Vaspara flashed her fangs at him. “I don’t clean, cook or mend clothing, but I’ll come and stay with you and help protect you from the witch. She’ll be none too pleased to learn she’s short a few snacks.”
“A deal. But with luck, she’ll be too busy hunting for Anna and Shadowlight to pick a fight with us.”
Chapter 18
As it was, Anna and Obsidian didn’t wake until close to noon, Master Maradryn had left them to rest since they apparently needed it. After a few pokes and prods with her healing magic, she declared them fit to go.
After they left the healers’ quarters, Anna’s mind sharpened and went over the evening before. Every freaking embarrassing little detail.
At least when she’d woken this morning, her gargoyle nature was stronger, and she was able to build a proper mental shield. It wouldn’t be enough to keep a determined Obsidian, or a mentor, out of her head, but it restored a little bit of privacy.
They were almost out of the larger healers’ complex when Obsidian cleared his throat.
“Anna, about last night…”
“Don’t worry. We were both under the influence of the healing magic. What happens in the healers’ quarters, stays in the healers’ quarters. Deal?”
Obsidian looked pensive for a moment then snorted. “Probably wise.”
“So where to next?”
“My dwelling to clean up and get a change of clothing. Then food,” Obsidian added plaintively. “I’m going to eat the Cliff Jumper you shot yesterday. If you’re fast, I might save you some.”
“Food sounds great. A shower sounds better.” Anna paused, remembering that while Obsidian’s tree house bathroom had running water, a basin and a flushable toilet of sorts, she hadn’t seen a shower or bathtub.
Made sense since there was probably a limit to how much rainwater they could collect and store in the small tanks atop their dwelling.
“That reminds me, where do you all shower or bathe?”
“Since it isn’t feasible for a gargoyle to squeeze into a human type shower, we have heated communal bathing pools that we use to soak away aches and pains from a long day of training. We can go there if you prefer.”
She was so very tempted to say yes. Except the communal part was a bit of a deal breaker, at least for now. She’d tackle that issue later. For now, a good washing would do. Otherwise, if she had to wait, her stomach was going to chew its way out of her abdomen.
“Your place is good.”
They exited the medical complex and found Obsidian’s friends waiting.
“You were there for ages.” Truth was the first to accost them. “Were you really hurt that much? The healers wouldn’t let us visit you.”
“The healers had to use a large dose of healing magic to get past my defenses to repair the damage.” Obsidian flicked his tail. The small tell speaking of his embarrassment at having to admit weakness.
He cleared his throat. “Master Maradryn was...generous. I had to sleep off the aftereffects.”
“He means he was the equivalent of piss drunk,” Anna added with a grin.
“I wish I’d seen that.” There was no hiding the humorous note in Truth’s tone.
∞∞∞
Anna crossed the threshold into Obsidian’s place, only then realizing the others hadn’t followed. She ducked her head back out.
“What? Are you vampires and have to be invited in?” Her jest was lost on them, though, and Anna just waved them inside.
Meadow, she noticed, was hanging back, clearly more uncertain than ever about Anna and Obsidian’s relationship.
You and me both, Anna thought a touch worriedly.
Anna would face down the blood witch, fight the Lady of Battles in hand to hand combat, have tea with fucking Tin Man if need be, but the thought of Obsidian expecting a romantic relationship terrified her, and predictably stirred up the old memories and night terrors.
There were two ways she could handle this. Cut him off at the knees and crush any romantic notions he might be harboring and likely do substantial emotional harm, or she could direct his attention to a more suitable female and let nature take its course.
Anna’s gaze landed on Meadow again. Unless she was mistaken about the dryad’s feelings, the early groundwork was already laid out, all she had to do was nudge Obsidian into Meadow’s waiting arms. But first, she’d have to mend some fences. Otherwise, the dryad wouldn’t know Anna’s Rasoren was available.
