In The End: Gargoyle Saga

Chapter 19 A Kind Warning

Chapter 19 A Kind Warning

When Lauri returned an hour later, I met him and gave him food and drink in the undercroft. I didn't want everyone to see him as he looked haggard. His clothes were torn and bloody, he had a black eye and appeared very gaunt. For a few minutes, Lauri didn't say anything and sat and scoffed as much food as he could. I refilled his cup of ambrosia, and after the third refill, he took a shuddering deep breath. 'That was pure hell.' He gasped and ran his fingers through his mucky, greasy hair. 'I can't believe you went through the same thing.'

'Three weeks I spent in there.'

'Three?' His eyes went wide.

'Yeah, but it was only a few seconds out here when I did it. Hadriana didn't have time to piss around.' I helped him up. 'I take it you haven't slept much?'

He shook his head. 'No. And I'm still in pain.'

'Go to bed. You'll be out like a light for a few days. I'll send Alina up with something to help you recuperate while you sleep. You still in your old room?'

'Yeah.'

'Okay. Oh, and no hanky panky with Gwen.' He frowned. 'I mean it. You need sleep, and if she had any guts, she'd come down here and train as well instead of calling me a bitch and trying to fight me.'

'What?'

I shrugged and walked off. 'Go and get some sleep.'

As news spread around the castle that Lauri returned alive, more people came up to me asking to be trained. And one by one, hour after hour, they went in and came out looking like hell had spat them out. All with torn and bloodied clothes, they had all gone through personal torture to get better, to fight better and I was proud of them.

By ten in the morning, thirteen had gone through the ordeal and were recuperating in bed. The others were asleep after taking up Dean, Dagen, Eleanor and Etrician on their offer to help.

In the living room, after being briefed by Etrician, Dagen, Dean and Eleanor on the others and how unprepared they were, I was about to go to bed when there was a knock on the castle door. Rowan and I were looking at Eleanor, and she shrugged. 'I'm not expecting anyone.'

Justin, Dinglewood and Alina were snoozing on the sofas; quietly, we left them alone and closed the door to protect them as the rest of us waited outside in the hallway. We watched as Offo went to open the door.

'Good morning,' a strange dialect came to my ears. 'I was hoping I could speak to the castle's owner.'

'Sounds Arabic,' Rowan muttered.

But Etrician shook his head, 'No, that's Ancient Egyptian.' Etrician tapped Eleanor. 'I think it's a myth.'

'I don't sense evil,' I told them, and Dean and Rowan nodded, agreeing.

'Offo,' Eleanor called to him, 'let them in.'

Cloaked from head to toe, the figure came into the hallway, and when the cloak was taken off, I was strangely shocked as I had never seen a non-human myth before. Besides Dinglewood, of course, but I was a little taken aback. Dressed in a royal blue tunic with golden thread of Egyptian hieroglyphs embroidered around the hem. Attached to his waist was a long strange sword at the hilt. The tall half-man half-lion gave a short bow.

Eleanor smirked. 'If I didn't know that Henry was with Tara, I would have sworn you two were twins; well, you are a normal lion colour; Henry is a black lion. Sorry, but he's a bit cooler in looks than you.'

The lion-man smiled. 'Henry and I are kith and kin. My name is Maahes, and I've come to seek council with your Demon Watcher, Verity.'

'Demon Watcher,' I muttered. 'I like it.' Walking up to him, I held my hand out. 'Demon Watcher, Verity.' Maahes grasped it to my elbow and shook. 'Nice to meet you.'