Page 49 of Dryad’s Treasure

“Still, I should have⁠—”

“No, you shouldn’t. I’m not going to apologize for what I am, but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand your perspective regarding my species. We all follow our nature. Unfortunately, that means that sometimes we inadvertently hurt others in the process. That doesn’t mean there was anything malicious in the harming, simply that it happened. I don’t expect you to apologize for your feelings. I’m just grateful they’ve changed.”

“You are an incredible individual, Grayson Delarue.”

“Not really, but I’m glad you think so. That’s more than enough for me.” I felt a tug on my pants and released a heavy sigh. “FYI, I’m pretty sure Henry’s climbing up my leg.”

“You’re damn right I’m climbin’.” Henry popped up on my shoulder before grabbing a hold of my hair and completing the journey to the top of my head.

“Ow! Watch it.” I didn’t much appreciate the yank on my hair.

“Pfft, you’ll get over it, ya baby.” I felt Henry plop down on top of my head, his voice drifting from above me. “All this lovey-dovey shit is precious and all, but we’ve got buzzweeds to find. Unless you don’t want my help no more.” The challenging tone was difficult to miss.

“We would very much like your help,” Martin answered for the two of us. “The song the buzzweeds make are uncomfortable for Gray.”

My heart warmed. “That’s very sweet of you, Martin.”

“I don’t like the idea of you hurting,” Martin answered, his fingers sliding up and down my upper arms.

Henry made a gagging sound.

“Don’t you dare vomit on my head,” I threatened while reaching up to pluck him from my hair.

“Then stop sayin’ such nauseatin’ things and I won’t have to upchuck on your pretty white hair.” Before I could grab him, Henry scampered to the side, closer to my ear. “Say, this really is a pretty color. There’s some nice light blue strands deeper down. It’s nice and soft too. It’d make good stuffin’ for a pillow or⁠—”

“I am not giving you any of my hair.” Henry avoided my grab again, climbing down my back.

“No need to get snippy about it,” Henry yelled, his voice drifting the further down my body he went. “It was a compliment.”

“Not when you want to take it,” I huffed, turning and staring down at Henry now that he was back on the ground.

“So touchy.” Henry stuck his nose in the air and puffed out a tiny breath before going back down on all fours and scrambling down the hall. “Come on. Those buzzweeds ain’t findin’ themselves.”

Martin and I shared an exasperated look before we dutifully followed. Truth was, I was exceedingly grateful for Henry’s help.

“I’m just sayin’, it’s a good thing he didn’t show up when we were all meetin’ with the scary-ass wyvern.” Henry’s voice was strained as he dragged another buzzweed out of a hole we’d made in the wall. That brought the day’s total to five. A good haul. The task had taken a toll on poor Henry. While the buzzweeds weighed next to nothing in my hands, they were heavy to Henry.

Henry had been stuck on the topic of Helios for the last hour, maybe more. It wasn’t that the little house dweller was wrong; it was simply that I didn’t have an answer. Neither did Martin. None of us knew when or where Helios would pop up next. So far, he’d stayed away after the incident with Jima. I wasn’t encouraged that situation would hold.

“That woulda been disastrous,” Henry continued, wiping the sweat from his forehead, making a strange little clear spot on his otherwise dirt-stained face. Henry grunted, pulling the buzzweed to a stop as soon as Martin or I could grab it. “I think that’s the last one for today,” Henry said. “I’m pooped.” As if to prove his point, Henry dropped on his ass, legs splayed before him and shoulders slumped.

Martin snatched the inert buzzweed, Warlock Holland’s charm not deactivating it, but tamping down its reactions enough that it could be collected.

“I’m tellin’ ya,” Henry continued now that he’d caught his breath, “that djinn ain’t done with Jima.” Henry tapped the corner of his eye. “Elvira told me how he was lookin’ at Jima. That kind of want don’t go away just like that.” Henry snapped his fingers.

I raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you and Elvira were on speaking terms again.” Last I’d seen, Henry had well and truly insulted the ghostly Elvira. Well, insulted might be a bit of a stretch. Hurt her feelings was more like it.

Henry waved me off. “Elvira don’t hold a grudge.”

I felt Martin tense beside me and had the distinct impression that wasn’t strictly true. Maybe she simply had a soft spot for the house dweller.

Regardless, I hardly knew what else to say regarding the situation and said as much. “I’m not sure what more we can do. Do you?”

Chin in his fisted hand, Henry appeared to be thinking hard. Either that or he was constipated. With a huff, he finally conceded. “No, but maybe somebody ought to call that Peaches pixie and see if he can ask Helios to stay away for a bit. Right now ain’t the best time to have unpredictable djinn around.”

“I don’t disagree,” Martin answered. “However, I get the impression that Helios is rather bored and asking him not to do something might be akin to dangling bait in front of his curious djinn sensibilities.”

I vigorously nodded. “Agreed. From what I understand, Peaches won’t go so far as to make it an official wish. If that is the case, tipping Helios off that there is something he might find interesting going on at the Magical Usage Council will⁠—”