“How are you intruding if I’m inviting you?”
“Albie, please tell your mate to stop bothering me. It is a tradition between the two of you and doesn’t include me or anyone else.”
“I mentioned to you many times that Brynn would not agree to come with us,” Albrecht told Arvandus, who blew out a frustrated breath.
Ignoring him, Brynnius grabbed several bags of fresh apples, which he put into the cart. Everything else on his list was either going to have to be gathered at a traditional grocery store or it was too early to purchase. “I wish I could buy the vegetables for the party now to go with the dip,” he muttered.
“Write down what you want. Apple and I can get it later this week,” Arvandus insisted from behind him.
“It would be a great help.”
“Have you asked Dravyn or Killian if they have anything you could use?” Albrecht asked.
“Do you think it would be okay? Alaric doesn’t wish us to strain the resources of the D’Vaires, so they can enjoy the party.”
“Alaric,” Arvandus called out. The Lich Sentinel lifted a dark brow from across the store, then stalked over.
“You bellowed?”
“Brynn wants fresh stuff from Dravyn’s garden,” Arvandus informed him. “But he’s not sure if he can ask him or Killian.”
“If he has some already available and it will not impede whatever recipes Noir and Kendrick have intended for the next week or so, you’re free to use things from Dravyn’s garden. I just do not want Killian to have to use magic or anything of the sort. It is our party and although you volunteer to bring sweets to their gatherings, Noir and Kendrick still bake desserts, so you do not have to.”
Brynnius nodded and agreed with his leader. He was always sure to tell Noirin and Kendrick he would be bringing things, but they insisted it wasn’t necessary, making Brynnius feel no burden. It freed him to bake what he wanted and in whatever quantity time allowed.
“Do we have everything?” Chander asked. “Because, honestly, I think we need to get out of here soon. Bax is over there at the candy section, and there’s no way I’m going to allow him to sneak any of that into the house.”
“I have everything on my list,” Brynn assured him as he snagged another bag of apples just in case he hadn’t done his calculations properly and required more of the fruit.
As if he’d heard the necromancer, Baxter arrived with three small bags of candy. “Nope,” Chander said before the Daemon Lord had even opened his mouth.
“Just listen.”
“No, it’s Saturday, and I don’t want to have to send you assholes to your rooms. We have too much to do to prepare for the party. I’m turning it into a hollow tomorrow, so we’ll need to help Victor with cleaning. And we’ve got our scary movie marathon later; I don’t want to be the ogre that forces you guys to miss it.”
“I just thought it would be nice to give prizes to the top three pumpkins,” Baxter insisted.
“Choose something else.”
“These look really good, though.”
“Please, Bax. You’re not winning shit without a kit,” Benton argued.
“I’m not even going to hold it against you when you’re wrong.”
“I mean it. No candy,” Chander stated.
“We’re not children,” Baxter argued.
“Then why are you trying to start an asinine conversation with me in the store?” Chander asked. “I said, ‘no candy,’ and I meant it.”
“I suggest we compromise,” Brynnius interjected. “They have caramel apples, mini baked pies, and apple-cider donuts. Perhaps we could grab one of each to give away as prizes for the carving contest.”
Baxter’s shoulders slumped. “Okay, I like the idea of the caramel apple, but there’s no way any pie or donut is going to taste as good as yours.”
“Go put the candy back, and pick three different types of apples. They’ve got them dipped in different shit,” Chander ordered.
“Fine,” Baxter muttered as he slunk off with Benton grinning behind him as they returned the candy and went over to the section where the dipped apples were displayed.
