Page 35 of When Monsters Fight
Friendship. Yes. We were friends. I needed that. “Thank you.”
“Now close your eyes. Rest.”
I didn’t want to dream of Shem, not while I was lying with Gabriel, but my eyelids were heavy, and I needed torecharge before the rest of our journey. So I tucked my arms against my chest, dropped my forehead to his collarbone, and closed my eyes. After a few moments, he put his arm around me, and when I didn’t protest, he relaxed. A few weeks ago, if someone had described Gabriel as sweet, I’d have laughed in their face. Gabriel was a strategist, a warrior, a rebel, but he was also considerate, empathic, kind, and…sweet. Yes. Gabriel was sweet, and with all the bitterness in my life right now, I could do with a little sweet.
I’d take what I could get and hope that it didn’t become an addiction.
Thathedidn’t become an addiction.
Chapter 19
The sun was rising by the time Gabriel flew us down from the rafters to join the others on the ground floor of the barn.
“The settlement leader had furs sent over.” Kabiel handed me a bundle. “Put them on.”
Jilyana was already dressed in hers, but she busied herself with adjusting them when I looked over, dodging my gaze.
I couldn’t avoid this conversation, no matter how much I might want to. “Jilyana, we need to talk.”
She shook her head. “I know what you want to talk about, but it’s fine. We don’t have to. I understand your reservations.”
She was giving me an out, but I didn’t want an out. “Look. I like you, and I want to trust you, but I don’t have the luxury of putting my wants above the safety of everyone else. So I decided not to tell you the whole truth about our trip.”
“I understand.” Her smile was weak. “I knew atonementwould be hard. I’m determined to prove myself. But if you’d rather someone else keep hold of the relics, then?—”
“No. You can keep hold of them. For now.”
Her throat bobbed as she slung the pack onto her shoulder. “Thank you.”
The door to the barn opened, and I got my first look at a Gehennan. Humanoid, four feet tall, and covered in fur, the creature had no need for clothes, but he was wearing boots and had a pack on his back. His heart-shaped face was the only hairless part. I kept thinking he—I mean, was he a male? It was impossible to tell as the hair covered everything, and females might not have breasts in this world.
The Gehennan scanned our party with large brown eyes and zeroed in on Asbeel before speaking in his native tongue.
Asbeel listened, then responded in a stilted way before addressing us. “He says that they’re ready to lead us, but they can’t go farther than the angry skies. At least, that’s what I think he said. He warns us not to fly through the angry skies. He said we’ll have to go on foot through that area.”
“What does that mean?” Gabriel asked. “Angry skies? A storm?”
“Most probably.”
“We’ve flown through worse,” Kokabel said. “Tell him he need not worry.”
Asbeel relayed that, and the Gehennan snorted and lifted his chin as if to saywhatever.
“Why are they being so helpful?” Jilyana asked abruptly. “Did you tell them why we’re here and what’s happening?”
“Yes,” Asbeel said. “They had no trouble believing me. They’re very in tune with the ecosystem of their circle andhave noticed changes the past few years. They’ve never traveled out of the sixth circle but have heard tales of the inner circles and their queen.”
The Gehennan said something, and Asbeel nodded.
“He says we need to leave now.”
We followed him out into the gray dawn, into the chill that was made bearable by the lightweight yet warm furs they’d provided.
Two more Gehennans waited, each carrying spears, and behind them was a cart attached to two animals that looked like a cross between a pony and a hound. Mist plumed from their nostrils as they pawed at the ground, eager to be on their way.
Gabriel held his arms out to me, but Kabiel stepped forward.
“I’ll carry Rue this time,” he said. “If that’s all right with Rue.”
