“There are difficult and exciting times ahead.” Adele nudged Pet to the floor and rose. She ran a soft hand over Anhalt's shoulder. “I can't express how grateful I am to still have you beside me to see it.”
“No need, Majesty.” The sirdar glanced up at her with a gleam replacing the fatigue in his dark eyes. “It has been my honor. Always.”
“Now, gentlemen, I beg your pardon, but I must step away.”
Hariri took a deep breath and set down his chicken leg. He studied his companion. “I am in awe of you both. After all you've been though, you still won't stop. How long do you think you can maintain your strength, my old friend?”
Anhalt watched his beloved Adele depart. “As long as she needs me. As long as she needs me.”
Adele hurried the halls looking for Gareth. The castle was so large she doubted she'd find him if he truly intended to hide from her. All the rooms were empty, so she searched outside on the ramparts and found him near the remnants of a gigantic iron cannon.
She didn't say anything, but merely stood beside him. Even though the day had been warm, the winds gusting off the coast brought a nip to the air. After a silent moment, he pulled off his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. His arms slipped around her waist and drew her against his chest. The warmth of his body warded off the remainder of her chills. Together they stared out over the city, watching the smoke from chimneys curl skyward. Neither spoke for a long time. Adele's insistent patience finally wore him down.
Gareth said, “I'm just trying to decide my place in this new world.”
“It's right beside me,” Adele answered softly.
“Of course. But there is more to me than that.”
Her head settled against his shoulder. “I know. What do you want to do?”
“I don't know, but it appears neither Gareth nor Greyfriar are needed anymore.”
“Rubbish!” she declared with a trace of anger in her voice. She turned in his embrace to face him.
He looked down, his blue eyes melancholy. “Gareth is king of the dead. He has no clan to rule.”
“Perhaps Greyfriar could go to London and assume the throne. The people know him. They would accept him.”
“And if they found out who he is? Remember when you discovered it? I doubt I'd be able to charm everyone in Britain with my feeble library.”
Adele took an exasperated breath, but he was right.
Gareth worked his long fingers deftly as if holding a sword. Then he let his hand drop to his side. “Greyfriar has no place. Should he keep rescuing kittens in the midst of global slaughter?”
“That's ridiculous and you know it.”
“Do I? When Flay destroyed Riez, I accomplished nothing. In the trenches of Grenoble, thousands of your soldiers died around me while I saved one boy. You're the inspiration to your people now. My time playing masked hero has passed.”
Adele laid a hand upon his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. “Do you remember what I told you in the castle the time I discovered you writing?”
“That I was free to use your alphabet? Are you rescinding that now?”
A small laugh pushed through Adele's serious demeanor. “No. Not that. I told you that it takes only one man to bring about change.”
“What's one man in a world ruled by armies?”
“You don't see it, do you? The Greyfriar was never about saving the world.”
He regarded her quizzically.
“He was about saving only one.” Adele picked up his hand and placed it on her chest. “Me.”
Gareth straightened and breathed deeply as he considered that thought. “You're right,” he said. He kissed her slowly and then wrapped his arms around her once more. She turned so they were both facing the same direction again.
Pet padded along the stone battlement and bumped up against them. Instinctively, Gareth's hand reached out to stroke the cat's back, and Pet stretched up to meet his warm palm, purring contentedly. Adele gathered the feline in her arms and stared at the dark-stoned city beneath them.
On the farthest spire of the waking city she imagined a man cloaked in grey with his face obscured by a scarf and mirrored glasses, watching over the people slumbering in their beds. That figure projected hope and sanctuary to so many, and particularly to her. It wasn't right for his story to end. She tilted her head back to look at Gareth.
He glanced down at her curiously. “What?”
“You should write a book.”
His face betrayed genuine shock. Then he chuckled and tightened his embrace, gazing once more into the distant sky. “What would I possibly write about?”
“Write about Greyfriar. You could write his true tales. Not the silly stuff his books are filled with now.”
“Like riding elephants? Or saving the world single-handedly?”
“Yes, exactly.” She turned his chin so he faced her again, her expression serious. “Only you can tell us how it really is, tell us about the people you save, and the sacrifices you make.”
“Tell the truth,” he murmured.
“As much as you want to tell anyway,” she said. “This is your chance to speak out. A book penned by the Greyfriar himself.”
There was a pause before he said, “The sum total of my writing life is two notes. It seems a great stretch to jump straight to a book. I don't have the ability.”
“You'd be perfect. Who knows a good story better than you? I can help you with small things like grammar. Simon's very good with that also. He'd be thrilled.”
“He'd have me riding an elephant.”
Adele laughed. “Well, one should always make time to ride an elephant or two.”
“Perhaps.” His gaze again tracked toward the south, perhaps toward far distant London. “Perhaps I should write my story…as Gareth.”
Adele's breath hitched. “My God. You're brilliant. A book written by a vampire about his own life.”
Gareth shrugged hesitantly. “Oh, I don't know. Who would read that?”
“Every human on Earth.”
The furrows in Gareth's brow faded completely, and he stared into Adele's glowing face. He drew her close again. They held each other until shadows gathered in the stones around them.
A soft faint scrape sounded behind Adele, and she turned along with Gareth and Pet to spy a shape moving against the far grey wall. A feral white cat slinked past and disappeared inside the dark doorway behind them. Pet wrestled free from Adele's grasp and loped after the newcomer.
Gareth smiled and swept an arm around Adele's shoulder.
Life was returning to their castle.
abt
CLAY AND SUSAN GRIFFITH were married at Greyfriars Kirk in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle.
That's why these books exist.
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Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith - [Vampire Empire 03] - The Kingmakers (mobi).mobi Page 41
