Page 3 of The Last Gargoyle's Christmas Wish
“Can’t work tonight. Found an injured dog in my cave. I need to care for it. I’ll stay here overnight,” Briar had scrawled.
The dull ache in Grady’s temples twisted into a sharp stabbing pain behind his eyes. The muscle beneath his eye intensified its twitching.
Pissing potions. Another fucking thing to deal with.
Instead of going into the bakery, he ran upstairs to their apartment. He opened the door and strode to the desk. He grabbed a small piece of paper and wrote, “Bring the dog back to the house. I don’t want you sleeping in your cave in winter.”
Archimedes had followed him and perched on the back of a chair. Grady rolled up the paper, placed it in the canister, and attached it to Archimedes’s leg. He picked up Archimedes and took him outside.
“All right, back you go to Briar.” Grady threw Archimedes into the air. The grey pigeon circled twice in the air before flying in the direction of the cave, passing the gargoyle, who remained exactly where he’d been several minutes ago. He hadn’t moved an inch.
Sometimes, when Grady had a moment to breathe, he’d stare up and see if he could catch the gargoyle moving. He never had.
But sometimes the gargoyle would be on one rooftop. At other times, another. So he must move. Still, the gargoyle often remained here above the alley out back of their bakery and apartment.
Grady shook his head. He didn’t have time to stare at the gargoyle. He placed his hand on the sigil on the apartment door. “Protect our hearth. Protect our home. Protect my kin wherever they roam.” Heat flared as the energy passed from him into the spell.
He sprinted down the stairs and entered the bakery. He gave a quick glance around at his siblings at work. Customers lined up at the counter in the front. Cas, Lacy, and Jack all served whilst Trent worked in the back.
Trent glanced up from kneading dough. “Hey.” He smiled. “How is it going at the Christmas markets?”
“We don’t have enough flour to get through the day,” Grady said. “And I know you’ve got tonight off. But can you work the Christmas markets? Briar is looking after a feral dog in his cave.”
Trent’s eyes widened. “What is Briar doing?”
Grady shrugged. “I don’t know. The dog is injured or something. Can you do it?”
“Sure. But I’m meant to be getting Ordelia some stuff from the grocer’s after work.” Trent wiped his hands on his apron, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a piece of paper. Ordelia was their sister and had a baby.
Grady took the note. “I can do that after I drop the flour off at the markets.”
“Then no problem. I can cover for Briar.”
“Thanks.” Grady grabbed a crate and began to place bags of flour into it. He might need to make a few trips back and forth. Especially if he didn’t want to break his back by carrying too much. He was only thirty, and already it felt like his body was crumbling apart.
Grady paused and counted the number of bags of flour they had remaining in the bakery. How long until he’d need to order more from the supplier? Grady held in a sigh. The bloody cost of flour had once again increased recently.
Something to do with production costs. Just another fucking thing for Grady to worry about. At least they made more money during the Christmas season. The stall at the markets brought in good coin. And the bakery itself was busier. Many wanted baked goods to celebrate the holiday season.
But it meant long hours and lots of work. Much of which fell on Grady’s too-tense shoulders.
Maybe he needed to try to find a new supplier. Someone cheaper and more affordable so it wouldn’t eat up so much of their profits. But he didn’t have time to find a new supplier. Maybe after Christmas.
“Archimedes is here,” Trent said.
Archimedes sat on the windowsill outside, peering in, the canister attached to his leg. Grady gritted his teeth, really hoping Briar was agreeing with Grady and telling him he’d be back home with the dog tonight. He did not want to be worrying about Briar out in the forest in bloody winter.
Grady strode to the door and went out. He took the note. It read, “Dog is unconscious and is too big to bring back.”
Grady took a slow breath, in and out. In and out. The muscle trembled violently beneath his eye. He shouldn’t be angry. Briar was just being a caring and loving witch. He was being a good witch. It was what their parents would have wanted. It was what Grady should have wanted for his younger brother.
But sometimes, Grady really fucking wished that just one day would go smoothly with no complications or things he needed to deal with. He rolled his shoulders.
He hated Briar staying in the forest overnight. He didn’t mind so much in summer or spring. But in winter, a suddensnowstorm could be the death of his younger brother. His throat spasmed.
Thankfully, Briar, like all Grady’s siblings, wore a protection charm. And Grady had put a shit ton of protection charms and spells on Briar’s cave.
Although, when was the last time Grady had been out there to recharge them? He paused. Grady really should go out there to check them. He closed his eyes, head dropping back as he added one more thing to the never-ending to-do list.
