Seven Devils and a Rose

Geoffrey chuckled in amusement. "You're right, Ethan. Alfie is just a human boy." He cocked his head to one side, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. His voice low and dark, he said, "So be sure not to get involved with him, eh?"

Ethan didn't miss the meaning behind Geoffrey's words. Was that a warning from the almighty Geoffrey, the father figure of Acaedien? So he was into this Alfie, too?

Bloody hell! By the sound of things, it looked as though these four lords—Felix, Caleb, Aaron, and even Geoffrey—were infatuated with a mere boy with pure qi they had found in the woods. Did that little bastard put a high-level love spell on the lords or something? Seriously!

Noah finally opened his eyes and raised his head. He asked, "Alfie, eh?" He chuckled, sporting a devilish grin on his handsome face. "I met him this morning. Such a loveable boy."

The words loveable boy caught all the lords' attention.

Felix and Geoffrey shot him dark looks, while Caleb and Aaron were astounded at Noah's choice of words.

Ethan rolled his eyes as if to say, Not you, too, while Victor raised a brow and thought, Now I must really meet this lovable boy.

Aaron barked, "What the fucking hell? Where did you meet him? How?"

Caleb asked darkly, "You didn't do anything weird to him, did you?"

Noah turned around so that he faced everyone in the pool. He proceeded to think about that for a moment, which obviously made the others suspicious.

Felix asked, his eyes narrowed dangerously, "You didn't attack Alfie, did you, Noah?"

By attack, they knew Felix meant just that—sucking Alfie's pure qi and kissing the youth—obviously.

Noah felt chills run down his spine at the threatening look in Felix's and Caleb's eyes. He said, "Nothing much. I just sort of gave him a few gifts."

He felt the sinister aura around the two lords subside immediately, and Noah sighed in relief.

Fuck! But those two were damned possessive over Alfie. Just because they had personally found the boy in the woods and became protective of the youth? Or is there something deeper?

Victor raised a brow. "Gifts? Knowing you, there's always an agenda. Come on. Spit it out, Noah."

Since the other six lords seemed interested and were currently paying him their undivided attention, Noah said, "My gut instinct tells me Alfie is not who he says he is."

Aaron asked, "What? You mean like he's a spy from another country or something?"

Noah shook his head. "No, nothing like that. The boy is too innocent and honest for that sort of shit. What I mean is there's something that's blocking me from seeing him for who he is."

Victor asked, "You mean you can't determine his real identity with your magic perception?"

Noah nodded. "I gave him the golden pill."

Geoffrey said, "That pill is top secret and will only be used for military purposes once approved, Noah. What are you trying to gain by giving Alfie that pill?"

Noah began to explain. "The golden pill works by slowly changing the body and strength within a couple of days. In other words, magic enhancement. If we don't see Alfie changing in physical appearance, then we know for sure that there's something, a high-level barrier perhaps, blocking my magic perception."

Caleb asked, "Are you implying that Alfie might have a sort of magic protection on him that gives out an illusion?"

Suddenly, it clicked for Noah, and the lord nodded his head excitedly. "That's right. An illusion protection."

He thought for a moment, searching the database that was his brain cells to retrieve information about magic illusion protection.

He said, "Illusion protection is mainly used to hide one's identity and physical appearance. Mostly, it's cast on spies so as not to gain any attention when they're working."

Felix asked, "But what does Alfie have to gain by doing such a thing? The boy was lost in the woods and didn't know what the fuck was going on. You should have seen him that night."

Caleb nodded. "He was confused and scared. Not many can fake that."

Felix said, "Aria raided his memories with her magic. The boy is clean. He's not a spy."

Noah nodded. "I have no doubt that Alfie is clean where his background is concerned." He sighed deeply because he didn't know how to explain it clearly to his comrades. "I personally just want to find out who and what, exactly, Alfie is. It's just the researcher in me."

Aaron nodded. "I understand what you're saying. I've spent quite a bit of time with Alfie. Sometimes, I feel like I see him but I don't see him, even though he's sitting right there in front of me. Isn't that weird?"

Victor chuckled. "Well, it'd be interesting to see what happens in a couple days' time."

The others nodded their heads in agreement, except for Ethan, who said, "Who cares who or what this little guy is? Seriously, he's a human boy, and you all wasting time talking about him is irritating."

Victor chuckled and slapped his friend on the shoulder. "Are you sexually frustrated, Ethan? Because you sound like it. Would you like to visit Butterflies Paradise? I'll accompany you."

Ethan growled, "Of course I am, for fuck's sake! Dealing with the Wulin ministers was tiring as shit, and it has been months since I have had a beautiful woman in my arms." He flashed his eyes to Felix, then to Caleb, Aaron, Geoffrey, and finally settled on Noah. He said, "I know for a fact and that you all are as sexually frustrated as I am."

Noah said, "Well, of course we are."

"But work takes precedence," Geoffrey said, to which Noah nodded furiously in agreement.

Ethan said, "That's it! You all are coming with me tonight to Butterflies Paradise. No more talking about that little bastard Alfie just because he may look pretty enough to fuck. Tonight, men, you're going to have fun with some of the most beautiful women in Acaedien."

Felix said darkly, "Watch what you're saying, Ethan. No one is touching Alfie except for me."

Caleb raised his brows. "Claiming the boy as yours already, Felix? That's a bit rash, isn't it?"

Aaron said, "Alfie is my best buddy. If anyone were to even dare claim him, I wouldn't hold my rage back."

Geoffrey started laughing with amusement, while Ethan looked flabbergasted at the turn of the conversation. Here he was doing his best to lure them away from that little bastard Alfie with the promise of a heavenly paradise full of beautiful women.

Once Geoffrey managed to calm his laughter, he said, "How about we all accompany Ethan to Butterflies Paradise? A change in pace would be nice."