Chapter 12
“ I didn’t know,” Orix said, breaking the silence in the van.
I sighed, my eyes on the road ahead. “I believe you.”
Arcadia was several hours away, outside of the pockets of magic and in the rim that we knew and tolerated.
There were no ports into the stronghold, not that regular goyles knew of, anyway, but I doubted that the Arcadian committee would have left themselves without a quick escape route.
I’d always believed that the headquarters was also housed in Arcadia, but apparently it had a separate location, which, now I thought about it, made sense because humans also worked there.
We’d fueled up in the mundane half of Mistlegate before leaving, so we were good to go.
“Are you sure you don’t need to rest?” Shar asked me. “You and Levi have done a lot of driving.”
“She’s right,” Curi said, stifling a yawn. “We should all get some sleep.”
“We can park and get some shut-eye.”
“We probably should have stayed in town for a few hours,” Ginia said. “Gotten some rooms.”
“And paid for a whole day?” Palia looked affronted. “No way.”
“I’m fine.” I stifled a yawn of my own. “Okay, maybe I’m not.”
The road was bordered by woodland, an empty stretch where our van was the only vehicle.
“There’s a track coming up on the left,” Levi said. “Pull in there, and we can take a nap.”
I swung us onto the track, wheels bumping along uneven ground as I took us a little way along the trail and deeper into the cover of trees before killing the engine.
“Is it safe here?” Palia asked, peering out of the windows.
“A van filed with gargoyles?” Ginia said. “I think we’re safe.”
“I will keep watch,” Derek said.
“You need to rest too,” Shar reminded him. “Yarrow said sleep is essential for your development.”
“I can sleep later,” Derek said. He lowered himself onto the floor closest to the door, legs crossed.
I climbed out of the driver’s seat, careful not to step on Derek, to find that all the seats were taken.
“There’s room here,” Curi called from the longer back seat. It was a deeper seat than the others.
“Or if you want a seat to yourself, I’ll snuggle with Mason,” Touron said with a cheeky grin.
“Cameron can sleep in my lap,” Derek offered.
“I can take the front passenger seat,” Levi said. “You can have my spot here.” He made to get up.
I held up my hands. “It’s fine. I’m good.” I shooed Levi back down. “It’s too cramped in the front. My thighs ache from driving, and you’re much taller than me. I’ll share with Curi.”
Curi moved over to make room, lying on his side so I could lie down next to him.
He put his arm around me to anchor me to him, and I snuggled close.
I was used to hugs from him. Used to being close, but this was my first time sleeping with him.
There was no discomfort, though. No sense of awkwardness.
“You good?” he asked, his voice low.
“Mmmm…You?”
“I’m good.”
My eyelids drifted closed, warm lethargy infusing my limbs.
Blades of lush grass tickle my bare feet as I walk toward a circle of light.
The world around me is dark and empty, and I know, instinctively, not to stray from this grassy trail.
The light ahead holds warm golden hues that invite me to safety, but the darkness watches me, waiting for me to slip up so it can take a bite.
The closer I get to the light, the more the dark presses in until there’s nothing but a narrow strip of grass to guide me.
I pick up my pace, falling into a jog then a full sprint that takes me into the light, leaving the hungry dark behind.
Sunlight stings my eyes, and the world is fuzzy at the edges, giving the impression of greenery and flora, but my attention is drawn to the one spot of clarity in this strange vista: a lake with three benches lined along it, two brown with a bright red one in the center that houses a figure with his back to me. That back…That form…
My heart leaps. “Serath?”
The figure tenses and turns his head, offering me his profile.
“Serath!” I rush forward, and he stands abruptly to face me.
His mouth parts in shock. He reaches for me. I’m so close I can almost touch him, but the world rocks and I’m thrown backward, snatched away from him and tugged into the claws of darkness once more.
“—up. You need to wake up.”
I surged into consciousness with Curi’s hands on my shoulders, his face a mask of concern.
The van shook, and someone howled.
“What the—” There were figures outside the van, circling and banging against the metal. Something smashed against the glass.
“Leave!” Orix yelled through the window.
“Why dontcha come out and say that, big guy?” one of the males outside goaded.
