“Maggie safe. Strong.” He pried her hands off, holding her tiny fists inside his. He hated to leave her alone again, but he wasn’tsure he could carry both her and a reluctant Kaspar at the same time.
Her green eyes etched into him deeper than any moss. “Promise you won’t get into any trouble you can’t get out of? I need you to come back to me.”
Overwhelmed by her concern, he nodded. “I’ll come back to you. Always.”
He launched upward before he changed his mind. It didn’t take him long to find the man. Kaspar was drinking on the docks, laughing and watching Maggie’s ship burn. He hadn’t even tried to hide. He wascelebrating.
So deep in his cups, he didn’t seem to notice the dark wings swooping overhead. Evrard caught the back of Kaspar’s clothing and yanked him into the sky. The other humans on the dock shouted after him, but there was nothing they could do.
Banking around the thick column of smoke, Evrard gave the human a good look at the ruined ship he was so eager to see. “You did this?”
Kaspar didn’t answer, just screamed and struggled in his grip. Where did he think he was going? Did he really want to fall into the sea from this height? Evrard gave him a shake. “Enough squealing. Answer me.”
Kaspar only doubled his efforts, flailing his limbs. He twisted and turned enough that the wool fabric of his coat started to shred. He wanted to get away? Evrard dropped him to teach him a lesson.
Kaspar fell with a shrill exclamation toward the burning boat below. Immediately, Evrard clamped his wings to his back and dove, catching the man’s ankle just before he hit the deck. The flames seared the edges of his ears as he pulled them both through the fire and up out of range of the scorching heat.
Maybe it was resignation to his situation or the blood rushing to his head, but either way, Kaspar didn’t fight this time,just dangled there limply while Evrard located an eerily warm updraft to glide in and conserve his energy.
“Now. Answer. You did this?” Evrard rasped, tightening his grip. His throat was already sore from speaking so many human words, but he pushed past the pain. “Tell me or I drop again.”
“Y-yes. No. I sent my men. They did it.”
“You paid, they did.”
“Yes, yes. That’s what happened,” Kaspar said hurriedly. “Johan and Christof. I can point them out to you if you fly me back to shore.”
Evrard grunted. He didn’t care about whatever lackey had rowed the boat or lit the torch. It was all Kaspar’s doing. If anything, his cowardice made him more despicable. If you want to eat meat, you should be willing to hunt.
Kasper filled the silence with panicked babble, his voice thick from the blood running to his head. “Why do you care about the fucking boat, anyway? Is this about that Sparhauk shrew? You want her? You can have her. She’s nothing to me. I won’t stand in your way.”
Silently, Evrard agreed. He contemplated breaking Kaspar’s legs just to be sure he’d never stand again, even in the afterlife, but he didn’t relish the thought of inflicting pain.
The sad little human seemed to read his conflicted thoughts and resumed his struggle, as if escaping Evrard’s hold would earn him anything more than a deadly plunge into the cold sea. All the while, he never stopped talking. He was worse than a moth. “You can’t do this. You gargoyles aren’t allowed to harm us. If you kill me, your life is over, too. You’ll have your wings clipped when the Zenith finds out you broke the heartstone vow.”
The magical vow might stop Evrard from squeezing Kaspar’s neck, but it wouldn’t stop the force of gravity if Kaspar managed to wrench himself out of his grip. “Can’t kill. Might drop.”
The man stilled instantly. “What do you want? I’ll give you anything, just tell me. I have coin! Two ships. Barrels of salt herring. I’ll give you the wedding ring off my mother’s finger if you’ll let me go!” Kaspar whimpered. Weak little man. No gargoyle would whine and bargain when he was faced with the consequences of his own actions.
Evrard didn’t have an answer. What did he want from the man? Nothing, except perhaps his pain and suffering for causing Maggie distress. But if he harmed a human, even one that deserved it, he’d never again be trusted by his kind. Might even lose his wings.Thatwould be trouble he couldn’t get out of, and he’d promised Maggie to avoid it.
Still, he couldn’t let Kaspar walk away. Not after what he’d done. He deserved to be punished.
Evrard banked out of the updraft, heading out to sea.
“What are you doing? Where are you taking me?” Kaspar begged.
A low, wind-scoured island interrupted the dark horizon. When he reached it, he coasted low over the rocks, skimming it with his tail before skidding to a stop on the highest promontory. He dumped Kaspar in an untidy heap to deal with later.
“Wait! Stop! You can’t leave me here! What about your vow?”
In fact, Evrard could leave him there. He felt no pull on his guardian heart except toward the little beach where Maggie waited for him.
Chapter 13
A Wild Woman
Maggie
