The Conduit The Gryphon Series - By Stacey Rourke Page 0,52

a stray cat charged past us. It sent a garbage can clattering to the ground in its panicked rush to get away from the lion that just fell from the sky.

Kendall’s pink glossed lips split into a wide grin, “See? No biggee.”

Easy for her to say, she wasn’t the one having heart palpitations. Between the terrifying free fall and the “mysterious wild creature” I had a sudden need to go hide under my bed in the fetal position. “Let’s get home.” I gasped as I expelled the breath I’d been holding. “Immediately.”

CHAPTER 23

Gabe had a score to settle. Actually, I think it was bigger than that. It was more like a deep-seeded vendetta against me for what he considered to be a “sucker punch.”

For the last twelve hours I had been forced to listen to him whine and moan about it. According to him, if he had been expecting it, I wouldn’t have been able to touch him. Granted I had limited fighting experience, but I was pretty sure people didn’t normally give written warning before they threw a punch. Not to mention the guy’s supposed to have cat-like reflexes, but whatever.

When Grams got home he even bellyached to her about it. She told him to suck it up and quit being a crybaby. Scoping out his black eye, she added, “Geez, Gabe you must bruise like a peach to get a shiner like that from a little, bitty thing like Celeste.”

He glared daggers at me until Grams left the room. Then he snarled, “Tomorrow, when we go into the mountains to train, I’m kickin’ your butt.”

“I said I was sorry.” I reminded him for the millionth time.

He scowled and shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. Has to happen.”

I opened my mouth to protest when Kendall cut me off. “He’s, like, on testosterone overload, Cee. Save your breath. You’re gonna have to spar with him to shut him up.”

The next day he could barely contain himself. His trash talk entered a whole new plateau. He probably would’ve resorted to insulting my mama if she wasn’t his mama, too. I tuned him out. A maneuver I had perfected over the last eighteen years. We entered the clearing together where Alaina awaited us.

She gave us a maternal smile as we approached. “Good morning. I see Kendall is taking the first shift watching over your grandmother today. Gabe, we can start with some endurance exercises, if that suits you?”

Gabe’s eyes flicked to my face. Apparently Alaina didn’t get a memo from the Gryphon about what took place last night. “Actually, Kendall isn’t watching over Grams. She’s running an errand, she’ll be here soon.”

Alaina’s eyebrows drew in and her lips pursed in disapproval. “No one is watching over your grandmother? At any moment the Seeker could venture into her home searching for you. She could be hurt. This is not acceptable. One of you needs to get back there immediately.”

Gabe threw his hands up, palms out. “Whoa. Chill out. Celeste finished off the Seeker last night.”

A bird-like twitch of her head and Alaina’s avian eyes focused on me. She examined me so intently that it made me fidget. Her gaze settled on my face. Whatever she saw there softened her expression and brought the grin back to her lips. “Our warrior has been awakened.”

“Looks like.” I blushed.

“That being the case,” she steepled her fingers under her chin. “You can actually participate today. I suppose it would be a better use of our time to have you spar in preparation for the next Seeker who comes.”

“YES!” Gabe exclaimed and pumped his fist in the air.

“Hey, Gabe, can you give Alaina and me a minute please?” I asked. “Go warm up or something?”

He bounced up and down, shaking out his limbs. “I don’t need to warm up. I was born ready for this!”

“That’s great. Can we please have a sec?”

“Take all the time you need. It’s not going to help!” He did his best tough guy saunter toward the creek.

“What is his posturing all about?”

“I accidentally punched him in the face last night and he’s having a hard time coping with it.”

“Ah, I see. What is it that is on your mind, Celeste?”

“I’m fairly certain he’s going to fight dirty. His masculinity being called into question and all.” I drew a line in the dirt with the toe of my tennis shoe. I was a “warrior” now. I wasn’t supposed to be nervous about stuff like this anymore. “But—uh—yesterday was the first time I’ve ever been in