Hmm, Anna thought to herself. Best way to do that is to convince Meadow that Obsidian and I are like two siblings.
This was more than just about Meadow, though.
Obsidian needed to continue growing and developing emotionally. It looked like he’d been doing just fine until she awoke. Now, he needed to get back to that level of emotional separation from her and the unnatural bond the Battle Goddess had forced upon them, or he’d never be independent.
Obsidian deserved a normal life.
And finding and falling in love with a nice girl—or dryad—was part of that.
Obsidian’s happiness was important to her. She just couldn’t be the cornerstone that he built his love life around. Besides, even if she hadn’t been…damaged, the darkly possessive bond that linked them together nullified any chance of them having a relationship where they were both equals. He’d always have the ability to command her. Not that he would, but it would hang over any relationship.
“Anna, did you wish to go first?” Obsidian was gesturing at the second smaller room that functioned as a bathroom.
She shook her head. Obsidian nodded in acknowledgment and then entered the room himself.
Anna turned her attention back to the dryad. “So... this feast. What’s the occasion, anyway? It’s a big deal obviously.”
Oath leaped on her question before Meadow could answer. “It celebrates spring and new life.”
Anna mentally tripped over that detail. It was spring? It took her brain a moment to realign itself and remember she’d been asleep for thirteen years.
How bad could a spring festival be?
“Oath is young, so he’s more interested in the food and music,” Meadow clarified. “But this is also a dryad sacred rite, marking the beginning of when many of my sisters will enter their yearly fertility cycles.”
Alrighty then. It was going to be that kind of shindig. Great time to wake up from your stone nap, Mackenzie.
“Not everyone will take part, only the ones who have hamadryads ready to carry a child and those dryads just entering their first fertility cycle and are yet unmated.”
Meadow paused for a moment, thinking.
“The dryads of Haven are likely different than the ones you might be familiar with. We remain mated to our gargoyle partners for life, unlike normal dryads who lead solitary lives and pick a new mate for each fertility season. We’re also physically and magically stronger, thanks to our gargoyle heritage.”
“You make Haven dryads sound like a different species.”
“I suppose we are. The earliest dryad sisters to arrive on this island were normal dryads. But after a few generations of selective matings with the gargoyles, we are now very close to becoming a different race.”
“You really are the Amazons of the fairy folk.”
Meadow’s one brow arched in question and Anna explained what an Amazon was.
“Yes, we are a fiercer breed than our cousin dryads. Each subsequent generation grows stronger, and we have a higher ratio of full blood gargoyle sons. If a normal dryad mated with a gargoyle, she might have three or four daughters to one son. We’re down to two daughters to one son.”
The soft creak of hinges drew Anna’s eyes to the bathroom door.
Her breath hitched, then froze in her lungs.
Breathe, you twit!
She managed to draw in a deep gulp which attracted the male’s eyes.
Worse, she was sure her mouth was hanging open. But in her defense, one of the hottest dudes she’d ever laid eyes on was standi
ng on the threshold. And she just gawked like a bystander at a house fire.
It was Obsidian. Her magic told her as much. It shouldn’t have come as such a surprise. Shadowlight had once taken on human form—a gawky adolescent who had just happened to look like a younger version of one of her brothers.
However, this fellow didn’t look much like a Mackenzie.
No, he had more of the young god vibe going for him, and his hair—he totally rocked the hell out of them dreads. She’d always suspected his thick, lustrous black mane would work beautifully done up in dreads.
Guess she had her answer.
Gold bands at the end of each dread clinked together as he walked closer. Matching armbands circled his biceps, and he also had a wide collar made of hammered gold discs engraved with patterns that reminded her of Celtic knotwork. The rest of his chest was bare, which didn’t surprise her as gargoyles weren’t known to be big on clothing.
He’d traded in the traditional beaded loincloth for a paneled knee-length garment with a wide belt—also engraved gold—reminiscent of what ancient Roman gladiators wore.
