Page 10 of When the Weaver Met the Gargoyle (Leafshire Cove Monsters #1)

Chapter 10

Romulus

A fter the final fitting, I invite Laini to have a pint with me at the Goat and Dragon, the large tavern on the Leafshire River.

“Who is up in the tower for you today?” she asks as we wind down the cobblestone street toward the lute and pipe music coming from the tavern.

“Rustion’s new recruit, a goblin named Torr. Do you know him?”

“Oh yes, he’s Kaya’s brother’s partner. Small towns, you know.” She shrugs.

I try not to stare at Laini as we make our way through the Goat and Dragon’s warm interior and out the back door to the deck. She’s just too lovely. I can’t stop. It’s such a miracle that she has agreed to courting. I’m scared to death this will end very badly, but I’m willing to give it a try. If I can keep a tight leash on my stone magic, maybe, just maybe, we can make this work.

We take seats on the outside deck under the pergola with the goat and dragon carvings that gave the tavern its name. Well, I’m guessing that’s what inspired the name. Maybe I’ll ask Laini about that.

The gurgling river sparkles a stone’s throw from our table. The weather is perfect—crisp as a late-season apple. The maple tree that lords over the tavern sheds a few of its red-brown leaves with every light gust.

One of the many servers takes our order for two pints of harvest ale, a small cottage round of bread, and a square of orange cheese.

“Do you feel good about what you’re wearing to the party?” Laini asks, her gaze sliding from my shaded face under my hood to my chest and back.

I actually love that she so often takes in my body and appears to enjoy what she sees. “I do. I’ll even take off my cloak for dancing if you think I won’t scare everyone away.” My stomach drops a bit as I imagine the scene of everyone finding out my secret, but I force the trepidation away and study Laini’s lovely face .

“You should,” she says. “You’re not going to frighten anyone.”

I wish I was as certain as she is. “When they see my wings, they’ll know I’m Allysium.” I’m making progress with admitting what I am. Normally, this type of conversation would make me too nauseated to eat. Laini eases my nerves, my soul, and my heart. “They’ll know the horrors I’m capable of. Are you certain you want to deal with that type of attention?”

She waves off my concern, but I know she’s nervous from the way she’s fiddling with the hem of her dress. Such a brave person. She impresses me at every turn.

“We will handle it together,” she says. “You’ve been here this long and haven’t done anything but save us all from bad magical weather. No one can say a word different.”

“They don’t know my past,” I say. “Except for Rustion.”

Laini wrinkles her nose. “He won’t mention anything, and you know it. And your past is just that. The past. You went through something, and you’re different now.”

“I wish I could claim I know how to stop what happened from happening again, but Laini, I don’t. I hate to bring down our nice moment here, but I must be certain you’re ready for the risk we’re taking.”

Her blue eyes settle on me, and her gaze is scorchingly sincere. “You’re worth the risk, Rom. I’ve never met someone as kind and strong as you. You’re perfect.”

“I’m no such thing.”

“No one is, really. But I think you might be a version of perfect for me.” Her gaze slips, and her cheeks flush a rosy pink.

I reach out to touch her flushed skin just as the server arrives with our refreshment. We raise a glass to Rustion, and soon, we’re discussing everything from our favorite foods—hers is honey and strawberries, while mine is venison with rosemary and mint sauce—to what we do when stuck inside during winter. The ale is crisp and not overly sweet. It’s very refreshing and provides a nice, cold compliment to the bronze bowls of flickering flames beside our table. I break off a hunk of the warm bread and chew it slowly, savoring the salty buttery taste.

“Winter will be here sooner than you think,” she warns. “Leafshire’s cold weather comes on quickly. The snow will start a week from the party. Mark my words. ”

The weather is already leaning toward snow; I feel the change in my gargoyle blood. “I look forward to it. More time for reading and doing puzzles.”

She smiles broadly and finishes the cheese. “And sketching and weaving!”

“You’ll be rather busy with Rustion’s tapestry job, I assume.”

She snorts and pushes a lock of her hair away from her face. “Don’t put the unicorn before the carriage, please. You’ll make me too nervous.”

I chuckle. “Sorry. But I do believe you’ll win. I’d bet every coin I have.”

She grins sheepishly, and I take her hand. It’s so small compared to mine, even though she isn’t the smallest human female I’ve seen. She’s actually fairly tall. But compared to a gargoyle…

Calluses mark her fingers where her weaving and basic chores have toughened her skin. I like that about her. She’s living her life. Blue dye stains her forefinger, and I rub the digit with my thumb, taking absolute joy in just holding her hand under the table.

I reach deep inside myself to check on my stone magic. It’s rumbling and cracking deep down, like ice in a ravine, but it’s quiet enough for now. I still wonder why I didn’t lose control of my magic when I was pleasuring Laini after drinking that bespelled tea. I was definitely not in control in some ways. Perhaps the tea kept my focus on Laini. Does that mean I can control my magic if we make love? I will only find out through practice. My body tenses with want and excitement, and I can hardly sit still. It seems Laini is ready for the risk. I’ll go slow when we move forward and check on my magic often.

