Page 26 of Let Go My Gargoyle
It was possible it would be for only a few hours. Now that he’d decided to loop in Oliver, Griffin suspected the leader of his new brethren would whisk them off to some safe house or hidden lair or wherever it was that his gargoyles protected their assignments.
Although it was tempting to encourage them to stay here. They would be protected, both by gargoyles and dragons. Plus, there was the added bonus that Griffin could stop by every once in a while to check on them, see how Penelope was progressing with her training. Ensure that Sofia wasn’t falling for another dragon while she was here, surrounded by her own kind.
Maybe he didn’t want them to stay here after all. He wasn’t keen on the idea of Sofia hooking up with another dragon.
Or anyone, for that matter.
“And this is Griffin,” Antoinette added, spurring him out of his internal worry loop. He nodded at the older dragon.
“Another gargoyle,” Trennon said. “And what in blazes is this one?” He stared down at Penelope, who looked back with nothing but mild curiosity in her eyes.
“She’s a witch,” another newcomer announced, stepping out of the house and joining the welcome party. This one was a tall, willowy witch with jet black, pin-straight hair that draped to her waist. She wore heavy eye makeup and black lipstick and a black romper. “How do you not recognize witches by now?”
“That’s Delilah,” Antoinette said. She sounded reluctant.
Trennon shrugged. “She’s a kid. They all look alike at that age.”
“Come here,” Delilah said, curling two fingers at Penelope, who looked up at her mother for approval.
“It’s fine,” Antoinette said. “She shouldn’t do anything overt while we’re all standing here, although I’d advise not leaving Penelope alone with her unless you want the child to pick up very adult and very bad habits.”
“She let me try beer,” Henri announced. “And she let me jump off the carport roof!”
Sofia’s mouth dropped open.
“He said he wanted to be a superhero,” Delilah defended. “I used my magic to ensure he had a soft landing.” She shrugged.
“See what I mean?” Antoinette said.
Trennon snorted and Delilah rolled her eyes. Griffin had a feeling this was the witch who had kept Argyle and his fellow gargoyles in forced servitude.
“Come here, child,” Delilah said again.
Penelope walked toward her until she was within arms’ reach, and then Delilah touched her face with black-tipped nails. She canted her head and studied Penelope for long moments.
“This one has a great deal of magic,” she finally announced. “Don’t tell me you found yourselves another Daughter of Light?”
Apparently, the secret was out. Griffin reached out and grasped Sofia’s hand, silently offering his reassurance that they were in this together. Whateverthismay be.
“Is this one Argyle’s too?” Delilah asked.
What did she mean by that? And why were Antoinette and Ketu suddenly acting fidgety?
“Nah,” the witch said. “She’s lily white, and Argyle’s dark as ebony. No way he sired this kid.”
Griffin flung himself around to stare at Antoinette. “Argyle sired a child?”
Rule number one in Oliver’s brethren: no emotional attachments.
Rule number two: do not produce offspring.
“It gets better,” Delilah said. “He did it with the sister of the woman he’s secretly in love with.”
Argyle was Oliver’s favorite of his entire brethren, and he’d broken the leader’s two most important rules?
“What the hell are you talking about?” Ketu demanded.
Delilah flapped her hand. “Don’t even pretend you haven’t noticed. He and Pacey? Come on, seriously?” She looked around expectantly. “No one else can see it? That man is carrying a massive torch for the woman.”
