Page 4 of The Last Gargoyle's Christmas Wish
After a few moments, he opened his eyes. He stared straight at the gargoyle above. The gargoyle stared back at him.
Had the gargoyle moved? Or had Grady just positioned himself directly in the gargoyle’s line of sight?
“Everything all right?” Trent asked from the doorway.
Grady dropped his gaze to the note in his hand. “Fucking brilliant,” Grady muttered, too low for Trent to hear. “Everything is fine,” he said louder. Then Grady sprinted up the stairs to write a return note to Briar.
CHAPTER 3
“Protect this hearth. Protect this home. Protect my kin wherever they roam.” Grady’s energy flowed into the charm, hand warming.
He lifted his hand off the sigil carved into the wood. He knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing Ordelia holding her baby, Ruthie, in her arms.
“Did you just charge the charm?” Ordelia asked in lieu of a greeting. She frowned at the sigil. “You know it was still practically fully charged from when you charged ittwodays ago. You shouldn’t charge them so often. It will diminish your energy and strength.” Her eyes flicked over him. “You look so tired.”
“Well, thanks.” Grady gave a weary smile. “And you’re one to talk.” Grady took in Ordelia. Bags lined her eyes. Her hair hung messy and wild around her shoulders. “And is that vomit on your shoulder?”
“Probably.” Ordelia glanced down at herself. “And I’m allowed to look tired! I have a baby who doesn’t sleep!”
“Fair enough.” Grady paused. “Anything I can do to help?”
She gave him a look. “No. I don’t want your help. I just want you to rest more and work less. And also stop using your energyto charge those damn charms so often. They don’t need it.” She frowned. “You really do look tired, Grady. More so than usual.”
Grady shrugged. “I’m fine.”
Ordelia’s nose wrinkled. Ordelia, like his other siblings, didn’t fully understand his obsession with the protection charms and spells.
But of course, they hadn’t been there that day. They couldn’t still smell the blood or hear the crunching of bone.
Grady lifted the paper bag. “I brought you groceries.”
“What happened to Trent?” She stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in.
Grady placed the groceries down by the door on the inside of the apartment. But he shook his head. “I can’t come in. I’ve got to get back to the bakery. And Trent is working the Christmas markets tonight to cover for Briar, don’t ask, so I offered to bring you groceries.”
Michael, Ordelia’s stepson, appeared, wrapping his arms around Ordelia’s legs. He smiled at Grady, revealing several missing teeth.
“Hey, Michael.” Grady smiled.
“Hi, Uncle Grady,” Michael said softly.
“You being a good big brother to Ruthie?”
Michael nodded his horned head.
Ordelia placed a hand on his hair. “He is an excellent older brother.”
Michael’s grin widened.
A year and a half ago, Ordelia had married Tony, a faun widower with a young son. Ordelia still worked in the bakery. But less frequently now that she had a baby and a stepson to look after.
“Are their charms still good?” Grady’s gaze flicked to the woven protection bands he’d made that wrapped around his nephew and niece’s wrists.
“They are fine, Grady!” Ordelia rolled her eyes.
Grady’s hand twitched. “I can charge them.”
“No!” Ordelia said firmly. “I don’t want you draining yourself of magic more than needed.”
