Page 19 of Sins of the Stone

Ursulette

T he group arrived at the encampment after a few hours of hiking. Ursulette’s feet dragged against the dirt by the time they reached it. All she wanted to do was lie down and go to bed, preferably with her gargoyle. She sighed. That wouldn’t happen tonight, as much as she needed it.

Today was long, and the stress of keeping up a story while thinking about what would happen if she slipped up was enough to warrant her worry. A shadow caught her attention as she placed herself on a log bench beside the fire. Unfortunately, it didn’t calm her racing heart.

She scanned the crowd, hoping to see some familiar faces. There were a few, and they all shared the same ailments as the others. This was no longer the group of lively people she once knew. This was an amalgamation of broken souls forced together through tragedy. The only unscathed citizens were her and Omar.

What a terrible coincidence.

A man with a scraggly beard hobbled over and handed her a plate of charred meat and dirty vegetables. She received it with a smile, but she thought about how much she would’ve preferred Ramuz’s cooking. However, it couldn’t be easy feeding a crowd of traumatized survivors.

Out of sheer courtesy, she nibbled on the food, hoping she could choke it down through the pressure of her nerves. She peered into the fire, hoping its heat would lull her racing mind and make her forget about the mediocre taste of her meal.

It almost did until Omar wandered over and placed himself beside her. Ursulette’s face flushed, setting her plate on the ground. Omar eyed the half-touched dinner but said nothing, much to her relief. However, the expression on his face said it all. Skepticism. Wickedness. Suspicion.

“Hello,” Ursulette said, avoiding his gaze. She glanced around, hoping to connect with someone that would pull Omar away. Not a single eye caught on hers, making her face flush.

“Hey, Ursulette.” His hand filled the space between them, leaving no gap beside their bodies. Her toes curled. He was against her leg, making her tremble. His touch felt toxic, like his very oils would eat away at her flesh. Her face fell to the fire, hoping, praying, anyone would save her—just not Ramuz.

Please, not Ramuz.

Just then, a set of scraping feet caught her attention, making her heart skip. The pair looked up as Giles stood beside them, a grizzled expression on his face. Much to her relief, Omar removed the hand that grazed her but didn’t back away further.

“You ought to give her some space, Omar,” he said gruffly. “Even if you are leading us.” Ursulette’s heart skipped again.

Omar? Leader ? Why? Probably because he elected himself…

That was possibly the worst potential outcome she could’ve fathomed. In times of desperation, people got irrational and moody. Minds under stress could be easily swayed to kill a woman and a gargoyle who was in love.

The thought didn’t sit right with her as she chomped down on the inside of her cheek. Omar placed his hand on her shoulder, making her fist clench around the hem of her dress. She prayed Ramuz would not swoop in and tear him to shreds for touching her, even if she would enjoy such a sight.

“She doesn’t mind, right Ursulette?” he said. “We have to stick together, don’t we?”

“A-ah, well—” Ursulette’s eyes connected with Giles, him giving her an expression of pure disappointment. Her blush deepened as she realized Omar was eyeing her, too. Surely Ramuz was as well, and suddenly, all eyes in the world fell upon her, anticipating an answer.

“It’s okay, Giles,” she said wearily. “We have to trust our leader, after all.” The instant the words came out, she regretted them. Omar grinned devilishly and shooed Giles away. He appeared deflated and left, leaving the two alone.

Omar glanced at Ursulette, making her teeth chatter behind her lips. She felt like a predator cornered her, but her mouth refused to speak, cry out, or scream.

“So, Ursulette, I find it incredible you have done so well for yourself.”

Her face heated. “Yes. It seems my reading has done me well.” She thought about how terrible a liar she was. How long would it be before something slipped? She had questions she wanted answers to, even if she could already put the pieces together. “Speaking of, is Maritza…?”

“Unfortunately, we buried her after the siege. Kent as well, and many, many others.”

“Oh.” Her heart ached, making it hard to breathe. Even if they weren’t the nicest, that didn’t mean they deserved to die. She only hoped the others would have similar thoughts when she inevitably was caught in the arms of a creature. Something nagged at her that it wouldn’t be that simple.

“Anyway, where are you staying?” he asked. “Surely here would be more comfortable and safer than whatever shelter you have crafted.” Ursulette’s eyes wandered along the tree line, catching on a winged shadow in the distance. He shifted, probably trying to contain his rage. Sometimes, she wished she could allow him to teach Omar a lesson, but the goal was peace, not chaos.

“Um, it’s up north a bit, I believe,” she said. Omar cocked his head.

“You believe? Surely those books have taught you how to track your refuge.” Her stomach flipped. There was no way he was buying it.

“Y-yes, they have. I’m just not very good at it.”

“Clumsy Ursulette,” he beamed. “You know, that’s one reason I like you. Perhaps after we all settle down, you and I can rekindle our friendship. Start off on the right foot this time.” The bland meal she picked at earlier suddenly rose in her throat. She swallowed it down, eyes glancing at the shadow again. His wings were extended, ready to take flight .

Ursulette’s eyes widened as she tilted her head out of Omar’s line of sight. Just as his slimy touch went to connect with her again, she shot up, giving him a reassuring, albeit messy, smile.

“That’s nice of you, Omar, but I’m not feeling too well right now.”

