Page 7 of Wolf Trap
As I moved away, Lycaon’s words were lost in the wind.
Unable to stop myself from trembling, fear rippled through me. The grinding sounds from above got louder. I realised I was looking at a gargoyle. Now it honed in on me. Stone wings became looser as it flapped them. Then it launched itself off the castle turret, it came hurtling, claws extended, screeching towards me with such speed...
Part morphing,Lycaon snarled, his claws appearing fast. But they wouldn’t help against a gargoyle.
A clamour of boots from the bridge to our left and shouts as the shifters scrambled onto the narrow ledge beside the castle walls to reach us. They stopped, jaws open as the gargoyle leered forward, landing between us and the shifters.
Its rancid breath made me choke. Leaping up, wings beating, turning its back to us, then its wings moving slowly. Casting us a glance over its shoulder, it spat the words, “Jump on my back. Come on, jump on my back!”
The stone beast tilted its head. “Do you want to die? Look up, they’ve killed most of my kin. You want to join them?”
We both leaned away from the wall and looked upwards. There, on turrets, were the shattered remains of other gargoyles. Some still sat, like protectors, but without their heads. Others were an oblivion of rubble left on their stands.
The scent of blood and moss filled my nose. Now shifters were just yards away, pouring through the doorway. We couldn’t hesitate. As I looked below us, the ocean waves smashed against rocks and the pathway leading away from the castle was perilous, narrow. And now fireballs appeared, plummeting towards us.
Lycaon grabbed me up, lifting me onto the beast’s back. As he did, a fireball from the turrets came thundering down beside us. The gargoyle’s scream pierced right through me.
3
LAND OF STONE & ROCK
Fireballs cascaded like falling meteors from above, crashing into the waves below. The gargoyle weaved, trying to miss them. The fireballs had obliterated part of his back legs while the gargoyle tried to dodge them, beating his huge wings hard. The wind and sea spray sprinkled over my face. I clung to its spiny ridges, my legs cramping as I squeezed so hard to stay on.
Smashing against my rib cage, my heart raced as my gaze darted frantically about us. Where was he taking us? We edged perilously closer and closer to the crashing waves, plumes of fire dropping all around us. Adara’s shouts were lost in the sound of the breakers, and I dared not look back.
His body heavy, Lycaon gripped around my waist. While Lycaon did that, I couldn't think about what had happened. He had been possessed and tried to attack me. It was too terrifying. Why had Adara stopped him? There were too many unanswered questions. But now I realised the danger of the beast inside the man, the man who I was falling for. Lycaon had warned me about himself. Swallowing back my worry, I knew that if I lived long enough, I’d need to back off. I certainly needed to reclaimmy power, my magic. Adara seemed intent on taking it, giving it, then taking it again. A game, perhaps, to them. But now they knew my secret, that I used blood magic. A lot… But that’s another story.
Finally, we left the ocean behind and as we flew over land; the gargoyle ascended slowly, and my death-grip lost its hold. Leaning onto its back, I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw the land beyond us. We weren’t on earth, that was for sure.
Black and smoky mountains lined the horizon. The sun’s rays cast a brilliant gold shimmer over the landscape. I neither sensed nor saw other living beings, no birds, no creatures. But the beast turned quickly, flying towards an opening in a skeletal forest.
Bare trees stood like sentries, and as we got lower, I saw a gilded arched mirror amongst them, far smaller than us.
Flapping harder, the gargoyle built up speed, bolting towards it. I winced. Bracing with my head flat on its back, Lycaon shouted and did the same, his nails digging into my sides.
A flash of silver illuminated around us, and then I smelled a forest, grass, earth.
Squinting under a brilliant gold sun, before us a magnificent cathedral towered high, majestic, and on it a hundred gargoyles moved.
They shouted a name… “Ubraz! Ubraz has returned!”
As the gargoyle slowed his wings, his flight weaving precariously, landing at the foot of the cathedral, he collapsed.
We fell from his back, toppling off, then shuffled back as the creature slumped on the ground before us.
Dozens of stone creatures encircled us, some bird-like and others part dog, part monster.
One hissing, a large horn curving from its forehead. He whipped his spiny tail as he leapt at us, pointing. A vicious look in its eyes. “Seize them! What devilry is this?” He stopped, liftinghis head and sniffed the air. “Ah, a werewolf, and,” he cast a long gaze over me, “a witch. Sent by them to destroy us. Kill them, kill them both!”
“No!” My mouth dried, Lycaon growled before his voice boomed over them. “Your friend here saved us from Adara. We escaped, thanks only to him.”
The angry gargoyle remained unconvinced. “So now they know the way to our world, to our sanctuary? I don’t believe you. You have enchanted him, just as you have all the others. Kill them and close the portal!”
I looked at the gargoyle who had rescued us. His skin was cool, leathery when animated, but now it looked more like stone. Why had he saved us? Because Adara had destroyed, annihilated those who wouldn’t comply? His kin?
Was there no one they wouldn’t abuse?
I tried to stop shaking as others swooped low, their ridged tails almost brushing me. Crouching beside the fallen beast, I took out my athame.