Page 9 of The Stone Secret
“What do you mean?” Waxen asked.
Yarrow smiled, thin and wicked. “It means that in a couple of weeks, you’ll be testing your shields against a real threat.”
Murmurs broke out among the cadets. I tried to catch Levi’s eye, but he had his gaze fixed studiously on Yarrow.
“Master Halle will teach you how to feel for and call to the power of nature to assist you.” He looked at Levi, handing the floor back to him.
“Pureblood druids can manipulate the elements of nature. Druid hunters use nature to fight against threats; however, as a halfblood, I don’t have such a direct line. To compensate, I’ve learned how to coax my goyle shields to merge with the elemental power around me so they are enhanced. I can teach you.”
“With Master Halle on board, we will make this class the strongest defense,” Yarrow said, his golden eyes bright with excitement.
Levi was druid born. He was a Halle, one of the big five gargoyle families just like me, but the biggest thing, the thing that twisted my stomach into knots was that being a Halle meant he was related to Serath.
* * *
The class passed quicklywith a Q&A mainly centered around Levi’s past, things that I didn’t know about the man I’d been in love with. Things that made me see him in a different light. Not as an equal, but as someone who was above me—a mentor, a warrior.
My attraction to him made sense now. My gargoyle nature had recognized his and been drawn to his strength. We were kindred in so many ways but not an ultimate match, according to the cosmos. Serath was my match. My mate. And now, with Levi’s association to him, it would be even harder to hide it.
“I need to tell him the truth.”
Shar looked torn but then nodded.
“Okay,” Levi said from the front of the class. “If there are no more questions…”
“I have one,” Dayn said. “What branch of Halle do you come from?”
“Mr. Lowther, that is hardly relevant,” Yarrow snapped.
“No.” Levi’s throat bobbed. “It’ll come out eventually, and I have nothing to hide.” His neck tensed as if he was stopping himself from turning his head to look my way. “My sire is Ulrickson Halle.”
The room fell into pin-drop silence.
What the fuck? Was that bad? Shar’s face had drained of color.
“If that’s all, then class dismissed,” Yarrow said.
Yarrow led Levi to the back of the room while everyone began gathering their things to leave.
I had to talk to him. To tell him how sorry I was and apologize. To tell him the truth. I made to get out of my seat, but Shar grabbed my hand, her eyes wide with panic.
“Don’t,” she said.
“Shar, he’s related to Serath. It’ll be nearly impossible to keep him in the dark about us so—”
“His father is Ulrickson Halle.” She said it as if it should mean something to me, but the blank look on my face must have reminded her how little I knew about this world. “Ulrickson is no ordinary Goyle. He’s head councilman.”
I shook my head. “Okay…so?”
“Dammit, Cam. When it comes to Stone law, heisthe law.”
Needles of ice pricked my skin. “Levi wouldn’t tell him.”
“Can you be certain of that?” Shar asked.
I wanted to say yes, that of course I knew Levi, but the last thirty minutes had taught me how little I knew about the man I’d shared a bed with.
“Miss Basque,” Levi said. “A word, please.”
