The Talking Gargoyle Part 11

Ariana thought it would have been her who kicked the door to get to Lona, but Raven beat her to it. He kicked the door in with all the might in his body throwing the door to the floor and rushing in with his sword in his paw. The raged cloaked in his face, and he was out for blood, but Zeal stopped him, not with magic but by standing on the other side of the cage. A cage stone gargoyle sat in the cage, easily and resting but there was no sign of Loan, anywhere.

                It stopped Raven right in his tracks as Ariana came in behind him looking for the child as well. They stared hard and long at Zeal not sure what to do or to say.

                “Hello,” Zeal said not moving.

                “Where is Lona?” Raven asked.

                Ariana was about to ask the same thing, but she started to look at the laughing which was pointing upward. Its stone arm had creaks running up it the same way Lona had on her arm.

                “Where is she?” Raven roared at him and stepping forward. Ariana reached out taking his arm and pointing at the gargoyle.

                Raven stared long and hard at the stone gargoyle seeing the same creak. “You turn her into a gargoyle?”

                “Oh, no,” Zeal said. “I turn her into a squirrel.”

                “What?” Ariana asked.

                “How? You did what?” Raven asked. “Why should we believe you?”

                “Because it is the truth,” Lona’s voice said from the gargoyle making them both looking at her.

                “Lona?” Ariana asked.

                “Yes,” the stone said. “I didn’t want to tell you what I was.”

                “And the sickness?” Raven asked.

                “Ah, yes, that is my fault,” Zeal said, “I didn’t do the spell like I wished.”

                “Lona is a gargoyle,” Ariana said mostly to herself.

                “I am,” Lona said, and Ariana looked down at her. She kneels to the cage putting her paws around the bars.

                “Is this why you lost your church?” Raven asked putting his sword away.

                “Among many reasons,” Zeal said with a nod and not coming to the other side of the cage.

                “This can’t be real,” Ariana said.

                “It is,” Lona said with tears in her voice, but her stone eyes couldn’t cry. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

                “I’m not sure I would have believed you anyhow,” Ariana said still a little shocked at the fact she was talking to a stone gargoyle. “I’m still not sure I believed it now.”

                “I’m not sure I beli ---” her voice died away like the stone had reached her voice and ended it quickly.

                “What happen?” Ariana asked jumping to her feet.

                “The spell took hold,” Zeal said with a smile and a smile he quickly let drop away. “She is back to being stone and nothing more.”

                Ariana backed away from the cage looking at Raven who had no idea on what to do with about the matter. They both looked at Zeal unsure of what to make about him as well. He stood there staring at them going from a smile to a frown and then back to a smile.

                “Should we be mad at him?” Ariana asked Raven.

                “I don’t know,” The Knight said.

                “My vote is no,” Zeal said.

                “I would ask why you didn’t tell us before,” Ariana said, “but I wouldn’t have believed you.”

                “That I know,” the Spellcrafter said. “I didn’t mean any harm, but she got lose before I could change her back and well, all this happen.”

                “Why were you casing the spell in the first place?” Raven asked.

                “For the simple fact I could,” Zeal said.

                “Do we turn him over to the Hoods?” Ariana asked seeing the utter fear on Zeal’s face.

                “I kind of want to,” Raven said, “but he did no real harm here.”

                Zeal let the fear wash away.

                “And I’m sure he’ll mess up again, and they will find him,” Ariana said with a wink at the Spellcrafter.

                “I’m sure of it,” Raven said, and they left Zeal standing there on the other side of the cage not sure what to really do about him. Ariana thought about asking him if he could turn Lona real again, but the creaks on her arm told the Thief it was better not to ask. So, they left the place under the church wondering as they did if they would ever see Lona again. They both jumped on top their mounts and start to head back to the Guild Hall.

                “You know,” Ariana said.

                “What?”

                “I hate magic,” she said with a heavy sigh.

                “Me too, me too,” Raven agreed.