Page 94 of The Stone Initiation
“Did she say when we could meet for training again?”
“Oh, yeah, starting tomorrow. She was sure you’d be healed by then.”
“Urgh. I was hoping for a session today, but I’ll hit the gym instead.” I zipped up my top. “Aftermy scones.”
“You’re going to Stone Comfort?” Touron asked.
“Yes,” Sharniza said. “Want to come?”
“I need to shower, but I’ll meet you there.”
Shar watched him leave with a strange expression.
“What?” I nudged her.
She shook her head. “Nothing. Let’s go.
* * *
The gym wasempty when I got there at five. We’d ended up spending too much time hanging out in Stone Comfort. Palia and Ginia had joined us there with news on Yarrow. The witch was awake and had no memory of what had happened to her, she couldn’t even recall going into the main building. But it looked like arcana classes would be back on the timetable this week.
I’d hung out with Levi, Fred, and Teri plenty of times, but it never felt this easy and comfortable, probably because I’d been lying to them about everything—what I was, who I was, and what I could do. Those omissions left a rift between us that never allowed the friendships to flourish. What was growing between me and my gargoyle friends, was organic and powerful.
I was connected here in a way I’d never felt in the human world.
I had to graduate, if not to initiate then to general forces. Ineededto be a guardian, and yes, a guardian who couldn’t shift and fly, might be seen as a liability to some, but what I couldn’t bring in brute force and strength I could provide in stealth, speed, and tenacity.
So, while Sharniza and Touron headed back to the dorms for the weekend movie night—some creature feature with thirty-foot dinosaurs—I made my way to the gym for a workout.
My gargoyle nature made me stronger than a human, but not stronger than a gargoyle. It made me faster on my feet and gave me preternatural senses. I could form stone skin to protect against a blow, but when faced with gargoyle power that ability hadn’t held up too well. There was no way I could take down a gargoyle with brute strength, so I needed to work on my agility and combat moves, the latter Selas would help with, but the former would come with training.
The gym had bars, a treadmill, and several sets of rings hanging from the ceiling. I’d get in a good workout of the muscles that would allow me to leap, climb, dodge, and twist.
My ankle was still healing so the treadmill wasn’t a good idea, but the bars and rings would work my upper body. There was an old cassette player on a bench by the wall. I pressed play, and a song I didn’t know came on. It had a nice beat. Good to work out to. I turned it up and got to work, zoning out after a few minutes as I got into the rhythm of each exercise with the music as a backdrop to my exertion.
My biceps burned and my shoulders ached, but it was a pleasant sensation because it meant my muscles were working.
The music stopped suddenly, jolting me out of my tempo. The tape was done. I dropped from the bar and turned to find two gargoyles standing by the cassette player.
The same two initiates from the coffee shop that Serath had told to back off. Jay Batiste with his mulish jaw and his buddy who reminded me of a bird of prey.
They were either here to work out and preferred doing it sans music, or they were here for me.
I hoped it was the former because I was so fucking done with altercations. I grabbed my towel off the floor and headed for the exit, but they moved quickly to block me.
Yep. It looked like they were here for me after all.
CHAPTER41
Jay planted himself right in my path. There was a meter between us, but it wasn’t enough. His aura was strong, his presence oppressive and aggressive and it nudged the beast inside me.
No. Bad move. Keep it under control. Taking one of them on would be a challenge, there was no way I could take on both.
“What do you want, Jay?” I kept my tone unconfrontational, so I sounded like a barista asking someone what they wanted to drink.
“An apology,” he said. “And maybe a little blood.” He bared his teeth and pressed the tip on his tongue to one of his fangs.
“No. To both.”
