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Iwoke up with my mother pulling off my bandages because she needed to check them and change the poultices before I went to class. I was blurry and groggy while she cut them off, but then I realized that my shoulders didn’t hurt, not even slightly.
I touched my face, where he’d traced designs on my cheek I’d vaguely seen Rynne do. Magic. He’d healed me with magic, but not sorcery or my mom’s healing magic. If I understood correctly, sorcerers drew their life force from the person they healed, or someone or something else charged with energy, while my mother’s healing came much more slowly with side-effects such as improved mental health and optimism as she absorbed the energy from the growing life around her and bound me into that system. The healing magic the Gargoyle had given me would have come out of his stores that he would have made through some rituals of various kinds. Rynne sat and meditated on the floor in elaborate chalk drawings while she built up her powers. I’d heard of animal sacrifice, or potions that could also charge the magic user.
At any rate, the gargoyle had given me his own energy to heal me without my having to ask. He’d also taken the soap and every other chocolate thing I’d set out, but that wasn’t a remotely fair trade.
My mother stared at my shoulders for a long time before meeting my eyes with her own dark blue ones. “What is going on with your shoulders? I made five notes that I needed to check you this morning, but you only have a slight pink afterimage. You were healed by neutral magic.”
I licked my lips. “It was a gargoyle. He came and?—”
She got up and shook her head, looking agitated. “You know that gargoyles don’t fly around healing people. It must have been Earl’s injections. He gave you injections, right?”
I nodded and then smiled brightly. “Sure. I’ve got to get to class. You look tired. You should take it easy today.”
She patted my shoulder absently, then winced. “Sorry, Gabby. Let’s go get sushi together tonight. You shouldn’t work while you’re injured.”
“I’m not… Sure. Let’s do sushi tonight.”
I had a sudden happy thought. The books. After the demon took out half of the library, what were the odds that anyone would notice the books that I’d taken, even if they never came back?
The next few hours went by in a weird dream, the feel of the gargoyle on my lips no matter what else I was doing. Human. Gargoyle. Human. Who was he? Why had he kissed me and healed me and taken the soap and the scones?
The only issue that came close to dispelling my gargoyle fog was the books. It wasn’t ethical to not return the books, but what choice did I have? I mean, I could approach Percival the Prickly and tell him what the issue was, leave it in his hands, but he’d ask me why I’d been so irresponsible, and I was so blurry and dreamy from the kiss and the healing, gliding in a bubble of elevated happiness that I didn’t want him to burst. I had things to do. I had issues that I had to take care of, but I didn’t care, not when gargoyles were real, and they ran around kissing me. I walked around in a daydream until I ran into the police guy. I was carrying a tray of sushi, and I would have dropped it if he hadn’t caught it and put it on a table and looped his arm in mine and walked me out of the restaurant so smooth and practiced, you’d think he was a kidnapper instead of a plaid-obsessed police officer.
“Here’s the deal. I know they’re books from Gray College, so I’ll return them there and let them know your name, since you claim to be responsible for them. Sound good?”
I grabbed his wrist as he started turning away. “Excuse me? That’s completely unnecessary. Why can’t you just give them to me to return?”
“I heard about demons. I don’t suppose you know anything about that? Tell me about demons, and I’ll give you the books.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but the binding wrapped around my tongue, leaving me opening and closing my mouth attractively. I scowled at the tawny body builder in plaid who wanted to cause personal mischief in my life. “I’ll ask my friend to come by.”
“Otherwise, I’ll return them. Wouldn’t that be easier for you? Aren’t I a good law enforcement officer? So helpful.” He flashed his teeth at me, making me aware that he knew that I’d stolen the books. He was using me to get in contact with Percival, but why? Was there something unethical about his magic, other than letting someone incompetent have dangerous books? No idea, but it was tempting to throw Percival to the wolves.
“Who knew werewolves were so helpful?” I muttered.
He reacted, pulling back as though I’d punched him hard enough for him to notice. “You think that I’m a werewolf? Oh, you poor child. No, I’m a lion. You didn’t notice the whole cat theme? I’m the sphinx, not a wolf. I’ll give you until tomorrow morning before I turn you and the books in to Gray College.” He whirled around and jogged off, golden locks bouncing. Was he completely insane, or just as irrational as most cats?
I went back into the Cat’s Pause and finished my shift with my happy haze verifiably diminished. I couldn’t just forget about the books, and I had nothing to offer Percival, not even chocolate soap, as though that were something he’d like.
I checked the usual social media sites to lock down his location as I’d done for several retribution missions I’d done in the past. He was currently in the local college hang-out, the Osprey, where they served top tier pizza and had a stage for open mic when they didn’t have a live band.
Percival Marigold was the front man of three bands, playing a variety of instruments and having a range of vocals that would make anyone hate him, but no, everyone just thought it was normal for him to be a genius at music, too. He was playing the cello with a string band involving a banjo and a violin, with a piano. Someone was live-streaming it. I checked, and he’d been playing music for the last eight hours, as soon as it had opened, and he’d probably be there for the rest of the night. As far as I could tell, he did music to unwind, and the whole demon thing was probably stressing him out. It should stress me out, too, but I was still hazy from the gargoyle. Maybe there were drugs on his lips. That was probably it.
Anyway, after my sushi lunch shift, I headed to The Osprey, ball cap pulled down, skateboard under my feet while I rode. The place was packed for four p.m. but the music was incredible, magical, which was to be expected considering that this was Singsong City, where music literally ran through the streets.
I hung out on the edge, trying to get closer to the stage without actually touching any of the students. They knew me, hated me, or held me in derision, but no one would touch me, not when I was Percival Marigold’s special target. Yep, feeling really special right there.
He finished that set and the place went up in cheers that he received like it was the due owed him, either for his talent, his gorgeousness, or his position.
“I’m taking ten. Send a pizza to booth seven.” He flashed a charming smile at the counter where the girl was taking orders. She beamed back at him, then nodded and took someone else’s pizza to deliver to him instead. Of course she did, because he had decreed it. I rolled my eyes and hesitated, waiting for him to get settled into the booth before I approached. He’d eaten half a piece of pizza before I broke through the circle of emptiness that they had cleared for their hero.
He said, “You came to put worms on my pizza? I was just thinking that it lacked the special crunch of protein you bring to a meal.”
I sank into the bench opposite him and stared at him while he stared back, eyes dancing with the shade of maliciousness that I hadn’t seen for some time. He was going to enjoy telling me no. Well, what’s the worst that could happen if they returned the books? I’d lose my job, and get no referrals to find another job, and maybe the police officer would throw me in jail, but that wasn’t too bad. Or Mrs. Hanley could rip off my arms for good. I shivered and rubbed said arms.
“Is it your shoulders? Are they bothering you?”
I shook my head and took a piece of pizza before I realized what I was doing, actually taking his food, like we were friends. I hesitated, then bit into the pineapple and Canadian bacon and took my time chewing. It was really, really good, and this conversation wasn’t going to be.
