“Hey, that hurts!” Anna twisted out of his reach.
“Don’t be a baby. Just sit on benches and sleep belly down for a few days,” he advised with a shrug. Then he continued their conversation using their mental link. “We’ll have a much better chance at escaping now that you are fully gargoyle.”
Anna didn’t disagree. “I’ll have to learn to fly first. Something better than that drunken sailor flopping.”
“I’m sure Sorac will add that to our lessons tomorrow. He’s been talking about starting aerial combat in the last two lessons.”
That surprised Anna. She never got a chance to hear everything Sorac discussed with Shadowlight because she was too busy fighting her own opponent and not getting impaled by the business end of a sword.
“Flight lessons. Can’t wait.” Anna settled on a bench facing away from the fire. The heat felt good on her aching wing joints. When Shadowlight turned away to find a servant and see about food, Anna took the time to gaze at her body, a strange new landscape of rippling muscles and onyx skin.
At first, she’d been too full of adrenaline and the compulsion to protect and hadn’t noticed the signals her body was sending. Her wings weren’t the only thing bitching. Her feet hurt like hell. Glancing down, she saw the busted laces and the split seams. So much for her favorite boots. Prying them off, she stared at her feet and wiggled her talon-tipped toes.
“Ouch.”
“What’s wrong?” Shadowlight raced over to her side.
“I now know what an elephant would feel like wearing stilettos.”
Shadowlight gave her his best ‘humans are strange’ look. But before he could say anything, Lanya entered the chamber carrying a basket of fresh linens. Her gaze landed on Shadowlight and showed surprise at seeing him during the time when he was normally training. Then her eyes slid past him and spotted Anna.
“Oh! My lady, you must be exhausted. Let me just put these down.” Her voice increased in volume as she hurried into the other room. “I’ll have the children fetch food and drink for you while I draw you a bath. The heat will help relax your muscles.”
“Thank you,” Anna said and slumped down on the bench, using her arms as a pillow. The older woman was already bustling away.
Anna must have dozed for a bit because next she knew, Lanya had returned with her son and daughter in tow. They carried large trays of food.
While her children were moving a small table closer to the bench, their mother eyed Anna’s shredded tunic. “I see I will have to adjust your wardrobe as well. Hmmm...Give me an hour. By the time you’ve eaten and soaked, I’ll have something new for you to wear.”
Anna just nodded. Presently she was happy to lay on the bench and absorb the fire’s heat. Shadowlight settled on the floor between her and the fireplace.
“I promise I won’t fall off the bench and roll into the coals.”
“You should eat before you fall asleep.”
“Nah. Chewing is too much work. I’ll just nap for a bit first.”
Shadowlight snorted with humor and lavished her with several sloppy gargoyle kisses. He refused to stop.
“Ugh. Gross! Stop.” But it worked. She was now sitting up and Lanya shoved a bowl of what smelled like homemade soup into her hands. Anna didn’t used to be a soup fan — but she found herself happy to eat whatever was put in front of her these days.
She perked up more when she smelled the warm, buttery breadsticks.
“I’m not even going to ask what magic you performed to pull this together this time of night.”
“I told my son to tell Cook that if she didn’t have something to feed a hungry new gargoyle, said gargoyle might come and eat her.”
Anna’s muzzle twisted into a gargoyle smirk. “Whatever works.”
Shadowlight, always ready to eat, sat next to her and took another of the bowls.
After the first bowl of soup and three breadsticks, she started to feel human again. Well, maybe not human. She flexed her wings and craned her neck to behold the full effect.
“So freaking weird.” And they were, but the more she shifted and flexed them, the more a part of her they became. The wings and tail really drove home the fact she wasn’t human anymore.
She reached up to touch the horns. “Things have ventured into the land of the bizarre.”
“I imagine you will grow accustomed to all the changes in a few days. When I emerged from my mother’s hamadryad, I was uncoordinated for the first hour but was soon able to fly with my father. Your instincts will guide you.”
