“Has that creature been here the entire time?” Colonel Tremblay asked, his tone hostile.
Resnick cleared his throat. “He came in just behind Corporal Mackenzie and Vivian. Then promptly disappeared into thin air. I assumed everyone saw him pull his vanishing act.”
“Your job is not to assume,” came the sharp reply.
“Sorry, sir,” Resnick said and then added in an afterthought. “I’ll see to the young gargoyle’s education. He’s adopted Corporal Mackenzie as his surrogate parent and looks to her for guidance.”
“Good for him. Now get him trained.”
“Gentleman,” Gran said as she pushed back her chair and picked up her wooden staff. “He’s not a dog, and if you try to treat him like one, the demigods will hear about it. I can assure you of that.”
Shadowlight knew adopted was something one did to give a person a family after they’d lost their own. The concept worked for Shadowlight. Anna helped fill the void left by the absence of his parents.
Thoughts of his father—a stone statue who might or might not awaken again in some distant time—came to him. And if that wasn’t bad enough, his mother was severely hurt. Anna said she was in a deep coma. Focusing on his parents hurt his heart, tightened his throat, and brought the dampness of tears to his eyes.
“It’s my fault, Sir.” Anna loosened her hold on Shadowlight’s shoulder and walked around to stand in front of him. “I didn’t think to tell him not to come. I figured it’s better than leaving him to his own devices.”
More dark looks were cast about the room and aggression scent filled the air, but after another long awkward pause, the one called Colonel Tremblay merely pushed back his chair and stood. “Major, you’re responsible for both the Corporal and the gargoyle child.”
The comment got a sharp affirmative from Resnick. After that, the meeting room finished emptying until only Gran, Anna, and Resnick remained behind with him.
“Did I do something wrong?” He didn’t like the thought of getting his new friends into trouble.
“Nothing you did, kid,” Anna said and then ruffled his mane affectionately. “Just human insecurity at its best.”
He bumped his muzzle under her hand looking for more scratches.
She obliged as she addressed Major Resnick. “How soon until I report to the lab?”
“You look like shit. Get a couple hours sleep. I’ll tell Fleming he can have you after fourteen-thirty. Vivian wants to introduce me to a few of the Clan and Coven council members around thirteen hundred hours and discuss the possibility of training demonstrations. I want you there to help smooth the edges. Gran says the Fae consider you one of theirs now. I’m going to use and abuse that to secure their full cooperation.” Resnick sighed, sounding nearly as tired as Shadowlight felt. “The last thing we need is a violent misunderstanding to destroy the fledgling peace treaty while it’s barely hours old.”
“I’m all for the use and abuse of power in the name of peace,” Gran chuckled and patted Resnick's shoulder. “That’s why we’re going to make a great team. We’ll keep all the factions so busy they won’t have time to bicker.”
Anna snorted and muttered a ‘good fucking luck’ under her breath that Shadowlight was sure no one was supposed to hear.
He reared up to walk on two legs and followed the others as they left. When he caught up with Anna, he asked, “We make a good team, don’t we?”
Anna laughed. “Yeah, kid. We’re a good team. Don’t worry. I won’t allow anyone to separate us.”
Warmth suffused him at the fierce undertone of her words. Reaching along the magical tether that had been created when he’d saved her life by sharing his blood, he touched her mind. Her thoughts were full of strength, loyalty and the need to protect him.
Their mental link was growing stronger. So too was Shadowlight’s magic. New knowledge awoke daily alongside more of his father’s memories. One such piece of information was the awareness he was now strong enough to issue orders to Anna and she would obey.
It was a dark power, one that he didn’t intend to use against her, or anyone else for that matter. Yet there was one thing that terrified him almost enough to call on that ability.
A vision of what Gryton had done to his parents flashed through his mind’s eye.
He reached out and grasped Anna’s shoulder, forcing her to stop and face him.
Before he could stop them, words came pouring out of his mouth. “Promise you won’t ever leave me.”
