Born of Stone (15 page)

 
“Orestes? Where…”

But she couldn’t get the rest of her question out. Her eyes rolled back and her consciousness faded.

The four Masters and one small Kevan woman had just landed in the courtyard of King Kadmos when Orestes released a growl of pain and anger. He went down to one knee and bowed his head low while his brothers rushed to his side.

“What is it, brother?” Nel asked.

Orestes lifted his pounding head and looked at his brothers through moistened eyes.

“Astrid…in pain…”

How he could possibly know that didn’t matter. What mattered was getting to her and stopping the pain shooting through her small, fragile body. He slowly rose to his full height, clutching the sides of his head.

“She’s in great pain…and no longer in our castle. I must find her.”

Before anyone could respond, a noise from above alerted them to newcomers. Orestes looked up to see Wynn and Haldor flying in. Dawn was breaking and every muscle in Orestes ached with fatigue from flying most of the night. But he’d be damned if he would rest until he had Astrid safely in his arms again.

“Orestes, Astrid has been taken,” Wynn said the moment his feet touched the ground.

“We left our other brothers at the castle to guard it,” Haldor said.

“What the fuck happened?” Orestes growled. Anger and pain raged through him until he almost couldn’t concentrate on their answers.

“Albain. He was there earlier in the day and I thought he had left. The bastard must have hidden in the castle and taken her when I wasn’t looking,” Wynn said. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head. “Forgive me, brother.”

“Albain?” Orestes asked, almost unable to even think past his pain. “But why?”

“He’s after the Wizard’s Stone,” Haldor said. “He made it quite clear he expects us to turn it over in exchange for our human staff. He didn’t take Astrid alone, but almost all of them.”

“The
entire
castle staff?” Steinn asked.

“That’s over one hundred humans,” Goran said.

“How could he best both of you within the castle itself?” Nell demanded.

Both Haldor and Wynn wore grave expressions.

“He left one behind to relay his message. We’re not certain what wizardry he used to empty the castle. We both were in the dungeons when he did it,” Haldor said. “And it happened quickly.”

Wynn hadn’t moved and Orestes finally stepped forward to grab his brother’s shoulder. “Rise, Wynn. I don’t blame you for Albain’s treachery. Most likely this has been in the planning for some time.”

“I wonder how capturing me played into it,” Nel said.

“He was probably going to use you to bargain but now has to use the humans instead,” Phaidra said quietly.

All eyes turned to her and she quickly stepped behind Nel. The move brought an unexpected smile to Orestes’s face. Though he didn’t feel like smiling.

“That is a very intelligent and most likely correct assumption, little one,” he said. “Nel, we must tell the King every moment of your capture as well as all else.”

King Kadmos had already been alerted to their presence, so he was eagerly awaiting them once they finally made it into the throne room. Each brother with something to say relayed his story until the past few hours were completely revealed to all. Most of the Twenty were also present and a few cries of outrage echoed within the room, but none argued for Albain’s innocence.

“He was the only one of us to argue against using the Wizard’s Stone in your creation,” King Kadmos said after a few minutes of contemplation. “I was wrong to ignore him and his ire. Now it seems we must deal with it.”

“And the Kevan?” Corbin asked. A few other wizards nodded their heads in agreement that the Kevan must also answer to their charge.

“It seems to me only one House must explain their actions,” the King said. “Is that not true, Master Nel?”

“Yes, sire. I was held by the House of Iva and only ever saw her Second as an accomplice. I’m not even sure any others of her House knew of my confinement.”

“Other than the little one hiding behind you,” Corbin said with amusement.

Nel bowed his head slightly but didn’t move away to reveal Phaidra, though everyone knew she was there.

“She is a Fifth and therefore quite powerless. Yet she did help me escape,” Nel said.

The King waved that away with one ring-covered hand. “She is in no danger from this kingdom, and is now considered under your protection. However, we will need to read through the treaties carefully before we proceed. A formal complaint must be filed with the Council of Firsts against the House of Iva.”

Orestes turned his attention to Corbin. “I can feel her pain. Astrid. The woman I had been with before leaving the castle. Why can I feel her pain?”

Corbin’s brow furrowed and a few of the other wizards leaned forward in their chairs to study Orestes.

“And how do you know it’s
her
pain you’re suffering rather than something within your own body?” Corbin asked.

Orestes took a moment to consider the pain flowing through him. It was uncomfortable as hell and even frightening, but it wasn’t like anything he had ever experienced. He closed his eyes and Astrid’s face immediately filled his mind. She was writhing on the ground, clutching her belly with tears pouring from her eyes. He opened his to find the wizards still studying him.

”I don’t know how to explain it. It is pain but not like anything I’ve ever felt. It almost seems like an echo, somewhat dampened even though it hurts terribly. And I can see her so clearly in my mind it’s as if I’m looking through a window straight to where she is suffering. I can…sense her within me.” He shook his head and huffed out a breath in frustration. “I know that makes little sense.”

“No, no, it makes perfect sense,” Bastien said. He rose from his chair to gain everyone’s full attention. “When the Masters were created, we used the Wizard’s Stone to harness the full power of their essence. But, of course, that isn’t all we put in there. We had to give them attributes of many different species to create the perfect beings. A bit of human, a bit of Kevan, some Sidhe, and a touch of Pastelle. All of these we combined without fully knowing how it would affect the end product of our imaginations. The Gargoyles were formed with very few weaknesses. However, they are but men, and universally males of any species have a weakness. Females.”

“Are you trying to tell me I’ve somehow become so attached to this woman that I can sense her emotions even from an unknown distance?” Orestes asked.

