The Knight and the Moth (The Stonewater Kingdom, #1)

by Rachel Gillig

Overhead, the gargoyle was soaring and spinning, bidding “welfare” instead of “farewell” to the fading night.

“I say we bring her. She could be useful.” The gargoyle puffed his chest out with pride. “Bartholomew is a daughter of Aisling, a harbinger of gods—the most dedicated dreamer I know.” He patted my shoulder. “But no, I’m sorry to say she is not especially useful. I, on the other hand—” I put my hand over his mouth.

“I need you to comport yourself.” “I have no idea what that means.” He sniffed the quilted blanket around his shoulders. “Sounds like something one does in a chamber pot.”

“Why are you giving him the cold mouth?” “It’s ‘the cold shoulder,’ gargoyle.” He blinked. “What would he want with your shoulder?” “What would he want with my mouth?” Amazing how, even with a face entirely of stone, the gargoyle could admonish me with a single look.

Thunder rumbled overhead. “That sounds like a storm,” Maude said. “Pishposh.” The gargoyle stuck his nose to the wind. “I can always smell it when it’s going to rain. The thunder was but a collision of clouds.” It began to pour twenty minutes later.