Capture the Crown (Gargoyle Queen #1) -Jennifer Estep Page 0,52
him to make some pithy remark about how we were even now, but instead, he took the empty water glass from my hand and passed it over to Javier. Then he leaned forward, pulled me out of the chair and over into his arms, and stood up.
I sagged against his body, as weak and boneless as a sleeping gargoyle. “What are you doing?”
“Getting you out of here.”
Leonidas carried me out of the mine, with Reiko and Javier following along behind us. My gaze locked with Reiko’s, and she smirked at me, as if she knew some grand joke that I didn’t.
Leonidas stepped out of the cavern. Sunlight stabbed into my eyes, even brighter than before, and it took me a few seconds to focus on my surroundings. Once again, my breath caught in my throat.
Strixes lined the plaza.
Roughly a dozen of the enormous purple birds were lined up in front of the mine entrance, keeping watch like feathered soldiers. Merchants and shoppers had gathered in the plaza beyond, whispering and staring at the creatures. Strixes were not an uncommon sight in Blauberg, but none of these birds were wearing saddles, indicating they were wild creatures. I thought of the ghosting vision I’d had of Lyra squawking orders at the other strixes. She must have brought them here to protect Leonidas while he went into the mine.
The prince strode forward, still carrying me. Every step he took jostled my body and made more pain bloom deep inside me, and I had to grit my teeth to keep from hissing. Javier was right. I still needed more healing, but I pushed the pain away and looked out over the crowd.
Topacia was standing on the rim of the gargoyle fountain, head and shoulders above everyone else. Her worried gaze met mine. Her body sagged, and her relief washed over me like a cool, soothing balm. Then she realized who was carrying me. Topacia’s hand curled around her sword, and her mouth flattened out into a thin line.
No. I sent the thought to her. Don’t interfere. It’s too dangerous.
Topacia jerked back. For once, she’d heard me. She didn’t like it, but she dropped her hand from her sword. Once I was sure she wasn’t going to leap off the fountain rim, charge forward, and get herself killed, I lifted my gaze higher, to the buildings that surrounded the plaza.
Grimley was perched on the rooftop closest to the mine.
The gargoyle’s eyes burned with sapphire fire, his long tail zipped from side to side, and his broad, powerful wings twitched as though he was about to dive off the roof, fly across the plaza, and hurl himself at the strixes.
No. I sent the thought to him. It’s too dangerous. The strixes will kill you.
Grimley didn’t move forward, although his wings kept twitching and his expression remained fierce. But they’re our enemies, just like the Mortans are.
I know. But Leonidas isn’t going to hurt me. He went to too much trouble to save me.
Grimley frowned. Why would he do that?
I have no idea.
And I truly didn’t. I didn’t know why Leonidas had come here and risked so much to help me. Sure, I had saved his life first, but only because he had spared that little girl. Saving him might have been the right thing to do, but my motives had been far from pure, and I had also been hoping to gather more information about the missing tearstone. A calculated gamble, rather than any true benevolence on my part.
Besides, it hadn’t cost me anything to help Leonidas, but this could cost him a great deal if—or rather when—our respective families discovered what had happened.
This was the kind of thing that started wars.
“Put me down,” I rasped. “The people in the plaza can help me.”
Leonidas’s arms tightened around me. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because you need much more healing than what these people can provide. I didn’t go down into that mine just to let some inexperienced fool botch making you better.” He stared down at me. “And because I need you.”
Another chill slithered down my spine. “For what?”
A humorless smile lifted his lips, and his eyes were as cold as chips of amethyst ice. “To see the true heart of the Morricones.”
His mysterious words filled me with even more dread. What true heart?
One of the strixes hopped forward and lowered itself down to the ground. Lyra. Her beak opened in what seemed like a grin, and she winked at me.