by R.K. Ryals
Chapter 33
Conor
The hours before dawn come too soon, and I am shaking Emma awake.
"Come on, sweetheart. Time to move."
Emma stirs quickly, and she sits up, her hands moving through her hair as I climb out of the bed. I reach down to take her hand. If she has the power to see in the dark, she hasn't learned how to yet, and I don't know how to teach her.
"Ready?" I ask when she's standing next to me.
She nods, and I approach the door. This is the part of the journey that could get us killed. If any of the Guardians wake up, we are more than screwed.
"Remember, project feelings of calm. If you got some kind of sleepy emotions hidden up your sleeve, feel free to use those too," I mumble.
Emma snorts.
"Got a whole bag of sleepy mojo all ready to go."
I recognize the sarcasm, and I know she's terrified. My hand finds hers.
"Let's go."
I pull the door open carefully, my eyes alert. The room is quiet, still. I step through the door, Emma close behind me.
"They won't hear you," a male voice says, and I jump.
Emma gasps, and I place a hand over her lips hurriedly.
"They won't hear you," the voice repeats, and I look up to find Gray Harris standing casually in front of us. He's a hybrid, but I don't know much about him other than his name. He nods at us, his eyes on Emma.
"I'm Gray, son of Iudal. I can cause deafness. Both permanent and temporary. They can't hear you."
I watch him warily. Gray is of average height and skinny with brown hair that is well beyond the need for a haircut.
"Are you with us?" I ask.
Gray gestures at Emma.
"I'm with her, Dude. I don't trust you."
Right away, I can tell I'm really gonna like this guy. And that's sarcasm at its best.
"Are there more hybrids?" Emma asks.
Gray nods.
"They're waiting at the rendezvous. Fiona told us we were supposed to meet you at the lake?"
"That's right," Emma answers.
"Then let's go. The deafness is definitely temporary. I give it another hour or so," Gray says before moving ahead of us.
"Oh well, he's friendly," I mutter as we fall in behind him.
Emma is antsy, and we are just about in the courtyard when I see her looking toward another exit in the stable. She stops moving, and we stop with her.
"What is it?" Gray asks.
His eyes are bright. I can't feel his excitement, but I know it's there.
"Ace," Emma says, and I nod, my eyes moving to Gray.
"Go on ahead. We have one more stop."
Gray looks at Emma. She nods, and he takes a few steps backward before turning to break into a run.
"They really hate me that much?" I ask as we move to the door leading into the un-renovated sections of the stable.
Emma ducks into the darkness, and I duck with her before taking her by the elbow. The dark doesn't pose as much a problem for me as it does for her.
"They fear you," Emma whispers as she searches the inky interior.
I see the drex slinking from a corner, snuffling toward Emma slowly.
"He's coming to you," I tell her.
Emma is watching her feet now, her eyes squinted.
"Just how well can you see in the dark?" she asks.
I grin.
"Noticed that, huh?"
The drex's nose hits Emma's tennis shoes, and his head lifts. Emma runs a hand over his leathery hide, and I shudder. Out of everything that has happened, I understand the drex the least. He's ugly as sin and beyond creepy even for me.
"You move around well in darkness," Emma says as I pull on her arm.
She follows me out of the stable, the drex behind us. The creature keens, and Emma shushes him.
"All gargoyles have the ability. Demons do as well."
"Oh," Emma answers as we skirt the school's courtyard. There are stone gargoyles stationed at the forest's edge, and we avoid the area.
"I think you have the ability too. It's just a matter of learning how to do it," I say softly as I help Emma over one of the garden's stone walls.
The moon isn't as full as it was a few days ago, but it's bright. I can see the lake in the distance, the moon's reflection shimmering on the surface. There are figures moving near its edge, and I know everyone else has made it to the rendezvous point.
"We've got to hurry," I say urgently.
Emma nods, and we break into a run, my arm on Emma's to keep her from stumbling. Even with the moon's glow, my eyesight is much better than hers. There are murmurs as we draw near, and I know the hybrids and gargoyles at the lake have noticed the drex.
"No F-ing way! She does have one!" I hear one of the Garner twins say excitedly.
Someone shushes her, and I'm pretty sure it's her sister. I can't tell the two apart, and I honestly don't ever try.
"Well, the Garner sisters showed," I whisper to Emma.
Emma doesn't answer. The drex has felt the presence of the other Demons, and he's getting excited. It's taking everything Emma's got to keep him calm. I see a figure break away from the group at the lake.
"Need any help?" Will asks as he climbs up the hill. I breathe a sigh of relief.
