Page 48 of Hated By the Gargoyle

They materialized into three imposing figures.

The first, the one at the center, was the most terrifying of all.

Dark brown skin that gleamed a healthy glow, the man wore a suit of all black with shining, silver cuffs. He sported a low cut fade and feathery, black wings were spread wide at his back.

My first thought was that he looked like an angel of death.

My second was that he reminded me of a mafioso from a romance book.

The second figure was tall and lithe. A beautiful man with golden skin and a fashionable outfit that looked so out of place in the cave that I blushed. He had horns and a sweeping tail.

The third figure was shorter than the others, but somehow more frightening. Violence swirled from his body, becoming a tangible aura even I could make out. Shadows caressed his skin like he was their master, and his eyes glowed a deadly red. He had horns, leathery wings, and a tail.

The figure in the middle, clearly the leader, spoke, “We warned you.” He stared down at Qanek as though he were looking at the scum of the earth. “And now, you will pay the consequences.”

From across the distance, Qanek’s head moved. He turned, staring right at me. His eyes were wide, and though I still was no expert on his expressions, I could see the panic. The fear. His rage had abated a fraction, and he was waking up enough to realize where he was, where I was.

“Luce–” He didn’t get the rest of the word out before he vanished.

Between one blink and the next, Qanek was gone and so were the three deadly figures.

All that remained were two strange gargoyles, who had now turned their attention towards me.

I pressed myself deeper against the wall and began to weep and whimper. I held my chained hands to my naked body, terror beating a deadly beat inside my body.

“Please, please, please don’t hurt me!”

The dark gray and purple one stepped closer. “We will not harm you, human.” That was pity in his gaze as he took me in. As he took in the cave, judging it. Then his eyes went to the nest and he inhaled sharply, and the pity only seemed to augment.

“What is your name?” the light gray one asked.

“L-L-L-Lucero.”

“L-L-Lucero,” the dark gray one echoed.

I blinked.

Did he really think my name was said with a stutter? The thought cleared away a fraction of my panic.

“Allow me to free you of your chains, yes?”

For a second I hesitated, but eventually, I held my hands out as the dark gray one approached. With a wave of strength and magic, the bindings shattered and I was free.

“We are Qanek’s brothers,” the dark gray one explained, gesturing at himself and the lighter one. “I am Nazzar.”

“And I am Xavir.”

I rubbed my wrists, feeling a headache pound at my temples. I winced at the pain over every inch of my body and hissed, “Jesus Christ…”

“Why must you humans always confuse us with that man?” Nazzar asked, tilting his head to the side and looking genuinely confused. “Nazzar.” He tapped his chest. “Na-zzar!” Then he tapped his brother’s chest. “Xa-vir. Xa-viiiirrr.”

Despite the situation, I began to laugh. The hysterical sound burst out of me, until they made way to sobs and tears, all the adrenaline and fear crashing down on me in an instant. I dropped to my knees and curled into myself, sobbing, frightened, unknowing what to do.

When I looked up, Nazzar and Xavir were still staring at me with pity.

“We… understand, if you are unable to speak of your troubles,” Nazzar began. “What our brother did was unforgivable.”

“What he did…”