Read Online Curse of the Gargoyles (Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles Book 2) by Rebecca Chastain - Free Book Online Page A

cook,” Velasquez said. “I’ll go with Mika.”
    “Good. She’ll need your help. Seradon, you’re with Winnigan until you’re clear, then get to a healer and get back here ASAP.”
    “Aye, sir.”
    I fervently hoped Seradon’s recovery could be sped up by a healer. With any luck, she’d be back to assist with the link, because I was far out of my league. So far all I’d managed to do was buy the marmot gargoyle a little time, and in the process I’d unleashed a diabolical energy intent on unraveling the very structure of magic. I hadn’t exactly proven myself to be a competent stand-in.
    Oliver paced the purifier’s braid between earth and fire, working himself up to jump through. He’d been hanging back out of the way since he couldn’t assist us. I wished I could do the same.
    “Captain, I’d like Oliver to go with you,” I said, motioning the young gargoyle to stay put. I was tempted to keep Oliver at my side for our mutual comfort in this bizarre situation, but I had to think of his safety. With access to only one element, we were all vulnerable to unknown dangers. Oliver would be a lot safer under Grant’s protection than mine. A person didn’t become captain of an FPD squad without learning how to defend himself with and without magic. If things got dangerous, Grant would be able to take care of the adolescent gargoyle.
    Grant gave me an assessing look, and his nod said he approved. “Oliver, you’re with me. Clear out.”
    “Mika?” Oliver asked, and the confusion in his tone made my heart hurt.
    “It’s okay. You’ll be safe with Captain Monaghan.”
    “What about you?”
    “Are you really doubting this guy?” I hooked a thumb in the direction of Velasquez’s broad chest. “We’ll meet up on the outside. Hurry but stay safe.”
    The squad split into their elements and moved out at a jog. Oliver darted through the braid between the air and fire section and shook off the pain, then broke into a lope, easily keeping up with the captain.
    As much as I wanted to watch them until they disappeared, I forced myself to turn back to the marmot. Planting a hand on his cool stomach, I said, “Hang in there. I’ll be back for you.”
    Shaking the tingling pain of the inverted pentagram from my hand, I pivoted to face the expanding front line of the earth section. “Let’s get out there and break this thing once and for all.” My attempt at bravery made my words come out harsher than I intended.
    With a faint smile curving his lips, Velasquez saluted me.

5
     
     
    Once we cleared the sycamore trees around the central pentagon, the ground flattened into bisecting stone pathways and gravel mazes shaded by cottonwoods. The paths to the right led to the arched bridges and meandering trails of the water section, where willow trees lined the banks of intertwining streams. To the left, the shallow slope of the fire section Kylie and I had run down shimmered with unnatural heat.
    Velasquez steered us up the middle toward the shallow-tiered rock gardens, and we jogged up the steps, me huffing, Velasquez silent. The polarized bubble had advanced over a hundred yards from the center of the park, and at the rate we were moving, we’d clear it in a few minutes. Earth weighted my skin, shard-sharp and oppressive. I drew on it just to touch it. Even unlinked and unaided by a gargoyle, I held double the amount I normally could. The element was so pure it could pull the dust particles from the very air. I could reshape the ground with it as easy—
    I jumped when Velasquez touched my arm.
    “Hold up. It’s reached the reflection pool. I want to see what happens.”
    Velasquez pointed to the fire section, but I scanned the air section beyond it, looking for Oliver. I found Grant first. He ran against a crosswind, and sand lifted and eddied around his ankles, partially obscuring Oliver loping at his side.
    In the fire section, the leading edge of the polarized magic touched the edge of a shallow pool of