Chapter 24
Dre’Kariston’s eyes popped open, and his vision was filled with his brother’s concerned face. Dra’Kaedan was so close that his breath was hitting his nose, and it wasn’t a pleasant smell. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Chander and Alaric kissing. He released the Arch Lich’s hand and addressed his hovering sibling.
“For Fate’s sake, what the hell did you eat?”
One blond brow lifted; then his twin straightened. “I was hungry. Noir made me some garlic bread.”
“I was gone for twenty minutes,” Dre’Kariston replied as he rose to a sitting position.
“I’m sure you think you have a point. Did you see Mom and Dad?”
With a smile, Dre’Kariston nodded as tears threatened. It was becoming a common occurrence for him in the last twenty-four hours. “Yeah. They said they love you and Brogan.” He turned to Renny. “They didn’t know about you. When they gave us their magic, they lost the ability to scry.”
“That sucks,” Dra’Kaedan said. “Was it wonderful to talk to them?”
“Absolutely. It was like walking into a time machine. They look just as I remember them, I don’t know why I expected them to be any different, but I did. Isn’t that weird? They weren’t mad I went dark.”
“Of course they weren’t mad. Are they and the coven going to help us find Drystan and Conley’s dragons?” Dra’Kaedan responded.
“Funny you should ask,” Chander commented. “We saw their dragons before we ran into T’Eirick and Saura. The beasts tracked them down after they left the coven.”
“They left the coven? You actually saw the dragons? How awesome is that?” Dra’Kaedan enthused.
“Without magic, they didn’t feel like they could continue to rule them. Uncle Dagan and Aunt Zarya are ruling them,” Dre’Kariston answered.
Scheredin’s green eyes widened. “My parents are ruling the dead Coven of Warlocks?”
“Yep. And your sister’s still alive. Mom says she’s cloaking her magic.”
“Wow,” Scheredin whispered. “I don’t know what to say. I was convinced she was gone.”
“It may take us a thousand years, but we’ll find her,” Dra’Kaedan vowed, then returned his attention to the shadow walkers. “What about the dragons?”
“Conley’s dragon is so gold,” Chander said. “And Drystan’s is probably the flattest black I’ve ever seen. They were given extraordinary beasts.”
“Did they have any ideas about how to reunite them with the Reverent Knights?” Dra’Kaedan asked.
Renny lifted a hand. “Wait. Wouldn’t T’Eirick and Saura’s familiars have been the obvious choice to take over the Coven?”
“Their magic is tied to Mom and Dad’s souls. Wouldn’t they have lost theirs as well? I’m not sure how that works. Were their familiars with them? I don’t remember seeing them when I was on the other side of the veil, now that I think about it,” Dra’Kaedan replied.
“Eldwyn and Briallen weren’t there. I didn’t even think to ask where their familiars were. I’m sorry, Renny. I should’ve asked them. But it’s okay, we’ll have the opportunity. Mom and Dad think the best way to give Drystan and Conley their dragons is to build a spell that will pull them over the veil as we resurrect them,” Dre’Kariston said.
Dra’Kaedan shook his head like a dog; then his eyes bored into Dre’Kariston. “Wait one fucking minute. Mom and Dad want us to resurrect them?” His gaze tracked across the room and landed on the face of each sorcerer in it. “Let’s get to work. I want this done immediately.”
“Hold on, Grand Warlock. They only want to come temporarily. Mom says three-month rez only,” Dre’Kariston cautioned his brother.
“Fine, we’ll get them here for three months. Once they are here, we’ll talk them into staying forever.”
“We’re on the exact same page.”
“We need to get this spell perfected as soon as possible, and it did occur to me that your parents might be able to help us craft one to fix our little Carvallius problem,” Chander suggested.
Dre’Kariston swung his legs over the side of the bed and got to his feet. “Good idea. We haven’t gotten anywhere in our goal of not only getting him out of his current skeletal form but finding a way to ensure that when we kill him no one ever resurrects him again.”
