“Thank you so much for having us, Mr. Eastaughffe. It’s so wonderful to have the opportunity to meet Eduard’s family.”
Augustus clenched his jaw for a moment before giving Sawyer the barest hint of a smile. “Of course.”
Well, if he wanted to play it that way, Sawyer had no problems ripping the Band-Aid off. “I understand it’s rare for one to find their mate. I believe it shows how special your son is that he has not one, but four. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Silence fell around the table again. Augustus’s face became red and if looks could kill, Sawyer would be nothing but a pile of burning ash.
Sawyer smiled sweetly. “And of course, being one of my guardians makes him even more special. But I don’t have to tell you that, do I?”
It was Eduard’s turn to reach for his thigh, his hand resting gently against Sawyer’s leg. A subtle warning not to push too hard.
“I was as amazed as the next person when the goddess appeared to me and explained my fate. Without your son by my side, I wouldn’t be able to get through this. Again, I’m sure I’m telling you what you already know, but I wanted to make sure you knew how much I love him, and how honored I am to have him not only as my guardian, but as my mate as well.”
Eduard squeezed so Sawyer smiled and lifted his wine glass. He took the smallest sip possible before sitting it down again. He didn’t break from Augustus’s glare, refused to back down. He’d either acknowledge them or he wouldn’t. And if he wouldn’t then Sawyer refused to put Eduard through this for a moment longer than was necessary.
“It is quite the honor,” Augustus choked out. “We were quite surprised by Eduard’s announcement.”
Ah, the royal we. Sawyer figured “we” were more than just a little surprised.
“As was I,” Sawyer explained. “We’ve had the translation worked on by a few experts to see if there are any other possible words that were mistakenly translated. I want to be as well informed as possible as we progress.”
“I’m sure you do,” Augustus said.
Augustus turned to Helena then, and Sawyer glanced at Eduard who looked at him. Sawyer couldn’t hide his smile at the pride he saw there. He slipped his hand back under the table and rested it on Eduard’s leg, needing the connection with him. Then Sawyer turned to Magdalen and began trying to get to know Eduard’s cousin a little better as the courses continued to flow around them. Eduard eventually joined in the discussion with his father and cousin as they were discussing some charity or another they supported and the results of a research study that could have lasting impacts on… something or other.
By the time they finished dessert and followed Augustus into what he’d probably call a drawing room, Sawyer had relaxed a bit but he was starting to get a headache from holding his purposefully bland expression for so long. He was used to being open with the people around him and hadn’t tried to hide his emotions from his mates. The pressure of the evening had been a bit much, but hopefully they’d made a little progress in thawing the iceberg that was Augustus Eastaughffe.
“You look like you could use a drink,” Draco murmured near Sawyer’s ear.
Sawyer glanced over at him and smiled. “I wouldn’t say no to one.”
“Be right back.”
Draco wove his way through the room to the row of crystal decanters lined up on silver trays on the sideboard. Others had small crystal glasses in their hand as well, amber liquid swirling in the light reflected from the warm glow of the fire. Augustus certainly did know how to set the stage.
Someone moved up beside him, the first acknowledgment he’d received from anyone in Eduard’s family since they’d left the dining room. He glanced over and found one of Eduard’s cousins— Victor, Sawyer remembered after a moment— standing beside him.
“Hello,” Sawyer said.
Victor nodded his head, swirling his own drink in his crystal glass. His hands were perfectly manicured. Sawyer didn’t know why he noticed, but it must have been the way Victor held the glass in his hand. He’d posed. Sawyer could see it now, even as Victor stood quietly beside him, not answering his greeting. Sawyer rolled his eyes and looked away. His attention had been captured by a row of old books tucked away in a small bookcase along the wall opposite from the fireplace. Some of them looked fascinating, and the history geek in him wanted to pull one off the shelf and find a quiet spot to curl up and read.
“My uncle has a fondness for books,” Victor said.
“He has good taste… in books,” Sawyer answered.
Draco began heading back, but Sawyer waved his hand discreetly letting Draco know he was fine. Instead Draco joined Henry, Magdalen, and Helena, giving Sawyer a significant look to let him know he would be by Sawyer’s side with a mere glance in his direction.
“Did you know that Augustus was the first griffin to marry without the benefit of a true mate?” Victor said.
That got Sawyer’s attention. He looked away from the books and toward Victor. “No,” Sawyer said. “No, I didn’t know that.”
“My aunt could have been a queen, but she fell in love with Uncle Augustus. She was the daughter of a prince, yet she married beneath her rank.”
Sawyer huffed. “So you think your cousin is marrying beneath his rank, huh?”
Victor glanced toward a portrait hanging above the fireplace. A young Augustus stood with a beautiful young woman. The artist had managed to capture Augustus looking at her, and the adoration was plain to see. Sawyer frowned and glanced back toward Victor.
“He loved her, even though she wasn’t his true mate.” Victor lifted his glass and took a small sip. “I believe that my uncle still grieves for his wife. More than anyone, he knows that love comes in mysterious and unexpected places.”
