“We’re close,” Henry said. “He’s nearby.”
Draco huffed and quickened his pace. The cove was empty except for a cabin and a boat washed up on the beach. Two bloody bodies were in front of it. Draco landed, and in a well practiced move, Andvari leapt from his back with his sword drawn. A huge fucking horse appeared around the side of the cabin and Andvari snarled.
“Eduard, take Henry around back. Keep close. We’ll distract this one.”
The horse made a sound, not a neigh like a normal one, but more of a hissing roar. It made the hair on Andvari’s neck stand up and he moved forward with Draco in his dragon form at his side. Draco was looking for a fight and the only thing holding him back was the hand Andvari placed on his neck.
And then Andvari lost what little was left of his control when Sawyer came stumbling out of the cabin. “Ward, what’s—”
The sound Sawyer made when he caught sight of them was one Andvari never wanted to hear again. Draco took off, leaving Andvari in a swirl of sand that stung his eyes. He kept his eyes on the horse, but it didn’t make a move toward Sawyer. Andvari ran to follow Draco, who’d shifted back to his human form as he ran. Sawyer hit his chest with an audible thump, throwing his arms around Draco’s neck.
Andvari reached him a minute later, and then Eduard and Henry came back around the house. They had him surrounded and in their arms. He was safe.
“You found me,” Sawyer said. His voice was barely more than a choked whisper, catching in his throat.
“Of course we did,” Draco said. He rumbled and adjusted his hold on Sawyer which earned him a yelp of pain.
“You’re hurt,” Eduard said. “How bad?”
“I’ll be okay. I’ll be better now that you’re here.”
He raised his head from Draco’s shoulder and the tears in his eyes were Andvari’s undoing. He cupped Sawyer’s cheek in his hand and kissed him gently. “You’re not allowed to ever get kidnapped again.”
Sawyer laughed but it quickly choked off and he lowered his head to Draco’s shoulder again. “You’re never allowed to let me get kidnapped again.”
“Deal,” Andvari said. He turned to look at the horse, but found a mountain of a man standing there instead. He looked heartbroken as well. “Care to introduce your friend?”
“Oh!” Sawyer lifted his head again and sent a beaming smile to the other man. “Saeward, come meet my mates.”
“That’s what the wind was saying!” Henry exclaimed. “Not sea-ward, Saeward!”
“He’s one of my guardians,” Sawyer said. “And… I don’t actually know what he is. I never asked. It’s been kind of a rough day.”
Saeward lowered his head respectfully before raising it again. “I am Saeward of the Atlantean clan. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Eduard made a surprised noise and Andvari couldn’t blame him. The Atlanteans weren’t part of their normal group, and in fact, Andvari hadn’t heard of one being around in his lifetime. The hippocamps were notoriously reclusive and didn’t mingle with others at all.
They introduced themselves, with only Henry and Sawyer unaware of the rarity.
Saeward bowed his head again. “Sawyer is in need of medical care. I have done what I could.”
“You did a lot,” Sawyer said. “He saved me.”
“What happened?” Eduard asked. “Magdalen said she didn’t—”
Sawyer flinched back, his eyes widening in horror.
Saeward stepped up behind him quickly. “Sawyer, what is it?”
“It was her,” Sawyer choked out. “She was the one who took me.”
Andvari felt like the very air around him had been sucked away. He turned to Eduard, who’d paled considerably.
Draco rumbled and pulled Sawyer away from Saeward and back into his arms. “We’re here,” he muttered. “And I’ll gut her if she comes near you again.”
Eduard reached for Henry’s pack and pulled out his phone from the pocket. “I need to warn my father.”
“Wait,” Andvari said.