“Whenever we find that granddaughter of his, we’ll cast the same damn spell on her too. Those two are dangerous,” Vadimas said.
Delaney rubbed his hands together. “Okay, so we have a spell to reunite fallen knights with their beasts. All we have to do is alter it for our Reverent Knights, and make sure it’s safe for them to be reunited—since they’re already alive.”
“I think we’ll need them unconscious,” Idris commented.
“We don’t know how long of a recovery time their bodies will need for this kind of thing. We’re going to have to discuss this with Drystan and Conley. They’re the leaders of their people, and they’ll need to make arrangements with their Venerable Knights to cover for them while they’re sleeping,” Dra’Kaedan stated.
“Let’s give them a call and start tailoring that spell of yours, Del,” Chander suggested. “I don’t think it’s going to be too hard of a process, and the Reverent Knights might even have some suggestions.”
“Okay, this whole thing was your idea, Chand. You give them a call, and I’ll go tell our king that we’re going to have visitors soon,” Dre’Kariston replied.
Chander pulled his phone out of his pocket with a grin and tapped on the screen. Dre’Kariston pushed aside every emotion except determination and along with his brother who was on his heels in an instant, headed to Aleksander’s office to inform him of their future guests. He couldn’t wait to have his parents at his side; then he’d figure out how to convince them there wasn’t anything for them to return to in death.
As daunting of a task as that would be, it was still easier in Dre’Kariston’s mind than reconciling his feelings for Somerly. He wished their amazing group of sorcerers would be willing to craft a spell that could mend the heart or wipe the mind of horrible mates. But he doubted, even if he could convince them of the merits of such an enchantment, that there was enough magic in the world to accomplish either. No matter how he looked at it, Dre’Kariston was stuck with a broken soul.
* * *
Sergeant Brown walked back into the small room where Somerly and Lex were seated with the ridiculously handsome Worth just behind him. The police officer waved Worth toward a chair and once he was settled, the cop did the same.
“Okay, gentlemen. We’ve some paperwork to fill out; then we’ll be speaking with Emperor Draconis. It’s Saturday, so I suspect we’ll not get in touch with anyone before Monday. It’ll take us a few days to get your plane tickets arranged and paid for. We’ll set you up in a hotel close by for maybe a week or more until we can get you out of here. We don’t give the dragons your information over the phone, so you’ll hand these forms to them once you get off the plane.”
Somerly’s heart sank. “A week or more? That’s impossible. My mate—I need to get to him.”
“You’re welcome to use the phone at the hotel. All your charges will be covered by Emperor Draconis. Call him as often as you like.”
“I can’t. He’s upset with me just now.”
“We’ll fix it, Somerly,” Lex assured him. “Might be good to give him some time to cool off. Do you know where we’ll be flying to? Somerly’s mate is in Arizona.”
“That decision belongs to Emperor Draconis, I’m afraid. You’ll be flown to Council territory and will meet with a representative who will take your papers from you. I have no idea what happens after you leave here—it’s not our concern. We just want the lot of you dragons out of here.”
“What problem do you have with dragons?” Worth demanded.
“Don’t take it personally. It’s nothing to do with dragons in particular. Shifters and magickind within your Consilium Veneficus are a disorganized lot. There a
re laws but no one to police them. Humans like me have no hope of enforcing our rules. We don’t have jails that can cage any of you properly. How can we enforce anything when you can simply break out of our prisons? It adds a sense of lawlessness I can’t abide. The Council of Sorcery and Shifters have the right of it. Their Order of the Fallen Knights as well as the new Sentinel Brotherhood see to your types and have the authority and ability to make sure rules are obeyed.”
“Do you know a great deal about the Council, then?” Worth asked.
The police officer leaned back in his chair. “I’ve read a bit on them. They seem like a fair lot. It’s a better deal for you dragons, especially since your Emperor there rules everyone. Your Consilium’s run by wizards and I’ll be frank—I’ve yet to meet one I’d have a cup of tea with. Rude and arrogant is what I’ve discovered when I’m forced to talk to any of them. Shall we get this paperwork done, so we can get you settled into the hotel?”
