Turning away from them both, she left before the shower shut off.
Lillian sat down on the edge of the bed and waited for the other two to finish up. While she waited, she splayed her fingers wide across her stomach. The Sorceress might be able to mimic her to perfection, but there was one thing she couldn’t give Gregory.
After what seemed like forever, Gregory exited the bathroom with Daryna. Lillian’s clone was now dressed in a pair of her pajamas and had a towel wrapped around her still-wet hair.
Gregory grabbed two chairs and brought them toward the bed. He stood next to the armchair until Daryna settled into it. Once she was comfortable, she began working loose the tangles in her hair. Gregory took the other chair, the one lacking arms, and turned it backward to straddle the seat. Then he looked at Daryna expectantly. “You have much to explain, my Sorceress. Start talking.”
Lillian was surprised by his tone. She’d thought he was delirious with happiness to have his Sorceress fully functioning and back at his side. Yet, by his tone, that wasn’t the case.
“Indeed, I do have much to tell you and much to accomplish,” Daryna said with a slight nod of agreement. “Tomorrow, once I’ve recovered sufficiently from leaving my hamadryad, I will remove your slave collars. I don’t dare wait any longer. If Commander Gryton manages to make it back to the Magic Realm, he will inform the Lady of Battles what has happened. Obviously, we can’t allow that.”
“Gryton is on the loose again?” Lillian narrowed her eyes. While the battle was a bit of a blur, she remembered one thing in detail. “When you were still in the hamadryad, and I had Gryton under my sword’s tip, you saved his miserable life. You said he was needed. Why? What possible reason could you have for wanting him alive? And more importantly—how the hell did he escape you?”
There was a large dose of accusation in Lillian’s tone, but given the circumstances, she thought it reasonable. She might not be trained in her magic, but she knew the hamadryad had captured and then transported Gryton somewhere.
“I did save him.” Daryna’s words were accompanied by a nod, her expression devoid of any guilt. “I am still learning what Gryton is, but already I am confident he is needed, that he has a part to play in the war with the Battle Goddess. The knowledge he has of our enemy and her plans are also something we dearly need.”
“But that isn’t the full reason.” It wasn’t. While she could no longer read the Sorceress, Lillian knew it in her gut.
“No. There is also the unfortunate fact that when one of her Commanders is killed, the Battle Goddess senses it immediately. It is better for all if she thinks Gryton still has a chance to capture and return us to her as his slaves. But there is one other reason I did not allow you to end his life.”
Daryna paused in her hair brushing and glanced sidelong at Gregory. “Gryton is a fire elemental. He possesses a strength of power that I have never seen. But he is young and lacks full control over that power. If he had died here, there was a chance that he might have burned a huge portion of this world in his death throes.”
Lillian’s stomach dropped, and her heart did a little skip in her chest. How close had she been to killing everyone in the glade that day?
Gregory jerked to attention with a soft start. “None of the Battle Goddess’s minions are that strong.”
“One is now.”
Gregory grunted unhappily.
Lillian glanced between them. She did not really know what she could add to the conversation but was suddenly very thankful she hadn’t killed Gryton. “But you said earlier that you had to capture Gryton before he escaped to the Magic Realm. What happened?”
“He is a cunning opponent. When I was transferring my soul and power to this new body, he used that distraction to escape. He’s since disappeared completely. Perhaps Gregory will be able to track him after I remove the collars.”
“Doubtful,” Gregory said unhappily. “I’ve been hunting Gryton since I first learned he had come to this realm, but I have been unable to successfully track him. And I do not believe it was the collars that prevented it. Darkness and Shadowlight also failed to find his trail. Which is unheard of for something to be able to hide its intent from a gargoyle. But this new life seems full of impossibilities.”
Lillian watched Daryna and tried to read her, but the earlier connection between them seemed to have faded. Perhaps it was only temporary. Which was regrettable since Lillian would have liked to confirm the truth of Daryna’s words.
For now, she would have to take the Sorceress’s word in this. Although, that didn’t sit well with Lillian since she wasn’t at all certain if she could trust Daryna.
That small nagging worry wouldn’t leave her.
“What is your purpose?” Lillian asked as she narrowed her eyes. It was all well and good that the hamadryad thought they needed help, but just what was this clone’s plan?
“To borrow one of your phrases, I exist to even the playing field. I’ll begin tomorrow by removing your slave collars. After that, we will seek to again hunt down Gryton. And as time allows, I will help Gregory create more weapons with which to fight the Battle Goddess’s armies that are sure to arrive far too soon for our liking.”
Daryna stood and began braiding her hair. “After that, I will have one other task to perform. Since you are carrying Gregory’s child, you will need a hamadryad to gestate our little one. And it is better that the soul and essence of the Sorceress are not residing within the same tree as Gregory’s child. Our vows aside, having both Avatars’ powers come together in one child would not be beneficial to this world.”
Daryna’s words might be true, but there was still something...off.
“What else?”
“A selfish want. I have loved Gregory for an eternity, and finally, we have been given a chance to have a child together. I could not pass up the opportunity to help raise our child.”
