Stonecast (30 page)

“We can help,” I said.

“No,” Stanis said.

“Excuse me?” I asked.

“
I
will deal with them,” Stanis said. He looked out over the assembly on our roof. “And I will teach you how to deal with them as well.”

He turned to me. “Do you mind?” he asked.

The very fact that he was asking brought an unexpected joy to me. I shook my head. How could I say no to that most human level of concern for my feelings in this?

“Come,” he said to the crowd. “I have much to tell you about the family whom you have to thank for your existence.” Stanis shot up into the air over the roof, hovering high above as he waited for the others to take flight, leaving the four humans standing there.

The night skies over Manhattan would be forever changed. So, too, it seemed, was my relationship to Stanis. Whether either would prove for the better or worse remained to be seen, but as I stood there among my friends and Caleb, one thing was both clear and bittersweet.

Stanis no longer belonged to just me.

ANTON STROUT was born in the Berkshire Hills mere miles from writing heavyweights Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville. He currently lives outside New York City in the haunted corn maze that is New Jersey (where nothing paranormal ever really happens, he assures you).

His writing has appeared in several DAW anthologies—some of which feature Simon Canderous tie-in stories—including:
The Dimension Next Door
,
Spells of the City
, and
Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies
.

In his scant spare time, he is an always writer, sometimes actor, sometimes musician, occasional RPGer, and the world’s most casual and controller-smashing video gamer. He now works in the exciting world of publishing, and yes, it is as glamorous as it sounds.

He is currently hard at work on his next book and can be found lurking the darkened hallways of www.antonstrout.com.