Chapter four

Elryk

Long ago, the Goddess granted special powers to some born to the gargoyle clans. Those who received her gifts were designated Guardians of the Line and given the responsibility of protecting the most powerful magic ley lines in the Terran realm. Such an overwhelming and dangerous duty seemed like a thankless task, a burden rather than a blessing. But the Goddess promised that these noble warriors and protectors would be handsomely rewarded, for only they among their kind would be destined to find a fated mate.

—Guardians of the Line: A Hidden History, by Dr. Targan Wildethorne

I ’m covered in blood, grime, and sweat by the time I make it back to the castle stronghold hidden here in the Highlands and veiled from human eyes.

One of the guards hurries over as I land in the courtyard surrounded by the castle’s gray stone walls. “Sir, the Oracle has called a clan meeting.”

I stop in my tracks. “A divination?”

“Apparently, she’s had several visions. The whole castle’s buzzing with the news.”

I frown. It’s been far too long since the Oracle last had anything to share with us, and we’ve been at a bit of a loss for how to deal with the problem we’re currently facing.

I can only hope that whatever she witnessed might start to give us some answers. But I know such things tend to be more opaque than clear. They don’t always portend good either.

Some of her most important divinations have been warnings we needed to heed.

“Is she calling everyone to the Great Hall?” I ask.

“Aye, but…” He looks me up and down. “Sir, you’d best wash up quickly. You’re not fit to be in anyone’s company right now.”

I grimace. “Give me ten minutes.”

With considerable speed, I make my way to where my quarters are housed and take one of the fastest showers of my life, scrubbing myself raw to get off the worst of the days-long battle.

Once clean, I dress in a fresh tartan—like most of the men here, I don’t wear a shirt underneath as it just gets in the way of our wings—and head down to the Great Hall.

It’s early evening and already dark at this time of year. The Great Hall is one of the oldest parts of the castle and is alight with the glow of the massive chandeliers hanging from above. My boots on the stone floors echo in the cavernous space as I enter the room. Tapestries depicting my ancestors line the walls and a roaring fire blazes in the enormous fireplace off to my right.

I stride forward to join the rest of my clan, who appear to be seated and waiting on me.

At the end of the hall, our clan leader and the Oracle are seated in a stately fashion on a dais.

Old even by gargoyle years, the Oracle’s opaque eyes stare off into the distance, seeing nothing in the here and now. Like most born to be an oracle among our kind, the price of her divine vision is blindness in this world. Her lined face, framed by long white hair, is impossible to read.

Kelwyn, our clan leader, stands. “Thank you, my fellow Guardians of the Line. I’ve called you here this evening to hear the words of the Oracle and take heed.”

The Oracle stands and steps forward, raising her arms to the sky. “I have received three visions from the Goddess.” Her voice is captivating and almost otherworldly as she speaks. “Danger lies ahead. An ancient threat from the West moves ever closer our way. A dark horde seeks the power of the line, and we cannot let that happen.”

Anxious murmuring ripples among her audience, but Kelwyn clears his throat meaningfully and silence resumes.

“However, all hope is not lost,” the Oracle says, her lips curving in a faint hint of a smile. “A Conduit has arrived.”

I inhale sharply and my heart starts pounding in my chest. Our clan has not had a Conduit among our ranks in centuries. Such a person could be the answer to my prayers.

“The Conduit comes toward us, pulled by forces beyond their ken. They know nothing of their powers and are vulnerable to danger. Others have already felt the Conduit’s presence and hope to use them for evil. We must find this Conduit first and bring them into the fold before it’s too late.”

Fucking hell. A Conduit roaming around and unaware of their power is a recipe for disaster. We can’t afford to lose this person or let anything happen to them, rare as they are.

“Finally,” the Oracle continues, “I have foreseen the coming of new blood in our clan and new unions. It has been many years since any among us have found their fated mates, but I foresee a shift ahead. There will be several arriving in the near future. They will strengthen our clan if they accept the bonds.”

Her hands drop back down to her sides, and she bows to us all before returning to her seat.

The entire clan erupts into a cacophony of excited speculations. Not all of what she said boded well, but right now most of my clan is fixated on her last words.

An ancient threat from the West… I have an inkling as to what it could be, but I sincerely hope I’m wrong.

The best news by far was what she said about the Conduit’s appearance. By the Light, someone with that kind of ability could solve our most pressing problem with the barrier. Our top priority right now needs to be finding them and keeping them safe.

But even with all that, I’m not surprised the fated-mates business has filled everyone with the most excitement. Many of our clan members remain without partners, making our job of protecting the ley line all that much harder. A fated mate helps bolster our powers and they strengthen our overall protections. The arrival of not just one, but several, fated mates is a blessing indeed.

Although I couldn’t help but notice the Oracle had added the caveat that they would need to accept our bond, meaning there’s no guarantee the fated mates who appear will commit to their mates. I suspect it won’t be entirely smooth sailing for many of us.

However, I push the thought aside. It almost certainly won’t have anything to do with me. I gave up on finding a fated mate long ago.

Besides, I can’t imagine anyone from outside our clan being content to stay in a remote castle in the Scottish Highlands, where danger lurks in the shadows.

Hell, it’s not a life I ever wanted for myself, let alone a partner. But the Goddess saw fit to gift me with a power that our clan desperately needed to uphold our duty in protecting the ley line from those who would use and abuse its powers.

