The Avatars Series: Books 1-3

by Blackwood, Lisa

  “He isn’t yet mature,” River answered in a short, clipped tone, and then eyed Anna with a calculating stare, “though as he matures, you, too, might improve.”

  Anna was beginning to think there wasn’t anything in the world which might improve River’s attitude. However, airing that thought wouldn’t do much to improve the situation.

  “What will happen to Anna, now that everyone knows what I’ve done,” Shadowlight asked.

  It was the one question Anna had been too chicken to voice.

  Gran stood up and crossed the room, giving the gargoyle an affectionate scratch. “That’s one of the things we need to discuss at the council meeting.”

  “But what if the other council members deem Anna too much of a risk?”

  Gregory, who had been reclining on the floor until now, stretched and came to all fours and padded over to Anna.

  She held her ground while a demigod sniffed her over.

  With a huff, he reared up to stand on two legs and then walked away. When he was half way to the door, he reached out, hooked an arm through Lillian’s and then addressed the room in general. “Anna is now family. I protect my clan.”

  Shadowlight loosed a happy whine, bounced up so fast he nearly knocked his father over and then launched himself straight at Anna.

  “What? Wait…?” She didn’t even get her arms up in a defensive position before the young gargoyle was upon her, his weight tumbling her right over the narrow bed and to the floor on the other side.

  She had the wind knocked out of her but otherwise was unharmed. Unfortunately, she had no protection from the dozen sloppy gargoyle kisses he was applying to her face, arms, and even her bandaged hands.

  “Ah! Uck! Get off.”

  The kid was hoisted off her. She climbed to her feet in time to see Darkness holding Shadowlight a couple inches off the ground.

  The young gargoyle seemed unperturbed by the change in locations and just transferred his sloppy kisses to whatever part of his father he could reach.

  Anna scrubbed her face dry on a bedsheet and then looked up in time to see a softer expression on River’s face as she looked at her mate and their son.

  Huh. Maybe River was not the full embodiment of the cast iron bitch after all.

  When Shadowlight finally got himself under control enough Darkness could release him, everyone else in the room began to file out, heading to the so-called council meeting.

  Darkness gestured her forward. “You must come too.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  “What we discuss will affect you as well as the other humans of this world.”

  That was certainly one reason to go. The meeting might also be her last chance to escape long enough to get some kind of intel to her CO.

  She didn’t delude herself into thinking she could avoid recapture for long. Shadowlight would probably track her down through their mental link within minutes.

  She’d just have to plan carefully and act quickly.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Gregory led the way back up through the house, Lillian close to his side with the others spread out farther back. He missed the military efficiency of the gargoyle army. Not that he was even sure if they would still accept him as their commander with this cursed tattoo around his throat.

  Only the Lord of the Underworld could tell him that.

  And he wasn’t ready to face Lord Death just yet.

  He glanced over his shoulder at the unorganized procession behind him and sighed. Yes, he missed his gargoyles.

  Very much.

  But they were firmly on one side of the Veil between the Realms, and he on the other.

  Ah, well, he should be thankful for the allies he had. His senses stretched back toward where the human-gargoyle hybrid marched between Shadowlight and Darkness, plotting her escape.

  That one hadn’t quite gotten the hang of shielding her thoughts, though she was exceptional at projecting her intent to the other gargoyles. Even Lillian was glancing back, a wicked grin on her lips.

  “Was I ever that bad?”

  “At shielding or sheer stubbornness?”

  Lillian punched him in the arm. “Shielding!”

  “Yes.”

  She chuckled. “Fine. Is someone going to train the poor woman?”

  “Eventually. Once things settle down, Darkness and I will take turns training you, Anna, and Shadowlight on the finer points of being a gargoyle.”

  “You’re taking this really, really well,” she said, suspicion tinting her voice.

  His one ear flicked at her in question. “What did you expect me to do?”

  “Well,” she coughed into her hand to cover a smile. “You’ve never been the humans’ biggest fan.”

  “Ah. I am…coming to respect them a touch more. Besides,” he half turned and gestured behind them. “What do you see when you look at the human?”

  Lillian sighed. “This game again?”

  “Humour me.”

  She did and studied the human, taking her measure once again. “I see one big security risk that’s pretty determined to get back and warn the other humans what’s coming. Yet she seems to care for Shadowlight, and I don’t think she wants to put him at risk. I imagine she’s torn at the moment. She’s a good person at her core. I can see that easily.”

  “Exactly,” Gregory grinned. “She is a pure spirit, not one the Battle Goddess would have chosen for Shadowlight’s second in command. I see the Divine Ones’ hand in this, and the unraveling of another of the Lady of Battles carefully laid plans. She will be irate when she eventually learns of this development. That gladdens my heart.”

  “Hmmm,” Lillian looked thoughtful. “I had not thought of it like that. I see your reasoning.”

  Gregory reached the back door and led the procession out into the gardens, heading toward the maze, where the other counsellors waited at the centre.

  “It’s high noon. Are you sure no one can see or track us?”

  He gave her his best put upon look.

  “Sorry I asked.” She raised her hand in surrender and then marched to the maze’s centre in silence.

