Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Sebastian glanced at Nessa, saw that she was just finishing organizing her suitcase, and moved to get the door.
Niamh stood in the hallway. Behind her, gargoyles and shifters passed by, heading for the stairs that would take them outside.
“Come on,” she said without preamble.
“What?” he asked in surprise. He saw the cape in her hand, and surprise turned to panic. “Why?”
“Come on,” she said again, jerking her head in the direction everyone was walking. “Let’s go.”
“No.” He thought about shutting the door in her face. “I’m good. I’ll stay here.”
“Come on.” She reached in, grabbed him by the shirt, and yanked him into the hall. “You need a drink.”
Edgar skulked down the hall with a smile. He also had a cape on.
“No, I don’t. Honest. I’m fine being this wound-up.” Sebastian tried to backpedal. “Why in the world would you use capes in a gargoyle settlement? We’re not hiding from mages. They are going to know these aren’t wings.”
“What’s…” Ulric stepped out of his room next door with a growing smile. “What’s going on here?”
“We need a conversation starter.” Niamh held out the cape for Edgar to take before grabbing Sebastian by the shoulders with surprising strength for an old woman. Appearances were very deceiving here. “Put that cape on him,” she told Edgar.
“No, no.” Sebastian tried to weasel away from the vampire and his bright white canines. “It’s okay. I’ll do. I’ll do it!”
“I’m coming,” Ulric said as he made way for Jasper. “I want to see how this plays out.”
“It won’t play out well,” Sebastian groused. “It never plays out well. For me, anyway.”
“Nonsense. We always get what we’re after, don’t we?” Niamh gestured him on. “Let’s go. I’ve got the skinny on the roughest bar in the settlement. Granted, there are only three bars here, but it’ll have to do. A few of the more powerful guardians always hang out there.”
“Jessie said not to start a fight,” Sebastian bleated, dragging his heels.
“We’re not going to start a fight. We’re going to create a little animosity so that when all the gargoyles train together, they’ll make it personal and force Jessie to put them in their place. They’ll respect her more for it. It’s the gargoyle way, the stubborn donkeys.”
Sebastian wilted as he followed her down the hall. Dang it, she was right, and it was a great idea. Ulric echoed his thoughts as he said, “Too true. Great idea.”
“Yeah,” Jasper said.
“Why does it have to be me, though?” Sebastian whined. Nessa jogged to catch up, wearing a big smile. “Why can’t Nessa or one of the shifters do it? Or Fred. Fred is always down for one of your crazy ideas.”
“Nessa has a way of charming people,” Niamh said. “So does Fred. They’ll make a cape seem normal. You do not have that gift. You’ll make the cape seem awkward.”
“Everyone would make a cape seem awkward,” Sebastian grumbled as they pushed through the exit and walked down the stone path. He sent out magic to “see” the gargoyles standing by the stone, invisible. “Why do they do the invisibility thing when gargoyles can still see them?”
“It’s customary for a guardian,” Jasper said. “We can see them, but their appearance is slightly different when blending in than when they aren’t. They are essentially denoting their rank when they do it.”
“They’re showing off that they are Guardians,” Niamh said. “Don’t bother looking at them. It’ll rankle them that we don’t care.”
“Yes, it will,” Ulric murmured with a grin.
“I cannot wait to fly with them all,” Jasper whispered, keeping his voice low. “We have a new flight strategy now, so Gerard’s gargoyles won’t specifically know it, but we developed good aerial communication with his cairn. They’ll catch on quickly. The others will feel totally out of place.”
“They’ll feel like novices,” Ulric murmured. “And then add in how we work with Jessie and Cyra swooping and Hollace acting as an anchor—it’ll be like their first day as Guardians. It’ll punch holes in their egos.”
“Which will make them lash out, especially with the animosity we’re about to create.” Niamh nodded. “Very predictable, gargoyles.”
“You say that about shifters,” Ulric said.
“Yeah, they are, too.” Niamh pointed to the right, around a corner. “That way.”
“Is there anyone you don’t find predictable?” Jasper asked.
“Momar.” They traveled the sidewalk, sometimes nearly brushing up against the lurkers at the side, but not glancing their way. Cars and SUVs traveled slowly along the street, their occupants staring out the windows at Sebastian and his crew. Their gazes didn’t miss the ill-fitting capes that Edgar and Sebastian wore.
Around a few more corners they found the bar in question. No one loitered outside for a smoke or a chat. Inside the dingy interior, however, the bar was half-filled with large gargoyles swilling beer and talking loudly. Pool balls clattered farther in the back and someone barked laughter.