Read Online The Glass Gargoyle (The Lost Ancients Book 1) by Marie Andreas - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marie Andreas
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bread dipped in chicken broth for all three faeries.
“I think you need to tell me about this Alric. He is making himself a variable we cannot ignore.”
I nodded and filled Harlan in on what little information I had in between bites of food and another round of Old Sod. The faeries grumbled about me not sharing, but I wasn’t in the mood and shut them up with a glare.
“What is puzzling to me, however,” Harlan said around a chicken leg he’d stolen from my pile of food, “is why Cirocco and Largen are both after the same person.”
I pushed myself away from the table, taking care not to disturb three dozing faeries. Harlan had stuffed them so full that the overall-clad tummies on each looked like they’d swallowed a meatball. I appreciated that. After all that had been going on, I needed peace and sleep. Faeries pushed into food comas helped that become a reality.
“I have no idea, and I don’t care.” As small lie to myself. “When I get him I’ll turn him over to whoever has the biggest bounty and be done with it.” I watched the late-night drinkers come in for their usual rounds. The food and drink I’d consumed was about ready to lay me out flat.
“More important right now, do you think your wives have cleaned my place?” I fought to keep my eyelids from drooping. “I really need my bed about now.”
Harlan had been carefully transferring Garbage Blossom into a small fabric handkerchief, and looked up. “Ah, lass, you are worn through. Never fear, I’m sure the ladies have your home right as sunshine.” He beamed and handed me the sleeping faery. “I only marry the best.”
Carefully tucking Leaf and Crusty in with their companion, I placed the three into my shirt pocket.
Harlan was up the instant I finished my task. “If I may escort you?” He held up one arm.
I laughed and took it. It might be nice to lean on someone; I was feeling a bit ill-used as of late.
“Don’t worry, my dear.” He patted me on the head like I was a lost kitten. “You’ll be in and out of those ruins before anyone is the wiser.”
Chapter 7
Harlan was partially right. I made it to the fence without anyone noticing. But now I was stuck hiding behind a pile of plant debris, huge tree fronds, and clippings long forgotten and allowed to compost while a small army of guards took up the perimeter. And considering I was in-between their marching line and the spell-warded fence, I couldn’t even slink away to try another time. They must be switching shifts, because the amount of noise and confusion was amazing even by their standards. With a sigh, I settled into my leafy cover and pulled out a hard roll I’d grabbed from Foxy’s the night before.
I was just raising it to my mouth when a green head popped out of it. I managed to keep from screaming, but I did throw the damn roll as hard as I could at a distant tree.
As it was flying I realized I knew that tiny green face. Leaf must have fallen asleep in the roll. Even though all three had been stuffed into food comas last night, Leaf didn’t need to wake up to keep eating.
Damn, now I didn’t have any food. And I’d have to risk exposure to get the damn faery. Who knew what she’d do if she was left to her own devices. Actually I did know, that was the problem.
The roll tumbled into the knee-high clump of grass below the tree. The jungle swallowing the ruins was mostly made up of giant Gapen trees, giant monsters with roots the size of my thigh, like the one I’d thrown the roll at. They had a tendency to gather bits of everything in-between those roots, and while I didn’t think the rumors of them swallowing what fell in there were true, I’d rather not test that with Leaf Grub, even if I was pretty sure she’d survive it. After a quick glance to make sure none of the guards had seen the flying roll, I crouched down and made my way to the tree.
There wasn’t any movement from the grass, so perhaps Leaf had flown free. There were
“I think you need to tell me about this Alric. He is making himself a variable we cannot ignore.”
I nodded and filled Harlan in on what little information I had in between bites of food and another round of Old Sod. The faeries grumbled about me not sharing, but I wasn’t in the mood and shut them up with a glare.
“What is puzzling to me, however,” Harlan said around a chicken leg he’d stolen from my pile of food, “is why Cirocco and Largen are both after the same person.”
I pushed myself away from the table, taking care not to disturb three dozing faeries. Harlan had stuffed them so full that the overall-clad tummies on each looked like they’d swallowed a meatball. I appreciated that. After all that had been going on, I needed peace and sleep. Faeries pushed into food comas helped that become a reality.
“I have no idea, and I don’t care.” As small lie to myself. “When I get him I’ll turn him over to whoever has the biggest bounty and be done with it.” I watched the late-night drinkers come in for their usual rounds. The food and drink I’d consumed was about ready to lay me out flat.
“More important right now, do you think your wives have cleaned my place?” I fought to keep my eyelids from drooping. “I really need my bed about now.”
Harlan had been carefully transferring Garbage Blossom into a small fabric handkerchief, and looked up. “Ah, lass, you are worn through. Never fear, I’m sure the ladies have your home right as sunshine.” He beamed and handed me the sleeping faery. “I only marry the best.”
Carefully tucking Leaf and Crusty in with their companion, I placed the three into my shirt pocket.
Harlan was up the instant I finished my task. “If I may escort you?” He held up one arm.
I laughed and took it. It might be nice to lean on someone; I was feeling a bit ill-used as of late.
“Don’t worry, my dear.” He patted me on the head like I was a lost kitten. “You’ll be in and out of those ruins before anyone is the wiser.”
Chapter 7
Harlan was partially right. I made it to the fence without anyone noticing. But now I was stuck hiding behind a pile of plant debris, huge tree fronds, and clippings long forgotten and allowed to compost while a small army of guards took up the perimeter. And considering I was in-between their marching line and the spell-warded fence, I couldn’t even slink away to try another time. They must be switching shifts, because the amount of noise and confusion was amazing even by their standards. With a sigh, I settled into my leafy cover and pulled out a hard roll I’d grabbed from Foxy’s the night before.
I was just raising it to my mouth when a green head popped out of it. I managed to keep from screaming, but I did throw the damn roll as hard as I could at a distant tree.
As it was flying I realized I knew that tiny green face. Leaf must have fallen asleep in the roll. Even though all three had been stuffed into food comas last night, Leaf didn’t need to wake up to keep eating.
Damn, now I didn’t have any food. And I’d have to risk exposure to get the damn faery. Who knew what she’d do if she was left to her own devices. Actually I did know, that was the problem.
The roll tumbled into the knee-high clump of grass below the tree. The jungle swallowing the ruins was mostly made up of giant Gapen trees, giant monsters with roots the size of my thigh, like the one I’d thrown the roll at. They had a tendency to gather bits of everything in-between those roots, and while I didn’t think the rumors of them swallowing what fell in there were true, I’d rather not test that with Leaf Grub, even if I was pretty sure she’d survive it. After a quick glance to make sure none of the guards had seen the flying roll, I crouched down and made my way to the tree.
There wasn’t any movement from the grass, so perhaps Leaf had flown free. There were
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