Somerly shrugged, as did his companions. “I guess so.”
“We’ll get you a fancy suite, but it’d be better for the three of you to share it. I’ve got some prepaid cards for any expenses before you go,” Sergeant Brown explained. He opened a folder and slid a form toward each of them. “Rather self-explanatory information to be filled out. Name, date of birth, any family connections, that sort of thing.”
“What do you need to know our family connections for?” Somerly asked.
“That’s something the Emperor requests. I believe it’s so he can contact them and see if they might be interested in coming to the Council as well.”
“There’s no way my dad would be interested in joining the Council. Do I have to put his name down?”
“He’s right. Boian would sooner slit his own throat than follow the Emperor. He’s rather fond of making his own rules and denying Fate,” Worth added.
“It’s not a requirement. We’ll keep a copy and shove it in a folder to be destroyed later. If you think it would be a bad thing for your father to be contacted by the Emperor, then leave it off. You’re both the sons of a king, so I imagine the Emperor already knows your father. What about your mother?”
Worth lifted one shoulder, then let it drop again. “I doubt we have the same one, and I bet Somerly knows the same information about his that I do about mine, which is to say…none at all.”
Somerly nodded. “It’s true. Dad says she died when I was young. I don’t even know her name. It was the same with my brother. He told me I had one who was dead and gave me no name at all.”
“I’m surprised he even bothered to tell you about me, but I suppose he had to say something. You were born only a few years after I was locked away. He had to be afraid someone would mention me in passing. Makes sense he created a story that I was dead. With his land so expansive, it was disgustingly easy to put me in a house few people even knew about,” Worth explained.
After scribbling his information on the form, Somerly met the strange eyes of his older brother. “I always wished you hadn’t died.”
“Quite frankly, I’m still shocked Boian didn’t have me killed. Seems fair easier than putting me up in a tower like Rapunzel.”
“All I’m wondering is how many other secrets King Boian might have,” Lex added.
“I doubt we have enough time left in our lives to uncover all the lies Boian has told,” Worth said bitterly.
“Did you have a good childhood, Worth? Dad was quite good to me,” Somerly said.
“No, he wasn’t. You were treated like a seven-year-old drakeling,” Lex countered.
“It was much the same as I grew up,” Worth replied. “He never seemed to realize I was no longer a boy. I believe he thought he was fair. I was quite headstrong and often in trouble, but I wasn’t beaten. Of course I had no idea that everything I knew was a bunch of bullshit. He crafted his own reality, and there’s going to be so much to learn when we get to the Council. I see it as a freedom of knowledge. I hope I land in a good court. As horrid as it was to be Boian’s son, I have not lost my desire to be amongst dragons. I just hope to serve a good king who doesn’t mind my differences.”
“What color dragon are you?” Lex asked.
“Our paths are likely to diverge, Lex. Little brother here will go to his mate and you and I will go to courts with kings willing to take us on. I see no reason to give away my secret.”
“We’ll be here for more than a week. Aren’t you going to shift?” Lex countered.
“Boian allowed me to shift once a month and only under the cover of darkness. It’s been a week since my last dragonflight. I’m good to go for a while yet.”
“I’d rather us not be separated,” Somerly said.
“What was the name of your mate again?” Worth asked.
“Grand Summoner Dre’Kariston D’Vaire.”
Worth nodded. “He’s got the last name D’Vaire, but he’s no dragon.”
“King Aleksander runs a sanctuary open to all races. His first, Duke Brogan, is mated to Dre’Kariston’s brother, the Grand Warlock.”
“A sanctuary for all races eh? Have you met many sorts, then?”
“I’ve met warlocks, wizards, necromancers, sentinels, elves, a Kellas cat shifter, two baby dragon familiars, and even a unique hybrid who’s the son of the Reverent Knights who lead the Order of the Fallen Knights. They seem like fine people.”
“I envy you, and given that Boian hates his stinking guts, I’d like to meet your King Aleksander someday,” Worth said.
