Page 14 of The Gargoyle’s Glade (The Gargoyle Knights #3)

Merry

“ T ap is … overwhelmed. It’s getting better, but be warned that sometimes conversations with him can be a bit confused.

Scattered. His mind moves from one thing to the next without finishing sometimes, but he always comes back around eventually.

” Seir smiled softly, and in it I could see the affection he had for his brother.

“He’s managing a lot, always has. Coltor and I have been able to relieve some of his burden, but perhaps you can offer aid of a different kind.

” He led me toward the portal, glancing over his shoulder at the animals that had followed us from my cabin.

“There are… a lot of them, aren’t there?

Good morning, everyone!” He waved at them cheerfully.

There were now seven birds, the two rabbits, a racoon, a family of quail, and a young deer following me around the glade. I caught the birds sleeping on my roof and the rest huddled around my porch when I left.

A carving of a hawk had also been sitting on the railing right next to the stairs. I could only assume it was some kind of peace offering from Coltor. I’d left that right where I found it.

“Yes, it seems there’s something new following me every time I turn around.

I have to keep my eyes either straight ahead or on the dirt so I don’t accidentally make eye contact.

I can still hear some of them, though, even if we don’t look at one another.

” That had been a surprising development, but also comforting.

The voices weren’t nearly as troublesome when they didn’t come with a side of paralyzation.

Each of them had communicated with me at some point, and all had left me frozen for at least a few moments as they made contact.

It was disconcerting still, but I was getting better at preparing myself when I sensed a new creature near me.

None of them had done more than greet me, though I’d gotten several variations of requests.

Mostly the request was some combination of the words help and friend .

I felt terrible that I had no clue what to do for them.

“May I?” Seir asked, gesturing at my arm. “I just want to be sure we both end up where we should.”

“Oh. Sure.”

He tucked my arm through his, patting it reassuringly as we stepped right up to the edge of the portal. “Ready?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s g?—”

His word was cut off as he took one big step, pulling me with him into the magical doorway. I gripped his arm and screamed internally as the portal turned me inside out and sideways, then back again all in the span of seconds. Together, we stepped out into a wide hall filled with other doorways.

“Welcome to the crossroads,” an unfamiliar low voice intoned.

I blinked and sucked in a slow breath through my nose as I oriented myself, willing my breakfast to stay put. I was going to have to start traveling with snacks in my pockets and forgoing meals if portals were in my plans. Seir embraced the tall man after pulling his arm from mine.

“Merry, this is my brother Tap. Tap, this is Merry.”

Tap bowed his head slightly. His black hair was trimmed close to his scalp to above his ears, then longer on top. Some of the longer strands fell into his eyes when he bent forward. “Pleased to meet you, Merry.”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

Seir smiled encouragingly at me as Tap turned, leading us away from the hallway to a cozy sitting room.

He was built much like his brothers, tall and broad through the shoulder, but slimmer than the others.

I’d never met so many large men as I had since arriving in Revalia.

Between demons and stone kin, there wasn’t a single one that didn’t tower over me by at least a head and a half, and I didn’t consider myself small.

He gestured to the furniture. “Please, have a seat.” Seir and I sat at opposite ends of the new-looking long sofa, and Tap took the worn leather chair for himself after serving us all tea.

“Seir tells me you’ve recently started hearing animals?”

“Yes. The first time it happened I was with Ophelia. She explained a few things and gave me a book.” I’d managed to read some of it after getting back to my cabin the night before, but I wasn’t sure I really understood what it said.

Getting angry with Coltor and venting about the whole maddening interaction, not to mention explaining what had happened when he came into my bathroom over dinner with Hailon and Seir had taken quite a bit more energy out of me than I’d thought.

By the time I’d gotten around to reading, the words had all blurred together.

“They don’t say much, and being paralyzed when they make eye contact is a bit disorienting, but I don’t feel threatened at all. ”

“The sorceress sent me a letter. She said you’ve only recently developed animal mind speech?” His tone was matter-of-fact, and his gray gaze curious as he pushed his round spectacles back up his nose.

“That’s right.”

Tap nodded, the small metal rings he wore in his ears tinkling together with the movement.

“I thought I was keeping up with familiar contract requests pretty well, but it would seem I’ve fallen inexcusably behind.

” He sighed. Tap’s manner was careful and controlled, his voice low and breathy.

I got the impression it would take quite a lot to rile him.

Tap seemed in every way complementary and opposite to the bundle of enthusiastic energy that Seir was.

Seir, uncharacteristically silent to that point, was staring at his brother empathetically. “You’ve been very overworked.”

“Yes, well, be that as it may, I’m afraid there’s quite a mess to untangle. Would you be interested in taking a project on, Merry?”

“I’m not sure,” I answered honestly. “In truth, I don’t know what any of this means.”

Tap smiled, exhaustion evident in the fine lines near his kind eyes.

“Fair enough. I can tell you that it’s not at all glamorous, the hours are terrible, and the clients can sometimes be …

unpredictable.” He stood, and gestured for us to follow.

“Let me show you the files first.” He paused.

“Seir? Would you mind watching the doorways?”

“If Merry is alright with that.” He raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

“I’m sure we’ll be fine, thanks.”

With a courteous nod, Seir went back toward the broad hallway of doors while Tap took me into a large side room.