Those six words were more than just sounds given meaning. There was a command buried deep within them. One that made Anna stand straighter and the weariness fall away from her features.
“Oh, kid, you have my word.” Anna’s expression turned fierce. “I’ll do my damnedest to protect you and nothing, short of death, will ever keep me away for long.”
“I’m glad.” Shadowlight felt foolish tears misting his eyes, and he blinked them away.
“That’s what big sisters are for, kid.”
Shadowlight nodded and broached another topic somewhat uncertainly, “Will you come with me to visit my mother?”
Anna’s fierce expression turned softer, her dark eyes glittering with some strong emotion.
“Of course, I will. We can go now if you like. I can grab a nap later.”
Shadowlight nodded, feeling happier. “Thank you.”
Anna chuckled and ruffled his mane. “Anytime, kid. Come on.” She turned and started away, her long legs carrying her across the distance quickly. Shadowlight dropped to all fours and loped after her.
Chapter 8
Anna found herself hesitating at the door outside River’s room. Shadowlight’s mother was in a hospital bed with various tubes, hoses, monitors, and wires trailing away over the side of the bed. The readings on the monitors meant little to Anna, but she knew this Fae was in a deep coma. What she hadn’t the heart to tell Shadowlight was that no one knew how long his mother would remain in one.
It was a miracle she was even still alive.
River had Lillian’s magical tree to thank for still drawing breath. But the tree hadn’t been able to fix everything that had been broken within Shadowlight’s mother.
Her many burns and lacerations had been bandaged until almost no skin showed. What was visible was mottled with bruises. Gran had told Shadowlight that because River had no hamadryad tree in this realm or at least not one old enough to merge with yet, she would have to fight this battle much like a human.
After Gryton’s attack, when they’d first treated River, Shadowlight had demanded to stay near his mother while they tended to her injuries, but he hadn’t been alone with her like this, with all the monitors and crap. She knew seeing River like this had to be traumatizing to the kid. That’s why Anna was hovering nearby. If Shadowlight wanted time alone with his mother, that was all right. If he didn’t want to be alone, that was fine too.
“It’s okay kid. I’ll be right over here if you need me,” Anna walked over and dragged a chair from where it was sitting in one corner. She didn’t know who had placed it in the temporary hospital room, but it was too small for Shadowlight, so she appropriated it and sat guarding the door to prevent any nosy scientists from harassing the kid.
At least the two sets of Special Forces babysitters that followed Anna and Shadowlight everywhere had stayed outside in the hall.
Shadowlight inched past Anna and closer to the bed.
Outside, Anna heard the soft crackle of a radio and hushed voices, but otherwise, she wouldn’t have been aware of the eight guards out in the hall. She and Shadowlight had initially been assigned twice that number of babysitters, but the halls and rooms of the converted community center were too crowded with scientists and equipment as it was.
Besides, as Resnick had pointed out to his superiors, the gargoyles could vanish in a moment’s notice if they wanted to. Human soldiers weren’t the only ones watching. The Fae council had assigned their own guards as well.
The only difference w
as that the Fae would back up Anna and Shadowlight if they ran into trouble with the humans.
Anna could almost taste the lack of trust and anti-goodwill flowing through the halls of the building.
Yep. Her new life was going to be so freaking much fun.
While she mulled over her new life, Shadowlight had knelt next to the bed and was stroking his mother’s cheek. It was one of the only bits of skin not covered in bandages.
Shadowlight’s ears, wings, and tail all drooped in distress.
He whined softly.
“Kid, I didn’t know your mother well,” Anna began and added a mental, and I pretty much hated the cast-iron bitch on sight, “but she is a tough lady. She’ll pull through. She’s got one magnificent reason to live.”
Ears perking slightly, he glanced at her questioningly
“She’s got you. You’re her reason to recover and she will.”
When she looked up into his face, she saw the damp tracks of tears.
“My father had the same reason, but he’s not here now. I wasn’t reason enough for him.”