“I’ll find a way for you to meet him. I’d like to see your face when you do—considering the resemblance between you, which I still don’t understand.”
“It’s a mystery for sure. I hope you’re a man of your word, Somerly. I’d like to meet D’Vaire.”
“Lads, if you’re finished pining for the future, I’ll take those forms to make copies of them,” Sergeant Brown threw in dryly.
They pushed the papers toward him and he rose. “I’ll be back to escort you to your hotel.”
“You’ve been a great help to us, Sergeant Brown. We appreciate it,” Lex offered. The police officer smiled and left them alone in the room. Somerly stretched his short legs and wondered how in the world he was going to remain sane over the next week while Dre’Kariston cursed his name somewhere in Arizona. He also hoped when he did finally get to the Council, he’d find a way to keep Lex and the older brother he’d thought was dead close to him. No matter what, anxiety was going to reign supreme until his future could be decided. One thing was for sure; the most important task ahead was convincing Dre’Kariston he was worth a second shot.
Chapter 25
“Con, would you put on some pants? Chand’s waiting for us at D’Vaire.”
Reverent Knight Conley Gylde-Kempe yanked a pair of jeans from a dresser drawer, and Drystan enjoyed the view as he wiggled into them. Though it was a shame to cover up his mate’s tempting cheetah-print undies, he was curious why the Arch Lich invited them to Court D’Vaire. It wasn’t as if they didn’t visit frequently; their only child and his mate lived there. It was odd that Chander not only requested the presence of Drystan and Conley but wanted them to drop everything on a Saturday afternoon to do it.
“He didn’t say anything about what he wanted?” Conley asked.
“Nope, just wanted to know if we could come right away.”
Conley’s expression was sly. “I don’t know if I can come right away, I just did…what, twenty minutes ago?”
“He’s damn lucky we were done when he called. Otherwise I wouldn’t have answered my phone.”
“Seriously Drys, if you picked up your cell while we were fucking, I’d slit your throat.”
“I’m an immortal fallen knight. Good luck with that.”
“Speaking of immortal, you know the last time we were invited to D’Vaire on short notice with no details was when they asked Mom and Dad to drink that potion.”
Drystan nodded as he thought about the day Chander and his sorcerer friends gave King Aeron
and Queen Helen Beradraconis a lifespan as long as the one he shared with his mate. It was a gift with no equal, and it still amazed him that they’d accomplished it. “Well, I can’t imagine how you top that, but we won’t know what’s up until you finish putting on your clothes.”
Conley opened a drawer and pulled a black T-shirt out. He unfolded it and tugged it over his head. “Yeah, yeah. I’m getting there. You don’t have shoes on.”
Sitting on the bed, Drystan shoved his feet into a pair of sneakers. Only seconds later, Conley dropped down next to him and leaned over to brush their lips together in a brief kiss, then put on his own footwear.
“Let’s go,” Conley said a moment before he shimmered out of the room.
Drystan teleported out right after him and found himself on the front porch of the D’Vaire mansion. His impatient mate had already pounded on one of the large double doors. “You could’ve rung the bell.”
Conley turned and grinned at him. “More fun to knock.”
The door opened, and Duke Brogan D’Vairedraconis was framed in the doorway. “Are we being raided by the fallen knights?”
“Nope, we got an invitation and everything,” Conley said.
“Then explain to me why you’re out here banging on my door when you’re family and usually teleport right into the house.”
“More fun to keep you on your toes.”
Brogan rolled his eyes. “Get in here. Everyone’s waiting for you in Aleksander’s office.”
“Everyone?” Drystan echoed as he followed Brogan into the house.
“Well, not everyone. A crazy group of sorcerers, Alaric, Aleksander, and Mac.”
“No Roger?” Conley asked.
“Please. I don’t even bother mentioning him. You know if Mac’s there, Roger’s curled up on his shoulder. Idris’s familiar thinks that’s his home.”
“Be grateful your mate’s familiar doesn’t do the same thing,” Conley teased.
The Summoner's Path (D'Vaire, Book 10) Page 18
