Page 36 of Sins of the Stone

“Get out of here, boy,” he snarled. “She has done nothing condemnable except reject you, which is not all that dishonorable considering your dreadful behavior.” Omar backed away, making him breathe a sigh of relief. It wasnice to see him retreat for once, but Ramuz would always remember what he did to Ursulette. It would be branded into his brain for the rest of his life—until he got a suitable revenge if that was what she requested.

“You just fucked yourself, old man.” Omar turned to Ursulette. “She’s hiding something, and I’m going to find out what.” Then he spun around and tromped off, his feet sticking to the gluey mud below them. The vague sound of a mutter followed him and faded as he disappeared from his vision. Giles turned to her.

“Why on earth would you not want help?” he questioned, his voice cracking ever so slightly. Ursulette’s cheeks flushed.

“I-I need to do things for myself now,” she said. Giles set his calloused hand on her shoulder, making her gaze fall.

“You always have. I think it’s time to put a stop to that,” he replied solemnly. Ursulette sucked her lip between her teeth, nodding. Hopefully, she knew what she had to do and how to avoid this all, but the answer would never be easy. Ramuz understood that well enough, but once physical violence was involved, there was no going back.

“Giles, I need to go. I can’t be here anymore. He’s—” she paused, trying to pick her words carefully for a reason that was lost on him, “—unstable.” Giles’ face pinched as he nodded.

“Being a spineless woman-beater will do that to a man.”

Ursulette folded her arms across her chest loosely. A muted sorrow crept through Ramuz’s body like hands playing his ribs like a harp. But the need to be with your own kind never faded, only dulled. She would be experiencing the same pain he felt, and it hurt him. Hopefully, he could make her feel better. They could be alone together, mourning the loss of their people.

“I do not know when I’ll be back. Perhaps when things have died down, I will return… if they do at all,” Ursulette croaked. She was on the verge of tears, and he could not blame her. “But I do not want this to be goodbye. I will be back in the future. You have been too good to me for some worm to pry us apart.” Giles smiled gingerly, his eyes shining with the same sorrow Ursulette was feeling.

“I am glad to hear that, Ursulette.” Despite his wounded leg, Giles pulledher into an embrace, his hand gripping the back of her head. Ursulette took in a sharp breath. The tendons in her jaw indicated that she was biting down on her tongue, hoping not to let a tear slip from her eye. If only she knew it was okay to cry. It had always been okay to cry. They separated, and he gave her another small smile.

“Where are you staying, anyway? Perhaps I can come visit once my leg heals up,” he said. Her cheeks looked warm, contrary to the chill of the rain and the thundering grumble above their heads. She would have to spin another tale.

“N-north of here.” That was true, but everything else she would say was a lie. It would be better if no one, even Giles, knew where she was at. “By a large tree in a cave.” Sure, there were a few caves around, but not many. At least not any that were near them. Hopefully, no one would come looking.

“You’re really one hell of a girl, aren’t you?” he said. “I’ve slept in caves, and they’re no fun at all.” Ursulette gave him a reassuring but painful smile. Her expression was so strained that he could feel her agony.

“Not fun, but better than withhim.”

* * *

Ramuz watched from the shadows as warm tears streamed down Ursulette’s face. Her feet crunched against the forest debris as he trailed her. The rain had died down. He didn’t want to call out to her for fear of drawing attention to how close they still were to the camp. Despite the heavy emotions, he was grateful they could finally distance themselves from it all. Even if the goodbye was gut-wrenching for Ursulette, he would help her.

She clutched her hands to her chest to keep herself from shivering. Much to his heartbreak, she broke into a sob, and her legs buckled as the torrent of sorrow consumed her. He knew this was his sign to come to her aid. Drawing attention was not worth watching her suffer like this.

The breeze picked up, and without hesitation, he launched himself intothe air, dodging trees to get to her. Once he reached her, he tucked his hands beneath her arms and scooped her up. Relief washed over him as their bodies connected, but much to his dismay, she was too distressed to look up at him. A cry withered and died on her lips as they broke through the canopy, and she tucked her head against him to hide her swollen, pink eyes.

The pair landed on a cliffside as the sun slowly descended. Neither of them had room to enjoy the rainbow of colors crossing the sky above. Ramuz pulled her against him as she gripped his chest, crying into his leathery skin. He ran his hands through her hair. He could feel her accelerating heart calm into a flutter while he comforted her.

“I made a mistake,” she said, her voice still crumbling. “I should’ve never gone back. It’s not worth it, and it’s not worth losing you.” Despite her proclamation, there was only one thing thundering in his mind. The phrase that hurt hum the most.

“You screamed for me not to help you,” he said sadly, placing his hand under her chin and drawing her damp eyes to his.

“I-I know…”

“It shattered my heart, Ursulette,” he said. “You would rather suffer than expose me? Why protect me when you know I would’ve helped you?” The dam broke again, and the tears began once more. She pulled away from him, her feet almost stumbling across the uneven stone.

“Because you are the only one left!” she cried. “There are many humans, many of me. If I am responsible for the extinction of your species because I was too weak to defend myself,I couldn’t live with that guilt.” His lips thinned. Ramuz stepped forward. Her declaration was noble but unnecessary. She concerned herself over something that would never be.

“Ursulette,” he said softly. She continued to snivel, pressing her knuckles to her eyes. “Look at me.” Ramuz gripped her wrists and pried her hands away gently. He knew that this was surely overwhelming for her—the siege, Omar and his wicked ways, leaving Giles, having to protect him, and the ever-looming thought of dying. But he wanted her to know it didn’t have to be this way. Ramuz pulled her against him again while she blubbered.

“It does not matter how many humans there are, or how many gargoylesstill exist. There is only one of you.” He raked his claws through her hair as she shuddered with tears. “You are the most important thing to me. If someone tries to bring you harm, you cannot worry about the fate of others. There will never be more gargoyles unless there is a miracle or mishap. Humans have tried and failed to bring me down, except for one.” Her tears vanished.

“You.”

Their eyes met once again. “I have never crawled out of my home as much as I have with you. I have never been so reckless as I have with you. Never before have I bared my soul to another living being as much as I have with you. The power you hold over me is vast and immeasurable,” he said. “If you were to command me to end this world, nothing would stop me from fulfilling your wish.” Any utterance Ursulette wished to speak shriveled away. He gave her a soft smile and brushed a stray hair from her cheek.

“But you will no longer have to worry about that because there will not be a next time,” he said. “I will keep you safe and warm, and I will be by your side. You do not need to concern yourself with anything ever again. The demons and creatures will not hurt you. Thatwormwill not hurt you. As long as I breathe, you will heal from this.” Ursulette’s voice creaked like a bending tree branch once she could speak.

“I’ve been a fool,” she said.

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