“Not sure if I’ll ever grow accustomed to this.” Anna thumped her tail against the bench a few times. “But if these changes will help us escape, I’ll gladly embrace my new gargoyle nature.”
After they finished their meal, Anna went for a long soak. Eventually, Lanya returned with towels and ordered her off to bed.
Anna dragged her ass off to bed and then tossed herself face first onto the covers and arranged her wings over herself.
“At least they’re good for something,” Anna muttered to the servant before drifting off to sleep.
Chapter 24
HER OWN STOMACH GROWLING woke Anna. What the hell, didn’t I just feed the beast? Grunting she tossed back her blanket and looked around. Wait?
Anna touched her back and then glanced down her body. Oh, thank God. The entire ‘turning into a gargoyle’ episode was just a dream. Sighing, she dropped her head back against her pillow, only then realizing she was naked under the blanket. She never slept naked.
The hell?
But a knock at her door heralded Lanya’s entrance. Her arms were full of another black and burgundy garment. Formal dinner wear, then, not comfortable training tunics. Ugh.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Er...” Anna lifted the blanket and arched an eyebrow.
“When I came in to check on you, I found you’d returned to your human form sometime while you were sleeping,” the servant explained. “You didn’t wake when I covered you with a blanket, so I left you to sleep off yesterday’s trauma.”
Anna frowned, realizing how out of it she must have been. Normally she slept lightly. Her frown deepened as she reached for Shadowlight’s mind. She calmed a moment later when she got a sleepy mental grunt from him.
Good. He wasn’t presently in danger.
“No need to worry,” Lanya said, “The gargoyle child is fine. I told him and Commander Gryton you needed to be left alone to rest.”
Anna gave herself a little shake and a mental command to wake up. “Gryton visited while I was asleep?”
“Yes, but Shadowlight wouldn’t let him take more than three steps in from the hall, and I told the Commander that I would be glad to relay any message.”
And that’s why Anna never slept in the nude. It was tempting fate. “What did Tin Man want?”
The servant winced at the nickname. “Commander Gryton will be having last meal with you and Shadowlight here in your chambers.”
“Lucky us.”
“Here’s a dress you can wear tonight since you shifted back to human form.” The servant laid the clothing out on the end of the bed. “While you were sleeping, I also spoke with the seamstresses and the metalsmiths. By tomorrow, the seamstresses will have some ward-spelled clothing that will shapeshift with you, and within a few days, the metalsmiths will have new armor made to fit your gargoyle form.”
Anna hadn’t even thought about the next time she’d have to shift to gargoyle. Hopefully, it wouldn’t require further dramatics. “Thanks.”
“Of course,” Lanya said and started to brush invisible dust from the dress.
The whole idea of having a body servant was just downright weird, so Anna shooed her away and dressed. This was a simple, elegant dress. No slits up to the thigh with matching daggers.
When she emerged from her room, it was to see Brannon being scolded by his mother. “Why isn’t Shadowlight ready yet? Commander Gryton will be here any moment.”
The g
argoyle in question was just emerging from his own room, stretching and loosening muscles like he’d fallen back asleep after Anna had woke him earlier with her mental touch.
“Hey,” she said. He dropped to all fours and padded over to her. When he bumped his muzzle under her hand looking for a scratch, she obliged. “Sounds like we are getting an unwanted visitor.”
Shadowlight growled under his breath and Anna tapped the side of his muzzle.
“Behave. We don’t need trouble with Gryton.”
A flash of fang expressed what Shadowlight thought of that.
“I’m serious. Go let Brannon get you ready for dinner.” Or breakfast or whatever damn meal of the day it is, she thought to herself. Stupid nocturnal cycle.
Shortly after Shadowlight disappeared into the bathroom, a small army of servants arrived carrying covered dishes. Lanya oversaw the placement of everything and then ordered the servants away again. Then she roamed around the room, lighting more candles as she went.
