“Whatdo you mean?”
“Dothey look human to you?”
Isnorted. “You’rejoking, right?”
Heturned to the gargoyles. “Areyou shielded?”
“Yes,” both acknowledged.
“Hmm.”Hugorubbed his jawline. “Interesting.”
“What’sinteresting?Andwhat shields?Idon’t see them holding any.”
“Thatrefers to our magic.We’reable to cloak ourselves to appear human, to blend in with them.Butyou don’t see them that way?”
“No.”Isnorted. “Theylook quite like living gargoyles to me.”
Hecocked his head. “Andme?”
“Thesame.”
Thethree gargoyle men exchanged a look, but didn’t say anything.
“What’sthat look for?”Iasked.
“It’sjust odd that you can see through our shields,”Hugoreplied. “Ithought that might have been a fluke with me earlier, but with them as well…”Hisvoice trailed off and then he straightened. “Weshould appear no different to you than any other man you encounter every day.”
Ireplied with a doubtful sound, since these beings appeared far unlike any menI’dever seen.DespiteHugo’sinhuman appearance, there was something entirely alluring about him.Hestudied me as if still stunned by my ability to see him.
Ishrugged.Thatmight be the least surprising thingI’dencountered as of late.Ishoved it to the bottom of the list of surprises. “Don’tlook at me for an explanation,”Ireplied. “Ihaven’t got a clue.”
Aftera few more words in some sort of guard talk about positions and so forth,Hugoturned back to me. “I’lltake you to theVault.”
“Thewhat?”
“That’swhat we call our base.”
“TheVault,”Irepeated with a rueful laugh. “Well, since it looks likeImay be locked up there for the upcoming future,Iguess it’s apt.”
WhenIturned back toward the rooftop door, he stopped me. “Notthat way.”
Ifaced him. “Whynot?”
“It’ssafer to fly.”
Mypulse jolted. “Youdon’t mean—?Areyou saying—?”Iblew out a breath and tried again. “Doyou mean you’re going to fly in the air—with me?”
“Yes,” he replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
Itook a giant step backward and shook my head while the three gargoyles stared at me with confusion. “Noway.Absolutelynot.”
Hisbrows drew closer together. “Whynot?”
“Fly?”Myeyes bulged. “Areyou serious?”
“Whywouldn’tIbe?”
Myheart pounded. “Youcan’t.Iwon’t.”WhileItried to figure out whatIwas trying to say,Imotioned to the sky before us. “Ican’tfly.”Thatwas simply stating the obvious, but the idea of even considering what he proposed flabbergasted me.
