“Arrogant shit that I am, even that wasn’t an incentive for long. I didn’t want to be made to do anything I didn’t want to do. I was too powerful to put up with it. I was fucking resentful that they thought they had any right to force me. That’s whenthey brought in my grandmother, who, before me, had long been the most powerful in the Delaport bloodline. She tried to siphon my power from me. She told me magic was a privilege that disobedient children didn’t deserve.” My jaw ticks and my body tenses as that night floods back to me—the physical pain that lanced through my body when she tried to take my magic away, the rage that flowed through me until I felt like my insides were made of fire and fury.
“I killed her,” I say coldly. “My magic exploded out of me and hit her like a bolt of lightning. I knew they weren’t going to stop using me and hurting me. I also knew that if I kept letting them, others would see my weakness too. I would always be a weapon wielded by dark people with evil intentions if I didn’t show them all what would happen if they fucked with me.”
“So, you killed the rest of them too?” Atlas guesses. I nod. “Your parents? Your siblings? What about extended family?”
“All of them. Except my sister. She was small and weak and young. She was thirteen and hadn’t shown any signs of magic yet. My parents thought it was because she was born premature and had always been sickly. I pulled her out of the burning house and left without so much as a backward glance.”
“You don’t know what happened to her?”
I shake my head. “I heard she was adopted by a nice family. I’ve never heard so much as a whisper about her in any magical community, so as far as I know, my parents were right. She might have never even had any powers. She’s lucky, if you ask me.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you,” he murmurs.
“I don’t need pity.” I bristle. “I hope you see what I mean now about practicality. No one looks out for me except for me.”
He gives a harsh laugh. “I got myself trapped here trying to save you.”
I frown and turn my head to look at him. “You did, didn’t you? I still don’t understand why.”
He twists his lips into a half smile. “I don’t think I understand why either. But I’m here anyway.”
I reach up and thread my fingers through his beard. “You are. And between the two of us, we must be able to figure a way out of this mess.”
“It sounds like there were plenty of loose ends in your story. It could be a client of your parents who didn’t get what they wanted before you went rogue.”
“Maybe. Without more clues, I’m not sure we’ll figure it out though. I think…” There’s an idea that’s been on my mind since last night, but I’m hesitant to mention it. It feels like we’re running out of options though, and it might be the only way. “I think I might have an idea of how to access more of my power. All of it, maybe.”
“Really? What?”
“I’ll tell you, but first I need to know how gargoyles mate.”
SIXTEEN
ATLAS
The question startles me. “Come again?”
“How do gargoyles mate?” He repeats the words slowly.
“Uh, we don’t?”
“Of course you do. Every species mates.”
“Rune, forgive me, but I have yet to see a baby gargoyle born.”
His brow creases. “I’m not talking about breeding or babies. I’m talking about soul mates. Bonding.”
“Oh.” I nod. “Uh, well, I don’t know that either. I’m not sure it’s a thing. My species is dying out, so all I’ve ever heard are rumors and myths from the good ol’ days when we were plentiful.”
Rune taps his slender fingers on my thigh. “Well, then tell me the rumors and myths.”
“Why do you want to know? I don’t see how this is helpful with the problem at hand.”
Rune exhales slowly, like he’s losing patience with me. “My apologies. I guess you can’t hear the thoughts in my head.”
Wish I could.“No.”
“Mages are born with innate power, but there are ways to amplify it by harnessing the energy of others. Not mortals, but supernatural beings.”