Dammit. And damn all warmongering Battle Goddesses, too.
“Kid, that wasn’t his choice. He would have stayed with you if he could. Don’t doubt that for a moment. And Gregory says he may still heal and walk back into your life.”
The young gargoyle surprised her by turning and leaping at her.
“What—” He snatched her out of her chair and into the biggest bear hug she’d ever been on the receiving end of, and she’d been on the receiving end of a few. All four of her older brothers were built like linebackers juiced up on steroids, but she’d never felt like a child’s toy before.
Shadowlight hoisted her up and proceeded to crush her hard enough that her bones creaked, and all air was squeezed from her lungs. With her feet dangling in the air and her nose getting ground painfully against his sternum, all Anna could do was pat him on the back and pray he’d put her down before he broke her back or smothered her.
“Can’t breathe—”
He loosened his hold a fraction, and she turned her head and drew a deep breath and expelled it in a cough. Once she dragged in a few more breaths, she thumped the kid on the back and said, “I know it hurts now, but it’s going to be alright, Shadowlight. It’s okay to cry.”
As if her words were a release for his pent-up emotions, they came flooding out and he did cry; deep shuddering sobs that shook his body. He didn’t loosen his hold, and she imagined she might have a few bruises later. But it didn’t matter.
She continued to pat him on the back and murmur nonsense. What the hell did parents say to their kids to comfort them? Her mind kept coming up blank. She hadn’t even babysat as a teenager.
Finally, she settled for little white lies, telling him everything would be okay over and over.
Eventually, the young gargoyle lowered her back to the ground. He wiped a forearm across his cheeks and muzzle while Anna remembered how to breathe normally.
Feeling like a teddy bear that had been squeezed in a headlock for too long and had her stuffing rearranged, she tried to subtly realign the discs in her spine.
Shadowlight sniffled a couple more times, but the tears had stopped flowing at least. He glanced over his shoulder and then focused back on Anna. “Is it all right if we go somewhere else now?”
“Of course. Are you hungry?” Anna glanced at the clock on the wall. She still had some hours before she needed to meet with her CO again. There’d be lots of time to take a nap after they grabbed a bite to eat. And if she knew gargoyles at all, Shadowlight was probably ready to eat a horse.
Shadowlight’s ears perked up. “Do you think Gran has any of her chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies left?”
“What? You mean you didn’t eat all of them this morning while you were waiting for breakfast?”
He shook his head.
“Well, by all means, let’s see if we can find some.”
As it turned out, they never made it to Gran. Anna was leading Shadowlight down the hospital wing when his sister, her doppelgänger, and a sour-looking Gregory all marched down the hall.
Gregory glowered at Anna and Shadowlight’s security detail, but his expression softened and brightened when his gaze landed on the young gargoyle.
“We’re going hunting before we have to attend to today’s duties. Did you want to come?” He asked as he dropped to all fours.
Shadowlight bounded over to Gregory, and they greeted each other with boisterous gargoyle affection while Lillian looked on with a grin.
As far as demigods went, Anna had decided Lillian and Gregory weren’t bad. Lillian ran her fingers through her little brother’s mane and her smile stretched wider. However, the clone held herself further back.
Anna wasn’t sure what to think about the clone. Actually, that wasn’t true. Anna was one hundred percent certain she didn’t like her.
The problem was that she didn’t know why.
While she’d missed the doppelganger’s birth, Anna had been briefed later. Apparently, this Daryna was supposed to contain Lillian’s soul and magic; she was in fact just an extension of the other woman. With a mental ‘what the hell do I know’ and a shake of her head, Anna had shoved the entire strange new development aside for later.
Well, later had just walked up to her.
Shadowlight broke off his play fight with Gregory and turned back towards Anna. “Do you want to come hunting with us?”
She felt a frown trying to crawl across her face. Hmmm, bumping around in the forest on the back of a gargoyle while they looked for deer to hunt in the rain. Not on her life. She still hurt from getting tossed off Shadowlight’s back yesterday when he’d jumped a fallen tree on his way to battle Commander Gryton in the glade.