Hopes and dreams of a different life are things I abandoned after I came of age and reconciled myself to my duty and responsibility.

I can’t deny I bitterly envied my younger brother, Vashyk, who was born without magic and is thus free to pursue whatever path he wants in his life. He’s even found someone to love, and they’re apparently quite serious. He’s living a happy and fulfilling life.

For the most part, I’m genuinely pleased for him. The darker jealousy and resentment I felt in my youth has dulled with age and maturity. I’m still envious, though.

Despite the fact that I’m supposed to have a fated mate out there, I’ve spent my adulthood alone, apart from the occasional hookup when I’ve had time off and gone into the city.

While a fated mate sounds romantic, I suspect the reality is far from it. After all, I can’t imagine anyone accepting the piss-poor life I have to offer them. I’d probably encourage my mate to reject the bond for their own good.

The Great Hall starts to clear out as people talk animatedly about changes to come as they head back to their homes.

Several of the senior Guardians and I stay behind with Kelwyn and the Oracle, moving our seats into a circle around the dais and then waiting.

Once everyone else is gone and the hall doors close, Kelwyn sighs heavily. “Now, let’s get to business.” He turns a keen eye on his younger brother, Raedyn. “You’re our best tracker and scout. I want you to head west and see what you can find about this impending threat coming our way. We need more information to prepare ourselves and our defenses.”

“Aye. You can count on me, Kel.”

Kelwyn smiles and directs his dark-blue gaze on me next. “Elryk, you know better than anyone that we must find this Conduit, and fast.”

“Of course. But do we even have an idea where to look?”

He hands his smartphone to me. We don’t have the greatest reception out here, but we were able to have the castle wired for Wi-Fi a few years ago. It’s not the fastest or most reliable connection, but it’s better than nothing.

It takes a few moments for the video he’s pulled up to load so we can watch the news segment about a strange incident that occurred in London earlier. Seems a bus driver had some kind of medical event and fell unconscious at the wheel. A tourist managed to grab the wheel and eventually stopped the bus. I frown as I watch the footage—there isn’t a visual of this mystery savior.

“You’re saying that’s the Conduit?” I ask as I hand the phone back to Kelwyn.

“We think so. A brownie on holiday in London reported meeting him at Heathrow. Said he told her he was heading for Scotland. Then this bizarre accident happened and it seems the Conduit was on the bus. Otherkind helping at the scene detected the scent of a newly awakened Conduit, and a powerful talent at that.”

I sit up straighter. “Were any of our people in London able to track the scent?”

“I have people on it, but we learned of the event late. We’re now working several hours behind when the event happened.”

Bloody hell. That’s far from advantageous.

“We hope to locate the Conduit soon. The last report I had indicated the scent went into a Tube station.”

I scowl, my mind racing. Time is of the essence.

“Your vision corroborates this account of the Conduit coming in our direction?” I ask the Oracle.

She inclines her head. “Aye, the Conduit is moving north from London at a fast speed.”

“The brownie said the Conduit mentioned taking the Caledonian Sleeper train,” Kelwyn says.

For some reason that sends a zing of awareness through me. I’m not exactly psychic, nor do I have prophetic visions like the Oracle, but sometimes I get an uncanny instinct about things, one that I’ve learned to listen to over the years.

“The sleeper train’s where we need to look,” I say with conviction.

Kelwyn stands. “I’ll update my contacts in London and have them search for any traces of this person taking one of the sleeper trains or buses for Scotland.”

Already, I’m antsy. Most will have left London to start making their overnight journey here by now.

“We should get a head start and travel south, closer to the border. Once they cross over into Scotland, I’ll be able to sense him,” I say.

Kelwyn nods. “You must find this man. He’s our only chance of strengthening the barrier.”

What he isn’t saying is that I need the Conduit to enhance my powers as our last Barrier Master in the clan since my grandfather passed away. The difficulty of maintaining the barrier by myself is becoming more and more taxing. A Conduit and their unique ability would solve our biggest problem.

I get to my feet. “I’ll leave this instant and can reach the border in a few hours.”

Kelwyn reaches out and clasps my hand. “Good. I’ll communicate with you once I have an update from my contacts in London.”

As clan leader, Kelwyn can communicate with us telepathically across great distances. He’s connected to each and every member of the clan in that way. I respect and admire the man greatly, I don’t envy him his responsibilities. If I think the burden I bear is a heavy one, then his has got to be ten times worse.

Besides, I don’t have the kinds of people skills that a clan leader needs. Kelwyn possesses charisma and kindness, as well as a fair and even-handed approach to handling everyone.

“Be on guard,” the Oracle murmurs. “Danger follows this one. He must be protected or all could be lost.”

The urgency of the situation makes me restless, and I quickly say my goodbyes before racing back to my room to get the few things I’ll need to take with me for my long flight.

I decide to bring along two of my most trusted subordinates, Darghan and Zar, while my best friend, Braewyn, takes another small squad to search other places just in case.

“I’ll be focusing on the sleeper train from London,” I tell him.

“We’ll look toward the motorways and buses to be on the safe side.” Braewyn grins. “But I know how reliable your instincts are. I’m sure you’ll find him.”

Finally ready to depart, I take a running leap into the air and extend my wings, my two men following close behind as we begin the flight to the border.

I’m determined to get to the Conduit before anyone else does.