Continuing farther down, her gaze reached his feet, encased in sensible leather sandals. It was the first time she ever recalled him wearing foot coverings.
Returning to his only familiar features, her gaze studied his eyes with their dark irises and vertical pupils; though, they were now human shaped instead of the larger, slanted orbs of a gargoyle.
Come to think of it, his eyes weren’t the only familiar thing. He’d coordinated their skin tones like he’d grabbed a bunch of paint chips and meticulously matched them to her until he found the perfect one and then replicated the hell out of it. If they walked side by side, they’d look like matching horses on parade.
Briefly, she wondered if it was consciously or unconsciously done.
Either way, she wasn’t sure if she should be flattered or freaked.
“Thump…and another female falls under Obsidian’s spell.” Truth’s tone was humorous, no envy to be found.
Anna snorted and side-eyed the other male. “Pretty boys don’t do it for me. Obsidian’s safe. I was just taking in all the changes. He used to look like a younger version of one of my brothers.”
Truth leaned forward, the picture of mischief. “And he doesn’t now? Hmmm. Wonder why that is?”
Obsidian reached out and cuffed Truth. “All of you out so Anna can get changed.”
She was going to point out that she could do that in the bathroom just fine, but Obsidian cut her off.
“Meadow, did you or Lark have any luck finding something for Anna to wear?”
“Yes actually.” Meadow shrugged a pack off her back and proceeded to pull out several garments. “I could stay and help.”
“Sure,” Anna said before Obsidian could utter a response. “We can chat while you show me what’s what. I’d love to hear stories about Shadowlight growing up.”
Obsidian arched an eyebrow. “You could simply ask to look into my head if that’s what you were really after. But it’s not. I’m on to you. You won’t learn anything juicy from my friends.”
Anna returned his grin. Poor deluded male. Women always dug up the dirt and shared.
Chapter 19
Decked out in her new outfit—composed of a short skirt, leggings, and midriff-baring top done in shades of forest green and sunset gold—Anna exited the dwelling with Meadow and rejoined the rest of the group. Obsidian was standing just outside like he’d been assigned guard duty.
“Anna, you look lovely.” His voice, almost a low rumbling purr, made her stomach churn with nerves, and not the good kind.
It didn’t help that his gaze had paused for a moment at her chest, where the top’s fabric stretched a little too tightly, and then again at her hips where the shirt accented their flare. Dryads were generally a slimmer build than humans.
Sweat broke out along her palms, and she hunted for something sarcastic to say. Her gaze landed on his dreads.
“How in the hell did you find time to do them while Meadow and I were talking? We didn’t gab that long.”
“I used shadow magic to manipulate the strands.”
“Fuck. You’ve been holding out on me.”
He reached up and rubbed along his scalp, looking somewhat embarrassed. “I tore out a chunk from my mane during the first attempt.”
“Eh? Really? Think I’ll stick with the old-fashioned method.”
Obsidian was still looking self-conscious as he turned and led the group away from his dwelling. Slowly Anna relaxed and then scolded herself for being a fool.
She hadn’t been this off balance since just after the attack.
For fuck’s sake. This was Obsidian. It didn’t matter that he’d shifted and now looked like the world’s sexiest guy. He’d harm her no more than Shadowlight would. And even if he were harboring ideas about nurturing a romantic relationship with her, she knew she could trust him to back the fuck off when she told him hell no.
He wasn’t the monster that had haunted her dreams in the months after the assault.
Giving herself a mental shake and a reprimand for losing her shit over something as foolish as Obsidian’s innocent compliment, Anna turned her attention back to her earlier conversation with Meadow.
She and the dryad had shared a bit of small talk, while the other woman had helped her pick an outfit but, unfortunately, Obsidian’s earlier comment had proven correct. She was unable to get the dryad to open up about his childhood.
Now, as the group swiftly made their way across the bridges and rope ladders, wasn’t the time to continue her previous chat with Meadow. It would have to wait until they were once again on the ground.
