“I just don't want to get between you and the elves,” Hrafn grimaced. “They're all going to be there. All of the elves. Do you know how many fairies that is?”
“A lot?” Killian asked.
“Thousands,” Hrafn settled into his seat. “And I live here. I'll have to deal with any fallout that occurs. Fallout which will be far heavier if I'm there when it's instigated. So, I'll be waiting right here.”
“Fair enough,” I jumped out of the van, and Cat leapt out after me.
Soren and his team had pulled up behind us, parked, and exited in far less time than it had taken us to get moving. Soren and I shared a look, and then we led our teams towards the trees, some of us grumbling about the chilly morning more than others.
“This way,” Gradh slid past Conri and took the lead. “I've been here before.”
“When have you been here?” Conri asked as he caught up to her.
“When I dated an elf.”
“You dated an elf?” Conri was horrified.
“One of the human-sized elves,” she rolled her eyes. “It's not like I dated one of the little ones.”
“Well, I assumed you'd date one your own size, but still,” Conri grimaced. “Dark or light?”
“Light.”
“Ugh,” Conri looked disgusted.
“Says the bargest,” Killian snorted.
“Says the nathair-sith,” Conri shot back.
“Are we seriously going to do this again?” I asked. “I swear it's like being a preschool teacher sometimes. Did you two miss your morning snack? Shall I put you in a time out?”
They shut up, and Soren gave me a sexy smirk.
“It's just down this path, Princess,” Gradh led us off the pebbled lane we'd been wandering down, and onto a much slimmer, overgrown path which led through the sparse woods.
“Come on, Cat,” I pushed past Conri and Killian, “the girls need to be at the front of the line or we'll all get lost, and fall into a ravine or something.”
“Fine with me, get on up there,” Killian said. “I like the view.”
“Now there's something we can agree on,” Conri chuckled.
“Dude,” Killian muttered to Conri. “I think you're barking up the wrong tree. Gradh's never gonna be into you.”
I snorted, and Gradh shot me a pained look.
“You know?” Gradh whispered.
“I may have walked in on the two of you once,” I gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry. Not my business.”
“You're not upset?”
“Why would I be upset?”
“We're both on your Guard,” Gradh said. “It's just not done. Conflict of interest.”
“Oh, like you might be too worried about each other's welfare to protect me?” I asked.
“Something like that,” Gradh deflated.
