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 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 I 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 then 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.
H
e 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.
Damn it.
They needed to escape sooner rather than later if Shadowlight was actually preening at a few words of praise from Gryton.
Tin Man would not be Shadowlight’s new father figure.
Hell to the no.
Gryton continued to the door but paused before opening it. “Shadowlight will get a new, more powerful collar tomorrow. Don’t bother attempting escape. I will be tripling the guards and will have the blood witch create a few nasty surprises along the perimeter for the unwary. And, Anna, nothing I said to you was a lie. My offer still stands.”
The door closed with a thud and Gryton was gone. Shadowlight growled softly and Anna was tempted to join him.
“He’s going to be a thorn in our side,” Anna muttered as she scratched Shadowlight between the ears.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The next night Anna and Shadowlight reported to the practice ring as usual only to find Captain Sorac missing and Vaspara there in his place, instructing his regular students. Folding her arms against her chest, Anna glowered and flicked her wings in annoyance.
She wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but she’d been a touch anxious about tonight’s session. It was supposed to be her first flight lesson. Earlier, she’d managed to shapeshift into full gargoyle form without any kind of help. She hadn’t even needed a rest afterward, for which she was glad. It meant she was getting stronger. Hopefully, luck would be with her and she wouldn’t humiliate herself too badly, or crash and break something.
She’d hyped herself up and was ready to begin, or at least, get this first flight behind her and improve from there. However, apparently, Sorac wasn’t as hyped.
Which annoyed her greatly. The brute was never late. “Where’s Sorac?”
Vaspara glanced over her shoulder. “Ah. You’re early. Good.”
The captain finished going over one of the sword forms with a young girl with a mop of brown curly hair. When Vaspara was done, she turned back to Anna and Shadowlight.
“Captain Sorac will meet us along the southern cliffs. Come, I’ll show you the way.” Vaspara gestured for them to follow.
Anna and Shadowlight dropped to all fours and paced after her retreating form.
Leading them out of the practice field, she guided them along the fortress’s southern curtain wall. Here the wind howled, buffeting them with sudden shifts in the air currents. The ground grew steeper and rockier as the green grass gave way to a drop-off, leaving only a narrow trail with the towering wall on the left and empty sky on the right.
The succubus seemed unconcerned by the sheer drop just feet away. She even stooped to pick up the occasional fist-sized rock to toss down the side of the cliff so she could listen as it bounced and smashed its way down the cliff face.
Anna grit her teeth. The evil bitch had to be doing it on purpose just to rattle her.
“Here we are,” Vaspara said, as they, at last, eased around a sharp bend in the trail.
Anna and Shadowlight followed close on her heels.
Glancing around, Anna didn’t see what made ‘here’ special enough to warrant being a destination. The path was only slightly less narrow than the part they’d just left. Though, they were somewhat more protected from the wind since this section was shielded from the prevailing winds by a large outcropping of rock jutting from the cliff side.
There was enough room for her and Shadowlight to crouch shoulder to shoulder and look out over the dark valley below them. The two moons were sufficiently bright for her gargoyle vision to pick out small details far below. A small herd of wild goat-like creatures were picking their way up the rocky lower slopes, grazing on what sparse clumps of grass they could find.
“Captain Sorac will be here shortly,” Vaspara said and patted them both on the shoulder. “Good luck.”
With that she left, leaving Anna and Shadowlight to gawk after her.
“She’s just leaving us here?” Shadowlight said in disbelief.
“Seems that way.” Anna scanned the sky, and then the rockface around them. “This totally feels like a test.”
“I hate tests,” Shadowlight said with a little growl at the end.
She was about to agree when a massive black shadow sailed over a ridge and into the valley below.
“Holy fuck, what is that? And is it hungry?” Anna switched to their mental link so she wouldn’t give away their location to the flying, transport truck-sized shadow. It climbed higher with breathtaking speed, and soon its massive wingspan was blocking out the stars. Silhouetted against the night sky, its sinewy body and long serpentine neck were displayed to full advantage.
“I’m not sure. It’s too far away and it’s downwind of us,” Shadowlight said and leaned out into the air to try and get a better look.
“Don’t dislodge any loose rocks. It’s probably got super hearing since it’s hunting at night.”