Luckily, they were soon on the ground. Anna soon saw other gargoyles shifted to appear human—or actually, dryad, she supposed.
Obsidian led them down a familiar path toward the larger gathering place. Sounds of a growing crowd could be heard just ahead. Music filled the surrounding forest. It was pretty and non-assuming. Exotic sounding woodwind and string instruments if she were to guess.
While they walked, Meadow continued her explanation of the Spring Rite from where she’d left off when Obsidian’s appearance in his humanoid form had distracted them.
“Later, after the dinner, drink will begin to flow, and a horn will call the revelers to dance. The dryads begin the dance and seduce the gargoyles into taking part, but really most already know who’s going to join the dance, since we ask days in advance.”
“Sounds like just good old dating.” Anna found herself grinning at the thought of gargoyles dating. It hadn’t occurred to her before.
“Just because a dryad invites a gargoyle to the dance and he accepts doesn’t mean it will end...”
Coughing sounded behind them, and Meadow glowered over her shoulder at Oath, who was making the universal ‘girls are gross’ look.
Anna grinned at Oath in silent agreement.
Meadow wouldn’t be put off, though. “The singing and dancing spreads throughout the forest and often goes until dawn.”
Yep. Have the picture, thanks.
“The new pairs will discover if they are compatible.” She looked over her shoulder, saw that Oath and Nightshade had dropped back, and continued her tale. “There is both a physical and emotional component to the bond between a dryad and her gargoyle. Some bonds form quickly, others more slowly. The elders encourage such relations but require that we don’t risk a child until we’ve completed our training at least to the level of Adept.”
Anna glanced behind at the two younger males. “What about the youths? What do they do while the adults are adulting?”
Anna really hoped the answer was retire to their own place and sleep until dawn. That’s how she’d prefer to end her night.
Meadow looked truly startled. “Why, they are already dancing and having fun. A gargoyle signals his interest in courtship by sitting until a dryad approaches him. He’ll then only stand if he’s interested in that dryad.”
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Great. So much for just sitting in a quiet corner and waiting it all out. Talk about an introvert’s worst nightmare.
“What if I get tired and want to rest for a bit?”
“Rest?” Meadow laughed. “We’re warriors. Think of this as an endurance test. The mentors will be watching.”
Nightmare. Total fucking nightmare. Commander Gryton and the captains were starting to look good.
Finally taking pity on her, Meadow patted Anna’s arm. “Don’t worry. You won’t be judged if you find this first full taste of our society too intimidating. Just follow Obsidian’s lead. You’re his Kyrsu. It’s his responsibility to see to your welfare and introduction into our society.”
She barely heard the dryad’s last three sentences. Her mind was still on the implied cowardice. The hell with that!
She’d battled demonic Riven, demigods, a blood witch, and an assortment of other riffraff. A freaking country dance did not intimidate Corporal Anna Mackenzie!
“Obsidian has never remained seated. I think he will this time, though, since he shifted into his wingless form. That’s another, more obvious sign, that a male has an interest in one particular female, and he wishes to impress her with his shapeshifting abilities.”
Anna choked on spit. After sputtering and wheezing loud enough to draw everyone’s attention, she managed a bored, “That so?”
“Yes. But in the past, there’s been a lot of speculation, so who can really guess the mind of your Rasoren. Some think he just hasn’t finished maturing. Others reason he doesn’t like women. And then there are those who think he’s holding out for his human Kyrsu.” The dryad rushed on before Anna could refute that rumor. “Not that it’s anyone’s business. Those are just some of the general speculations. I thought you should know.”
Damn. She’d have preferred to remain ignorant. Now she had something else to add to the list of things she’d need to hash out with Obsidian one day soon.
“You’re very tranquil and hard to read,” Meadow said suddenly, surprising Anna. “Most would have some kind of visible reaction.”
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