Read Sorceress Rising (A Gargoyle and Sorceress Tale Book 2) for Free Online

straightened his baggy clothes and squared his shoulders,
growing taller as she watched. He stomped his feet a couple times as if it
would knock the wrinkles out of his long tunic, and then he closed his eyes and
curled his bare toes into the forest loam. After a deep sigh, he opened his
eyes and took them all in with a merry look. “That’s better. Solid ground under
my feet. No leshii was ever intended to ride horseback.”
    At the leshii’s
words, the unicorn neighed loud enough to echo through the forest.
    “What’s gotten
into you?” Greenborrow leveled a glare at the equine. “Oh…horseback, unicorn, pooka….one’s
as unnatural to ride as another.”
    “Then walk
next time!” With a twirl of his head, the unicorn
spun and galloped back into the forest.
    “That went
well,” Lillian mumbled under her breath.
    “I thought so.”
Greenborrow bestowed her with a grin and a jaunty little bow. “Always nice to
see you.” Then turning to Gregory and Whitethorn, he became more serious.
“Well, Lord Gargoyle, what thoughts do you hide behind those black mirror
eyes?”
    “Dark thoughts,”
Gregory said. He shook out his wings and sat down with his tail curled around
his haunches. The other two Fae joined him, and he gestured for Lillian to sit
by his side.
    She hadn’t fully
settled herself when a semi-heavy weight landed in her lap. Gregory proceeded
to coil his tail around her waist twice until the spade-shaped tip was again
directly in front, conveniently under her hands. Inwardly, she smiled at the
predictability of her touchy-feely guardian while she settled her fingers on
the boney ridges and began to massage between the plate-like armor at the very
tip.
    Whitethorn
arched an eyebrow before he continued the conversation from earlier. “If we
don’t take precautions, we may find ourselves fighting a battle on three
fronts—the humans, the Riven, and the Lady of Battles. Even you, Gregory, might
find those daunting odds.”
    “The Lady of
Battles is my greatest concern. While she can’t come here herself, she may send
her warriors soon. My normal defensive weavings will not remain effective for
any length of time in this Realm so I must try another method. I will gift any
Fae who wishes to join me with magic forged weapons and personal defensive
spells keyed to an object. It will protect the magic from the ravages of this
Realm.”
    “Permanent
talismans,” Greenborrow whistled. “You, my boy, are planning on expending a
great deal of magic. More Fae will come, curious as they would be of any
gargoyle in the Mortal Realm. Many newcomers have already arrived, and felt
your power even as you healed. Some of the oldest guessed who and what you
are—the Avatars. In this magic-starved land, you my darlings, are an unequaled
banquet.”
    Gregory nodded.
“And I welcome them to come to feast on magic cast off as I forge weapons and
spells.”
    “Is that a
bribe?” Whitethorn asked, sounding almost incredulous.
    “Yes, if it will
sway more to my side.”
    “And if we are
victorious?”
    “My offer is
still the same, there is no limit upon it. When I return home with Lillian, any
who wish to come with me, may.”
    Greenborrow
slapped his knees and chuckled. “And, that, my fine gargoyle, is the best bribe
of all.”
    Whitethorn’s nod
was dower. “Indeed.”
    “Why are we just
sitting here? Are we waiting for the Lady of Battles to show up for tea?”
Greenborrow stood up and bowed to Lillian. “Though your lovely grandmother
might just be civil enough to bake for even her worst enemy.”
    “A word of
caution.” The sidhe leader stood in one graceful motion. “Not all Fae who come
to you will be trust worthy.”
    “I don’t expect
them to be,” Gregory said and glanced in the direction of a darker shadow,
which coalesced into the pooka. “My personal standards are not as elevated as
they once were.”
    Gregory unwound
his tail from Lillian’s waist. She missed the weight and the warmth,