16. Graeme

16

GRAEME

T he joyful sounds of children's singing drift through the door of the town hall, their bright young voices belting out an upbeat melody. But the cheerful music contrasts starkly with the tense conversation I'm engaged in on my phone—my weekly check-in with my boss.

My uncle.

"You've been there four extra days, Graeme? Really?" Uncle Alvric's disapproving tone crackles through the speaker pressed to my ear. "Must be nice taking a little… vacation."

I clench my jaw. "It's not a vacation. The whole town's snowed in."

Alvric scoffs. "And what about this stalker, hmm? Any brilliant insights on that front? Or are you too busy playing in the snow to do your job?"

I take a deep breath, struggling to keep my temper in check.

He has a point; we're no closer to identifying or apprehending Ecco's stalker than when we arrived. It's been so quiet, I'm starting to think the creep got left behind in the human lands after all, and Ecco's vision at the rehearsal dinner might have been just nerves.

But still...

"Look, I agree this is a bad use of time," I tell him. "But there's not much I can do until the town's weather witch recovers or the snow melts. All the routes in or out are blocked by snow, and the storm keeps picking up unexpectedly so air travel would also be unwise. But rest assured, I am keeping my principal safe and will resolve her security issue as soon as possible."

Even as I say the words, I'm acutely aware of Ecco's presence just beyond the door, of an almost magnetic pull drawing me to her side.

Nothing inappropriate has happened between us, but despite that, I know I'm feeling differently than I have in any other assignments.

I'm remarkably attuned to Ecco at all times. Her safety consumes my thoughts.

Her safety and also… other things.

Uncle Alvric's voice takes on an ominous note, pulling me out of my reflections. "Remember your promise, Graeme. Once this assignment is over, you're to return immediately to the stronghold and take your rightful place. The future of our clan depends on you."

"I haven't forgotten my duty," I assure him, even as a traitorous part of me already hopes to postpone the inevitable. "When it's time, I'll come home."

"See that you do." The call ends abruptly.

I lower the phone, closing my eyes. The burden of my destiny has never felt so suffocating. Shaking my head to clear it, I roll my shoulders, trying to ease the tension coiled in my muscles.

I need to focus on the present, on keeping Ecco safe.

With a deep breath, I turn and head back into the town hall.

When I enter the rec hall, my gaze is immediately drawn to Ecco, radiant and in her element as she leads the children's group in a song. Her smile is incandescent, lighting up the room, her body swaying gracefully in time with the children's singing.

I spot the pink-haired sprite who was so adorably shocked by Ecco's appearance when we showed up. She's practically vibrating with excitement, her tiny face split in a wide grin. It's clear that Ecco's fans, no matter their age or species, are completely under her spell.

An unfamiliar emotion surges in me while I watch Ecco interact with the children. The way she connects with the kids, her nurturing nature and easy rapport...

The image of Ecco cradling a baby, singing a sweet lullaby, comes to mind unbidden.

My mind conjures images of her with a faceless husband, raising a family, making a life. Irrational jealousy rises within me at the idea of another man claiming Ecco as his own. My protective instincts kick into overdrive as I mentally assess this hypothetical rival, finding him lacking in every way.

No one could keep Ecco safe the way I can. No one is worthy of her love and devotion.

I shake my head, trying to banish the insane thoughts. Ecco is my client, nothing more. I have no claim on her future, no right to feel this possessive.

But as she continues to sing, her eyes occasionally darting up to find mine, I can't bring myself to stop staring at her.

Eventually, the choir practice comes to an end and parents start arriving to pick up their children.

And I'm jolted out of my reverie by a familiar face.

Shock ripples through me as I spot Caldor, a fellow gargoyle from my clan, making his way into the town hall.

Memories flood back. Caldor, a few years my senior, was someone I looked up to in the Grigori stronghold. He was a skilled warrior, a loyal clansman. We hadn't been close due to our age difference, but I admired the no-nonsense way he approached training and protection.

But then, years ago, he left the clan without a word, disappearing into the night like a ghost.

It was a betrayal to all of us. A Grigori's guiding force is our sacred duty to our clan and to the pass that we protect. Caldor's name was struck from the stones in town where we record clan records.

No one spoke of him again.

Caldor seems equally surprised to see me, his stone-hewn features etched with unease. He approaches me reluctantly, his wings tucked tight against his back, a clear signal of guilt and nerves. Interesting that his wings are out; even though we're in a magical town, I've continued to keep mine enchanted and hidden while out in public.

Caldor must be at home here.

"Graeme," Caldor says, his voice strained. "I didn't expect to see you here."

I nod curtly. "Caldor. It's been a long time." I'm not sure how I should feel; relieved that he's fine? Furious, that he abandoned the clan to follow some selfish desires?

Our handshake is brief and awkward. Caldor's eyes dart around the room, as if searching for an escape route.

"I can't stay," Caldor says, his words clipped. "I'm sorry I don't have time to catch up. I hope you're well."

