So he threw his coin and made his wish. He was right when he suggested I'd overheard many wishes. When people came in pairs or more, they tended to keep silent, but not always. I expected my sweet stranger to make a wish based on, as people usually did, material desire. A luxurious home, or the money to afford one.
But he surprised me by wishing for a better future. His golden coin represented only his happiness. Nothing more, nothing less. It sank among the sea of silver coins like a shining star.
I was swept up in the emotions churning inside me. I usually only felt boredom, or sadness, or despair, or a muddled mix of all the above. What I felt now was intense and indescribable, but it certainly was not sadness or despair. It was something better. Something I did not want to lose.
Time flowed differently for me than the rest of the world, and I was the only thing that stayed the same, unable to affect anyone or anything. Soon the young man had said what he needed to say and his words dried up.
But when he got up to take his leave, he did so with great difficulty. I was furious with myself. The young man struggled to get to his feet once, twice before succeeding—and what did I do to help? Nothing. I could do nothing but watch. I had never felt so ashamed or upset. I should have been there by his side to aid him.
As the sweet stranger limped away, a horrible thought struck me. What if he never returned? What if this was the one and only time I would ever lay eyes on him?
The idea alone was terrible. I could not let that happen.
But the damned sun still lingered in the sky like an unwanted guest who refused to leave. I willed it to disappear faster.
My stone skin was cramped and claustrophobic, preventing me from bursting free. I watched helplessly as the poor stranger struggled to walk away—possibly forever.
My nightly transformation almost occurred too late. As I watched from my position, the stranger across the courtyard grew more and more unsteady with each step. His shaky legs refused to bear him any longer.
I knew it with a twisting dread—he was going to fall.
Then my prison disappeared.
As always, there was no fanfare. The stone gargoyle did not shatter. It did not crack open like an egg and release me. I simply appeared beneath it on the cobblestones, ready to face the night in my human skin.
But this was not a normal transformation. There was no time to waste. I ran towards the stranger, my muscles pulsing with strength unknown to me, like my body was infused with lightning bolts of power.
I made it just in time. Right before the stranger collapsed against the ground, I caught him. The instant my skin touched his, a pleasant shock ran through me. Had I ever touched another human being before? (WasIeven a human being?) Did it feel like this to touch everybody or just this stranger?
From the difficulty of his movement, I knew I had to be gentle with him, not that I would ever be rough. I lifted him to his feet with great care. Since I caught him from behind, I still had not seen his face up close. My heart raced at the thought of it. But my own feelings were not important. I had to know if he was safe.
"Are you all right?" I asked. My words came out gravelly and a bit horse. It wasn't often that I had the chance to speak out loud, so when I did, I found my own voice unpleasant to my ears. I hoped the stranger was not too put off by it.
"Yes, I—"
His movements were slow and deliberate, like a cat tiptoeing on the castle roof. When he turned around and I saw his face in full, my heart swelled. He was even more beautiful up close. Being in such close proximity to him felt like a blessing.
He met my gaze. At least, he attempted to. Since my eyes were covered by the fabric, he could not see them. I wondered briefly if I should remove the blindfold, but I realized even I did not know what lay beneath. What if the fabric was disguising some horrible disfigurement? I did not want to expose him to that, so I simply left it on.
"Oh," he said softly.
Though he could not see my eyes, I could see his clearly. The deep, dark shade of brown was nearly black in the twilight. I gladly lost myself in them.
What did he feel when he looked at me? I searched his expression, trying to understand. With a pang of dismay, I remembered the two lovers I encountered the other night. The sight of me made them flee like beaten dogs. If this sweet stranger did the same, I did not know if I could live with myself.
But he did not flee. His gentle eyes roamed my half-covered face curiously. He took in every inch of my exposed skin, then continued down towards my body. Was he not afraid of me?
Not wanting to break the spell, I said nothing. I was good at waiting, so I waited for him to speak first. Finally, when he had his fill of taking in my appearance, he glanced back to where my eyes were hidden.
"Um, thank you for saving me," he murmured. "I'm sorry I'm here so late. I was on my way out, but I've had a difficult day, and it's hard for me to walk… I know that's not an excuse, but I promise it won't happen again."
My chest fluttered. What was this feeling? With each word he spoke, my fondness for him grew stronger. It barely mattered what he was saying—not to imply his words were meaningless, because I was listening intently, but rather, I could have listened to him speak about anything and nothing for the rest of time. His voice was honey to my ears.
"You're a guard, right?" he asked cautiously. "I wasn't sure because of your outfit, but I don't know very much about the castle or the royals… Please forgive my ignorance."
He ducked his eyes, glancing at the ground in an almost submissive gesture. Without thinking of the consequences, I touched my finger to his chin and lifted it. Immediately the sensation of my skin against his sent a powerful spark shooting down my spine. It was so intense that I withdrew my finger. But it was not unpleasant. In fact, I regretted pulling away.
"I am not a guard," I said when I regained faculty of my consciousness. "There is no need for forgiveness."
