reflection of the stars and the moon through the water shimmering off him. I looked down to see everyone watching from the ground even though they knew they should mind their own business.
“Thank you for showing me your world, Archangel.” Stone smiled as he bowed. “It has been my pleasure to serve you,” he continued, as if in a hurry. “I will keep my mind open to you always and will come whenever you call. Oh, and next time, can we take cars? I’ve never been in one.” He touched my face from my eye to my cheek. Then he ascended so far so fast that I could no longer see him.
Next time? Is he nuts?
My wings slumped from sadness and pain. An aching invaded my body, lighting a fire to my nerve endings and pulling me downward. I managed to land without incident, but my wings hung low.
“I might actually miss that guy.” Gavin sounded sincere.
LJ’s eyes were fixed on the night sky in the same spot where Stone had been. Venus twinkled above. “He didn’t even say goodbye.”
Snickering like two preschoolers, Gavin and I hopped atop our horses. But the reprieve was short, and I labored to find the strength needed to handle Ambry properly. Gavin moved closer, replacing LJ at my side.
She’s kidding, right? She does know that a Virtue cannot even look at her? Gavin thought as we rode in silence. His intense smile unnerved me. How he managed to look so good after all we’d just been through was a mystery. I returned the gesture, unwittingly savoring how delicious-looking my boyfriend was. His smile widened; his confidence brimmed. Then Gavin sent me his own thoughts.
“Gavin!” I scolded him, embarrassed because he’d left his mind open to everyone.
“I can hear you, you know!” LJ growled from up ahead.
Gavin’s laugh echoed through the darkness. Owls and crickets chimed in as we passed. We continued on, the cherubs still speechless, and Gavin’s mind open to us all. His thoughts turned to all the things he wanted to do when we got home. A new album, international concert tour, a new home for us, and what? Cut his hair? Blasphemy.
Finally, we reached the road that leads to Kheiron. It was awash in fog so dense, we couldn’t see in front of us. At night, no light was cast on the massive mansion at all. Arcturus once said, “The moon would never waste the sun’s reflective light on that place.” Kheiron was not only Gavin’s home, but a sanctuary for dark, exiled, and orphaned beings. If you had no place else to go, Kheiron welcomed you.
A strange light grew brighter as we got closer to the property, one that seemed to come from the estate itself. Gavin and LJ’s knowing smiles grew, and, in unison, we increased our speed upon approach. At the entry gate, we stopped as we always did and were greeted by two twenty-five-foot tall winged gargoyles perched atop the brick-footed columns on either side of the freshly-painted black wrought-iron gate.
“Your Highness,” Nine said as he jumped down to greet Gavin, bowing, then immediately saluting. All one hundred and forty-four of the resident gargoyles had ID numbers tattooed onto their right shoulders. Nine stood at attention, waiting patiently for Fourteen to join him in front of their commander and master.
As I stepped forward, Fourteen smiled, jumped down, and bowed.
“Merry Christmas, my Lord.” Each gargoyle set to opening the massive gate. All I could think of in that very moment was, I hope I never forget the day I saw a gargoyle smile.
As we stepped through the gates, the part of the estate where the house sat glowed like a winter wonderland created from a fairy tale. As far as the eye could see, thousands of snow-covered trees set the background for the majestic castle Kheiron. Sixty-four Christmas trees, all decorated just like the one at Rockefeller Center, sat on one side. The same number of bedecked trees sat on the opposite side of the walkway, which led to the grand entrance.
Thousands of tiny white lights outlined every angle, curve, window, door, and archway of Kheiron. Guarding each step was a fifteen-foot tall nutcracker soldier dressed in red. Each bowed as I approached the step he guarded. I jumped back and laughed a high, nervous laugh after the first one moved. At the entry door, on either side, were twenty five-foot tall nutcracker soldiers dressed in blue. Gavin watched my face light up as I took in all