Page 53 of Guardian of Shadows
Nekoma asked a lot of questions, some which Elle couldn’t answer without explaining more about the differences between Earth and Evyndral.
“Come on. I want to show you something.” She led him outside to the front of the house where several cars were parked, creating orbs to light the way. “Those are buggies, but they aren’t pulled by horses. They have machines inside which allow the vehicle to travel, let’s say magically. Whereas it would take a horse and wagon one moon cycle to go from one city to the next, you can get there by vehicle in an hour. There are twenty-four hours in one moon cycle, or day, as they call it on Earth. The box I used to show you a map of Earth is called a cellphone, which allows you to talk to someone anywhere on Earth. There is so much technology – things like television and computers – here that it would take half a sun cycle to show you or explain it all. If you don’t have to go back to Evyndral after we take down Grevolus, I’d love to teach you more about Earth.”
“You’re asking me to stay?”
“If you’d like. Or, since you can open portals, come back and visit often. You’re my brother, Nekoma. I want to get to know this version of you. I’m rather fond of conversations that aren’t one-sided.”
Nekoma looked... what was the word? Gobsmacked. Did he really think she wouldn’t want him around?
“I would like that. A lot,” he said softly.
As would Elle. Not only did she have a mate who loved her, but now she had a sibling she could spend time with. She adored Thran and Yari, but their duty was to the dragons. With the sigil gone, Elle could focus on building a new life in Atlanta with the Gargoyles, and she had never been more excited.
Chapter 17
After calling Carleigh with an update, where she came close to bursting his eardrum upon finding out the sigil was gone, Anthony phoned Mason. His boss told him to take as much time as he needed, but Anthony knew there were other cases waiting for him since Gannon was guarding Connor and Alyssa, and the other Goyles were also on long-term assignments. Anthony wouldn’t shirk his duties once Grevolus was taken out no matter how badly he wanted more time with Elle.
Standing at the side of the house, Anthony eavesdropped on his mate and her newly found brother. He was grateful to Nekoma for removing the sigil and releasing Elle from her paralysis, and since Anthony had a job he couldn’t abandon, she would need someone to keep her company while he was gone. Who better than a sibling who could protect her? One, who by the sound of it, she was eager to get to know. Anthony wanted that for his mate. She had been without family for so long, and while Anthony’s Clan would be there for Elle now, he would never begrudge her spending time with her brother.
Anthony waited until Elle and Nekoma returned to the kitchen to join his mate, noticing she’d not cleaned her plate. “Did you want me to fix you something different?”
“Oh, no. It was delicious, but I’m full. Tabitha loaded my plate like she was feeding you.”
Anthony pressed a kiss to her hair, feeling Nekoma’s eyes on him. “How about you? Would you like some more?” The fae’s plate was scraped clean.
“No, thank you. I’ve never eaten anything quite like that, but I enjoyed it. Especially the red stuff,” Nekoma said.
“Fae are used to eating mostly vegetables we grow and bread we bake ourselves, and if we get meat, it’s from hunting,” Elle explained. “I have become somewhat adventurous since being on Earth. The grocery store back in Register had recipe cards a woman handed out with a sample of the meal. If I liked it, I would purchase the ingredients.”
Yari and Thran joined them, catching the conversation. “You always were a good cook, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you caught onto these new recipes easily,” Yari praised.
Elle took a sip of water, then kept the glass between her hands. “When I was taken to Winterhaven, I had to get creative with our meals since Melisandra was stingy with the gold when she was Queen. The vegetables I was able to grow were fewer than those in Summerland too. Grevolus and Tovin were too lazy to hunt for meat often, and they wouldn’t let me out of their sight.”
Yari let out a ha. “They were afraid you’d put an arrow in their backside.”
Thran took the seat next to Elle. “How often did you practice after leaving Summerland, or did you? You left your bow behind.”
“I didn’t practice. I would have had to borrow Tovin’s bow, and even then, I didn’t want them to know how good I was. I hadn’t shot for ten years when I stood on the hill in Evyndral.”
“You didn’t forget your training. That was some of the best archery I’ve ever witnessed.”
“Thanks, Thran. Asherah was angry that I kept ‘missing.’ She pulled a dagger on me, threatening me.”
“And we all know how well that turned out for her,” Nekoma said, grinning.
Elle arched a brow at her brother. “Where were you during the battle?”
“In a tree above you. I couldn’t fight with you, but I was ready to intervene should Queen Zarina or any of the light try to take you prisoner.”
Elle grabbed his hand. “I didn’t know you were there.”
“I didn’t want to distract you.” Nekoma squeezed, then pulled away after glancing at Anthony. The fae had gotten the memo when Anthony’s Goyle growled at him earlier. It was nothing personal. Gargoyles were territorial beasts.
“Yeah, Asherah was doing a good enough job of that.” Elle rolled her eyes, something Anthony hadn’t seen her do up to that point. It was cute. Hell, she was cute. No, his mate was glamorous. Whether she had on a long dress with her hair braided, or if she was wearing jeans and a sweater with her hair in a ponytail, she was something else.
“What happened to her?” Thran asked.
Elle narrowed her eyes at Yari. “You didn’t tell him?”
