My Merlin Awakening by Priya Ardis Read Free Book Online Page B

squeezed my shoulder. “Just because you have some remnant gargoyle genes, it doesn’t make you a gargoyle.”
    “You’re not one of those beasts,” Gia said fiercely.
    “Admittedly, while we do not know everything about them, you have not shown any ability to turn,” Matt soothed. “I doubt you ever will.”
    Gargoyles looked like regular humans. It was only when they turned that the true beast underneath became visible. My first boyfriend, Morgan, had been a gargoyle. He’d been sent to find out if I was a Candidate and kill me if I was. He’d almost succeeded.
    Sylvia walked out of the office. Grey followed at her heels.
    “Mom, you are being ridiculous. The gargoyles are monsters—”
    Sylvia held up a hand. “Enough. If Master Emrys says we must, then we must. I deal with gargoyles on a regular basis, Grey.”
    “What!” Grey exploded.
    Sylvia tapped her foot. “At the bank, Grey.” She gave me an anxious look. “But I would like you two to be safe. Leave tonight.”
    Grey crossed his arms. “I am not leaving you alone.”
    I glanced at Sylvia. Her hands were fisted. She was digging her nails into her palms so deeply that she’d have marks. But what struck me was that she didn’t look scared, she looked stressed. Out of the front windows, I watched the guardians scramble. Some had taken positions in the trees. One stood half-visible on a trellis beside the garage. I’d seen one climb up to the balcony above us and I had no doubt more hid in other crevices of the manor.
    “Why does he want to meet now?” Vane continued to press Matt.
    Matt shrugged. “I received the message while traveling. They went to a bit of trouble to find me and the messenger who delivered his request hinted that there’s a compelling reason that the meet happen immediately. There has been no word from the gargoyles since Rourke was forced to concede Excalibur to us.” Matt’s eyes fixed on Sylvia. “My feeling is that he is in some sort of trouble.”
    “Since when do we care if a gargoyle is in trouble?” Vane sneered. “It’s simple. If Ryan is here, then no gargoyle will be.”
    Sylvia bit her lip in an oddly girly way. She was… nervous. For a second, I had a sense of her as a woman, not just a mother, and it startled me. She wanted to meet the king, I realized.
    I made a decision. “Let me see the gargoyles and I’ll agree to go to England.”
    ***
    Both Matt and Vane gaped at me.
    “You would go back?” Matt said first.
    “After I meet with Rourke,” I clarified.
    Vane shook his head. “Unacceptable—”
    “It will have to be acceptable,” I snapped. “If Rourke knows something about why Excalibur is here, then I deserve to know.” I surveyed Grey, Gia, and Blake. “All the Candidates deserve to know. If we don’t know why Excalibur matters, what is the point of further training?” I walked up to Matt. His eyes flared with surprise when I reached into his jacket. Matt held himself stiffly as the back of my fingers skimmed his ribs while I groped through the garment. I drew out the knife from an inside pocket.
    I touched my amulet. The Dragon’s Eye glowed. The knife elongated. The golden hilt of Excalibur winked at us. My hands trembled and I held it out to Blake, Grey, and Gia.
    “The sword is ours. It’s our right.”
    ***
    Gia sat on my bed later that night in my room. “Do you really think whatever happens with Excalibur, it’s our right to know?”
    I gave her a funny look.
    She colored. “I mean—Merlin must have a reason for not telling us.”
    “You sound like Blake. Matt isn’t always right.” I flopped down on the queen-sized bed next to her and lay back. Soft wrinkles covered the white ceiling. “We’re just puppets to him and he wants to stay the puppetmaster.”
    “I’m sure he’d like to puppetmaster you,” she said tongue-in-cheek.
    I grabbed a pillow and threw it at her. “Funny.”
    “Of course, there’s Vane. Is it me or is he more cut than when we were