Hold up! The Sorceress wants to raise my baby?
That particular issue hadn’t even occurred to Lillian. Well, there was no way in hell. Screaming it at the top of her lungs wouldn’t help the situation, so Lillian tried for polite. “You wish to raise my child?”
“Yes. I want to help protect and raise our child for as long as this body endures.” Daryna tilted her head. “I see in your mind that you still view me with distrust. When I created this...clone, I did it to aid you and our beloved. I have no wish to usurp your place.”
“I...,” Lillian really wished she could read Daryna at this exact moment.
“Lillian, know that I am not your replacement. The way my hamadryad grew this body has severely limited my lifespan. A few seasons at most. That’s all I have. Less, if I’m required to call on greater works of magic. So, do you see? You have no need to fear me. When this form dies, your soul and powers as the Mother’s Avatar will return to you and you shall once again be as you were always intended to be.”
Some of the tension eased from Lillian’s muscles. This time she detected no hesitation in Daryna’s words.
But was it the entire truth?
Maybe. Maybe not.
There was a more important question.
Did she trust the Sorceress with all she held dear?
No.
“In the meantime,” Daryna continued as if she was unaware of Lillian’s doubts. Although she likely sensed them just the same. “I can help Gregory prepare for battle while you and the Coven act as intermediaries between the military and the rest of the Fae. The humans will have to learn to adapt and work with us, or their entire world will fall with us. There can be no infighting. That is your role. You must make sure there is peace between the humans and the Fae.”
“A wise plan,” Gregory said, speaking for the first time in several minutes.
Lillian studied him, but he seemed willing to let the two females hash out their differences.
Typical male.
Daryna nodded at Gregory’s comment. “We will need all the help we can get. The Battle Goddess has plans upon
plans, and her early success in capturing my soul and forcing it to be born in her domain has made her bold. She will act again soon.”
While Lillian didn’t trust the Sorceress, she was certain she spoke the truth in this. The Lady of Battles was their greatest foe. “I do wonder if the Battle Goddess made a mistake in allowing you to be raised among her minions. You remember what I do not, correct?”
“I do,” Daryna said with a chilled smile. “And I intend to make her pay for every little shred of heartache she caused us. The Battle Goddess did not mean for me to ever break free. But I did. Now I plan to use her arrogance and all that I learned while trapped within her domain to crush her.”
As much as Lillian did not like it, they clearly needed the aid Daryna was offering. Heavens knew Lillian was mostly useless when it came to magic and spell work.
She simply hoped that Daryna’s sudden arrival would be enough to throw the Battle Goddess’s plans into complete disarray. Perhaps then the Avatars would defeat their enemy.
That would be the only thing that would make sharing Gregory’s affections bearable.
Chapter 2
GREGORY WAS JUST STARTING to think that Daryna and Lillian might find a peaceful resolution to this new situation they found themselves in when Daryna yawned and stretched.
“This body is still drained from emerging from the hamadryad,” Daryna said. “And I imagine Lillian could use the rest as well. Let us go to bed.”
Lillian made a snort that was suspiciously gargoyle-like.
He glanced between the two women, feeling the temperature in the room dropped as Lillian and Daryna sized each other up.
The words were badly timed, but in Daryna’s defense, not a night had ever gone by that his other half hadn’t slept in the protection of his arms if they were together.
Lillian’s thoughts came clear to him, and in his mind’s eye, he could see her dragging Daryna from their room by her hair.
Oh, for mercy’s sake. The Father give him patience.
Gregory stood and held a hand out toward Lillian. “My love, come here.”
Lillian glanced away but remained outwardly calm. Only a small flexing of muscle in her jaw and the black nails lengthening the tips of her fingers hinted at the turmoil he felt swirling within her mind and body.
He wouldn’t belittle her pain or anger.
In truth, Gregory hadn’t expected the hamadryad to act as she had. At first, he was simply so overjoyed to have the other half of his soul housed in flesh and blood once more that he had not thought how his actions would hurt his beloved mate.
But of course, Lillian would not understand and rejoice in a valuable ally gained. He’d been too slow to realize it, and then once he had and tried to reassure her, she’d rejected all his attempts to show her it did not change how he felt about her.
She was his mate. His only mate.
But from the very beginning of their relationship in this life, Lillian had judged herself as flawed because she couldn’t remember her past or be who she thought he needed.
That was so far from the truth. Lillian had always been everything he needed. He did not view her as flawed. Her confidence had been building, but apparently not enough to reassure her that Daryna wasn’t her replacement.
Gregory could shoulder a lot of the blame for that. He’d handled it poorly.
He snorted a deep huff of challenge. That needed to change now.
One chance. She had one more chance to come to him willingly and then he was going to have to prove to her that she was the center of his being.
“Lillian.” He held out a large, clawed hand. Normally she would’ve come at his gruff call. “Beloved, I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“It’s fine Gregory. I understand. The hamadryad was trying to help us. And this might be the one thing the Battle Goddess did not foresee.”
Gregory’s tail flicked lazily as it slowly inched closer to her. She hadn’t noticed it yet.