She didn’t know the first thing about riding a horse or a gargoyle, and it had been abundantly clear Shadowlight was unfamiliar with carrying a rider.
Apparently, daddy’s memories didn’t cover all the day-to-day stuff.
She didn’t want to hurt Shadowlight’s feelings so told a half-truth. “I’m dead tired and need a nap if I’m going to be useful to my CO later. I’ll go hunting with you next time.” Once you’ve gotten some miles on you with a rider that’s not me. “Promise.”
Shadowlight looked mildly disappointed until Gregory bumped the young gargoyle in the side. “Come on youngling. I’ll teach you the finer points of being a gargoyle mount so that next time when we drag Anna along, you’ll have the skills not to kill her.” Gregory huffed with laughter. “In the meantime, Daryna will help teach you how to carry a rider.”
“Gregory is correct,” Daryna said with a grin. “I’m sure Anna will appreciate not being the one to hit the ground every time you take a corner too sharply.”
The Sorceress’s words were light-hearted, but that annoying worm of doubt burrowed deeper into Anna’s thoughts. Perhaps she should go?
Oh, for fuck’s sake. He’s got demigods looking out for him. He’ll be okay.
Anna fought down what was likely just overly protective maternal instincts. Who’d have thought she’d turn out to be the motherly type? With a somewhat fake smile, Anna wished them a good hunt and watched them walk away. When they were out of sight, she headed off to round up some breakfast, clean clothes, and a shower. Anna’s personal guards trailed along behind her as that earlier nagging worm of doubt returned and dogged her steps.
Chapter 9
Lillian returned from the hunt feeling relaxed even though she’d learned Gregory and Daryna would be spending the day together as they worked on strengthening the protections around the hamadryad to prevent other, unexpected Magic Realm visitors from just popping in. While they worked on higher level spells, Lillian would be helping Gran with a different project involving magic. But even knowing that detail, hadn’t chased away Lillian’s happiness.
Watching Gregory and Daryna teach Shadowlight the finer points of carrying a rider likely had a lot to do with her feelings of good w
ill toward the Sorceress. The exercise had certainly gone a long way to lifting the young gargoyle’s confidence and demeanor. Not that Shadowlight lacked confidence, but the hunt helped him feel useful. And that lightened Lillian’s own dark thoughts.
Lillian still couldn’t bring herself to welcome Daryna with open arms, but perhaps she wasn’t so very terrible either. She’d been kind to the young gargoyle. And she’d even shared stories with Lillian about the Avatars’ history while Gregory taught the young gargoyle how to better control and maintain his shadow magic to hide from adversaries more deadly than humans.
Still, some instinct urged her not to trust her doppelganger twin. And there were the times Lillian felt like Daryna was intentionally trying to stir up trouble.
One part of Lillian’s consciousness said she was just jealous and paranoid, that Daryna hadn’t done anything to deserve her distrust.
But now that she had time to dwell upon it, she wondered how much Daryna had been unconsciously shaped by her stay in the Battle Goddess’s domain during those first eight years of her life. Eight years was a lot of time to develop a young mind—no demon seed required.
Another dark thought emerged from Lillian’s overactive psyche. When all this was over, and they defeated the Battle Goddess, would they just have a new adversary in the form of Daryna?
Lillian wanted to tell herself it was pure paranoia.
For the first time since she’d found out that her hamadryad had taken her soul and her powers of the Mother’s Avatar, Lillian wasn’t certain she wanted either back. She definitely liked it better when Daryna was a tree.
But could Lillian survive long-term without her soul or her powers as an Avatar?
And what would it do to Gregory?
Lillian didn’t know the answer to either question. Even Gregory might not know.
For now, she would do nothing. However, if some evidence came to light, no matter how small, she would act. Lillian also knew she couldn’t overpower Daryna in a fair fight. The Sorceress would have knowledge of defensive spells equal to what Gregory possessed.
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