Shadowlight didn’t disagree.
The beast, dragon was the name that came to Anna’s mind, loosed a roar and twisted in the air, diving down toward the herd of wild goats. Its maw gaped again, but this time instead of a roar, a gout of flame burst forth.
It was an honest-to-god fire-breathing dragon.
A hungry fire-breathing dragon by the way it snatched up the cooked goats and gobbled them down. It made quick work of its meal while still on the wing before climbing back into the sky where it circled lazily.
Anna thought it was leaving until one of its diamond-bright eyes zeroed in on their perch and it rolled in the air, streaking back towards them. Its jaws parted in a predatory smile and the amber glow of fire became visible through the rows of deadly teeth.
Oh. Crap.
“Anna, it’s—”
“Going to Bar-B-Q us! Move!” She slammed her shoulder into Shadowlight’s back and shoved for all she was worth. A second later Shadowlight was falling. She only had time to note his wings snap open as he began a swift descent.
Praying to whatever god might be listening, Anna launched herself off the narrow ledge just before a stream of fire hit the cliff somewhere above her head.
She’d lost Shadowlight in the seconds after she’d launched herself from the cliff. Where the hell was he?
Anna desperately tried to find him, but the wind buffeted her now that she was out in the open and her wings flailed, her tail instinctively lashing back and forth to level out her flight. Cartwheeling out of control, she was about to smash into a fast approaching ridge but then Shadowlight was suddenly directly in front of her and his voice whispered in her mind.
“Anna, follow my lead. The wind is your friend. Let it fill your wing membranes.”
“Friend my ass!”
Shadowlight stayed directly ahead of her, blocking out her view of impending doom, but even though she was only moments away from wrecking on the rocks, she somehow managed to listen to his continued instructions. The kid was calm in the face of death, she’d give him that.
Slowly, her flight leveled out, and he guided her away from the razor-sharp rocks that would shred her wings and break her bones. When they were halfway to the valley floor, and the dubious safety it represented, Anna chanced a glance behind, wondering why the winged transport truck hadn’t flamed her good.
The beast was on her ass. Literally on her ass! The tip of his nose almost touching her tail. Shadowlight must have known, for he banked hard to the left, circling back towards the cliffs. Anna followed suit, knowing they weren’t going to make it, not both of them.
Summoning shadow magic, she readied herself to send it stabbing into the creature’s eyes. She didn’t know if it would be effective, but it might slow the beast down, distract it
, or piss it off enough to get it to follow her instead of the kid.
“Anna, it is Sorac,” Shadowlight said, his voice penetrating her spinning thoughts.
No.
It couldn’t be.
She chanced another look behind. The beast was grinning at her.
“You’ve got to be freaking kidding me! I hate you so much right now,” Anna shouted behind her as she continued to follow Shadowlight. She was tempted to bite the kid in the tail for his part in this, too. He knew and didn’t say anything.
“Why didn’t you tell me it was Sorac!”
“I tried.”
“Not hard enough!”
“You shoved me off a cliff!”
“Now, now, children. Stop fighting and follow me,” Sorac the dragon said in a booming voice behind her. He swiftly outpaced them in the air and came to a graceful landing on a large flat section of cliff that looked like it had been carved for that purpose.
Shadowlight landed next. Anna followed him in, where she managed a sort of controlled crash. She gave herself a shake and then went and sat off by her self.
Seated, she craned her neck to look up at Sorac. “So, you’re a dragon. Guess I should have put two and two together. Shadowlight said you were a fire elemental and you have scales.”
“I,” he puffed out his chest and stretched his neck proudly, “am a fire drake, not a dragon. One of those fat lizards would never be able to keep up with me.”
Okay. Note to self. Firedrakes were elitist and touchy.
Sorac bent his neck to bring his large head in close to her. She couldn’t tell his color in the darkness, but his plate-sized scales gleamed. If she was to speculate, she’d guess his coloring to be black or some other dark color. Maybe a deep green or a wine tone.
It was too bad they never trained in daylight. She’d bet he was stunning. Though it didn’t matter how pretty he was, she was still pissed off at him.
“I didn’t think you could possibly be worse at anything than you were with the sword,” Sorac said. “I’ve just been proven wrong.
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