He was aware of those with empathic abilities. It was one thing the Pastelle were known for. However, none of his brothers had exhibited the ability yet. Though he and Nel did seem to know what the other was feeling in extreme circumstances.

“Perhaps,” Bastien said. “What I’m saying is we simply don’t know. Each of you took in the traits of all the species we combined. However, each of you also seems to be exhibiting more of a particular species in temperament and preferences as time goes on. Perhaps this human woman is the key to your humanity, Master Orestes. It would require further study to know for certain.”

He didn’t like the sound of that but it was something to think about later. For now all he wanted was Astrid back in his arms where she would be safe and no longer in pain.

“Be that as it may,” the King said, “we will consider it further at a later date. For now, any ideas where Albain has taken your human staff? Can you sense your woman enough to track her?”

Orestes closed his eyes again and concentrated on the image of Astrid that automatically formed in his mind. He pushed aside all the sounds around him, the concern for her well-being, and everything else that might detract from his quest. After only a couple of minutes, he felt a tug in his gut telling him he should immediately fly southwest.

“I have a direction,” he said, opening his eyes to face his King.

“Good. I would suggest all of you go so long as the Wizard’s Stone is well guarded. Perhaps you should also take a few of the Twenty. No one knows what protections Albain will have around him.”

“Yes, sire,” the Masters said almost in unison.

Orestes faced his brothers who had all fallen into a circle around him. “Southwest for certain, but I couldn’t say how far.”

“I’ll be with you,” Steinn said.

“And I,” Goran added.

“If I can leave Phaidra here—” Nel began.

“No! Please…” She looked at him with huge eyes full of fear and Orestes knew a look like that from Astrid would have torn out his heart.

“Take her to the castle,” he said. “One more to protect the Wizard’s Stone would probably be best anyway. For all we know this is a trap meant to distract us.”

Nel looked at him a moment with indecision clear in his gaze. Then finally he nodded and took a step back. “I will do as you say.”

Phaidra’s shoulders sagged in relief and Orestes nodded. “Yes, brother. I think it would be best.”

Wynn and Haldor added their voices to those who would go while four of the Twenty came forward. In the end the wizards chose to ride on the backs of their creations. It wasn’t ideal. The Masters had to be wary of hurting any rider with their stone wings. But Orestes knew the wizards would have to expend magic and energy to fly that might be needed once they found Albain.

“We follow you, Orestes,” Corbin said.

Orestes nodded and once everyone was ready, he leapt into the sky with Bastien on his back. He headed in the direction his gut and his heart told him he would find the woman he couldn’t stop thinking about.

Chapter Eleven

Nel was silent on the journey to the Masters’ castle and Phaidra feared his anger. Why did she have to be so frightened all the time? She sighed into his neck while she held onto him. His arms also tightened around her body, and soon their flight was slowing. She glanced down to see the ground coming up fast and squeezed her eyes shut. He landed gently and set her on her feet.

“We are here, pretty one. There’s no need to fear.”

She released his neck and looked around. They were in the courtyard of a large stone castle. Torches lined the walls, brightening the early morning gloom. A door banged open and another Master strode out.

“Nel! Brother, you have been found.”

Nel turned to face the man and they embraced briefly. “Yes, Kephas. I am back where I belong. And I’ve brought a guest.”

He turned and held out a large stone hand to Phaidra. She didn’t even think to hesitate before placing her much smaller hand in his. After the initial shock of seeing him turn to stone and grow in height and girth, she no longer feared him. His brothers she would reserve for later judgment. But she knew so long as Nel was at her side she would be safe.

“This is Phaidra. She is a Fifth in the House of Iva and helped me escape their entrapment.”

Kephas’s shock was evident. “Iva? A Kevan held you captive?”

Nel nodded. “Yes, but she and her Second seemed to be the only Kevan working to keep me there. As well as Albain, it seems.”

Kephas growled menacingly and Phaidra closed the small distance to Nel’s side. His arm went around her shoulders without hesitation.

“That bastard Albain has much to answer for,” Kephas said.

“Yes. We’ve been informed. The others are following Orestes to where they believe Albain may have taken our staff. I’m here to aid in the protection of the Stone.”

“Good.” Kephas nodded once before turning back to the door. “We’d best get inside. All other entrances are blocked to the best of our abilities. This is currently the only way in or out.”

Nel gently pushed Phaidra ahead of him into the castle. It wasn’t the largest or grandest home she had ever stepped foot in, but it was very different from the homes in Keva. She tried to look everywhere at once while Nel directed her farther in. Finally, he simply lifted her into his arms and carried her with a chuckle.

“You will have plenty of time to explore later. I hope you’ll find your new home to your liking,” he said.

A blush warmed her cheeks when she looked at his handsome face. It was almost hard to look directly at him. He grinned and her pulse leapt. What could he possibly see in a simple Kevan like her?

“Yes. It’s beautiful.”

He nodded and his grin slowly faded, but he never broke eye contact. “Yes. Very beautiful.”

Finally, she had to look away.

They descended many stone steps until reaching what she took to be the dungeons. Nel continued to carry her while he followed his brother down a long hallway made of stone and lined with metal doors. She knew he was strong in his Gargoyle form but she felt silly being carried around like a child. As soon as they entered a large round room at the end of the hallway, she tapped his broad shoulder.

“You can put me down now.”

His brow went up as if he’d forgotten he held her. When he did set her down, he slowly slid her body along his. She expected it to be like scraping her flesh against a mountainside. Instead the warmth of his skin remained just as it had before his change. He was larger and looked like a granite statue, but he felt alive and vibrant beneath her fingers.