19. Graeme

19

GRAEME

A s I stir from a deep, satiated sleep, my senses slowly awakening, I become acutely aware of the warm, soft body nestled against my side.

Ecco. Her face is peaceful and angelic in slumber.

She looks so vulnerable, so trusting curled up next to me like this. It makes my chest tighten with an unfamiliar emotion—both wonder and trepidation at the realization that last night was not just another hookup.

It was something more, something profound and life-altering. I've never felt like this for another person before. Never let myself get close enough to anyone to even glimpse what a relationship could be.

And for good reason.

I know firsthand that love can be dangerous. Deadly.

A sudden weight on my chest startles me from my swirling thoughts. I look down to find Minx, Ecco's glowkitten, perched on my sternum and purring contentedly. The magical creature's white fur shimmers with iridescence in the morning light.

As it was clear Ecco and I would be stuck here, Mariah gave Minx—who she calls her sweetie princess niece —full run of the inn. Minx has been off doing gods knows what for days, occasionally popping back into our room to leave us offerings of dead bugs.

I don't understand how the glowkitten is getting through the locked door of our suite—or what that says about my protective measures—but I'm just chalking it up to magic. Like she can tell that I'm thinking about her, Minx purrs harder, kneading me with her paws and ever-so-lightly grazing me with her sharp claws.

For a moment, the absurdity of the situation strikes me. Me, a fearsome gargoyle warrior, reduced to a cat bed for a creature I once denounced as a dangerous demon.

But that's Ecco's influence. In just two short weeks, this siren has turned my life upside-down and challenged all my long-held preconceptions, forcing me to reevaluate everything I thought I knew.

Emotions feel less forbidden. Growing close to someone seems not like a folly that could endanger my life. Instead… it's a temptation.

I hardly recognize who I'm becoming.

I reach out tentatively to stroke Minx's soft fur.

As I do, a brief, unkind thought flits through my mind: could Ecco have used her siren powers to seduce me last night? To manipulate my emotions and make me fall for her? Is that why everything has changed so much over the past few weeks?

I immediately recoil from the disloyal notion.

No, I know with bone-deep certainty that Ecco would never do such a thing. Besides, as a gargoyle, I'm rarely affected by other species' powers.

I shake my head, ashamed the thought crossed my mind for even a second. If Ecco knew what I was thinking, her hurt would cut me to my core.

Carefully extricating myself from Minx and Ecco, I rise from the absurd heart-shaped bed and slip silently out of the room.

I need some space to clear my head and grapple with the intensity of what I'm feeling, even as part of me longs to stay by Ecco's side.

I don't understand what's happening to me, what this siren is doing to me. All I know is she's awakened something deep inside—something I'm not sure I'm ready to face. But I can't deny it any longer.

This is so much more than a hookup, or a guard job.

I'm utterly in over my head, and falling hard and fast for Ecco Waverly.

Downstairs, the Moonflower Inn is just starting to come to life as I stride into their cozy café. The homey scent of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the aroma of buttery, baking pastries, but I barely register it, too preoccupied by my swirling thoughts.

As I scan the room, beginning to fill up with trapped wedding guests staying longer than planned, my gaze lands on a familiar figure: Caldor, my old acquaintance from the Grigori stronghold.

He's seated at a table with his young daughter and a pixie who must be his wife. I can see now how his daughter's face is a charming blend of her father's strong gargoyle features and her mother's delicate pixie appearance.

Caldor looks up, noticing my approach. Apology is written in the sheepish hunch of his broad shoulders as he rises to greet me.

I stiffen slightly, unsure if I'm ready to hear what he has to say.

"Graeme," Caldor begins, his deep voice hesitant. "I'm sorry for being so weird with you when we ran into each other yesterday. Seeing you again after all this time, it just… brought up a lot."

I frown, sensing there's more to his reaction than he's letting on.

"It took me a long time to heal from the emotional scars the clan left me with," Caldor continues quietly, his gaze unflinching on mine. "All that stoneheart stuff, how we were taught to shut out our feelings, to isolate ourselves? It's not healthy, Graeme. I know that now."

I clench my jaw, hackles rising at the implication. The clan's teachings are what make us strong, what allow us to fulfill our sacred duty.

How can Caldor question that?

But as I open my mouth to argue, Caldor gestures to his wife and daughter, the clear adoration and happiness on both of their faces as they bend over a set of crayons and a coloring page together.

The words die on my tongue.

"I found real happiness by learning to let go of the clan's cold ideology," Caldor says softly. "By opening myself up to love and family. And Graeme? You can too. If you're brave enough to reach for it."

I say nothing. How could I? This goes against everything I've been taught, everything I have always trusted.

Is there a chance I have been clinging to a misguided doctrine, one that's held me back from true fulfillment all these years? The very thought is a betrayal.

And yet...

I think of Ecco, still peacefully slumbering upstairs. Of the way she makes me feel lighter than I ever thought possible. Like I'm more than just a weapon. More than my duty.

I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment, forcing myself back into certainty, calm.

The duty of the clan may not have been right for Caldor. But he's not me.

"I appreciate your concern, Caldor. But my future is set. I have a duty to the clan, to my uncle. I can't just walk away from that."

Caldor nods, his eyes understanding. "I know it's not easy, Graeme. Believe me, I've been there. But sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is forge our own path. To choose our own happiness, even when it goes against everything we've been taught."

He reaches out, clasping my shoulder with a firm grip. "Just promise me you'll think about it, okay? Don't let the clan's outdated ways rob you of a chance at something real. Something beautiful."

I swallow hard, forcing down the emotion that threatens to rise within me. "I'll consider what you've said."

Caldor smiles, giving my shoulder a final squeeze before releasing me. "That's all I ask. Now, I should get back to my girls. But if you ever need to talk, I'm here."

I watch as he rejoins his family, his daughter climbing into his lap with a delighted giggle. The love between them is palpable, a warm glow that seems to fill the entire room.

And as I fill a mug with steaming coffee, for the first time, I allow myself to imagine a future beyond the clan's rigid confines. A future where I'm more than just a gargoyle warrior, bound by ancient oaths and unyielding stone.

A future with Ecco by my side, our hearts intertwined in a bond stronger than any duty or tradition.

The thought is both exhilarating and utterly terrifying.

I make my way back to our room, Caldor's words echoing in my mind, a persistent whisper that refuses to be silenced.

The enchanted touches of the honeymoon suite, once cloying and irritating, now seem to hold a new meaning as I step inside. The rose petals drifting from the ceiling, the lovebirds nestled in the eaves—everything I once found so frivolous and annoying suddenly has softened, and a grudging affection rises in me for this room, this place.

My gaze is drawn to Ecco's sleeping form. She's still sound asleep, sprawled across the heart-shaped bed in a tangle of sheets and shimmering blue hair. In the soft light of morning, she looks ethereal, a vision of beauty and tranquility.

I know my situation is different from Caldor's. As the heir apparent, I have a duty to lead the Grigori, to uphold the traditions that have kept us strong for centuries. The weight of my clan's expectations rests heavy on my shoulders, a burden I've carried since the day I was born.

But as I look down at Ecco, memories of last night flood my senses.

The way her touch set my soul on fire, igniting a passion inside me I never knew existed.

The way her laughter filled the empty spaces in my heart, chasing away the loneliness that has always haunted me.

Is she my chance to find that same happiness as Caldor? That same sense of belonging?

And if she is, am I fool enough to give that up?