I can do this. I can. I must.

“Good morn, you two!” A tall, thin male with light skin and a beard grins at us.

“Master Grumlin!” Laini gestures toward me with her ale. “This is Romulus, our tower watch guard.”

“Nice to meet you, good fellow,” Grumlin says as he extends a hand.

I shake it gently, and the simmering warmth of sleeping magic washes through our hands. I blink up at the male. We both have magic.

“That doesn’t usually happen…” I don’t know what to say.

Grumlin chuckles. “I’m a wizard. I don’t have much magic these days. My bones are too old to hold it properly. ”

“You don’t look a day over thirty, good man,” I say.

“Wizards age slowly,” Grumlin murmurs.

I nod. Gargoyles do, too, but perhaps not as slowly as wizards. I’ve never known one.

Laini raises an eyebrow and sips her ale. “Tully seems to think you’re are plenty young enough, Master Grumlin.

Are they together? I’ll find out at the party, I suppose.

Grumlin crosses his arms and looks over our nearly empty plates. “The magic I do have, I use in the food and drink. It’s a much better life than having power-drunk royals toss me into their battles.” He laughs loudly, and his eyes twinkle.

“I bet,” I say. “So you’re the tavern keep?”

Grumlin smooths his linen apron. “Keep and owner, aye. I do hope you’re enjoying this year’s ale?”

Laini nods. “It’s delicious.”

“Very, very good,” I add.

“So you have magic too…” Grumlin might not have much power left, but his gaze is penetrating.

No use in denying it since he felt it a moment ago. “I do.”

He eyes my back. “Stone magic since you’re a gargoyle.”

The wizard knows what he is looking for. He touches the side of his nose and winks as if I’ve let him into my secret. Well, there was little reason to worry about hiding it. The party is nearly here, and all would know then.

“Yes. I prefer to keep it to myself, though,” I say quietly. “For safety reasons.”

Grumlin meets my gaze, and his eyes are earnest. “Good fellow. Yes. It can be quite dangerous.”

Laini bites her lip and nods at me. She eyes me like I might take off under this close attention. To reassure her, I take a nice swallow of my ale and lean back in my chair.

“Do you know much of us gargoyles?” I ask the wizard.

“I do. Had some experience in the old wars,” he says. He must be three hundred years old… “With your tower position, you could likely create a stone shield if a rough storm came through, hmm?”

A chill sweeps down my back. “I, uh, no. I couldn’t attempt that. It wouldn’t be safe.”

The wizard lifts his thick eyebrows. “Safer than being hit with a magical smasher. ”

Laini leans forward toward me. “That’s what we call them here.”

It was past time to change the subject.

“Not necessarily safer,” I say. “Now, tell us, where do you get this delicious cheese, Master Grumlin?”

Eyeing me with a knowing look, the wizard clicks his tongue like he’s thinking. “Leafshire cheddar comes from the pixie family that lives just beyond the river. Technically, they’re outside town boundaries there, but we count them as our own.”

Laini takes another bite of the cheese and moans as if it were the best thing she’d ever put in her mouth. I can think of other ways to please that mouth of hers.

Grumlin clasps his hands. “Well, I leave you to your treats. See you soon!”

He is gone before I realize I never bid him farewell. I’m too busy staring at Laini.

“Is Grumlin right?” she asks. “Could you create a shield if it became necessary?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t let go of my stone magic enough to try such a thing. Not after…”

She looks down, not prying like most people would. I appreciate the hell out of that.

A voice has the both of us twisting to see that prick Leo walking onto the deck. Laini practically growls, and her face flushes. He has to be following her on purpose. He turns up everywhere we go.

“Ah, look at that sweet couple,” Leo says. “It’s kind of Laini to, well, you know, take pity…”

The arsehole trails off.

Laini’s jaw is working as she turns away and attempts to finish her ale.

I touch her hand, give her a smile, and then stand and face Leo. “Can you please fuck off, Leo? Or, at the very least, shut your ignorant mouth?”

With a delighted gasp, Laini joins me in standing. “Yes! That!”

And all but the group directly surrounding Leo erupt in applause. Leo’s lip curls, showing his shifter canines. I lift my own lip and show off my sharper, longer gargoyle fangs, and I let a low growl slip. The crowd quiets, watching me, fear like a new flavor in the air.

“Much better,” I say, dipping my head approvingly at Leo’s silence.

Leo swears, whirls, and bursts back through the tavern door to leave. His posse of idiots trails him, whispering and hissing like angry geese. Everyone left on the deck applauds and raises their drinks to me .

Laughing, Laini leans into me. “That was amazing. If there’s a next time, I want a turn.”

“Your wish is my command, my lovely lady.” I lift her hand and kiss her knuckles.

Hope shines through me in a way I have never felt in my entire life.