Page 23 of Bound By Honey

Sage stretched her back as she walked out the library doors. She had stayed there all day and had around an hour before Piper got off. Sage left so she wasn't in the way while Piper cleaned up.

She couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the thought of going to a royal ball. Sage was not accustomed to fancy events, and seeing elegant people adorned in beautiful clothing in a formal setting made her tremble with anxiety. She looked down at her worn dress and leather boots and sighed. Even if she found something suitable for a ball, it would not be nearly as dazzling as what everyone else would be wearing.

Lost in her thoughts, Sage didn't notice Asher until she bumped into him. Her eyes widened in alarm as she stumbled back, quickly apologizing for not paying attention. Asher looked at her in confusion before his face softened, and he smiled, gently touching her arm to steady her.

"Are you alright?" he asked kindly, still holding onto her arm.

The warmth of his fingers against her skin caused something inside her to stir. She found herself lost in his gaze, momentarily forgetting about the ball and the anxiety it caused. She was so captivated by him that she barely noticed when he released his grip on her arm.

"I'm fine," she said softly, her cheeks heating up. "What are you doing here?"

Asher seemed taken aback by the suddenness of her question. "I was taking care of something for my father. But what about you? What brings you here today?"

Sage felt embarrassed that she had forgotten her manners and shyly looked down at the ground. "Oh, uh, I was just waiting for a friend," she mumbled before looking back up at him with a small smile. "You're an earth mage, right? And your family owns a gem mine?"

"Someone has been studying up on me. I am, and they do."

"When you have the time, I would love to ask you a few questions about rocks and magic," she said shyly.

Asher blinked in surprise before a wide grin spread across his face. "I have time now," he replied eagerly.

Sage's heart fluttered at his enthusiasm. He towered over her, partially blocking out the sun and when she looked up it was difficult to not melt a little into his deep brown eyes. She motioned for him to follow her as they walked away from the library to a nearby park. Sitting on opposite ends of the bench, she fidgeted as she figured out how to ask what she needed.

"You can ask me anything," he said, seeming to notice her fidgeting and giving her a reassuring smile. "If I'm uncomfortable answering, I'll let you know."

Sage hesitated before finally mustering the courage to ask her question. "Do you know what kind of stone gargoyles turn into?"

Asher’s gaze on Sage, bore the weight of him deciding what to say. "Don't you have an actual gargoyle you can talk to about this?"

"I will ask him if I can't find the answers I need. Now that I live with you guys, it's not as easy to talk to Freddy. Besides, I thought you might have a unique look at the problem considering your personal experience."

"You should leave him a message. Write him a note and tuck it under his left heel near closing time. It's how we contact him when we need to. Usually with a time and place to meet up."

"I ... didn't think of that. Thank you."

"Of course. So about gargoyles. They're not exactly something I've studied, but I can tell you that my magic doesn't recognize what kind of stone they are. I've only encountered a couple, and each one felt different. I don't know if it's because they have different magic or were at different stages of the curse, but none felt like any stone I've encountered before."

Asher took a deep breath as he ran his hand through his chestnut hair. "I can tell you one thing, though. Their transformation is not something they can control. They still feel like themselves to me when they are stone. Even if I don't recognize their gargoyle form, my magic can still register who they are."

Sage thought about this for a moment before nodding. "That's actually really helpful. I'm glad I bumped into you."

"Likewise," Asher said, smiling.

Sage smiled in return, feeling a warm sensation in her chest.

"I should probably get going. I need to meet up with my friend soon."

"Oh, of course," Asher said, standing up from the bench. "It was great chatting with you. I'm looking forward to the next time we can do this again."

Sage smiled and nodded. "Me too." She watched as Asher turned and walked away.

Piper's smiling face approached her, interrupting her thoughts. "Sage! There you are! Are you ready to head out? I've got an idea for your dress!"

Sage grinned and took Piper's arm. She was grateful that she had bumped into Asher and they had been able to talk. With his advice, she had a better understanding of the gargoyle problem.

"Where are we off to?"

"Do you remember me telling you that I was late to help my sister?"

---