"We're good. How many showed?" I ask.
Will looks at me, his face stronger than I remember. Will is definitely an idealist, and finding a cause is giving him purpose. It's giving him a reason to fight, and for the first time, I realize my cousin is a force to be reckoned with.
"Fiona, Deidra, the Garner twins, Bruno, Gray, and . . . Lyre."
Emma and I both look at Will.
"What?" I ask.
Will shrugs. Emma pulls at the drex's head, leading him over to Will and I. Will backs up, but he doesn't seem afraid.
"Lyre's scared she'll be exterminated if she stays. She's strong. She could be an asset," Emma says softly.
Emma is definitely more open-minded than I am.
"We also have another gargoyle," Will says suddenly, his gaze on the group below.
My eyes follow his, and I take a deep breath.
"Grace," I say quietly.
Will nods. The drex shakes its head, and Emma looks at me.
"I think we need to hurry."
I don't argue. We move as a group down the hill, meeting up with the other hybrids and gargoyles at its base. Emma is looking up at the moon.
"You okay?" I whisper. "No going psycho on me tonight, sweetheart. I don't think I can get us away from Satan's army, and a posse of gargoyles."
Emma's gaze finds mine.
"I think Enepsigos has us covered on the Demon front."
My eyes narrow, but I don't question her. Even after the bathroom incident, I've been aware that Enepsigos has been communicating with her daughter. Emma hasn't said anything, but I've noticed the glassy stare, the startled jumps. I'm more in tune with Emma than I should be. It's a little startling.
Her hand finds mine, and she squeezes it briefly before letting go. I look at the rest of the group.
"You realize that we may be followed? That there will be Extermination notices written for each of us?"
Everyone nods, and my eyes find Grace Withers. I am impressed by her presence until I see the way she watches Fiona. She's become attached to her mark the same way I have mine. Maybe not romantically, but she definitely sees Fiona as a friend. And yet, she still looks conflicted. I know the feeling well. Grace and I have been Guardians for a little over a year now. It's hard to break the rules when we've finally gotten used to following them.
"Let's go then. I suggest we go Southeast toward Monaco, cross over the Tyrrhenian Sea, and then move into Tivoli."
"And if we're attacked," Grace asks.
She and I are used to making quick decisions. I look at her.
"Head for the hill towns near Rome, and ask about the residence of a man named Alessandro Manc
ini."
Grace's eyes go wide.
"The S.O.S? Are you sure, Reinhardt?"
I glance at Emma. She nods.
"I'm sure," I say before pointing at the sky. "Anyone who doesn't have the ability to fly?"
Only Deidra lifts her hand.
"I want to stay with Emma," Deidra whispers, her body moving conspicuously away from Lyre who is sulking near the edge of the lake. It doesn't take a genius to figure out Deidra has been attacked by Lyre before and viciously enough to leave an impression.
"Emma doesn't fly, Deidra," I say gently.
Lyre laughs."Figures."
"I'll take Emma," Bruno volunteers.
I give him a look that can melt glaciers.
"I can fly on my own," Emma says quietly, and I look at her in surprise.
She gestures at the drex, and I immediately shake my head.
"Hell, no!"
Even I know drex's are clumsy. He can fly. There's no doubt. All Demons can, but there's no way in hell I'm letting her get on that thing.
Emma gives me an arch look before doing exactly what I don't want her to do. She climbs onto the drex's neck, moving backward just enough Deidra can climb in front of her.
"We don't have time for this," Emma says reasonably.
"She's right," Will adds."We've got to go now."
The group spreads out. Will, Marion, and Grace all sprout bat-like wings, lifting slightly in the air as Fiona, Gwenyth, Hesther, Gray, and Lyre all rise effortlessly from the ground. The hybrids don't need wings to fly. Bruno lifts a hand, and he is suddenly lifted off the ground by a whirlwind of wind and dust. Show off.
"Get off that thing," I tell Emma. "You're being foolish."
She arches a brow.
"Am I?"
She places a hand on the drex's head, and he suddenly lifts off the ground, his head hanging as wings I never noticed unfurl from his back. His draconic tail weaves behind him, and I am struck by his similarity to the dragon myth. His large, ugly dinosaur head and small arms are the only thing keeping him from being even slightly pretty. He really is ugly.
"I swear to God . . . Emma . . ."
"We have to go now, Con," Will says from the air.
I sigh, my heart in my throat as I concentrate on my own wings. The air lifts me, and I hover near Emma.
"No fancy flying," I command.
She smiles.
"I wouldn't even know how."
Thank God that happens to be the truth.
