Henry walked over and Eduard gave him a smile. “Need you to drop the outer two wards, okay? We’ve got company.”
“Only the outer two?”
“Yep. Keep the one around the house up.”
“’K,” Henry said. He raised his arms and closed his eyes as air began flowing around them. He breathed deep, and then the wind stilled. “It’s done. Let me know when you want it back up.”
“I will.”
The guard made another face before looking over at Sawyer. “Uh, they’re… on their way, sir.”
The guard hurried off and Sawyer frowned at Eduard. “What has him so spooked?”
Before Eduard could answer, the sound of twinkling bells filled the air, followed by… was that flutes? It couldn’t be flutes, could it? Little sparkling dots began floating around the edge of the ward, and then butterflies began dancing in some fancy aerial maneuvering that was more like a performance than anything remotely natural.
Then little pixie type creatures appeared, their wings shimmering in the afternoon sun. They were throwing… rose petals. Seriously? Sawyer turned to stare at Eduard, his eyes wide. “What the hell?”
Eduard was doing his best not to laugh. “I’m going to let you handle this one. Just… have fun.”
“You asshole! Get back here!”
Eduard cackled and went back over to the pool, leaving Sawyer to deal with the row of strangers walking up the hill. One man stood in the center, long blond hair nearly down to his waist. As he got closer, Sawyer could see that his ears were slightly pointed. But that was nothing compared to the emerald the size of Sawyer’s fist that rested on his chest. He wore a matching green tunic trimmed in gold and— no kidding— he had a gold and jewel encrusted crown on his head.
Since Eduard hadn’t rushed him into the house, Sawyer figured it was safe enough to approach. He walked to the edge of the last ward, careful to stay inside it, and stared at the mysterious man approaching. When he was within a dozen steps, he paused then turned his mouth into an obvious pout. He had really nice lips, thick and plump. He was really, really pretty, too.
After a moment, he flung his arms wide. “I am Kavalan, Prince of Svartalfheim, fated mate of the Chosen One.”
Sawyer blinked then blinked again. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was supposed to say to that announcement.
Prince Kavalan scowled at him. “Human, did you not hear what I said? Fetch your master. Tell him his prince has arrived.”
The vampire guard who had stayed close choked on his own spit. Sawyer looked at the poor guy, making sure he was still breathing between the wheezing coughs, and then back at the prince.
“Sure,your highness. I’ll get right on that. Come on, Pearl. We’ve got somefetchingto do.”
Eduard, the jerk, was on the ground laughing his ass off. Henry and Andvari peeked over the back of one of the chairs, but from how hard the damn thing was shaking, they were laughing at him, too. See if any of them got laid any time in the near future. Draco scowled sleepily at him, clearly annoyed at having been woken from his afternoon nap and not disturbed at all by the presence of the fairy folk outside their house. The only one he still liked was Saeward, who’d climbed from the pool and was standing gloriously naked scowling at the strangers. That was more like it.
Sawyer glared over his shoulder at Eduard, who was cackling obnoxiously, and then pointed at him. “I’m calling Augustus!”
“Call him. Please. Goddess, please tell me that he actually told you to fetch. Please, please tell me that’s what he really said. I was laughing at your reaction and am not sure I heard him clearly.”
“You’re an ass! Get rid of him!”
Eduard had clearly lost his mind.
Andvari, who regained at least one brownie point, pushed to his feet and started down the hill. “I’ll handle it.”
“I’ll watch,” Henry quipped. He ran after the vampire, practically rubbing his hands together with glee. The troublemaker.
“You guys are jerks! I’m telling Viv not to give you dessert!”
Draco scrambled up at that threat, moving quickly to his side. “What do you want me to do? Pretty sure I can’t set him on fire. It’s a fairy thing. But I can try.”
“No. Just… I don’t know. I don’t like him.”
Saeward leaned into Sawyer, pressing the long, solid length of himself along Sawyer’s back. “You don’t know him. First impressions aren’t everything.”
Sawyer sighed. He supposed you couldn’t judge a book by its cover… or a fairy prince by the size of his crown. Guardian or not, though, he was going to make the prince pay for that fetch thing. He just had to think of a really good way to do it.
