The Gargoyle's Sin

The Old Church Order

I decided to wait for Sybil in her backyard, away from Alexis house and out of sight from her aunt. I wasn't sure how that girl ended up with almost every piece of the missing puzzle, but she was in serious danger the moment anyone from the old church order found out about it. There was only so much I could do for her since I was literally frozen in time during the day, I definitely needed Sybil's help.

I heard the sound of a car pulling up into the driveaway and made extra sure that I would not be visible. I could hear the faint sound of voices and the opening and closing of doors as Sybil helped Alexis's aunt into her home and get her settled for the night. I was tempted to go to Alexis bedroom window and check on her, but I knew better her aunt knew way to much and somehow saw everything. So I patiently waited in the shadow of Sybil's backyard, listening intently for her footsteps.

"Alright Grimald. You can come out of hiding now."

The moment I heard her voice I stepped out of hiding and shook out my wings and stretched out. 

"We need to talk Sybil. Alexis knows to much and is way to involved in this mess."

"I know, she is to curious for her own good and I am afraid it's going to get her in trouble. That's why I pushed so hard for her to speak to you tonight."

"Sybil I am frozen during the day and can only watch over her at night. So while she is out and about she is in serious danger and there is nothing I can do! I need you to keep a closer eye on her, keep her from asking questions!"

I was panting after that, raising my voice was something I hadn't done in a while. I wasn't extremely sure why I was getting so worked up over this young girl, but I knew what the old order was capable of. I couldn't have Alexis getting hurt, not when I could do something about it this time. 

"Grimald listen to me. I can't stop her from searching for her answers, but we can help her do it safely."

"There is no safe way for her to get answers! The only safety there is for her is to quit asking questions! Did you know that she is in possession of 'Accalia' as well as mine and Alvina's rings?! If the order found about what she has in her possession killing her would look merciful once they were finished, you know that!"

Sybil stayed quiet and I could see her face scrunched in confusion thanks to the glow from the back porch light. She was the one constantly in Alexis company so I wasn't sure what she could possibly confused on. I was extremely lost on how a strange girl that was not native to this area ended up with two extremely powerful objects. I had no idea who she was or what made her so special that these objects just found her, how I found her. 

I was oddly drawn to her, almost the same way I was drawn to Alvina except...I wasn't sure but something was different about Alexis. I'm not sure what it was, maybe it was different because I was more careful this time around. I was willing to die alone if it meant keeping everyone else safe, I couldn't watch another person suffer the way Alvina did, and I know I wouldn't survive going through something like that again. 

"Grimald, how do know that she possesses 'Accalia'? That book was destroyed centuries ago, you and I both know this."

I sighed and said, "She brought it to me and told me that she found it under bed in her aunt's home. Which means her aunt has to know it's there and that she is involved in this somehow."

Sybil visibly paled as soon as she heard this, she knew how dangerous this situation just became. I heard her take a couple shaky deep breaths and try to calm herself. 

"This...this is bad. If she is truly in possession of that book then Alexis is in serious danger. And if it was found in her bedroom, that means it has been there a while, which...." she stopped and had to take another deep breath. "That means that her aunt put it there, and as religious as her aunt is, I would dare to say her aunt is apart of the old church order."

I sat quietly listening to Sybil put the pieces together, after I told her multiple times that there was something wrong with that women. I kept telling Sybil that her "sweet neighbor" was hiding something but she would just laugh and tell me I'm suspicious of everyone. Now it seemed she was finally seeing what I saw a long time ago.

"Grimald," she said in the shakiest voice I had ever heard. "We have to watch her closely, because she isn't above turning on her own niece. We can't just send Alexis back, that would be to suspicious and would draw automatic attention to her. But we can watch them and be nearby at all times, because that woman...I've seen how she treats Alexis if that poor girl sits wrong. We can't allow her to find out that Alexis knows anything."

I calmly nodded my head in agreement, as badly as I wanted to just grab Alexis and force onto the next flight home, it would seem odd and suspicious. The old church order wouldn't believe that she didn't know anything and they would torture a false confession out of her. For now keeping her here and under our supervision was her best option, allow her to continue on the way she is going. I didn't want anymore attention brought onto her than what she already had, because if I found her and was in contact with her, then it wouldn't be long before the order came knocking on her door. 

"Sybil...we need to protect her at all cost, day and night. I will watch her during the night and you will watch her during the day. It shouldn't be to hard for you since you are friends with your neighbor."

Sybil nodded her head in agreement. We were not going to allow Alexis to meet the same fate as Alvina.