“What will you do?”
Nine
I tore the privacy spell away and took a deep breath. “I usually do dress a little nicer for these things,” I said, offering the basajaun a nervous smile. “I’ll head up now and change. I’ve just had a lot on my mind—”
“Yes, with the trials ahead.” The basajaun nodded gravely. “I can help. I am as proficient under a mountain as I am atop one.”
“So…you know that Graves’s lair seems to be a collection of tunnels within the mountain, not necessarily below it, right?”
“Yes.” The basajaun frowned at me.
“Right. Just…making sure. Yeah, okay, sure, come inside. I’ll go get changed for the ceremony.”
For the first time in a couple weeks, the stress in my shoulders and the coiling in my stomach relaxed a little. Having the basajaun with us would be an incredible help, especially if he felt at home in the underground lair that would have the rest of us itching to escape. An incredible help. The fact that he’d actually sought out an invitation eased my mind too. He knew exactly what he was getting into, and he had chosen to add his name to the roster. That was good news.
“Miss—”
“Hah!” I jumped and karate-chopped the air, three feet from Mr. Tom waiting near the table in my room. I could feel him both through the link and through my awareness of everyone on the house’s grounds, but given he was basically white noise to me, I never bothered to check his location.
Mr. Tom pursed his lips. “I do hope you will refrain from that method of attack once you are among the other mages. I can’t imagine it’ll be a good look.”
I let out my breath and clutched my chest. “You know I try not to use my magic in the house. The last thing I need is to accidentally kill one of you after a jump scare. Why are you standing in the shadows like a creep?”
“It is not creepy to wait patiently while conserving electricity.”
“Yes it is. Take a note.”
“You’re running late. The others are nervous that you’re having second thoughts.”
“No. The basajaun showed up.” I told him about our conversation.
“I wondered why he was showing such an interest,” Mr. Tom said as I took out some slacks and a blouse. “I must admit, I didn’t expect that.”
“Yeah, me neither. Austin said it isn’t for me to ask about how that decision will go down with his family, but…it’s definitely on my mind.”
“Basajaunak are certainly touchy about dealings with their families. They are very private, even within their own species. Definitely better not to mention it.”
“So does that mean soon he’ll be touchy about all of us?”
“Likely. Now, hop into the shower and wash away some of that stink. I’ll refresh the champagne and tell them you’ll be down in a minute.”
I paused in turning around. “They’re nervous I had second thoughts? They’re eager to join, then? Even though it’ll be really dangerous?”
“Nathanial knows there is no higher honor than to protect you from danger. The more intense the danger, the higher the status he’ll gain within the gargoyle community. All of us will. The others answered your summons when they could have resisted, and they were immediately confronted by Austin Steele’s incredible power and your ever-growing strength. They aren’t fools; they see the vast potential in this outfit and want to be on the winning team. Of course they are eager to join, miss. You are not seeing your worth clearly, which is why your decision not to play the field, as it were, concerns me. Have you even considered anyone with wings?”
“Oh my God, what is your malfunction?” I said on a release of breath, and turned toward the shower. He’d always been weird about my sex life, trying to get me to bang everyone in town, it seemed like. I had a man. I wasn’t like the gargoyle guys—I didn’t need more than one, especially not at the same time. I’d tried that in college once. More than one dong just got tedious after a while.
Clean and dressed, I hurried down and found everyone in the front sitting room, the basajaun among them, sipping their champagne and talking quietly. They fell silent as I appeared in the doorway, Mr. Tom approaching with a glass immediately.
“Welcome everyone,” I said, because I didn’t really know what else to say. Other than the basajaun and Austin, they all lived here, so why was I welcoming them to their own sitting room? “Do you want to follow me back?”
“Me first.” Cyra shoved Hollace, who rolled his eyes at her toddler antics. To be fair, she was only a week old in her current iteration. The dolls, scattered around the room, ran forward with their glasses or cups of water, liquid sloshing down their fronts. Cyra wasn’t even shedding fire at the moment.