  Within the small central glade, he saw the entire council was present, even those members he’d not seen since before the Siren came.

  The banshee stood between the pooka and the unicorn. Greenborrow was making his way over to that group.

  Even Whitethorn and Goswin were present though their ordeal at the humans’ hands was still easy enough to see in their hunched shoulders and pale complexions.

  Hyrand hovered near her daughter as if mother and daughter were both expecting human soldiers to recapture Goswin at any moment. Jason and his uncle Alan joined the sidhe and the two sprites.

  Lastly, three large wolves in the company of the dryad Russet emerged from the base of Lillian’s hamadryad.

  Russet bowed to them both and then straightened. “Allow me to introduce the new high alphas of the dire wolf clans, Kendrick, and Natasha, and their daughter Brigid.”

  The three large dire wolves lunged up and shapeshifted into their human forms, their transformations smooth and possessing an elegance only achieved through long hours of practice.

  “Lord Gargoyle, Lady Sorceress,” the alpha female said, “I am sorry the dire wolf nation could not have been at your side sooner. We are here now and ready to serve.”

  “Oh. My. God. Werewolves.”

  Gregory sighed at the uncouth comment and turned his attention to the human long enough for her to figure out she’d drawn attention to herself she really didn’t want.

  Shadowlight whispered something in her ear, and she looked chagrinned.

  “Mmm, sorry,” Anna called from across the meadow.

  Natasha raised one eyebrow in question. “Why is there a human here?”

  Lillian pounced on that before it could twist from neutral to accusation. “She’s one of the family.”

  “Indeed?” the male asked, stepping closer to Lillian so he could peer past her for a be
tter view of the human.

  Gregory studied Lillian as she turned a few different shades of pink as she tried not to notice the alpha male’s lack of clothing. The dire wolves were far too sensible to worry over something as silly as physical modesty.

  If their creators really wanted their creations to swath themselves in yards of fabric and zippers, they’d have been certain to gift it to them at birth.

  Though it was a touch amusing to watch as Lillian addressed the foreheads of the two alphas, clearly too flustered to meet their eyes, or look anywhere else she might see too much.

  After watching Lillian squirm at the mercy of her embarrassment, Gregory stepped up to the alphas and gripped first the male’s forearms and then the female’s as he thrust his muzzle under their jaws and along their necks in the dire wolf way of greeting.

  They returned the gesture, sniffing along his neck before dropping his arms and stepping back.

  Dominance established and social needs met, both sides relaxed and the atmosphere took on a much more mellow quality.

  “Gran has informed us of the dangers this Commander Gryton poses to our world should he make it back to the Magic Realm and warn the Battle Goddess,” Kendrick said with a frown “Gran also presented a piece of his armour for our people to scent. All the packs have his essence now, and we are prepared to hunt at your word.”

  Gregory nodded his head in thanks. “Your aid is much appreciated.”

  Jason came over, his arms heavily loaded with clothing. “Gran sent these—said there was no point encouraging the mosquitoes and other opportunists.” He sighed dramatically and then slumped his shoulders.

  Bridget barked out a sound more canine than Homo sapiens and took the offered clothing.

  Turning to Gregory, Jason added, “Gran says she and the others are ready to start.”

  “Good.” He followed Jason back to the centre of the glade.

  Several picnic tables had been dragged together, end to end, in a way reminiscent of the last time he’d stood before this council.

  Unlike the first time, he considered these beings friends and allies, not potentially hostile strangers.

  This time, he was going to ask them to trust again, taking a chance on an even greater risk than last time.

  *****

  Lillian followed Gregory as close as his shadow. He hadn’t confided in her about his plan. She sensed it was something big, and she wanted to be able to support him.

  But, damn, that would be easier to do if she knew what he planned.

  Something to do with their newest family member, the human soldier, but what?

  Gran called the group to attention, and they got down to the business at hand.

  It was more of a war council than a council meeting. There was no bickering, just efficient planning.

  Members of both Clan and Coven had worked all through the night to complete hundreds of tracking spells similar to the messenger spells Gran had been using for communication. The tracking spells were keyed to Commander Gryton’s blood and would make tracking him possible even if he used transportation spells to move from place to place.

  They simply needed to be placed in a vast grid pattern for kilometres around the hamadryad’s location.

  Lillian listened while Gran explained at length that they were banking on Gryton moving on the tree. He had no choice. When he did, the tracking spell would relay his present position.

  “It’s like you can just roll out a full surveillance package, no tech required. Whenever, wherever you want,” the human soldier said, real awe in her voice. “No wonder we had no idea we shared the planet with other intelligent beings. You were always three steps ahead of us.”

  The banshee came to her feet in one graceful motion, which was no small feat Lillian mused since everyone was seated around picnic tables. “Who is this human? Clearly she isn’t Coven. If you want us to fight for you, you owe us an explanation.”

  The table broke out in a chorus of shouted agreements. Gran stood next, rapping her quarterstaff against the top of the table hard enough to echo.

  “The Avatars do not owe us an explanation. They do not even have to ask for our aid. It should be freely given.”

  Gregory chuckled. “Though an explanation is always nice, all the same.”

