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Vladik and Kaspian were whispering when she came back out and both stopped immediately. Her eyes narrowed a little. "What are you two talking about?"
"Only how Irina is going to lightning bolt Vladik's ass if he ogles you too much in her presence," Kaspian replied, and Vladik let out a pained sigh.
"Sorry, Zori. He's always like this."
"And by this he means handsome, charming, and a damn good cook," Kaspian clarified and offered her a plate piled high with thin pancakes and berries. "There's syrup if you want it."
"Thank you," Zori replied and sat on the chair Vladik had pulled out for her. "Why is Irina going to lightning bolt you? Can she actually do that?"
"She can, but she won't," Vladik said, sitting down beside her. "Kaspian is being dramatic."
"Realistic," the other gargoyle grumbled and sat down opposite her. "Your grandmother can be terrifying, and I don't think she's going to appreciate this one perching on her roof because he can't leave you alone."
Zori smiled around her mouthful of pancakes. "You wouldn't do that, would you?"
"I might. I don't know. I'm overprotective of you, and now you're finally out of that tower, so I want to spend time with you," Vladik admitted, surprising her.
Zori's grin widened. "I would like that too."
"Goddess, save me. You two are like sappy teenagers. Your reputation of being badass is going to be completely ruined, Iron Heart," Kaspian said with a deep, booming laugh.
"I'm okay with it. What do you think, Zori?"
"Totally fine," she replied, playing along.
Kaspian snorted. "Well, can you at least stop staring at him like that? It's putting me off my breakfast."
"Nope," Zori said, biting into a strawberry as she looked Vladik over. "As a woman who's been locked up most of her life, I got needs."
Vladik's eyes glowed with a feral animal sheen. By the looks of things, she wasn't the only one.
"You need a freezing cold flight tonight to cool you both off."
That got Zori's attention away from getting underneath Vladik's clothes as soon as possible. "What flight? You're not going to make me try and shift again, are you? Because I'm not sure how I did it the first time."
Vladik rested his hand on her neck. "I wouldn't force you to do anything, Zori. I'll carry you tonight to get us out of the city. I am interested to know what triggered your shift last night."
Zori touched her cheek. "Anton hit me."
"Hewhat?!" Vladik hissed, eyes flashing with gargoyle.
"Take a breath, brother. She clearly handled herself," Kaspian tried to soothe him.
Zori took a sip of her coffee. "A lot of it is blurry, but Anton accused me of helping you because I pulled the fire alarm."
She told them about the black smoke and the way it attacked him, the strange voice and how she'd jumped. Vladik's thumb was rubbing against the back of her neck, and she didn't know if it was to reassure himself or her. She tried to tell them about how it had been to fly and the string of light she had followed to Vladik.
"The swan seemed to know exactly who she felt safest with. It led me here. It's the only way I can describe it," she finished.
The gargoyles were looking at her in impressed amazement.
"I think the sooner you get to your grandmother, the better, princess," Kaspian said finally.
"She will know exactly how to help you and your swan. The voice you heard? If I had to guess, that was Morana. It makes sense," Vladik added thoughtfully.
Zori shook her head. "How does a real-life goddess talking to me make sense? I'm not sure I believe in her!"
"Doesn't matter. She believes in you. Black swans are very rare, Zori. Irina said they are always the chosen of Morana," he replied.
