Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Ulric looked at Sebastian as he pointed to Niamh. “Now, that has to be a joke. That can’t be legit.”
“Okay, let’s go. Miss, do you have everything?” Mr. Tom stopped beside Jessie. “You’re without your clutch. Where is your phone?” He held up his hand. “You go on. I’ll run and get it.”
Niamh jerked her head for Sebastian as she opened the door. “C’mon, lad. Weird before beard. Out ya git.”
“Maybe those doilies fit into this fun house,” Sebastian murmured as he followed directions. But he still had a smile on his face. He wouldn’t ask what beard she was referring to. He was afraid she’d answer.
He was musing on the possibilities when he tripped over something and fell down the steps.
The spell he threw out to catch himself came too late, and he bashed his cheek on rough cement. His momentum kept him going, and he rolled over his shoulder, finally flopping down and sprawling half in the grass and half on the walkway.
“Oh, my—are you okay?” Jessie was down after him in a flash. He could feel her healing magic flow into him before she could physically scan the damage.
Niamh guffawed.
“Fantastic start to the evening,” Sebastian murmured.
“Oops, that’s my fault.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Sebastian saw Ulric scoop up a medium-sized box sitting in front of the door and turn for the house.
“I should’ve grabbed this earlier and forgot. They’re starting to pile up. Don’t worry, though, when my mom gets here, she’ll go through all of them with you. It’ll probably take a few days. At least.”
“What is it?” Jessie called over her shoulder, still bent to Sebastian.
“A connection request from one of the cairns.” Ulric jogged back out as Sebastian was sitting up. “I didn’t see who it was from. The box is on the smaller side, but that doesn’t mean much. You can pack a lot of jewels in a box that size.”
“How many of these things have come?” Jessie asked as she helped Sebastian up.
“A…bunch,” Ulric said vaguely.
Jessie studied him for a moment, then looked away. “We’ll figure it out tomorrow.”
The edge in her tone drew Sebastian’s attention. He looked at her closely.
Tension tightened her shoulders and etched the soft lines in her face. A strange swirl of emotion nearly colored the air around her, something he really shouldn’t feel, since he wasn’t a shifter, but did all the same. Wariness, anxiety, uncertainty, fear…all mixed in a strange sort of dark, murky soup of violence. Was this the gargoyle peeking through? Why?
But in a flash of understanding, he knew why. For the first time, it felt like he could really see her. His stomach flipped.
She wasn’t as ignorant as she was trying to pretend. Her holiday with Austin hadn’t been mating bliss, not entirely. She was starting to feel the pressure of the outside world bearing down on her safe haven. Meeting cairns was synonymous with protection, her greater defense against mages and what was to come. A lot rode on her ability to connect with them, just as a lot was riding on her ability to show well for Austin’s pack. Yesterday had been a baby step, but soon, she’d need to sprint, and she knew it. Or maybe her gargoyle did, and she was cluing in.
All of this was suddenly clear as day. If he’d paid attention, he would’ve seen it before now.
His heart went out to her. He’d half forced her into all of this. He hadn’t had a choice, but still, he felt responsible. And before the end, he’d be responsible for a whole lot more. For things he didn’t want to do. For things she might not forgive.
“There’s no hurry.” Ulric shrugged. “You might as well wait for my mom.”
“When is she coming?” Jessie started walking, tugging Sebastian along with her. She probably considered him a flight risk. Niamh was still laughing.
“Tomorrow or the next day. She’s not a great traveler, but given her excitement level, she’ll likely be here within a few days of her original plan.”
“She’s a gargoyle’s wife, and she’s afraid to fly?” Jasper asked as everyone headed down the street. “Was she a Jane and didn’t get used to the life, or…?”
A dark shape with a huge wingspan drifted overhead—Nathanial taking the bird’s-eye view. He’d cover them from the air.
Something rustled away in the grass, drawing Sebastian’s notice. The being hid just beyond the veil of darkness, a random, small shape he couldn’t quite make out. A doll, maybe. Or one of those gnomes Edgar was so worried about.
He sent out a scan even though the noise was on Ivy House property. You could never be too careful. It was possible to circumvent the magical house’s detection abilities. He should know—he’d managed it himself.
“No, no. Nothing like that,” Ulric replied. “She’s a gargoyle’s daughter. She knows the life. She just meets random people and gets to talking. She’s missed more flights and trains than you would believe. Then she makes friends with whoever she was talking to and goes for dinner, or boards their train with them, or…with her, you really never know. She’s the best networker in the world, but she’s not very reliable with schedules. This is the biggest news in the gargoyle world, though, so she’ll very likely make a special effort to get here as quickly as possible.”