Read Online Born of Magic: Gargoyle Masters, Book 2 by Missy Jane - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Missy Jane
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and stood waiting when he finally straightened. He looked her over but said nothing as, with staff in hand, he turned toward the forest and began walking parallel to the road. She followed in silence. They made their way in the direction of the Bogs of Tristitia. She’d never traveled that far before, staying in the Outlands her whole life. Though her mother said she’d been born in Halstrid, Theda had never seen anything north of the Rim.
“It will be light soon and perhaps we can travel on the road again,” Albain said quietly.
She nodded her agreement and stayed one step behind him.
* * * * *
Kephas remained perched high above in the strongest and tallest oak he could find. The branches creaked in protest and he gently unfolded his wings for balance. He watched the woman and the cloaked figure walk through the trees and wondered at the strange impulse he had to follow.
Never before had he so immediately been intrigued by a female. It was daunting to know he’d veered away from his task to watch this one. He’d almost missed her and her companion hiding among the trees. As he’d led Triton and Giga down the road an unsettling panic had gripped him. He’d frozen and waited for it to pass or for another creature to come flying out of the gloom of dawn. When nothing happened he’d tethered Triton to a tree and told Giga to stay. Then he took to the sky as quietly as possible, hovering over the woods in search of what had unsettled him.
His gut had tightened in apprehension, as if he had missed something along the way, and the need to fly back over his path became overwhelming. He did so and found his current perch. Then he waited.
It didn’t take long to see movement below and realize what he was seeing. A woman traveling with a companion. But what was calling to him? He couldn’t tell the gender of the cloaked form, but his attention kept straying toward the woman. What was this strange and unexpected malady? He shook his head hard to clear it but the feeling remained. Though he was strong-willed enough to force himself away, he didn’t want to.
After an internal debate, he forced himself from the tree. He had a task to complete regardless of the mysterious female below. There were two other females he needed to find. That thought brought him up short. How did he know they weren’t the same? Taking almost no time to decide, he returned to Triton and Giga and turned them back to the path they’d just traveled. Neither creature seemed bothered by the change.
He was certainly bothered by it, and fought himself every step of the way, but he couldn’t fight his instincts. They were clamoring for him to follow the mysterious woman and her companion regardless of his given task. If the fates were with him he would find her and the cloaked figure to be the missing Queen and Princess. Why they were hiding in the woods was a mystery, but he knew leaving them to their stealth was the best way to proceed. If they’d welcomed strangers, they would have been on the road.
He followed them to the edge of the forest and looked up at the rising sun with dismay. The road through the Bogs was clear of any foliage. It was possible a mist still clung low to the ground, but he wouldn’t know until his feet were already on the path. His best bet was to let them gain a fair distance before following. He looked down at Giga who was sniffing nearby wildflowers.
“No chance of losing them, eh? There’s no other way through and veering from the path will put them in the bogs themselves.”
Giga looked up and nodded as if it understood. Maybe it did. Kephas wondered just how smart the creature could be.
“Bogsssss baaaaadddd,” Giga said with another nod. Then it went back to sniffing wildflowers.
Kephas chuckled and took a moment to drink from his waterskin. He ate some dried beef while Triton grazed and Giga rolled through the grass. After Kephas was sure enough time had passed, he grabbed the reins again and returned
“It will be light soon and perhaps we can travel on the road again,” Albain said quietly.
She nodded her agreement and stayed one step behind him.
* * * * *
Kephas remained perched high above in the strongest and tallest oak he could find. The branches creaked in protest and he gently unfolded his wings for balance. He watched the woman and the cloaked figure walk through the trees and wondered at the strange impulse he had to follow.
Never before had he so immediately been intrigued by a female. It was daunting to know he’d veered away from his task to watch this one. He’d almost missed her and her companion hiding among the trees. As he’d led Triton and Giga down the road an unsettling panic had gripped him. He’d frozen and waited for it to pass or for another creature to come flying out of the gloom of dawn. When nothing happened he’d tethered Triton to a tree and told Giga to stay. Then he took to the sky as quietly as possible, hovering over the woods in search of what had unsettled him.
His gut had tightened in apprehension, as if he had missed something along the way, and the need to fly back over his path became overwhelming. He did so and found his current perch. Then he waited.
It didn’t take long to see movement below and realize what he was seeing. A woman traveling with a companion. But what was calling to him? He couldn’t tell the gender of the cloaked form, but his attention kept straying toward the woman. What was this strange and unexpected malady? He shook his head hard to clear it but the feeling remained. Though he was strong-willed enough to force himself away, he didn’t want to.
After an internal debate, he forced himself from the tree. He had a task to complete regardless of the mysterious female below. There were two other females he needed to find. That thought brought him up short. How did he know they weren’t the same? Taking almost no time to decide, he returned to Triton and Giga and turned them back to the path they’d just traveled. Neither creature seemed bothered by the change.
He was certainly bothered by it, and fought himself every step of the way, but he couldn’t fight his instincts. They were clamoring for him to follow the mysterious woman and her companion regardless of his given task. If the fates were with him he would find her and the cloaked figure to be the missing Queen and Princess. Why they were hiding in the woods was a mystery, but he knew leaving them to their stealth was the best way to proceed. If they’d welcomed strangers, they would have been on the road.
He followed them to the edge of the forest and looked up at the rising sun with dismay. The road through the Bogs was clear of any foliage. It was possible a mist still clung low to the ground, but he wouldn’t know until his feet were already on the path. His best bet was to let them gain a fair distance before following. He looked down at Giga who was sniffing nearby wildflowers.
“No chance of losing them, eh? There’s no other way through and veering from the path will put them in the bogs themselves.”
Giga looked up and nodded as if it understood. Maybe it did. Kephas wondered just how smart the creature could be.
“Bogsssss baaaaadddd,” Giga said with another nod. Then it went back to sniffing wildflowers.
Kephas chuckled and took a moment to drink from his waterskin. He ate some dried beef while Triton grazed and Giga rolled through the grass. After Kephas was sure enough time had passed, he grabbed the reins again and returned
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