Sawyer hurried down the steps and onto the sandy path, no matter that his feet protested the newest abuse. “Ward!”
Ward turned and ran the few dozen feet to him, stopping on a dime before lowering his head and pressing it gently to Sawyer’s chest.
“You’re okay?” Sawyer asked.
The air shimmered and Ward was back in his human form. “I’m fine. You shouldn’t have run out here. You’ve opened your wound again.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not. Come, sit on the steps and let me check your feet.”
Saeward helped him to the steps once again and guided him down. He could feel the trickle of blood down his side, but Ward was right, his feet hurt worse. “Thank you,” Sawyer said.
“You’re welcome.”
Sawyer glanced at the boat and wondered if there was a phone on board he could use.
“Do not worry about them,” Ward said. “They will not bother you again.”
Ward thought he was looking at the bodies. He glanced down at the mangled remains before looking away quickly. “I know,” Sawyer said. “I wondered if there was a phone on the boat. There’s probably a radio, but I don’t know how to use it really, and I don’t want to announce to anyone who can hear where I am. I need to get to my other guardians.”
“I will help,” Saeward said. “You must eat first and get a little rest. Then we will go.”
Sawyer nodded, knowing he was right, even if he wanted to argue. He could feel what little energy he had slipping away. He’d never be able to ride in this condition. “Okay.”
“I will get you something to eat. Would you like to come inside?”
“No. I… I just want to sit out here for a few minutes.”
Saeward ran his hand gently over Sawyer’s head before he walked into the house.
Sawyer looked everywhere but at the bodies lying just out of his line of sight. He listened to the waves crashing against the shore, thinking back to the night Draco had reminded them all how special what they were building was. That night had forged something in Sawyer’s soul, something that had allowed him to push back against Eduard’s father, to claim his place as the chosen one in a way he hadn’t before. It had given him the strength to get away from Sol and Frey.
The fight wasn’t over yet. He had no idea where Magdalen was or if she’d sent someone else after him. He didn’t know if Sol and Frey’s boat could be tracked and would lead them straight to him. He didn’t even know how Sol and Frey had found him in the first place. The wind whistled through the trees and a crow cawed loudly above him, sending a shiver of fear down his spine.
The wind rustled the leaves of the trees surrounding the cabin and Sawyer started to panic, wondering if something was hiding in these woods as it had in the woods surrounding his home, before he paused, suddenly hearing Henry’s words again. The trees had told him where to find his father. The wind had spoken to him, given him the name of the alpha who would save him and his siblings.
Sawyer pushed to his feet and took a few painful steps forward until he could feel the breeze all around him. “This is probably crazy.” Definitely crazy. Beyond nuts. “But if you can hear me, will you help me? I need to get a message to Henry. He’s my mate, and I need him. I need them all,” Sawyer whispered the last, but then raised his head again. “Please, if you can, tell him where I am? I really need him to find me.”
Sawyer closed his eyes and thought of the goddess then, and all the faith she’d placed in him. “Please,” he whispered again.
Then he went into the cabin and closed the door. He doubted it would work, but at this point, he could use a miracle.
Andvari
It had been nearly twenty four hours since Sawyer vanished without a trace. Andvari stood at the window of Eduard’s bedroom where they’d carried an exhausted Draco an hour before. Their dragon had almost flown himself to death in the search. Eduard wasn’t in much better shape. Neither were he and Henry, if he was being totally honest.
Eduard’s cousin hadn’t been much help either. Magdalen had washed up on shore in the early hours of the morning, exhausted and barely able to speak. She hadn’t had much information for them, just that they’d been jumped and she’d been hit on the head. Their kidnappers had thrown her overboard and left her to drown, but she’d managed to make it back, swimming through the night and finally managing to find her way closer to home, where one of the search boats had found her. Andvari hoped to question her himself once she woke, desperate for some clue about who took Sawyer and where they might have taken him.
“You need anything?” Henry asked. He leaned against the window frame, weary and disheartened.
Andvari pulled him close and they stared out over the water together. A group of griffins continued the search by the shore, and the rest of the clan had taken their boats out and had been searching the water for any sign of Sawyer. They all feared that Sawyer had been thrown overboard as well and left to drown in the vast expanse of the Atlantic. None of them had said it out loud, but the thought of Sawyer being scared and alone… No, he couldn’t think about that.
The griffins had incredible vision and all of them who were able had joined in the search. Augustus had coordinated efforts and had even called in some favors with the Coast Guard to have them join the search. Everything possible was being done. Private yachts were being used to search as well. Eduard’s cousin Victor was handling the land search, hiring a team of investigators to search off the island for any signs. They’d had a team at every harbor, inlet, and boat slip, asking for information on the comings and goings of any vessel. Helena coordinated the search of the island itself with the assistance of the remaining vampire guards. Every inch of the island had been gone over, including each and every estate.
Not one single clue had been found. No boats were missing. No one had seen any strange vessels around the island. And there wasn’t a single sighting of Sawyer anywhere.
“We’ll find him,” Andvari said quietly. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to comfort Henry or himself.
