Amid the Clouds (Brave New World Book 1)

Chapter 10

Just as we came out of the wall as easily as passing through smoke, we were surrounded by gargoyles armed with shields and swords.

I instinctively hid behind my gargoyle's back and folded wings. So many big and dangerous creatures all around me... The self-preservation instincts I had sharpened to perfection over the past five months were on overload right now.

The twenty or something gargoyles all knelt and lowered their gazes.

Xaniban spread his wings as he commanded, "Rise, my loyal brethren!"

I preferred to remain out of sight behind those impressive wings. No such luck: the moment my gargoyle folded his wings and the others rose to their feet, all eyes landed on me.

Like a baby chimp presented to the colony by its mother for the first time, I pressed myself to the side of the only person I knew. Both my hands ended up on his hard biceps and my hip brushed against his.

"Have no fear, little human," I was told with an assuring tone. "My brethren wish you no harm. They are simply surprised at my return with a human female, after so many years of abstention."

Trust a guy to call 'abstention' the fact he didn't sleep with 'females from the ground', just with women on his 'homecloud'. Males seemed to be the same no matter the species.

His words were followed by a flap of wings by every single gargoyle around us. Did that mean 'yes, my king' or something?

"Perixal." My gargoyle turned to a guy in a red leather loincloth, unlike the black ones of everyone else - a commander? When this guy stepped forward and bowed his chestnut-haired head, my gargoyle spoke authoritatively, "How many of my squad have returned?"

"Five, my liege."

"Have they fully regenerated?"

"Yes, my liege. They are ready to serve you yet again."

"Good. Summon them to the war room for reporting. Have they been fed?"

"Food was just about to be served to them when our scouts informed us of your return."

"Have the food served to the war room, then. I will not have my warriors deprived of sustenance. They can expect me to join them there."

"It shall be done, my liege."

"As for our fallen brethren, I will personally inform their families of the loss."

"Yes, my liege." The supposed commander bowed again and flew away.

Before I could see where he was headed, another guy landed in his place.

This one was a very young gargoyle - at least I assumed so. He simply didn't have the mature body structure and impressive body mass of all other gargoyles around me. He was wearing a white loincloth, as if he had yet to earn the right to wear a specific color.

Or maybe I was reading too much into all this instead of focusing on what really mattered here. Since while I was busy staring at crotches and deciphering the meaning of loincloth colors, the newcomer was receiving orders involving me.

"Have a robe ready for her once she is done with her bath," I caught my gargoyle saying.

"Yes, my liege. Will that be a white robe or a blue one?"

"The blue, Samuin. My human has been claimed by others before me."

I gaped. "Excuse me?"

Had he just told an entire courtyard of men that I wasn't a virgin?

And what was this thing with bathing and robes, in the first place? Was he getting me prepped for him or something?

Like hell I would be treated like a dish about to be served to him once washed and covered in a dressing of his choosing.