A very short time later Io meandered through the halls of the family compound less than a mile from Blackstone. In short order he made his way to the basement stairs, taking them two at a time, humming a merry tune. He’d come to see Daisy, by far his best friend and the smartest gargoyle he knew. She was a walking encyclopedia, and if anyone could give him ideas on gifts for Cinder, it would be her. Surprisingly, he stumbled over the perfect present for her, a sweater. It featured a stack of books on the front and the words, stop staring at my books. He made sure to get it in a larger size than she required, baggy sweaters one of Daisy’s favorite parts of the cold months.
The entire basement of the compound had been reinforced to keep out all sorts of unpleasant things, from mold growing
