Darkest Knight. Karen Duvall

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СКАЧАТЬ “I couldn’t agree more.” Though I had benefited from my experience, he had not. I wondered if he resented me for that. I wouldn’t blame him if he did.

       “I’ve been staying with the Arelim since then,” I told him, and waited for his reaction. Guardians were Arelim angels from the twelfth order of the angelic hierarchy, sworn to protect the Hatchet knights. But Aydin had been my real protector. He had explained to me my role in the knighthood and showed me how magic could be good if used in a good way. He even taught me how to fall in love.

       Aydin turned sideways to peer at me. His eyes were still that lovely shade of jade, clear as ice. His face, however, looked like that of an oversize cat. That didn’t matter because I would recognize him no matter what he was.

       “The silver veil is kind of nice, but it’s too solitary—even for me. And to be honest, I felt claustrophobic most of the time. There’s nothing to do there but meditate.”

       Aydin pulled something from the fire he’d been tending and blew on the flame that engulfed what was on the stick. Charred rabbit. So much for his cooking skills.

       He gestured for me to come closer, which I eagerly did. I could hardly feel my feet and I stumbled. Aydin caught me before I did a face-plant on the hay-strewn ground. He was surprisingly gentle for a gargoyle, but he let go of me so quickly I nearly fell anyway.

       “Thanks.” I sat on one of the logs positioned around the fire and he handed me the skewered rabbit. “Aren’t you going to have any?”

       He glanced away, then turned his wedge-shaped head to stare at me. He placed both paws on his belly.

       “Ah, I see. You’ve already eaten.” And no doubt his had been rabbit tartare.

       Feeling warmer already, I pulled a leg off the rabbit and peeled away its burned hide before taking a bite. Not bad. Not bad at all. I devoured the meat as though I hadn’t eaten in days. Come to think of it, I couldn’t remember my last meal.

       I didn’t like the awkward silence between us. I’d always felt comfortable with Aydin, and though I realized he couldn’t speak, it wasn’t a lack of words that made our meeting so uneasy. We were both different now and we hardly knew each other anymore. I hoped we still shared the same goals when it came to my sister knights in the Order of the Hatchet. In spite of everything, I still loved Aydin; claws, wings, fangs and all.

       I cleared my throat. “Anyway…” I gently swung my pouch of ill-gotten gain between my knees and the few objects inside clattered against one another.

       Aydin lifted his chin and wiggled his feline nose. He sniffed and jerked his head at the pouch in my hands.

       It was time to tell him what was inside.

       “This? I’ve begun reclaiming stolen artifacts from the Vyantara.” I held up the bag. “My sisters can make good use of these.” Our original plan had been for Aydin to help me steal back the magical objects from all the fatherhouses, then help me teach my sister knights how to use them to protect themselves.

       I pulled out each item, one by one, starting with the pocket watch. I slowly withdrew the halt charm made of oak bark. “There’s an interesting story behind this one.” I held it out to him and he nodded as if he recognized it. I smiled. “It was actually Shojin who found it.”

       Aydin’s cat whiskers twitched.

       I nodded. “Yep. I saw him today. He gave me something to give you.” My heart hammered so hard against my ribs I thought they’d break. I tossed the empty rabbit stick in the fire. “Shojin loved you very much.”

       Aydin straightened and backed away from me. Though fur covered his face, I could still see his scowl. I think he guessed what I was about to give him. He shook his head.

       “He made the ultimate sacrifice, Aydin.” I lifted the beautiful glowing heart from the pouch and held it up. “Shojin died so that you could become a man again.”

       Aydin’s chest rose and fell like he had trouble breathing. He pointed at me.

       “No!” I gave my head a quick shake. “It wasn’t me, I swear. He harvested the heart with his own claws because he loved you that much.” And so did I.

       Still frowning, Aydin gently took the heart from me. My shoulders slouched in relief. Once he ate the heart, I’d have him back the way he used to be. We’d be together again, both free of our curses, both ready to start new lives. My eyes felt hot and I realized they’d filled with tears. Tears of hope.

       Aydin’s paws rubbed over the heart as if cherishing a precious gem, which it was. Rare and beautiful. Then he threw back his head and roared. His anguished cry tore through me and I stood to hold my arms open to him. To comfort him. But he tossed the heart at my feet.

       I crouched down to snatch it, unbroken, from the frigid ground. “What are you doing?” I yelled.

       His lips peeled back from fangs sharp enough to pierce glass without making it crack. He fisted his claws and spread his wings before abruptly vanishing from sight.

      three

      “AYDIN!” I RAN OUT OF THE BARN AND GAZED up at the dense clouds that had dumped buckets of snow. I didn’t see him, but I sensed him up there. Invisible, and he was flying far away from me.

       I clutched the gargoyle heart to my chest and whispered, “Shojin, you didn’t die for nothing. We’ll get him back. I promise.”

       “I see he didn’t lose his ability to vanish like a thief in the night.”

       I spun around to see Rafe standing behind me.

       “How long have you been here?” I asked, blinking hard as I tried to figure out what was wrong with this picture. He looked so…different.

       “Long enough to hear him roar and see him vanish,” Rafe said, sounding annoyed. “As I suspected he would.”

       I squinted at him. “Rafe, what have you done to yourself?”

       He placed both hands on his chest. “Me? Oh, you mean the clothes.”

       I nodded and stared, openmouthed. “The clothes, the hair, the skin, and the fact you cut about a foot off your height.”

       He turned his back to me and I gasped.

       “Oh, my God! What happened to your wings?”

       “Relax.” He faced me again. “This is a disguise. We can take human form whenever we wish. It’s often necessary when we interact with mortals.”

       His hair was no longer white but a wheat-blond that looked as natural as the stubble on his tan cheeks and chin. What a change. His skin was normally porcelain-smooth, and he was usually taller than a pro basketball player. I had to give him credit for his choice of clothes. Acid-washed denim from top to bottom, but his jacket looked thickly lined with fleece, his gloves leather and his muffler cable-knit. Even his boots were stylin’. He looked like he’d walked straight out of GQ Magazine.

       “Wow,” was all I could say.

       He scowled, looking СКАЧАТЬ