I watch as emotions ripple across the gargoyle’s face until his rocky skin turns to a dark gray. His fire disappears, and his jaw drops, showing four very sharp canines.
“Did you just go from being scared of me to emasculating me in two seconds?” he asks in awe.
“Oh.” I feel my cheeks turn hot, knowing I’m turning pink. “You heard that? I meant to think that.”
“You did. I can read minds,” he states simply. “You may call me Blessing. Now what brings you to my territory and my den?” he demands, addressing the others, clearly dismissing me, the crazy one.
I don’t mind, it gives me a chance to shrink down and look around. I’ve never seen a Gargoyle nest—den—whatever they call it.
“We have found something that belongs to you,” I hear Rez say, and I glance back to see her hold out the egg she had taken earlier from the cave.
The gargoyle stumbles in shock and awe as he shuffles towards her, giving thanks for their return.
“How were they taken anyway?” I ask, zipping back and forth. I feel the need for coffee hit me, and I pull out the special blend that Gus made me this morning. The special herbs hit me with zeal, and an electric current flows down my spine, causing me to moan out loud.
Chester’s eyes heat up, and my brothers just flinch in disgust.
“Don’t ever do that in our presence again. Do you understand us?” Ryker demands.
“It’s disgusting,” JP agrees.
“If we’re done here, come. The woods are not safe, they now have eyes and ears,” he says as an explanation, and walks toward the rock behind him, disappearing before my eyes.
“What the hell?” I almost lose my coffee, but my knight in shining armor grabs it and my hand and pulls me behind him.
“I got you, baby,” Chestie says as he walks us behind the invisible wall and into a vast cave inside a mountain I had no clue was here. Then again, it’s not like I come and visit my cousins and their hostile woods.
We walk down a dark yet smooth, short tunnel that opens into a cavernous chamber with multiple corridors leading away. There are torches lit and attached to the walls, illuminating the area sparsely, which makes me think they have no problem seeing in the dark. There are a few tables set up on the far right with low-back chairs that would be perfect for me and my tail.Oh! They are for the gargoyles!I realize a little too late as multiple gargoyles walk out of the corridors as if they’ve been summoned. Most look curious and excited to see us in their homes as they all come and look us over. Before I can ask any questions, my left wrist starts itching so badly that I can’t ignore it. I rub at my bark to cure it, but instead of the instant relief, I’m bombarded by a panicked Lord of Hell.
‘Moni? Sweetie, are you okay?’Dad’s voice rushes out, causing my bark to pale to white and flash glitterbomb.
‘Yes, what’s wrong?’I shriek.‘Is this a code red? Is that why you’re reaching out? Oh my word, we’re dead, aren’t we? I knew it, this is it…. I’m too young to die. Right when I feel my life coming together, it’s already over,’I cry.
‘Sweetie. Stop. That’s not it at all. I wanted to check in to make sure you guys were okay after I saw that some contenders died in Ever Woods already, and I couldn’t find you in the live feed,’Dad explains.
‘Oh!’I chuckle to myself. ‘Yeah. We're with the Gargoyles right now’
‘Phew. Okay, I feel better. As long as the Stoned Gremlins are taking care of my princess, then I can rest easy. Let me know if you need anything, okay?’Dad insists.
‘I will. Thank you.’I feel the connection close, and I can’t help but have the biggest smile on my face.
JP looks over at me and mouths ‘dad’ and winks, letting me know he heard some, if not all of our conversation, which I don’t mind. We’re a tight-knit family, and I love that about us; we don’t keep secrets.
Chester squeezes my hand, “Your dad?” he guesses, looking at my smile.
“Yeah, he’s just checking in,” I tell him before taking in all the new gargoyles joining us.
They come in different shapes and sizes, and all in different states of dress. Some, like Blessing, choose to go with what the Fates haveblessedthem with, while others come in full dress and even have makeup. I don’t know how they found a foundation to match that stone color, but toodles to them. They all vary in different ways, colors, sizes, tails, and horns—some without—but the one thing they all have in common is that they are made of stone.
“Is this normal?” Rez whispers. “I kinda skipped this chapter.”
“I think most of us did,” Knox replies, observing every gargoyle himself probably as an opponent.
“As I had said before, I am Blessing. I am the leader of this Clan, and now that we no longer have spies, we can talk plainly.”
“Spies? Do you know where the spies are?” Rez asks desperately.
He simply nods and cracks a knowing smile.