Before I can respond, Caldor hurries away, weaving through the crowd of parents and children. I watch as he makes his way to the corner of the room, where a half-gargoyle girl waits, her light gray features lighting up at the sight of her father.

And then it hits me, the realization slamming into my chest like a physical blow.

Caldor has settled down, started a family in this unlikely town.

Ecco appears at my side. Her gaze skirts over me, gentle and concerned. Then, her hand brushes against mine, a feather-light touch that sends sparks racing up my arm.

I want to lean into her, into the warmth of her compassion, but I force myself to pull away and maintain the distance between us.

"Are you okay?" Ecco asks softly, her violet eyes searching mine. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

I shake my head. "I'm fine," I say, my voice sharper than I intend. "Just… surprised, that's all."

Ecco nods, her gaze still tinged with worry. "Was that someone you know?"

I hesitate, torn between the desire to confide in her and the need to keep my past locked away. But as I look into her eyes, I can't help opening up.

"His name is Caldor," I say. "He's a gargoyle, obviously. A former clanmate. But he left, years ago, without a word. I never thought I'd see him again, let alone here, in Elderberry Falls."

Ecco's eyes widen, her lips parting in surprise.

"Jessa's friend Allegra is his daughter!" she whispers, her gaze drifting to where Caldor stands with the half-gargoyle girl. "I've met him before I think, years ago, but I had no idea he was from—from your home."

I nod, my own gaze following hers. "I didn't know he'd come here. It's not… it's not something that happens often, a gargoyle starting a family outside of the stronghold."

"You're surprised he left the clan," she says softly, her words more statement than question. "That he chose a different path."

I nod, searching for the right words. "To leave the clan, it goes against everything we're raised to believe. I've mentioned this to you, but the Grigori gargoyles have a sacred duty to guard the Black Mountains pass. We pledge our lives in service of it. If we're not at the stronghold, we're working as bodyguards to earn money to keep our clan operational. My parents died in service of the clan when I was a child."

Ecco's eyes glisten. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Graeme. Who raised you?"

"My uncle, who leads the Grigori warriors," I tell her. "I'm his heir and will take his place soon."

Ecco's face is hard to read, but she squeezes my hand in encouragement. "What does that mean?" she asks. "What does your clan guard against?"

I keep going, sharing more with her than I've shared with anyone outside the stronghold. "We protect the pass from the dark magic beings on the other side. Vampires, shadow mages, demons… they're a threat to both the magical and human realms. It's our duty to stand against them, to protect the innocent from their malevolence."

Ecco is quiet for a long moment.

When she speaks again, there's a note of gentle skepticism in her voice. "But have there been any actual attacks, any concrete threats in recent memory?"

I can hear the undertones of her question and I try not to scoff. As usual, she's trying to look on the bright side. She knows nothing of the true dangers out there.

"There haven't been any overt acts of aggression in decades," I say. "But that's because of the Grigori, because of our reputation as fearsome guardians. If we were to let our guard down, to show any weakness..."

Ecco slowly shakes her head. "Or maybe the world has changed, Graeme. Maybe the old tales of dark magic and monstrous threats are just that—tales, born of a time when fear and prejudice ruled over understanding and cooperation."

She gestures to the last few families around us getting their children bundled up for the snow, to the eclectic mix of magical creatures and monsters that call Elderberry Falls home.

"Look at this place," Ecco says, "at the way different species live and work together in harmony. My next-door neighbor growing up was a demon, and he was the kindest, most gentle soul you could ever hope to meet."

A surge of frustration rises within me, my jaw clenching as I struggle to rein in my temper.

How can she be so na?ve, so blind to the darkness that lurks just beyond the veil of her sheltered existence?

But a tendril of doubt seeps in alongside the anger.

What if she's right? What if I've been so focused on upholding the traditions of the past that I've failed to see the world for what it truly is?

The thought is unsettling, a crack in the armor of certainty that I've worn for so long.

Suddenly, I realize I've been thinking silently for a long time—everyone else has left the town hall, leaving just the two of us standing in silence. I meet Ecco's eyes and see them full of a compassion that I'm not quite ready to accept.

I open my mouth to respond, but before I can utter a word, a sudden clatter from the corner of the room snaps our attention away from the argument.

My senses sharpen, I step protectively in front of Ecco. Every nerve ending crackles with anticipation as I scan the shadows for any sign of danger.

Time seems to slow to a crawl.

And then I see it: a distorted figure lurking in the darkness, its form flickering and shifting like a mirage in desert heat. The misshapen form has a sickening twist of something unalive about it.

Ecco's stalker.

In that moment, everything else falls away. All that matters is the threat before us, the need to protect Ecco at any cost.

The stalker takes a step forward, its movements jerky and unnatural, like a puppet on invisible strings.

I can feel the power thrumming through my veins, the ancient magic of my kind rising to the surface as I prepare to strike.