Book Eight: Chapter 142

“Why?” Slade tilted his head to one side. He had no hair and his massive lower jaw made him look like an ogre. “Is your current tower not to your liking?”

“Oh, our new home is perfectly fine,” Mike said. “I was curious about your people, is all.”

“Hmm.” Slade scratched at his jaw. “I suppose I see no harm in it.” He pointed to a tower that was two over. “The only way to get there is from a staircase on the ground floor.”

“Any reason?”

Slade nodded. “It’s in case of injury. My kind are extremely heavy, and can damage the wooden floors by walking on them. That path is made entirely of stone, and an injured gargoyle can walk it if necessary.”

“Do you get injured often?”

Slade laughed. “It’s mostly the younger ones. They will sometimes injure themselves flying about and practicing aerial maneuvers that are best left to birds.”

“You have birds here?” Mike hadn’t seen a single one.

“No, actually. Well, the villagers have chickens, but they d