Andvari led him toward the back and found Sawyer standing at the edge of the woods. He had a smile on his face and was looking up at a raven that cawed at him from a high tree branch.
“You okay?” Andvari asked softly.
“Yes. Just listening to Burt up there, telling me off.”
“Burt?”
Sawyer shrugged before realizing they weren’t alone. “Oh! You must be Clan Leader Hartwig!”
“Yes. And you are Sawyer Smith. I have heard many things about you.”
“Hopefully most of them good.”
“Most of them,” Hartwig said with a laugh.
Sawyer beamed. “Sir, I just wanted to say thank you for all the help you and your clan have given me. I can’t tell you how safe it makes me feel knowing your vampires are here keeping watch over me and mine. It is a true honor.”
“The honor is ours.”
Gamayun joined them, placing her hand gently on Hartwig’s arm. “Would you mind if I stole the boys for a moment?”
“Of course not.”
She looped her arm through Andvari’s and then reached for Sawyer as well. “Sawyer, I find that I would like a little more shade. Do you happen to know of a nice shady spot nearby?”
She smiled sweetly at him. Sawyer opened his mouth and then closed it again. He tilted his head and looked at her before opening his mouth once more. “I have a spot in the woods I discovered recently.”
“Oh, that sounds lovely.”
Sawyer led the way into the woods, shooting Andvari a puzzled frown. He kept his guard up, but for some reason, he wasn’t overly concerned. Sawyer stopped in the clearing where he’d spoken to yellow eyes. Andvari had retrieved the blanket and basket from the spot so he recognized it easily. He glanced around, wondering if the mystery guardian watched from the shadows.
“Do not let your Earth brother concern you, Andvari.”
“Excuse me?”
“She means that yellow eyes is going to come out when he wants to and not a second before,” Sawyer said. “He’s stubborn.”
“He’s patient,” Gamayun advised. “This is a very nice spot, Sawyer. I can tell you draw comfort from it. Tell me, is it special to you?”
Sawyer started to deny it, then stopped to actually think over his answer. Andvari could see the thoughts racing through his mind.
“No. It’s not special. It just is what it is. A nice, shady spot.”
Gamayun glanced up, and both Sawyer and Andvari followed her gaze. A half dozen ravens sat in the trees, watching.
“Do you ever get the feeling you’re being watched?” Gamayun asked. She laughed as she said the words, and the ravens left their perches, swooping around them in a daring display.
Sawyer held up is arm and two of them perched on it. The others landed in nearby branches. Andvari tried not to react, even as his mate opened himself more and more to his gifts.
“Yellow eyes watches me,” Sawyer said. “As do the ravens.”
“Correct. There is more than one way to see, Sawyer. You’ll find what you seek when you find another way to look.”
Sawyer sighed. “Vague. You must know Mother.”
Gamayun laughed. “As a matter of fact, I do. I knew both of your mothers actually.”
Sawyer gasped and turned to her, startling the ravens into flying away. “You knew Mama Thea?”
