Page 67 of Hidden By the Gargoyle

“You call me any time day or night if you have questions or you just need to talk, sweet girl,” she said against my hair.

“I will, MinMin.”

She gave me another squeeze and released me, stepping back with her hands on my biceps. I winced at the sharp pain in my arm, and she frowned.

“Are you hurt?” she asked.

I pulled my sweatshirt up and threaded my arm out of the sleeve. When the material was shoved away, I saw that there was a reddish-purple bruise glowing on my bicep. I lifted and turned my arm this way and that and realized the mark was shaped by Talant’s hand.

Dax sprang forward, a growl emerging from his mouth. “Who did this to you? Was it Sommerton?”

I sighed. “No.”

“It was Talant?” Minerva asked, sounding shocked.

“Yes, but it was an accident.”

Neither of them looked like they believed me.

“He grabbed my arm to keep me from falling and then I gave him the bad news about Sommerton’s…uh, possessor, or whatever you want to call it. That the entity inside Sommerton claims to be Talant’s brother. As soon as I told him that he was hurting me, he let me go and apologized.”

Minerva rubbed her hands together until a pale blue light began to glow between them. Then, she curved her hands around my bicep over the mark. A few moments later, the throbbing pain was gone. The bruise was still visible, but just barely. Minerva must have recharged her power somewhat today.

“I think perhaps Talant and I need to have a conversation,” she murmured.

“If I could arrange it, I would. He’s already said he wants to meet you,” I replied.

Dax said nothing, only hovered behind Minerva, his eyes still locked on my now unmarked arm.

“Well, be sure to tell him that if he ever marks you again, I’ll turn him into a eunuch, god or not,” she retorted.

The gargoyle looming behind her only growled again. She turned and patted his arm lightly. “Don’t worry, Dax. I would let you have him after that.”

I sighed but didn’t roll my eyes as I wanted to. “I’ll tell him, but I don’t think it’ll intimidate him at all.”

Minerva shrugged. “Some males have to learn the hard way.”

She leaned over to kiss my cheek before she brushed past Dax and headed toward the front door. “I’ll talk to you both tomorrow.”

With that, she opened it and went outside.

“I’ll be right back,” Dax rumbled, hurrying to follow her.

I didn’t respond. As my aunt as said, it was nearly three in the morning. I was exhausted. I grabbed the mugs and carried them into the kitchen to load them into the dishwasher.

By the time I was done, Dax was back inside and locking the front door. I didn’t wait for him to say anything.

I yawned and said, “I’m going back to bed.”

“Ally, I wish you would listen to me about?—”

I lifted my hand, and what do you know, he stopped talking. Either that or he saw the expression on my face and knew I wasn’t in the mood.

“We can argue until we’re blue in the face tomorrow. All day if you want. Right now, I just need some sleep.”

I lowered my hand and waited until Dax nodded. Then, I walked upstairs and stripped off my sweatshirt, throwing it over the foot of the mattress before I climbed into bed and passed out.

ChapterFifteen

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