His face shifted, though she couldn’t read his emotion. “If you’re not feeling well, you should stay the night,” he said. She knew she was pinned. “Stay for as long as you like.” Her fingers twiddled the tie on her dress again, debating what to say. She couldn’t help but feel like she was making a big mistake, but she figured she could sneak out later.

She didn’t want to spend the night here with him. Omar’s smarmy actions would only pull Ramuz out of hiding and expose them for what they were—sinners. Criminals. Offenders of nature.

“Of course. Thank you,” she said, trying to quell the tremble in her hands. Yes, this was a big mistake, but Ramuz would have to wait. It was only best to keep the peace so that she could maintain a relationship with Giles. He was all she had left to not end up as the only one of her species in her life.

* * *

A cloud of darkness settled over the camp, sending the bite of a chill through the air. The sun settled behind the skyline, nestled behind a sea of trees. The roar of the fire dulled to a low grumble, the embers shining, reflecting the blinking stars in the black sky above them.

Ursulette’s chin rested on her elbow as she stared into the remnants of the flames, wishing she was cozily back home in the loving embrace of her gargoyle. Even though the sun had vanished earlier, his shadow still caught her eye on occasion as the day ebbed into the night. It brought little comfort.

Giles’ uneven footsteps interrupted the silence as he scraped across the dirt. “Hey,” he muttered, crouching slowly and placing himself on the log beside her. She winced as he groaned while his body bent to rest. Ursulette’s chest tightened watching him struggle to do something as simple as sitting down.

“Hello,” she said. Her face shaded with shame as he finally settled beside her as the pair stared into the fading flames. Giles’ walking stick clinked against the log as he set it down.

“You know that coward ran away?” he grumbled. Her cheeks burned, but not from the cooling heat of the fire. She felt like he was talking to her, his words sharp, like a blade of emotion shoved into her gut. Guilt crept to her core as she placed her hand over her stomach.

“Now he has the gall to declare himself our leader.” He scoffed. “And who are we to argue? He’s practically the only one unscathed, that bastard.” She bit her lip before finally spitting out the words.

“I, um, ran away too. I—” She was going to say I tried to , but she stopped, not wanting to spill her secret life. She was still wary, even though she trusted him as much as Ramuz. It was never pleasant to tell your closest friend you were committing a crime.

“Omar. Not you. I told you to run,” he said. “He should’ve stayed and fought like the rest of us. It was his job to protect the village, not yours.” Her eyes returned to the crackling embers, hoping their glow would calm her fraying nerves.

“I can believe that.”

“Aye. In my book, anyone who treats you the way he does is bad news.” Giles sucked in a breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a pained expression on his face, like her submission was like a knife in his heart.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me it was that bad?” he said. “That creep is practically all over you…” Ursulette lowered her head, feeling a stone from in her throat. Her fingertips caressed her collarbone to prevent the torrent of tears hidden behind her eyes.

“I-I just… didn’t want to cause a fuss. You had enough going on with the creatures and the tavern and trying to keep people from thinking I’m a freak.”

Giles’ shoulders rose and fell as he set his hand on her. “If people thought you were as bad as you think, do you think we would be here right now?” The rock in her throat fell to the depths of her stomach, filling her with a pang of sickening guilt .

“Just because people disagree or find you strange does not mean they would wish you harm,” he said. His words resonated with her, but the pressure of hesitation sealed her lips. Words only meant so much when confronted with the reality of a situation. What if she and Ramuz held hands or kissed in front of everyone? Or even the simple act of conversing with each other? Would they change their minds about being accepted then?

“Omar, on the other hand. He is…” Giles clenched his fist, his knuckles white despite the darkness. “I don’t like him treating you like that.” Ursulette’s face blushed again.

He’s not the only one who thinks that.

“I should’ve said something,” she said glumly.

“Please, speak up next time. I don’t have the abilities I did before, but I’ll do my best.” Giles set his hand on her shoulder. “I want you to sleep near me tonight so he will not disturb you.”

Ursulette nodded. “Alright. I am pretty tired. It’s… been a long day.” Giles’ head bobbed in agreement, and he used his stick to point to a bedroll across the dwindling fire.

“It certainly has been,” he said with a sigh. Then he added: “You’re a strong girl. I’m proud of you.” His words curdled the guilt in her stomach.

“T-thank you. I’m proud of you, too.” Her voice shook with emotion. Giles gave her one last, loving smile, then used his stick to bring him to a standing position on his wobbling legs.

“I’ll be there in a bit,” she said.

“Alright. Night, Ursulette.”

“Goodnight.” With that, her stare returned to the flames. She heard snores reverberate through the air, but she couldn’t sleep even if she tried. All she could think about was how much she missed her gargoyle, despite him being only a few feet away.

Would staying help her maintain her friendship? But being trapped with Omar seemed like a nightmare, even with Giles’ vow of protection. He could barely walk without his breath shaking; how could he defend her against an able-bodied, uninjured man? It was valiant, and she appreciated his concern, but it was hopeless .

She wondered how long she could keep up with this fatal secret. Omar already was behaving like she was a criminal, and she was sure it wouldn’t be getting better anytime soon. Her stomach ached as the string wound around her finger, turning the tip a deep red as it choked for blood flow that would not come.

Taking a breath and against her better judgment, she wandered into the woods, wanting to flee from the thoughts and be safely home with Ramuz. The next time she returned, she would figure out a sound explanation. That would be enough time to develop a story that made sense to everyone, even the wary Omar.