  He proceeded to explain at length who and what the human was. He ended with the simple fact that as a human-gargoyle hybrid, she was now firmly one of the Clan. As such, she was as much Fae as any other sitting on the war council.

  Lillian knew the opposition was not truly silenced, but everyone was also sensible enough to know Gryton was the greatest danger at the moment, and all conversation soon turned back to him.

  Then she realized Gregory’s plan—the obvious solution that linked both Corporal Anna Mackenzie and Commander Gryton.

  The others at the table still hadn’t seen the truth hovering in front of them.

  “How can we possibly get the tracking spells spread this far in the next few hours? The area is far too vast,” the pooka said, his yellow eyes dimming somewhat. “Even I cannot run so fast. We don’t have enough bodies to cover this much ground.”

  “Even if we do manage to cover even half this distance,” Whitethorn took up where the pooka left off and tapped the outer edge of the mapped area, “we will be too spread out to fight Commander Gryton. If he can best gargoyles in a fight, the rest of us won’t be enough to stop him—many would not even survive their first encounter with him. We need greater numbers to drive him into an ambush.”

  There were several nods of agreement to Whitethorn’s statement, but still no one thought to use the human. Lillian narrowed her eyes and then summoned a touch of gargoyle magic, reaching toward the Corporal with it.

  Ah, the human had come to the same conclusion as Lillian herself had. She waited, and still Anna did not speak up. Neither did Gregory. What were they waiting for?

  “I can think of a species capable of gathering the numbers needed to track, herd, and lay an ambush for Gryton,” Gregory finally said in the drollest tone Lillian had ever heard him use.

  The table fell silent as one by one all the occupants turned to look at him aghast.

  “Gargoyles truly don’t do subtle.” Gran sat back in her chair with a loud booming laugh, “Well, if you turn Anna loose, I’m sure she knows enough to stir the military up really good, but will it be enough to get the humans hunting Gryton? Or is it just more likely to confuse the hunt? We’ll end up avoiding the military as much or more than hunting the commander. I don’t see how that’ll be much of an improvement.”

  “I’m not proposing we ‘stir up the hornet’s nest’, I’m proposing we form an alliance with the humans of this world,” Gregory explained at last. “My other half once told me the humans have as much right to defend their lives and lands as the rest of us. I did not agree with her at the time, seeing only the humans’ many weaknesses and the damages they had done to this planet. Now I see they are trying to make it better, fix what they’ve caused to go asunder. This is their home as well. The Lady of Battles, should she gain enough power to defeat her brother, will be looking for new territory to conquer.”

  Anna cleared her throat. “If I quote you on that last part, I can probably get them combing the forest for this Commander Gryton. However, they will be hunting the bunch of you as much as Gryton. There will be no alliance—no lovefest, no singing Kumbaya, not after how a certain group of gargoyles decided attacking five helos was a good idea.”

  “Actually,” Gregory said as he tilted his head down to meet the human’s gaze with such intensity Lillian actually felt sorry for the woman. “That is exactly what you are going to tell them. Remind them what two adult gargoyles and two fledglings were capable of. Then have them imagine what an entire dark army will do to their planet and lastly, tell them that together we can track and kill Gryton before he has a chance to inform his goddess.”

  Anna stood and began to pace. “I’m all for warning my people so they can defend
themselves, but they aren’t going to just agree to this alliance, not for days and days. If at all. Even then, they are going to want assurances. Not to mentions samples and specimens to study.”

  Gregory tilted his head thoughtfully. “Then we will give them that.”

  “Why would we agree to such? You’ve all seen what the humans did to Whitethorn and Goswin.” The banshee stood, preparing to leave.

  Anna gave a hoarse cough. “It’s too late. We humans already know other non-humans are roaming the forest. There isn’t going to be something called common sense or reason, or peaceful co-existence. Even if you’re willing to show goodwill on your part—which I do not see a lot of here at the table—peaceful coexistence will be a long way off.”

  Lillian found herself agreeing with many of the human’s points.

  Gran came over and leaned a hip against the table, looking down at Anna. “That’s where a bit of old fashioned Coven persuasive magic will come in handy.”

  “You’re crazy,” Anna challenged but leaned back and gave her head a shake, “nuts, but I’ll try to convince my superiors Gryton is so scary, we need an emergency response team hunting him down ASAP. Anything else that happens after is out of my hands.”

  Gran grinned. “Don’t worry dear. Coven magic will help smooth the rough edges. At least enough they won’t shoot or dissect you on sight.”

  “That’s very reassuring, thanks.”

  Again, Lillian found herself sympathizing with the human, and thinking this plan sounded about as well thought out as one of her own.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “This is a stupid plan,” Anna mumbled as she walked at the edge of the forest, cloaked in shadow magic. “I’m going to get locked in a cage for the rest of my life—make that short life.”

  “I won’t let that happen,” Shadowlight said in a cheerful tone.

  “You’ll be in the cage next to me, drugged out of your mind. Just how are you going to rescue me then? I’m curious.”

  “No cage will hold me,” he countered, far too excited at the thought of infiltrating HQ to see reason.