CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Ellery
“That’s not true,” Scarlet said.
“I guess we’ll find out when this is over.”
She squeezed my wrist before releasing me. “I already know it’s not true. We have to do monstrous things to survive and save those we love, but we are not the monsters.”
I could tell she believed that, but I certainly didn’t, and I could tell by Luna’s expression she didn’t either. When I turned back to the window, Indon reached inside for me.
“Did you learn anything from him?” I asked the gargoyle as he lifted me from the room. “Did he tell you where the children are?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” At least we had one more piece of the puzzle in our grasp.
Indon pushed himself off the ledge and swept me into the air. The other two gargoyles lifted Scarlet and Luna before joining us.
Beneath us, trees flashed past as Indon carried me back over the Revenant Woods, hiding us from view the best he could while flying toward our next target… the Earl of Lancashire.
When we arrived at the next castle, Luna pointed out his bedroom windows. Although she’d never been a servant here, she’d been to this castle and had served the Earl of Oakley in Lancashire’s chambers.
“These windows are much larger than the last ones,” Indon said. “We can take care of this man and his family.”
“It’s not fair for us to leave that up to you,” I protested.
These creatures were monstrous and terrifying, but I’d seen the kindness of their souls. They didn’t do this because they enjoyed it; they did it because they were seeking to protect Tempest, a realm they loved as much as I did.
Indon rested his claw-tipped fingers on my shoulder. “You have done your share tonight. We will do ours.”
“You killed all those guards and the earl’s son.”
“And we’ll do this also.”
“You don’t owe me anything for freeing you.”
Indon’s mouth curved into a smile that would probably make most run screaming while pissing their pants. It looked more like a snarl, but I saw the amusement in it.
“We owe you our freedom,” he replied. “But we’re not doing this because of that. There’s no point risking your lives when it’s not necessary.”
Rising from where he’d settled on top of one of the trees, Indon spread his wings and took flight. The other two gargoyles followed him.
I watched them go with a mixture of awe and sadness until they vanished into the night. I’d freed them from their cavern in the hopes they’d help us, and they were, but I couldn’t let them bear the brunt of everything or think they had to do it because they felt indebted to me.
Rubbing my breastbone, I tried to ease the ache in my chest as the gargoyles slipped inside the castle with the ease of shadows vanishing from light.
I kept waiting for screams to come from inside, but the only sounds were the occasional screech of a creature from deeper in the woods. None of us spoke while we sat on the treetops, watching the castle and waiting for the gargoyles’ return.
They came back far faster than I’d anticipated, emerging from the darkness and sweeping toward the trees. The gargoyles didn’t settle again before flying over the woods.
They dipped beneath the tree line, soaring through the branches with startling ease. I kept my cheek against Indon’s solid back; despite the fact that he resembled stone and was as solid as a rock, the gargoyle’s temperature ran hotter than mine.
I welcomed his heat against the icy night. Even with my cloak, Luna had to be freezing, but she hadn’t complained once.
My teeth were chattering, and goose bumps covered my skin by the time Indon descended into the cave we’d retreated to after the duke discovered our encampment. Torchlight bounced around the cavernous space, but no one had lit a fire; we still weren’t ready to risk someone detecting the smoke.
It was the right call to make, but I’d give anything to sit next to a fire, stick my hands over it, and once again feel my feet. Instead, I crawled off Indon’s back and wrapped my arms around myself. It felt like ice had settled deep in my bones.
