hand on his shoulder. “Mason and I can protect Percy better than an entire army of Elysian soldiers,” Abe vowed, and Edward sent him a searching glace, jaw tight. Mason continued walking, leaving him to convince his brother. “He knew we would be here. Perhaps not exactly, but he came this direction because getting to Elysian may be the best chance for Percy, but it isn’t the most likely of plans to succeed. We’ll all be safe if King Henry is stopped, and running away won’t be necessary.”
“And he wants us to go where, exactly?” Edward asked, frustrated.
Mason roared back in their direction, stopping the bike a few feet away. “Lord Estiary has been the most gracious host,” Mason said over the rumble of the bike’s engine, “And I warned him his involvement might mean a death sentence instead of banishment, but the crazy old badger just laughed and reached for another glass of wine. I’ll see you at his estate. Want a ride, little mouse?”
Percy squeaked in alarm, eyes wide as he stared at the bike. Mason laughed when Edward grabbed Percy’s arm and stood in front of him. Abe waved Mason off, not wanting the brothers to start digging at each other so soon. “I’ll get them there, Mace. Go, I’ll see you soon.”
Mason revved the engine, the bike taking off in a flurry of sprayed dirt and leaves. Abe watched as the love of his life disappeared into the forest, the roar fading as Mason got further and further away. One day soon they would be able to just…stop, and be, and exist only in each other.
If they lived, that is.
Lunatic kings and misplaced heirs needed to be settled first, though, before love could find time to flourish.
“And if Estiary makes a move for Percy?” Edward hissed, dark eyes full of violent promise at the possibility.
“Then we can be on the run for killing a noble, too,” Abe assured the prince, walking back towards where they hid the SUV in the woods.
Chapter Seven
Percy
Finding his courage, Percy held Edward’s hand, chin up, shoulders back. He walked next to his lover, and not behind him, no matter how badly he wanted to hide in his shadow. Mason stood at the top of the stone steps of the great manor hall, the wind whipping his dark locks in a rather heroic manner. The dark clothes he wore merely completed the look, and one glance at Reynard’s countenance told Percy that the captain was deeply affected.
Seeing Reynard and Mason kissing had been one of the most beautiful and surprising things of his short and sheltered life. Just the amount of love and passion in how they touched each other made Percy want to hug them both and sigh over them at the same time. He was rather emotional about it, and he glared down at his baby bump just as they escaped the wind and entered Lord Estiary’s home.
Mason fell back to Reynard’s side, and Percy smiled, thinking the two tall, powerful men were stunning side by side. Edward squeezed his hand, and Percy sent him a guilty glance and a shrug at his questioning look. Edward flicked his eyes at his brother and guard, and his brows twitched and his lush lips quirked in a smile. Edward put his arm around his shoulder and hugged him, following Reynard and Mason as they walked down an impressive entrance hall.
It was at least three stories tall, with twin staircases rising from either side. A balcony joined them over the main hall that disappeared into the depths of the mansion. The building was huge with rich rugs and tapestries on the walls in vibrant hues and scenes. Everywhere Percy looked were gold accents, and instead of the red of the Cassian décor, there were deep, royal blues, twilight hues and ocean shades. Percy was awed, and the effect was that of cool, calm welcome, despite the grandeur.
Percy was slightly confused. They had yet to see any servants. Mason had opened the front door on his own, and they entered alone. There was no waiting servant to greet and guide them to their host.
The four of them
“And he wants us to go where, exactly?” Edward asked, frustrated.
Mason roared back in their direction, stopping the bike a few feet away. “Lord Estiary has been the most gracious host,” Mason said over the rumble of the bike’s engine, “And I warned him his involvement might mean a death sentence instead of banishment, but the crazy old badger just laughed and reached for another glass of wine. I’ll see you at his estate. Want a ride, little mouse?”
Percy squeaked in alarm, eyes wide as he stared at the bike. Mason laughed when Edward grabbed Percy’s arm and stood in front of him. Abe waved Mason off, not wanting the brothers to start digging at each other so soon. “I’ll get them there, Mace. Go, I’ll see you soon.”
Mason revved the engine, the bike taking off in a flurry of sprayed dirt and leaves. Abe watched as the love of his life disappeared into the forest, the roar fading as Mason got further and further away. One day soon they would be able to just…stop, and be, and exist only in each other.
If they lived, that is.
Lunatic kings and misplaced heirs needed to be settled first, though, before love could find time to flourish.
“And if Estiary makes a move for Percy?” Edward hissed, dark eyes full of violent promise at the possibility.
“Then we can be on the run for killing a noble, too,” Abe assured the prince, walking back towards where they hid the SUV in the woods.
Chapter Seven
Percy
Finding his courage, Percy held Edward’s hand, chin up, shoulders back. He walked next to his lover, and not behind him, no matter how badly he wanted to hide in his shadow. Mason stood at the top of the stone steps of the great manor hall, the wind whipping his dark locks in a rather heroic manner. The dark clothes he wore merely completed the look, and one glance at Reynard’s countenance told Percy that the captain was deeply affected.
Seeing Reynard and Mason kissing had been one of the most beautiful and surprising things of his short and sheltered life. Just the amount of love and passion in how they touched each other made Percy want to hug them both and sigh over them at the same time. He was rather emotional about it, and he glared down at his baby bump just as they escaped the wind and entered Lord Estiary’s home.
Mason fell back to Reynard’s side, and Percy smiled, thinking the two tall, powerful men were stunning side by side. Edward squeezed his hand, and Percy sent him a guilty glance and a shrug at his questioning look. Edward flicked his eyes at his brother and guard, and his brows twitched and his lush lips quirked in a smile. Edward put his arm around his shoulder and hugged him, following Reynard and Mason as they walked down an impressive entrance hall.
It was at least three stories tall, with twin staircases rising from either side. A balcony joined them over the main hall that disappeared into the depths of the mansion. The building was huge with rich rugs and tapestries on the walls in vibrant hues and scenes. Everywhere Percy looked were gold accents, and instead of the red of the Cassian décor, there were deep, royal blues, twilight hues and ocean shades. Percy was awed, and the effect was that of cool, calm welcome, despite the grandeur.
Percy was slightly confused. They had yet to see any servants. Mason had opened the front door on his own, and they entered alone. There was no waiting servant to greet and guide them to their host.
The four of them