When she was done, the room had a romantic candlelight dinner vibe going for it. Fuck. There was even a spray of flowers for a centerpiece. Double fuck.
She was probably reading more into it than there was, though. After all, there were three table settings, so it wasn’t like it was a romantic dinner with just her and Tin Man.
The door opened again. This time Lanya’s husband entered. He held the door open and Gryton swept in.
He wasn’t dressed in his customary armor. This time he was bare-chested, his glowing tattoo on full display, drawing the eye to his battle-hardened form. Dark leather pants molded to his powerful thighs and calves.
Such a waste that he was also an evil prick in service to an equally monstrous demigoddess who wanted to rule all three realms.
Gryton marched over to the table without so much as a hello, then waving off the servants without even looking at them, he poured two goblets of wine. He held one out to her with an eyebrow raised as if challenging her.
Anna grunted, walked over to the table, sidestepped him, and then poured her own goblet.
Gryton watched her as he set down his spare goblet, unflustered by the brush off.
“You look lovely,” Gryton said between sips of his wine, his gaze never straying from her.
“Just rolled out of bed, actually. Feel kinda like I was run over by a LAV. Probably look like it too.” Anna grunted and parked her ass against the table and glowered at Tin Man. “But I guess there’s no accounting for taste.”
Gryton’s expression turned merry. “If I understand your reference, you’re referring to one of those big, ugly, metal, wheeled monstrosities,” his hands drew a pretty good approximation of the boxy shape of a Light Armored Vehicle, “that roar and belch fumes, yes?”
“Ugly? Have you actually looked at some of your minions lately?”
“But surely your kind could have created something more pleasing to the eye? And quieter.”
Anna didn’t respond and Gryton returned to his drink.
Lanya exited Shadowlight’s room and approached them. When she reached them, she bowed deeply. “Shadowlight will be along shortly. Is there anything else you would like?”
“No. Leave us,” Gryton’s tone left no room for question. Lanya bowed and departed.
Once they were alone, Gryton turned to look at the door leading to the bathroom. Anna heard the sounds of splashing and the servant boy’s wry complaint about how bathwater was supposed to remain in the tub.
“I didn’t know you were coming over for dinner or Shadowlight and I would have been ready sooner,” Anna said.
“Actually, I came early hoping to catch you alone. There is something we should discuss that could be mutually beneficial.” Gryton stood and walked around the end of the table. He leaned a hip against the dark wood and continued to sip at his drink, but he now watched her with something other than humor.
Yep. Here it comes. Anna had been expecting Tin Man to make some kind of play for days now.
He reached out and caressed her cheek. “You truly are a stunning female.”
“I’m supposed to be flattered, I assume.”
Gryton chuckled. “You don’t sound the least bit flattered, but I am telling the truth, which is rare. And I don’t often express interest in women, which is also a rare truth.”
“You prefer men,” Anna drank from her goblet to cover her surprise since she hadn’t seen that coming, “but you’ll swing on over to the other side of the fence if it suits your ambitions?”
Gryton’s thumb played along her lower lip. “You misunderstand. I don’t often find a partner I consider worth the effort to pursue.”
You’re still totally an evil prick. Move along now.
“My choosiness doesn’t mean I am unskilled. I am far older than you; with age comes experience.”
Again, that smile; the one that didn’t reach his eyes. Nope, so not interested.
“My life is complicated enough as it is. I don’t need a man to fuck it up more.” Anna brushed his hand away. “Thanks for the offer though.”
Something other than humor and lust glimmered in his eyes. “You could at least wait to hear me out before turning me down.”
“Your offer would have to be damn good to be worth the aggravation of going to your bed.” Anna pretended boredom. “Go on, let’s hear what you have to offer.”
Gryton looked startled. “You’re offering sex as payment for some favor I might bestow?” His brows arched up. “I didn’t think you are that kind of female.”
