Sawyer
He drank when Cecil told him to, as well. Some protein vitamin shake thing that tasted like ass but Cecil swore it would help rebuild his strength. His guys were all out cold, had been for hours. Eduard and Draco had almost drained themselves dry. Henry had given more than a human probably should.
Pearl whimpered at his feet, then bumped her nose against his hand. She moved a few steps to the door, then circled back to him.
“Okay, I’m coming.”
She needed to go outside and even though he knew Cecil would let her out, she clearly didn’t want to leave him. She never did when he wasn’t feeling well, even if it was just a bad mood.
When his foster parents had died, Sawyer hadn’t moved for days. That was before he’d had Pearl, and one of the reasons Draco had thought he should get a dog. He’d scoffed at the time, not willing to risk loving and losing anyone else.
His breath caught and he opened the back door quickly. She scooted out, then looked back at him and waited. “Okay, I’m coming.”
She wouldn’t go far without him, so he’d at least have to get out to the grass with her. She didn’t stop there though, although she did squat and water the grass. Then she turned back to him and barked playfully, dancing back and forth.
“Come on, girl. Let’s get back inside.”
She darted away though, further out, and Sawyer’s anxiety tripped.
“Pearl, please. Don’t.”
She whined, then darted back another few steps, then another. He followed her slowly, ready to reach out and snag her collar when he got close enough but suddenly she stopped. He glanced down and saw a large stick laying in the backyard.
No, not a stick. A cane.
Sawyer bent down and picked it up. Pearl danced happily around him like she was proud he was so smart. He held the wood in his fist, clenched it tightly, then breathed more easily for the first time in hours.
“Thanks, girl.”
The goddess had warned him that it wouldn’t be easy, that he would make mistakes. He’d just witnessed his very human foibles first hand and it had nearly gotten all of his guardians killed.
He turned and walked back to the house with Pearl by his side.
No, it wouldn’t be easy, but whatever had attacked them today was about to learn a very harsh lesson.
His guardians may be tasked with protecting him, but he would avenge their wounds.
He wasn’t letting anyone get away with hurting them.
He marched back upstairs, the cane still clasped in his hand.
He sank back into the chair, made sure everyone was still sleeping peacefully, then lifted one of Henry’s magical books off the stack he’d left on the beside table.
It drove Eduard crazy that he left books everywhere, but Sawyer knew Henry really did it just to get a rise out of Eduard.
He opened the book and turned to the first chapter. He needed to get a better idea of what he was up against so what happened today never happened again.