Page 5 of The Gargoyle and the Songbird

With a sigh, I nod, too tired to argue. “Fine. We’ll talk about it in the morning.”

The words are bitter on my tongue, but Natalie’s shoulders relax slightly, appeased for now. She gives my hand a final squeeze before heading to the guest room.

I retreat back to my room, comforted by her presence just one room away, and curl up with Minx on the bed. Nothing helps me fall asleep. Every creak and groan of the building sets my nerves on edge, and I toss and turn until the first light of dawn creeps through the windows.

Finally giving up on rest, I slip out of bed and pad to the kitchen, my bare feet silent on the hardwood floor. The ritual of making tea soothes me, the fragrant steam of lavender Earl Grey rising from my favorite mug.

I inhale deeply, letting the aroma calm my nerves as I move to the window. The city slowly comes to life, the streets still quiet in the early hour. There’s a certain magic to this time of day, a sense of possibility humming in the air.

For a moment, I let myself savor it, pushing away the lingering unease from the night before.

Still, I can’t quite shake the feeling that everything has changed. That the carefree girl who moved to the city with stars in her eyes might be gone forever, replaced by someone altogether more complicated.

With a glance at Natalie’s closed door, I head back into my room and quickly pull on my running gear, determined to get outside and clear my head.

A few minutes later, I push through the rotating door of the lobby. The crisp morning air fills my lungs as I set off at a brisk pace, my feet pounding the pavement in a steady rhythm. I try to lose myself in the familiar cadence, to let the physical exertion quiet my racing thoughts.

As I wind my way through the city, there’s a prickling sensation on the back of my neck. The once-familiar streets now seem alien, like every shadowed alley and darkened doorway might be hiding unknown threats.

I flinch as a car backfires in the distance, my pulse racing at the sudden noise.

Get a grip, Ecco, I chide myself, trying to push the paranoid thoughts away.You’re a powerful siren, not some helpless damsel.

Despite repeating those words to myself like a mantra, I can’t quite make myself believe them. The memory of that figure inmy bedroom, the way they simply vanished into the shadows—I’m really shaken up.

I won’t let this break me, I vow, pushing myself harder, faster.

I refuse to let one creepy encounter strip away my confidence.

I run for almost two hours, hoping that the rhythm of the run will replace the anxious staccato of my heart. It doesn’t work. When I return to my building, the lingering sense of dread remains, a chill that seems to have seeped into my bones despite the pleasant burn of my exertion. And any peace I found on my run shatters as I get to the front.

Natalie’s waiting for me outside my building, her arms crossed, mouth pinched in irritation.

“There you are!” she exclaims, equally relieved and exasperated. “I woke up, and you were gone. No note, no text. Do you have any idea how worried I was after what happened last night?”

A pang of guilt twists in me as I realize how my impromptu run must have looked to my manager.

“Natalie, I’m sorry,” I say, knowing the words are inadequate. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just needed to get some fresh air.”

Natalie’s expression softens, but there’s still steel in her gaze.

“I understand that, Ecco. From now on, though, you need to be more careful. Which brings me to...”

She takes a step closer. I feel a flicker of unease, sensing that whatever she’s about to say will change everything.

Just then, a sleek black SUV pulls up to the curb, its tinted windows reflecting the morning sun. I watch as the driver’s side door opens, and a figure emerges.

My breath catches in my throat as I take in the man before me.

He’s tall, easily over six feet, with broad shoulders and a chiseled jaw that looks like it was carved from marble. But what really sets him apart is his skin—a rich, granite gray, marking him as wholly unhuman.

And then there are his wings, huge and leathery, tucked behind his back. He unfurls them, as if trying to intimidate us with them.

He’s a gargoyle, I realize, my pulse quickening as I drink in his rugged, stony features.

His light blue eyes meet mine, and a jolt of electricity shoots through me. He’s quite possibly the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.

Natalie clears her throat, and I tear my gaze away from the gargoyle to see a knowing smirk playing at her mouth. She’s taking in my dazed expression, and a flush creeps up my neck. She turns her attention back to the gargoyle.

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