Page 11 of Bound By Honey

She was baffled by this. She didn't understand why any mage would willingly become a stone statue. The books always told stories of how the stone statues had lived long happy lives, but was it all a lie? Maybe they didn't know. Mages could do anything with a single thought. Why would they choose to become stone beings?

"So, all gargoyles are mages?"

He nodded. "Gargoyles are some of the most powerful mages in existence. We can do just about anything with our magic. The only reason you haven't seen any other gargoyles is that once it sets in, we tend to retreat. We become vulnerable. It is irreversible once it begins. It's something that no one chooses. More often than not, it's forced on us by circumstance."

Sage sat opposite him, her mind spinning with questions.

"How many of you are there?"

"I don't know. The king doesn’t want the general population to know that the most powerful have such a weakness. Our magic is so powerful that it eventually destroys our fae form. Once the curse takes hold, we tend to hide. We turn to stone and stay that way until our magic fades away completely."

"So, you're saying all mages will turn to stone eventually?"

"Not all mages. It only happens when a mage does magic beyond their natural capability."

Sage felt saddened by this. "You’re sure there’s no way to reverse it? How does a mage know when they are beginning to turn?"

"There's no cure. If you stop early enough and limit your magic use, you can prevent yourself from turning fully into a gargoyle. You just feel aged and as if you have achy bones. Your fingernails become grey during the day, and slowly, more areas show signs of turning to stone."

"Is your work in the library killing you faster?"

Freddy nodded, his face somber. "It's only a matter of time."

"Why do you do it then?"

With a small, tired smile, he leaned back in his chair and gestured around the hidden room. "A favor to the crown and a quiet life reading books for the end of my days. It's really a great way to go."

Sage was having trouble comprehending it all. She couldn't imagine being bound to a stone existence. And yet, she could understand why Freddy was willing to live out the end of his stone existence like this. He had books. One of the things Sage loved most in the world. If she were going to turn to stone eventually, she would want to be in a library until the end.

"If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been a gargoyle?"

"Almost three hundred years."

"Excuse me?! How is that even possible?"

"All part of the curse."

"What made you turn?"

He chuckled. "Now, that, I'm not willing to share. It's a secret that isn't entirely mine to tell."

Sage swallowed. "How much time do you have left?"

"I don't know. Not long. My time as a fae is growing shorter and shorter."

"Does it make you sad?"

"I said my goodbyes long ago."

She noted how he avoided giving a direct answer to her question. Sage’s magic was weak, but she was brilliant. She had grown up learning everything she could and knew the skills of an apothecary.

Picking up a slice of bread and a chunk of cheese, she looked at Freddy as if she were seeing him for the first time. An idea formed in her mind that she didn't dare speak out loud but one that she was willing to devote her life to.

She would figure out a way to reverse this curse.

Something's Wrong With the Prince

Sagestoodinthelibrary, marveling at the small group of wide-eyed children fidgeting excitedly around her.

---