Page 137 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

“Oh come on,” Henry said. “I was a boy wizard. I mean my dads practically said Yer a wizard, Henry when they found me. Of course I was obsessed with Harry Potter.”

“When you put it that way, it makes perfect sense. Hey, do you think J.K. Rowling is one of you? Oh, she must be! That’s how she knows all that inside scoop on the creatures and—”

“No,” Draco said. “She isn’t. Well, maybe she is. But just… no.”

“Aww,” Sawyer said with a laugh. “You’re just mad because she used your name for the mean kid.”

Draco huffed and crossed his arm over his chest. “It was my name first.”

Sawyer laughed as Eduard maneuvered his way onto the bed, sitting with his back to the pillows next to Sawyer. Sawyer snuggled up against him while Henry moved to lean into his other side. Draco reached out and laid his hand on Pearl’s back, giving her a nice long pet while he and Sawyer shared a secret smile.

“Henry, with me,” Draco said after a moment.

“Where are we going?”

“To relieve Andvari on patrol so he can come in and spend some time with Sawyer.”

“Oh, yeah. Okay.”

Henry leaned in and nudged Sawyer with his forehead before sliding to the far side of the bed. He hurried into the bathroom, then through to the master closet where he reemerged hopping his way into a beat-up pair of Chucks.

Draco sat his hand on Eduard’s knee for a moment, then stood. He met the griffin’s eyes, gave him a quick nod, then went to guide Henry from the room. They found Andvari outside, sitting in the gazebo at the front of the house. When Draco had first seen the structure going up, he passed a bit of judgment. A gazebo and a turret room? The house was a mash up of Victorian castle with a side of farmhouse.

It made no sense.

Except now it did.

Both additions gave them cover while allowing them to keep guard. Henry’s vision had known what they didn’t. Draco wondered if other parts of the house that he hadn’t explored yet would reveal more about the other guardians.

“You can go see Sawyer, if you want,” Henry said to Andvari, pulling Draco from his thoughts. “We’re going to patrol.”

Andvari glanced at Draco, then back at Henry. “You’re patrolling?”

Henry scowled at the doubtful tone. “Yes.”

“Then I’ll stay with you,” Andvari said.

Draco sighed and reached out to pull Henry back against him before he lost his temper. “Do you doubt my ability to keep him safe, vampire?”

Andvari looked back at Draco, obviously torn. But he knew how to answer without raising Draco’s ire. “No. I don’t doubt you.”

“Then go inside. It’s our turn.”

Andvari scowled, but stomped his way into the house. Henry pulled away from Draco and scowled at him in much the same way Andvari just had.

“Why did you do that?”

Draco smiled and reached for Henry’s hand. “Because you don’t understand some things, and I want to explain them to you. I think, perhaps, you and Andvari have not gotten off on the right foot.”

“He’s a pain in the ass and thinks I’m helpless,” Henry said.

Draco guided them around back and let his dragon eyes come to the forefront. His dragon had been quiet for so many years, resting in the back of his mind, that he’d forgotten how heady the feeling was having that extra pull of power at his fingertips.

As he looked around now with his other eyes in focus, he could see the line of the wards Henry had laid around the property. They were in rings, concentric circles much like the mark he bore as a guardian of the Chosen One. The wards were strong, but could be even more so if Henry knew more about his abilities.

“He thinks you’re important and wants to keep you safe. And, if I’m not mistaken, he thinks you’re incredibly handsome and wants to do other things to you as well.”

Henry tripped over his feet, but Draco was prepared after years of imparting shocking realities to Sawyer. He caught him before he hit the ground and helped Henry regain his footing. He could do nothing about the way his jaw had fallen open or how wide his eyes had gotten.