Good.
He would heal all the small hurts he’d caused Lillian if it took the better part of a year. He’d show her that she still meant the world to him. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time in this life, or any before it, that he’d made a misstep.
“Strange, I don’t remember mentioning the Battle Goddess.” Gregory’s tail slid across the floor, creeping closer to where Lillian sat staring off toward the hallway.
There would be no more thinking of running away from him after he was done with Lillian. He leaned forward in the chair, his muscles bunching as he prepared to strike.
Lillian must have caught movement out of the corner of her eye because she jerked to attention a moment before his tail struck. But she was too late. His tail wrapped around her lower legs and he launched himself at her.
His tackle was carefully timed to catch her in his arms and roll with her, so she and the delicate life she carried was in no danger of being harmed. His powerful arms wrapped around her and he landed on his back in the middle of the bed.
Lillian’s surprised shout was muffled by his wings cocooning them both. A moment later his muzzle was nuzzling the bare skin of her neck and shoulder and then the side of her face. Wherever his muzzle moved, his tongue lapped at her skin, savoring her skin’s salty flavor.
When she attempted to kick and punch him, he just continued to cover whatever body part he could reach with sloppy gargoyle kisses. She fought to wiggle free of his affectionate display, but after several minutes she was laughing too hard and gave up the fight.
“I surrender,” she said as she draped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest.
“Hmmm. Much better,” he rumbled happily and wrapped his arms tighter around her. Contentment flowed through his body with each beat of his heart. He smiled into her hair. “Never doubt my love for you.”
“I’m sorry for being a needy twit. I think I’m going to blame it on hormones.”
Gregory laughed and rested his hand on her belly. His happiness swelled. “Sleep. The morning will be here too soon.”
Lillian snuggled closer and soon fell asleep in his arms.
“I’m glad you have found some happiness in this realm.”
Gregory glanced over his shoulder to find Daryna sitting on the edge of the bed. Her hair was now neatly plaited into one long braid. She studied him without a hint of jealousy or judgment.
Muscles in his back that he hadn’t even realized had tensed up soon relaxed.
“Is it too much to ask to lie beside you while we sleep? In truth, I do not know if I can sleep without you.”
Gregory had been starting to let his guard down, but at her request, he felt the return of his earlier unease. Then a moment later he chastised himself for his foolishness. This was the Sorceress.
“Of course you may rest beside me.”
“Thank you, my beloved gargoyle,” she said as she climbed into bed beside him.
She snuggled into his back as one arm circled around his waist. Then a brush of warm lips against the sensitive skin between his wings promised trouble for him at a later time.
Some of his earlier contentment dimmed.
Chapter 3
DARYNA ALLOWED HERSELF to doze while she waited for Gregory to drift off to sleep. Lillian had already succumbed, but their gargoyle beloved was still trying to be vigilant even though he had to be bone weary. He’d been in an epic fight with Gryton just hours ago, and that offensive collar around his throat had almost destroyed him.
She could still see the delicate tracing of pale lines across his dark skin even after she’d done what she could to heal him while in her hamadryad form.
Sitting up in bed, she stroked a hand along his flank. “Sleep, my gargoyle. I will protect you and Lillian while you both rest and heal.”
“I know,” he said in a sleepy voice.
Daryna smiled when he relaxed, obeying her gentle command. “That’s it. Lillian is safe for now.”
Her beloved gargoyle reached back and laid his hand ov
er hers, stopping its exploring. Daryna lay back down and snuggled into the space between his wings and wrapped an arm around Gregory’s waist. She couldn’t stay long. There was still too much she had to do before dawn, but she enjoyed the closeness too much to pull away even after he’d fallen asleep.
She gave herself a half hour to listen to his deep, even breathing and then she reached up and placed her fingers against his throat, tracing the tattoo branded there.
While she had been a hamadryad, she’d studied how the tattoos worked. She’d also made changes to them that allowed her to control the hosts. The thought unsettled her, but it would be necessary this night to take control of them while she dealt with another who needed her attention.
It would be only for this one time. After that, she would find other ways to visit Gryton.
“Sleep. And do not wake.”
Gregory snorted out a surprised huff, but soon drifted off to sleep again, unable to fight the gentle compulsion.
Next, she reached farther for Lillian’s collar. She repeated the same command, and the dryad didn’t even stir awake in Gregory’s arms.
Once she was certain the command had a firm hold on them both she slipped from the bed.
She needed to have a long conversation with her eldest son.
As she ghosted from the large stone building Lillian and Gregory now called home, Daryna mulled over what she’d learned about her eldest son.
While she and Durnathyne had both been destroyed at the moment of their son’s birth and later had their memories wiped upon return to the Spirit Realm, she’d learned Gryton’s parentage the moment he’d used her hamadryad to travel to the Mortal Realm.
He’d been unaware what all his unguarded mind had revealed to the hamadryad, thinking her nothing more than a common dryad tree. But as the Sorceress, she’d seen much more than a regular hamadryad.
The Complete Gargoyle and Sorceress Boxset (Books 1-9) Page 80