He was small, maybe five seven, with a scraggly goatee beard and a beanie hat that made him look like he had a peanut head.
His coat was all leather and dirty gray fake fur, and the bat clutched in his hand was encrusted with reddish brown stains.
Blood.
There were five others with him, all men. Humans.
“They’ll go away,” Shar said. “They’ll get bored and leave.”
“And if they don’t?” Levi asked. “That one has a blade.” He indicated a weaselly looking guy.
The man hopped from foot to foot in his battered boots and skinny jeans, his jacket a little too tight across his belly area.
“I can’t believe we have to sit this out,” Ginia groaned.
“What would you rather do?” Orix demanded. “Go outside and risk an altercation?”
“If you hadn’t noticed, we’re already in an altercation,” Curi said dryly. “The only difference is they’re doing all the altercating.”
“I’m confused,” Derek said. “Why can’t we make them leave?”
I’d only learned about the rule a few months before joining the academy.
“Gargoyles are prohibited from attacking a pure human. They’re bound to protect them, and there are some humans who know this and, from time to time, take advantage.
” Romi had told me a few stories about such groups.
About a gargoyle who’d been attacked, beaten, and tortured by a small group of humans who took pleasure in inflicting pain on what they called Otherworlders.
A bottle smashed against the side of the van, and laughter rose.
I glanced at Levi in the driver’s seat. “Why are we still here?”
“They’ve blocked off the road behind us and in front,” Levi said. “I can’t reverse or go forward.”
“So…gargoyles can’t attack them,” Derek pondered. “What about me? What about you my Cameron? You are not full gargoyle.”
He had a point. “Orix, is it just pure goyles who are prohibited from hurting a human?”
Palia sat up straighter in her seat. “Yes, yes, it’s purebloods. There’s no mention of halfbloods in the edict.”
“Good.” I made to squeeze past Orix, who was blocking the door, but he grabbed my arm.
“Don’t. What if you hurt them?”
“They’ll have had it coming.”
He released me with a sigh, and I pulled the lever to open the door.
The group backed up as I exited.
“Bit small for a stone bastard, aintcha?” the ringleader said. He sucked on his teeth. “You a runt?”
I gave him a closed-lipped smile. “Nope. I’m a halfblood. Do you know what that means?”
His eyes narrowed. “You one of them abominations.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I’ve been called worse, but what’s relevant to this situation is that I have no qualms about kicking your ass.” I strode forward, and he backed up a step before catching himself and standing his ground.
“We can take you.”
The air shifted as Derek materialized beside me. “You’re not taking my Cameron anywhere.”
Their eyes rounded as they took him in.
The driver’s door opened, and Levi climbed out, stretching to his full six-two height. “They won’t touch her, Derek,” he said. “Or they’ll have three of us to contend with.”
The human raised his bat and smacked it against his free hand. “I reckon we still might be able ta take ya.”
His companions didn’t look too sure, though. Time to drive home my point. I lifted my hand and willed my talons to extend. My hand morphed, fingers elongating as thick, vicious talons pushed out the tips.
Beside me, Derek expanded into his larger form, his arms elongating, shadow talons protruding from his fingers.
Blade guy’s eyes bulged. “Um, Gaz, I think we should go.”
The three of us took a unified step forward, and this time the whole group backed away.
“I suggest you listen to your friend, Gaz. I’ve had a shitty day, and there’s nothing better than a little evisceration to lift the mood.” I fixed a manic smile on my face and looked from my talon-tipped hand to his abdomen.
He lowered his bat and backed up into the underbrush. “Let’s go. These fuckers ain’t worth it.”
I moved forward, and he let out a yelp and ran into the woods.
“Nothing like a little evisceration to lift the mood?” Levi asked.
I tucked away my talons and offered him a sweet smile. “The way I feel recently, it’s exactly what I need.” I strode to the back of the van. “Get in and start this tin can. I’ll move the tree trunk, and we can get the fuck out of here.”
No more naps. No more almost-dreams about Serath. The ache of loss it left inside me was too painful. I’d been denied the closure of a funeral for Serath, but maybe saying goodbye to Varsa would allow me to say goodbye to Serath too.