Page 12 of The Last Gargoyle's Christmas Wish
“Oh.” Grady didn’t quite know how to respond to that information. “I see.” And honestly, he was too tired to do anything but make the simplest of small talk. Discussions regarding a great sorceress, enchanted waters, and immortality were beyond him at present.
Grady let out a laugh. “I suppose this tea is very different from the waters of the Fountain of Life.” Grady reached forward and took a pastry. He bit into the flaky, buttery layers. Sweetstrawberry jam slid across his taste-buds as he chewed and swallowed.
“This tea is far more pleasant.” Uzoth drank some more. “The water from the fountain tasted sour, bitter, and metallic.”
“Well, I’m glad the tea is nicer than that.” Grady ate another pastry, this one filled with apricot jam.
He stared at Uzoth sitting by the fire in his apartment, on a faded floral chair, and drinking tea. He almost laughed at the surreality of the situation.
Uzoth turned and stared into the flames. The orange-and-gold fire blazed in the fireplace, and it reflected on Uzoth’s well-defined cheekbones, jaw, and dark eyes. Uzoth was actually kind of handsome, in a strange, terrifying kind of way.
“Is the fire too hot?” Grady asked.
“No. The warmth seeps into my skin.” Uzoth paused. “It is pleasant.”
Grady grabbed a meat pie and bit into it. A comfortable silence filled the air. Grady’s body sank into the chair as the weariness of the day caught up with him. And tomorrow would no doubt be another busy day.
He’d even slept in later this morning. He’d gone to his room after he woke alone on the settee. He’d only planned to sleep a couple more hours. But he’d slept late. As a result, the day had been even more hectic. He let out a groan.
Uzoth turned towards him. “Does something trouble you?”
Grady huffed. “Something is always troubling me. But it’s nothing I’m not used to handling.”
Uzoth stared at him. He didn’t speak, just stared as if waiting for Grady to continue. And something about that patient, steady gaze prompted Grady to talk.
“It’s nothing really. Just every day there is so much to do. Especially at Christmas. We’ve got the Christmas markets, and the bakery is so busy. And if everything ran smoothly, it wouldbe fine.” Grady shook his head. “But nothing ever runs fucking smoothly. And I’m always the one to fix the problems.
“Like today, our oven at the Christmas market is playing up. I think I managed to fix it. I hope I did.” Grady sighed. “But who knows? Maybe it will be fucked tomorrow. Or something new will be wrong with it. And Briar, he’s staying out in the forest again tonight to look after some wounded dog he found.”
“Briar,” Uzoth said. “The one with the pigeon familiar.”
Grady frowned. “You know him?”
“I see much when I am watching from above.”
“That makes sense. Well, Briar asked for tomorrow off to care for the dog. So I’ll need to make sure we’ve got his shifts covered. And Lacy is out at a party tonight with her new girlfriend of the week.” Grady stared into the flames. “She’s only nineteen, and I worry about her being out so late so often. But she’s a hard worker.” He paused. “She deserves some fun.”
Then Grady turned and faced Uzoth. “Sorry, you don’t want to hear me prattling on like some whiny cockhead.”
Uzoth lifted his chin ever so slightly. “I am pleased to hear you speak, Grady. It has been a long time since someone spoke to me.”
Grady stared into Uzoth’s black eyes. Was Uzoth lonely? He’d not considered that the gargoyle could be. He’d always seemed so strong and intimidating in his solitude sitting on the rooftops. Grady had not once considered the formidable gargoyle might long for company.
“You are the eldest of your siblings,” Uzoth said. “You are their protector.”
Grady made a face. “I try.”
Uzoth must have worked out he was the eldest from watching them. Which should have been creepy. But honestly, it felt kind of reassuring to know Uzoth kept an eye on him and his kin.
“I see much. And I see you. You do more than simply try, Witch Grady,” Uzoth said in his deep voice.
Goosebumps appeared on Grady’s arms despite the warmth of the fire.
“Your protection charms are strong,” Uzoth said. “You keep your siblings safe. You care for and watch over them. Your siblings listen to you. They respect you.”
Grady’s throat tightened, and his lungs constricted. Was that what this powerful being saw? Because most days, Grady felt like he failed his siblings constantly.
“You exhaust yourself to care for others. You work early. You work late. Your protection charms drain you.” Uzoth paused. “You always look out for your siblings. I wonder, who looks after you?”
