“Duck before you lose your head,” the ghost whispers into my ear.
And sure enough, the gargoyle pulls back his sword. I leap out of the way, almost losing my head.
On the ground, I spin so that I’m on my back. The wild gargoyle roars and leaps toward me.
Grey is there in an instant. Their swords clang together.
“Brother, why do you fight me?” the gargoyle shouts.
Grey’s voice comes out strained. “Her use isn’t over yet.”
The gargoyle makes a sound of disgust. “No monster has a use!”
I scoot back and see that Ender and Journey are squaring off with the other two gargoyles. My heart races. I don’t see how this can possibly end with all of us alive.
“You’ve been asleep for a long time,” Grey continues. “There’s a lot you don’t understand, but all your questions can be answered in the gargoyle sanctuary.”
The wild gargoyle glances between me and Grey. “Sanctuary?”
“The place most gargoyles live now. Where we’re given missions. Monsters to kill. Things we must do in order to receive a mate.”
“Mate?” one of the other gargoyles asks, lowering his sword. “If we go to this place, we may be given a mate?”
“Yes,” Grey tells them.
Another tense moment passes. The wild gargoyle looks to me. “And what will become of her?”
Grey answered without hesitation. “She’ll die.”
The way he says it. I hate that it breaks my heart.
The wild gargoyle nods and resheaths his sword. His two companions do the same.
“Tell us where to find this sanctuary.”
Grey nods and gestures for them to follow him across the well-manicured lawn.
When they’re far enough away, Journey walks towards me and holds out a hand.
I ignore him and rise to my feet. My skin still feels irritated from the sea water.
My clothes have dried, but they feel stiff and uncomfortable.
I’m covered in twigs and leaves. And these gargoyles just spoke about killing me as if it was inevitable.
The last thing I want is for any of them to touch me.
Journey sweeps a hand through his tangled blond hair and his blue eyes look at me with guilt. “We’ve found your room for the night.”
I give him a sharp nod and walk up the white path leading back up to the manor. But each step I take, my heart breaks a little.
Why do I keep doing this to myself? Did I really think it was a good thing that they’re upfront about their plans to eventually kill me?
I’m a complete idiot. It’s not. It just means I’ve surrounded myself with assholes again.
New day. Same old stupid Celaeno.