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“I want you to watch the horses and keep an eye out just in case someone happens to come by. I’m not going anywhere or out of sight.”
“All right.” Aurelius kept his head ducked.
Jari couldn’t pretend he fully trusted the Prince in this matter, but he didn’t seem any different, so maybe he was worrying over nothing. He’d still have to be careful later. Aurelius hadn’t done anything or tried to get back the broken rose, but all four together seemed like a bad idea.
Jari hopped the fence and entered the home. Everything looked the same as before, and he remembered holding onto the bedposts while Aurelius touched him all over. That felt like a lifetime ago. He crouched and pulled out the shovel.
By the tree, he remembered the spot, set down the lantern, and checked behind him. Aurelius was still on his horse by Mercury, although Jari couldn’t see his face properly in the light of the lantern attached to the horse’s saddle.
Jari set to digging in a steady rhythm. The hole grew deeper as he scooped, and the shovel finally hit something that wasn’t dirt. He cleared a bit more, crouched, and reached into the hole to grab the pack. He had the sudden, horrifying thought that it would be empty and someone had stolen the items, but it had weight, and the items inside clinked.
He had just set it on the edge when he heard something behind him and turned to find Aurelius a few feet away with his lantern attached to his belt. Jari immediately stood and clutched the strap as he thought about dropping the pack right back in.
“What are you doing?”
“Give me the items,” Aurelius said in a low voice.
Jari’s stomach dropped. “I’m going to keep them until we get to Ash Island, okay?”
“Give me the items,” Aurelius repeated with a touch more force.
“You don’t need the-”
“Don’t tell me what I need.” Aurelius held a hand. “Now.”
“Go back to the horse,” Jari said with more force than him. “I’m going to bring them with us, and I’m not touching them or-”
“Give me the fucking items, fairy.” Aurelius clenched his fists.
“Whatever that thing is telling you-”
Jari didn’t get to finish as the Prince stalked toward him. He let the pack drop back in and fumbled for the little sack of salt he’d tucked in his cloak pocket. Too late. Aurelius tried to dart around him, and Jari hoped the Prince forgave him for this later and that he didn’t end up as a gold statue.
He lunged and managed to get an arm around Aurelius who immediately tried to backhand him. Once bitten, twice shy. Jari jerked his head away just in time to avoid another split lip before he grabbed the Prince around the middle.
“Get off of me!”
“Hate me later.”
Aurelius shoved at him, and they grappled for a moment before Jari knocked him to the ground and practically fell on him to wrap himself around the Prince and pin his arms.
“I don’t need my hands to gild you!”
But he hadn’t done that yet or used his lightning, which meant the real him wasn’t all gone, and he didn’t want to hurt Jari even though Mammon wanted the items. Aurelius let out an inhuman sound as Jari managed to keep his arms pinned and struggle to his feet. The Prince kicked as Jari hauled him toward the house, and the light from the lantern on Aurelius’s belt jittered.
Dear Elira, if anyone happened to hear or see something and came this way, it would look pretty bad. Thankfully, the chances were low. He still hated manhandling the Prince like this.
Jari hauled the cursing Prince inside. Hopefully, the distance would do something.
“Let me go!” screamed Aurelius. “Those are mine!”
Something clinked on the floor, and Jari caught a flash of silver. Aurelius almost twisted away, and Jari practically threwhim down before using his body to pin him as he tried to get the damn sack of salt from his pocket.
Aurelius got an arm free and grabbed Jari by the throat. “Give me the fucking items! I’ll turn you. I’ll put the key in your fucking eye!”
Jari used his forearm on Aurelius’s upper body while he fought with the sack. The tie snagged, but the top was open enough, and he flung some of the contents onto Aurelius’s face. He clenched his eye shut in time. Some of the grains stuck to his cheek, and others collected in the hollow of his throat, sifted into his hair, or hit the floor.
The hand around Jari’s throat loosened as he tried to swipe at his face. “Fuck your salt!”
