Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 128061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
“I’m here!” Sebastian ran out onto the roof wearing a sweat suit. “I’m here.” He looked at the sky and sagged, breathing hard. Nessa found Edgar below. “Why does it seem like they are still so far away?”
“What’s the story with him?” Ulric asked, indicating Sebastian. “Is he going airborne?”
“No.” I watched the sky, seeing one inkblot that was larger than the rest. Tristan. “We need all our fliers to combat their guardians. Besides, they are coming to us. All he has to do is stand here and prevent them from reaching the house.”
“Seems easy enough,” Sebastian said sarcastically.
Patty walked through the front door, her steps unhurried. I frowned, turning that way, monitoring her progress through the house, up the stairs, and finally to the door leading to the flat part of the roof on which we stood.
“Jessie, hello! Lovely day, isn’t it?” She looked up, stepping out with me.
“Careful, Mom,” Ulric warned from his perch. “It’s not as flat as it looks. It slants a little.”
“Oh, bah!” She waved him away. “Kids, always thinking us parents are feeble. Now, Jessie.” She took a spot beside me, looking out at the horizon. “I love what you’re doing with your magic. Very funny. I walked through downtown on my way here, and people were snickering and laughing. Great sign. However…”
I prepared for the explanation on why this course of action wasn’t fitting with the gargoyle way of doing things.
“The raiding camp can’t feel it,” she finally said, her tone delicate. “It’s a shame to make a joke at their expense that they can’t feel, you know?”
She took my hand, apparently trying to ease the blow of her comments. She must’ve thought my ego was fragile.
“Maybe it would be better if you sent the hurry-up vibe to them?” She gave me an inquisitive look. “And when you fight their lead enforcer— You are going to fight their lead enforcer, right? I heard about your rooftop brawl. If only we could’ve spread that around! What a marvelous story that would’ve been. In an evening gown, no less. In your human form! The garhettes would’ve raved. But that’s okay. We can maybe leak the news after this is all over.”
She took a breath, and the silence felt weird after her bombardment of words. I realized she was waiting for me to answer a question, then had to think back to remember what that question had been.
“I am going to fight him, yes,” I finally said.
“Right. Well.” She squeezed my hand. “When you fight him, can you try to do it over the woods a little? Not too far. Just beyond Edgar’s flower line. That’ll give us the best shot. I’ll just hide up here on the roof, out of the way, to get it on camera.”
“No, you can’t—”
“Don’t you worry at all,” she said forcefully. “I have been through a great many raids. I know how to stay out of the way. And there are no garhettes besides me, so they won’t try to take anyone.”
“Wait, what?” I said.
She squeezed my hand again. “It’s a raid tradition. If an attacking guardian sees a garhette that strikes his fancy, he whisks her back to their camp for the night. She tries to fight him off, of course. What would be the fun in going quietly? Mind you, once she’s at the camp, she can choose to walk away, or go back to his cairn with him to see about a life together. It’s very romantic. Unless you’re one of the prettier garhettes, then I hear it just gets tedious and you have to hide to avoid it. Why, I once knew a girl who’d traveled to five different cairns via raids until she finally found a guardian she wanted to settle down with. It really worked out in her best interest—”
“Mom,” Ulric said, “maybe get to the point?”
Niamh started to laugh. “That would’ve been a riot in my youth.”
“If anyone were dumb enough to grab you,” Mr. Tom told her as he finally walked onto the roof, coming to stand by me, “they quickly would’ve wished they hadn’t.”
“Well, anyway,” Patty said, “that won’t be a problem here. This isn’t a normal raid.” She squeezed my hand again. “They are getting a bit closer now. Possibly now would be a good time to—”
“Yes, yes, fine.” I sent another peal of magic.
Like before, it blasted out to the town and beyond, but this time it also targeted the enemy. Hurry up and meet your fate.
Then I focused on Tristan, the largest shape I’d seen, putting all my power behind it, pounding him with a challenge. Come and get me. I’m waiting.
His burst of speed was apparent. Message received.
The rest sped up as well. My crew discarded their clothes if they were wearing them. Even Cyra calmed down, starting to focus.