Page 23 of Stolen By the Gargoyle
“In the human world, taking someone against their will is a crime,” I told him slowly. He held onto every word like one would a fragile baby bird. “Usually when someone takes another person, they have evil intentions. It’s… frowned upon.”
His wings twitched.
“So when you took me and I woke up here, I was afraid of what you would do to me.”
“I would not harm you.”
“That’s what you say, but my feelings are… different. I don’t know you that well. I thought, when you told me you would mate with me, that you would… that you would do it even if I didn’t want to.”
At this, Nazzar jerked back, his mouth dropping open in obvious horror. “You think I would mate with you against your will?”
I didn’t say anything, but I didn’t need to. He seemed to understand my facial expression well enough.
“Only monsters without morals would take advantage of those weaker than them.” He sounded disgusted, and that made me feel a sense of relief. “Wife…” He scooted closer and then thought better of it, scooting back to give me my space. “I would never take what was not freely given.”
I felt a tear slip. “But you took me.”
He seemed to realize then that his words were in conflict with one another. His mind seemed to be working rapidly, like he wastrying to solve a particularly complicated puzzle. “It is tradition to take a bride,” he said. “But we would never take from them.”
“I’m human, Nazzar,” I reminded him. “I told you before, I have needs. And I know you said you don’t mean me any harm, but youareharming me. You have to know that.”
“How?” he choked out. “Tell me, so that I may fix it.”
“I cannot stay here. Humans need showers and toilets. I need my clothes and yes, the things you provided are pretty, but they aren’tmythings. I need a meal and a proper bed. I need… a proper house.”
He drank every word in with quiet contemplation. He assessed me, looking over my appearance, and I wondered if he was finally realizing that I probably looked haggard, tired. I needed sunlight, air, and rain. I couldn’t be locked up in a cave forever.
He took a deep breath.
“I understand.” He stood to his full height, towering over me and spreading his wings wide.
He looked monstrous, but not like a monster. Even with the angry, almost stern expression, he held out a hand. “Come.”
I stood up and took it.
“I have harmed you,” he said, remorse filling every word. Like he felt the heavy weight of my words, understood them even. “And while it was not my intention to have caused you harm, the impact of my harm cannot be excused. All I can ask is for your forgiveness, and for the opportunity to rectify my mistakes.”
That was actually touching. He was owning up to his mistakes, offering the chance to do better. It was more than what many humans owned up to, that was for sure.
“How are you going to do that?” I cocked my head to the side.
He looked at me, sadness etched over every single piece of him.
“I am going to take you home.”
Hearing all the thingsI had done to wrong her unsettled me. It left a gaping pit within the confines of my body, like thousands of souls lived within me and were screaming torture and lament. And there was only one thing I could do to make it right.
My instincts told me it was wrong to move my wife away from me. To take her back. And yet… I looked around the cave, her words resonating within my mind.
I have needs.
I cannot stay here.
I am human.
For the first time, I noticed what the cave was lacking. And I recalled her own home and what I had seen of it from the windows when I spied on the woman that would be my wife.
It had its comforts. It was cozy and quaint, filled with all the things that now reminded me of her. And this cave…