My heart thudded, excitement mixing with incredulity as I scanned the floor-to-ceiling shelves that stretched toward a very, very high ceiling.

There was a rolling ladder, and I’d always wanted to use one of those, but I’d never been permitted into the section of the library that had one back in Ravenglen.

The reality of the situation hit me quite suddenly as I tried to comprehend the scale of the space.

I was with not one but two demons. We were at the crossroads, a place between worlds, discussing a job that involved contracts for magical familiars.

Animals, that could talk to me, in my head.

No part of that should make sense, never mind be something I was experiencing given the mundanity I’d lived for the majority of my life.

And the strangest part is that I was seriously considering it.

“These are the files.” Tap gestured around the room, the rings on his fingers glinting in the bright lamplight.

“As are these.” He pointed to a stack of wax-sealed parchment letters and envelopes mounded on top of what could have been either a massive desk or a table.

It was hard to tell, as nearly none of it could be seen.

“And these.” Another pile, this time on the floor.

“And these.” Boxes shoved underneath the flat surface.

“There are likely more I haven’t sorted out yet in the deals library.

” The more he located, the further his face fell.

I could see the disappointment in his handsome features.

The lines of his face were much sharper than Seir’s, but there was no mistaking that he belonged with the other demons I’d met, no matter how different all of their appearances were.

“Oh my.” My chest felt tight from overwhelm looking at them all.

“Indeed.”

“This explains why they seem so anxious to speak to someone.”

Tap grimaced. “Apologies for that.”

“It’s alright, just came as a surprise is all. What would I be required to do?”

“Mostly it’s matching things up. The old files can be rotated out, that’s these here.

” He indicated the wall of shelves on either side of the fireplace.

Some of the paper was so old it was disintegrating, and many of the documents near the top of the shelves were in scroll form.

“That will give us space to get the new contracts organized. That’s where you’d come in, I think. ”

“I can manage paperwork, that’s no problem.” I’d helped the Grummonds in the office at the grocers back in Ravenglen a time or two.

“While you sort, you’d need to give a quick skim to make sure the creature and the mage are compatible.

I can give you a list to cross-reference against. Generally speaking, if they’re asking, the pairing is already considered a match, but there’re a few things we need to look for.

Then I’ll sign off on it and we can file them away. ”

“What kind of things would I be looking for?”

Tap waved his hand with a gentle flourish. “A fish familiar would not do well bonding with someone who lives somewhere a body of water can’t be found within several days journey, for example.”

“I see.”

His gaze went distant and a soft, lopsided grin tugged on his mouth.

“I once signed off on a bond between a mage who lived on an island far out in a very turbulent sea and a bear.” He grimaced.

“Poor Gordon had to devise a whole system of boats and ropes to get Bren across the water to his home. And Bren never wanted to stay.” Tap chuckled, a dark rumble in his throat.

“He wanted his forest, trees, rocks … everything the little island with its constant storms and howling winds could never—” He paused, looked at me as though embarrassed to have diverted the conversation in such a way and shook his head.

“Suffice to say I’ve learned many lessons the hard way, and I’m happy to spare you the same trouble. ”

I glanced around again, the gravity of such a job weighing on me. “How much time would I be expected to devote to the work each day?”

Tap shrugged. “As much as you care to. I’m behind, that’s certain, but I don’t expect anyone to keep the schedule I do.

That would be cruel.” His barely perceptible smile faded, and he became thoughtful.

“I must apologize, Merry. This office was once very comfortable, but until things are better… Well, I’ll admit there’s not much besides mess and dust to be found here right now.

Once the contracts are all caught up, that will improve and then maintaining it all will be easier. ”

That was an enticing offer, to be sure. “Pardon me for being crass, but what about pay?”

He rubbed along his jaw with his thumb and forefinger. “I’ll have to consult with my brothers to be sure what I have in mind is fair, but it would be well worth your time.”

I knew enough about how Rylan managed his staff thanks to Grace to accept his words at face value.

“Are all the animals trying to speak with me someone’s familiar?”

He shook his head, earrings chiming again. “Highly unlikely given the amount and variety Seir has told me are hanging around. I’d imagine a few might be, and the rest are just happy to have found someone who can understand them.”

“Seir can hear them too though, and the others who have their own creatures. Why do they only”—I hesitated, trying to find the right word—“swarm around me? Why am I so interesting to them?”

Tap shrugged. “That’s a mystery I’m afraid I’m not prepared to solve. Hopefully understanding will come in time.” He led me out of the office, back to the little sitting room. “You can take whatever time you need to consider; we can make arrangements when you decide.”

“I am. Decided, I mean. I’d like to help them as much as I can. And you too, I suppose.”

That gentle, tired smile reappeared. “That’s wonderful news, Merry. Thank you.”

Seir peeked around the doorway at that moment, very clearly having been eavesdropping.

“I’ll bring you back whenever you want until you get comfortable doing it yourself.

And I’ll do my best to try and convince the creatures to give you some space.

They really do seem mostly curious about you, about being your friend.

How exciting!” He pulled each of us under an arm for a hug. “This is going to be great!”

I laughed at his enthusiasm, thanked Tap for meeting with me, and followed Seir back through the halls of doors to the one for the glade.

For the first time, I didn’t mind so much the way it felt going through.