Our guests have arrived.
Mabon strides in with Blake on his arm. Ollie and Tristan are right behind them. Loki runs up to our visitors to say hello.
Prince Mabon casts his gaze around the room, sees the picture of him and makes a beeline straight for it. Dragging Blake with him. I follow them with my heart in my mouth.
He stops right in front of the picture and inspects it closely. His gaze flicks to the picture of Blake, hanging beside his.
“Oh, Blake, you look so handsome!” he coos.
His attention turns back to his likeness. He regards it intently.
“I love it!” he declares. “I will have both hung in my bedchamber!”
“Mabon, they are Laurie’s, you can’t…” begins Blake, but I interrupt him with a shake of my head.
“I will be honoured to give them to you.”
Mabon’s eyes widen suddenly. “Draw me now!”
I blink.
“Naked!” exclaims Mabon. “I want more nudes.” His hand goes to the ties of his robes as I stare in horror.
Blake gently catches Mabon’s slender wrist and stops him from undressing. “Not now, Mabpie. Laurie has other guests. I’m sure he will come to our rooms and draw you another day.”
Mabon glares at me for a moment. Then he lets out a loud, long-suffering sigh. “Fine.”
Then his eyes brighten. “Oh! You can draw me riding Blake!”
Blake makes a mortified sound. My cheeks heat fiercely. “That sounds… interesting. Please excuse me.”
I turn and flee across the room, only to find Ollie glaring up at his picture, with his arms crossed over his chest.
“You don’t like it?” I say with dismay.
Ollie scowls. “You made me look pretty.”
“You are pretty?” I am so confused. Ollie is absolutely gorgeous. Does he not want to be? Does he wish his looks matched his fierce personality more? Which actually does make sense.
I thought I had done a good job of capturing the fire in his eyes. Maybe I need to try again.
“I could…” I start to offer, but Ollie suddenly turns and slaps me on the back.
“It is a good drawing. You have some talent there, kid.”
“Thank… thank you,” I stammer as I fight yet another blush.
Why is he calling me ‘kid’ again? I swear he is a couple of years older than me at the most. But I must admit that he is a hell of a lot more confident. As well as infinitely braver. It is not hard to see why I am a kid in his eyes.
Selwyn’s deep laugh reaches my ears. He is talking not only with Tristan but also with the Crown Prince and Jamie. Heavens, I didn’t see them arrive. I should go over and say hello.
But just then, the hidden door opens and Dyfri steps in. Appearing no more than three feet away from me.
I swallow. He looks a little paler than usual, and a little more subdued, but otherwise he seems okay. He isn’t holding his arm strangely, and he appears to be moving it freely. His horns are back, and I’m so very happy to see them.
“Hi,” I squeak awkwardly since I’m standing right here.
His dark eyes meet mine, and he nods.
