“It’s pretty. Unlike that horrendous watch. Here we go.”
Two couches faced each other across a small coffee table. Austin and Sue sat on one, with Tristan in the other. The men held snifters of something or other. They wore tailored suits, dress shirts, and ties, each as dapper as the next. I would’ve totally fit in if not for the freaking watch.
Sebastian waited by the door, hunched. Despite the clothes, he hadn’t yet donned his other persona. There was so much alpha power in this room, not to mention menacing muscle, it had probably squeezed out all his desire to be noticed.
Austin’s eyes softened as he beheld me. “You look gorgeous.” He noticed the watch but didn’t comment. Neither did the others. I could only assume that was because Sebastian or Mr. Tom had already filled them in.
He finished his drink and stood as I approached. His lips lightly touched mine, and then he paused for me to wipe away the lipstick left behind.
Tristan and Sue stood as well, finishing their drinks and readying to go.
“If their hired help is as shoddy as these horrible guest rooms,” Mr. Tom said, “send for me. I would be happy to take over and show this cairn what is expected of someone with my prestigious job title.”
“Thank you, Mr. Tom. I will,” I lied. There was no way in hell. He’d probably come in a disguise or throw away all the food he didn’t approve of, or some other embarrassing thing.
“He’s laying it on a little thick,” Sue said after we’d left the room and now walked down the hall.
“Actually, his attitude is perfect,” Tristan replied. “He’s responding to what we’re all seeing. This cairn can’t hold a candle to any part of our emerging convocation. Its territory is much smaller. Its wealth is insignificant. Its productions have no real outlet to make the sort of money Alpha Steele is thinking, and its people don’t have even a fraction of the power. We are vastly superior in every way. Theonlything holding us back is your lack of history—yours personally and the convocation’s. That and the fact that Alpha Steele often presents as the alpha when they assumeyoushould be the leader of the gargoyles.”
“So then…all the things that grant the highest status.” I took a deep breath as we emerged into the frosty evening air. My teeth chattered before I wrapped magic around myself to keep out the chill.
“The things that grant the highest status in gargoyle culture at present, yes,” Tristan said. “But those things aren’t the most important to gargoyles. They’re just what gargoyles have fallen back to in times of extreme boredom resulting from peace. And he is only the most dominant when you can’t be troubled to take control. Which, yes, is often. All they need to see is you handling trouble in the air.”
Frustration started to rise. “Right but…we’re not here to raid. How are they going to see that?”
“I’ve got it handled,” Sebastian said from behind the others. “Trust me, that’s all sorted, as Niamh would say. Ten times over.”
I twisted around to look at him, but Tristan and Sue were in the way.
“How—“ I cut off as I spied the first Guardian against the wall. Something told me this wasn’t the conversation to have when others might overhear.
Austin threaded his fingers through mine as we walked along the sidewalk. We could’ve driven, but it wasn’t far. Also,Tristan wanted us to be seen by more than just the cairn leader, although he hadn’t said why. Thankfully, the darkness masked the presence of the pocket watch.
Evan’s residence loomed in front of us.
“I wonder how much of the interior he inherited,” I mused. “Did he redecorate like we’re doing, or was that all Withor’s doing?”
“He hasn’t been here long enough to redecorate to that magnitude,” Austin replied. “All the interior matches. He would’ve had to do the entire downstairs, and it’s only been a couple months. You’ve seen from Ivy House what sort of undertaking all that is.”
“So then…” I frowned at the beautiful architecture. “He’s not that different from me, just like Tristan said. Whydoeshe get status just for moving in?”
“It’s for essentially taking over, either by force or by family,” Tristan replied as we drew near. “The gargoyles assume someone had the power to take it over. For family, they have the training. The status passes that way.”
“Ah. I didn’t take anything over, and I don’t have the family or training.” I shrugged. “That makes sense.”
“That’s…not…” Tristan seemed at a loss for words.
But I did make it so Evan could take this cairn over. My maneuvering gave him thein.
We stopped in front of the door. It swung open before we could ring or knock. A man dressed in a white suit with a black tie and stuffy air about him greeted us. He looked about half Mr. Tom’s age but just as pompous.
“Please, come through, Miss Ironheart, Mr. Steele.” He stepped out of the way and gestured to the interior of the house.
Connections suddenly formed in my mind as I thought about the events leading up to this moment: how Evan had gotten here, and ultimately, my role in all this. I’d taken a backseat toso much recently—allowing Austin to lead because it was shifter politics and letting Tristan and Patty pave the way since they knew the details of cairn life—that I hadn’t stepped up when I really needed to. But now, strangely helped by Sebastian’s presence, suddenly I felt so much more in charge. Everything seemed so crystal clear.
“Cool,” I said to no one in particular. I brushed my fingers over the Ivy House pocket watch, a relic out of time, like my incredible magic. Like the house I was mistress of, guarding its people.
I was a Guardian, as well. I was a cairn leader.