“No. Not for money or jewelry or some silly privileges.” Anna said, narrowing her eyes. “It would have to be something much bigger.”
Gryton snorted. “Like control of a certain slave collar?”
“The removal of Shadowlight’s collar,” Anna clarified, “But we both know that isn’t going to happen.”
“No,” Gryton agreed.
Anna stood up and met his gaze. “Then you have nothing I’m interested in trading for.”
Gryton stepped closer. “I like your ruthlessness. It will serve you well here.”
Anna held her ground, not allowing him to back her against the table. When he stepped closer, she cupped the front of his pants and flexed her fingers. Claws sprang from the tips, digging into Tin Man’s junk.
His eyes widened a touch, but he merely laughed. “No woman has ever been brave or foolish enough to venture there uninvited.”
Anna just shrugged and held her ground, flexing her claws ever so slightly. Gryton neither pushed into nor pulled away from what had to be a very unpleasant prickle. Talk about having balls of steel.
“I could make yours and the child’s stay here more pleasant.”
“I doubt that.”
He arched an eyebrow. “What if I reassigned Captain Taryin to the outer lands? The stone armies always need tending and feeding by ones strong in magic.”
Hmmm. Getting the blood witch reassigned farther away from Shadowlight would be a bonus.
A moment later the bathroom door opened and Shadowlight stepped out, his ears perked forward, no doubt with eagerness at the smell of food. At least until he saw Gryton and her having their battle of wills. Shadowlight loosed a roar and lunged across the room.
“Halt,” Gryton bellowed.
The young gargoyle leaped forward like he didn’t even feel the bite of the slave collar as it blazed bright as day. One moment, she was ready to remove Gryton’s balls, the next he was gone. Two seconds after that, he crashed into the wall at the opposite end of the room.
Gryton recovered quickly and was already on his feet, summoning a raging wall of fire magic. Anna darted forward, putting herself between Tin Man and Shadowlight.
“Enough,” she yelled, magic rising up inside her. She fought back the gargoyle nature that wanted to come out and play. Nope. Not going to happen.
Drawing a deep breath, she placed a restraining hand on Shadowlight’s shoulder when he moved to sidestep around her and go after Gryton. The firm pressure
of her grip was enough to catch his attention and he glanced back at her. Though a low growl still issued from his throat, he obeyed her command.
“Gryton, you brought that on yourself,” Anna said to him and was relieved to see he wasn’t advancing on the young gargoyle. Next, she looked to Shadowlight. “And what you saw was Gryton and me having a disagreement. Thank you for your aid, but it wasn’t required. I had Gryton well in...hand.”
Tin Man snorted. “Anna was doing just fine protecting her own virtue.”
Shadowlight growled softly again, but when he didn’t further threaten Gryton, the commander swallowed back his fire magic and gave them both a chilling smile. “Now that we got that out of the way, I believe we should eat this meal before it gets cold.”
After much glowering and a bit of posturing, all three of them took a seat and started to eat. Though it was more to get it over with than out of actual hunger.
But Anna’s mind was on other things. Like the way Shadowlight had been able to resist Gryton’s command. That was very interesting. And more interesting, Gryton didn’t strengthen the spell or call the guards. It was like he was expecting the response he’d gotten.
What game was Gryton playing at here?
Then it clicked. This was just the second part of Gryton’s earlier test. It wasn’t anything like she had expected, but the longer they sat and ate without saying a word to each other, the more confident she became.
At last, they finished the meal and Gryton stood and started for the door.
“Did we pass or fail your test?” Anna asked as she watched Gryton stride across the floor.
He halted but didn’t look back at them. “This was Shadowlight’s test. He surpassed even my expectations. That collar would have inflicted enough damage to force any normal gargoyle to shift to his stone form to heal. The Battle Goddess will be pleased.”
She might not be the only one. Anna didn’t miss how the kid stood a little taller at Tin Man’s words.
The Complete Gargoyle and Sorceress Boxset (Books 1-9) Page 110
