She pushed the papers toward the pair, then turned her computer to face Lex. “Here’s the application. Be as specific and thorough as you can. It’s late Friday afternoon. I’m afraid we probably won’t hear anything back from anyone before Monday.”
“Thanks so much, Tillie,” Lex said as tapped the keyboard. Tillie headed out the door to make her call.
“I don’t feel right going to D’Vaire knowing Lex might not make the trip. You both hardly know me. I mean, it’ll make me overjoyed to spend even a night under dear old dad’s hated enemy’s roof, but I don’t deal well with guilt,” Worth offered.
“Please, Somerly’s your brother. You’ve gotten on well with him this past week. This will give you the chance to be close,” Lex argued, never taking his eyes off the screen.
“Be sure and say you’re best friends with me and Worth on that application,” Somerly instructed.
“Lex has known me for six days. I doubt he would call me a best friend.”
“With more time, we will be, so settle down,” Lex countered.
“Has anyone ever told you how bossy you are?” Worth asked.
“A time or two in bed.”
Worth leaned back in his chair. “Don’t talk about sex—it’s about a century since I’ve been with a man.”
Before anyone could reply to Worth’s statement, Tillie walked back into the room. She had a pinched look on her face, which made Somerly’s gut churn. After taking a seat at the table with them, she said, “The Emperor was able to take my call. I told him everything I could about your situation. He wasn’t aware that the Grand Summoner had met his mate but was willing to call him immediately to tell him you were here. As I explained, the Council puts mates above all else, but there are sometimes extenuating circumstances. He was adamant that Court D’Vaire remain closed for the next few days. He revealed that the Reverent Knights—those are the men in charge of the Order of the Fallen Knights—are undergoing a necessary large-scale spell. It’s important for their safety that no visitors arrive at D’Vaire.”
Somerly’s temples pounded with a sudden and ferocious headache. There were a million and one obstacles in his path. All he wanted to do was talk to Dre’Kariston, to try and make him understand why he’d lied. And most importantly, assure him that he wouldn’t be marrying Lucretia. Somerly needed Dre’Kariston to know he wanted him and no one else.
Lex was still tapping keys, and Worth offered Somerly a shrug. None of them knew what to do. Tillie’s face was full of compassion for the situation, and she opened her mouth to say more but her phone rang.
She answered it and greeted the caller. Somerly couldn’t hear who was on the other line, but it didn’t look like good news. Tillie’s eyes dropped to the table, and minutes later she said good-bye. Her sad gaze landed on Somerly. “That was the Emperor. He’s informed the Grand Summoner of your arrival. I’m afraid the Grand Summoner is unwilling to address the situation at all until after the weekend.”
Somerly nodded without thought. It was just as he suspected; Dre’Kariston was going to fight this every step of the way. Somerly deserved all his ire, and he couldn’t fix any of it until Dre’Kariston was willing to listen. “Thanks, Tillie. You’ve been a great help.”
All he could do now was wait and hope that someday he had the chance to at least say he was sorry.
Chapter 28
When Dre’Kariston woke up from his potion-induced sleep, he was glad to find that he wasn’t groggy. He got out of bed and his stomach grumbled as he headed over to the shower. Once he got the hot water steaming up the room, he climbed in and stuck his head under the spray. Although he was well-rested, the weight of his emotions still hung heavy around him, but he couldn’t deal with Somerly; he had to stay focused on the evening ahead. Scrubbing first his hair and then his body, Dre’Kariston made efficient work of getting clean.
Shutting off the tap and quickly drying himself, he headed for his dresser and pulled out clothes. They were as dark as his magic and suited him perfectly. As he left his private space behind, he realized he’d neglected to run a comb through his thick curls. It didn’t slow his progress toward the kitchen; he simply used his fingers to untangle it. When he got to his destination, his presence was immediately noted.
“If your hair dries like that, you’re going to look like a deranged clown,” his annoying sibling said.
“Who’s looking at it anyway?”
Dra’Kaedan let out a long, dramatic sigh. “How did you sleep?”
“Good. Del’s potion worked perfectly. My mind’s clear.”
“Music to my ears,” Drystan said.
“Don’t get nervous. You and Conley are going to be fine,” Dre’Kariston assured him. He grabbed a plate and heaped it with food, then took a seat next to his brother. As usual, when Dra’Kaedan was eating, the outside world ceased to exist. In this case, it was a nice thing because he didn’t want his twin badgering him about how he was feeling or insisting he needed to take better care of himself.
“The only thing I’m nervous about is the amount of pleasure Alaric’s going to take in tranquilizing us,” Drystan responded.
“It seems fair to me. You once did the same to me,” Alaric argued.
“You’re welcome. You needed that spell removed so you’d stop spouting sentinel stuff all the time,” Conley countered.
“I’m not saying I regret being tranquilized, but I also like the idea of getting a little payback,” Alaric retorted.
“I think Ben and I should get to tranq them,” Daemon Lord Baxter Daray interjected. He and his mate were responsible for protecting the Arch Lich. They were tranquilized twice that Dre’Kariston knew about—once by the Arch Lich when he’d cast a spell freeing the sentinels from their soulbinding to necromancers, and the first time they were knocked out was courtesy of the Reverent Knights when Chander fell gravely ill.
“Too bad,” Alaric replied. “I’m doing it.”
“Why do you get to tranq them both?” Baxter asked.
Alaric’s grin was feral. “Because I’m the Lich Sentinel and you aren’t.”
“Must be nice to be our leader and take away everyone’s fun,” Baxter grumbled.
“I’m a little scared about the line forming to tranq us,” Conley told Drystan.
“We’re going to have to make sure they never get their hands on our weapons again,” Drystan agreed.
“I hate to disrupt this fascinating conversation,” Aleksander said from behind Dre’Kariston. He’d been so busy eating his dinner, he hadn’t even noticed his king walk into the room. “But the Emperor’s on the phone. Dre’Kariston, he’d like to speak with you.”
Wiping his mouth with his napkin, he took the phone from Aleksander. “Hey, Chrys.”
“Thanks for taking my call, Dre’Kariston. I know you’ve got a busy schedule for the evening, but do you remember those three dragons I told you about coming from the Consilium?”
“Yes,” Dre’Kariston responded warily as his heart thumped erratically. There was only one reason Chrysander would take time to speak to him personally about three dragons coming over from the Consilium Veneficus, and Dre’Kariston guessed one of their new Council members was Somerly.
“One of them has filled out a form claiming that he’s your mate.”
In this case, it wasn’t nice for Dre’Kariston’s suspicion to be correct. “My mate did belong to the Consilium, but things between us didn’t work out. I don’t have the time or the energy to deal with this right now. There are a lot of people counting on me, and I need to be focused on my task. I know how the Council works and that mates come first, but I can’t deal with this until after this weekend.”
“I’m very sorry to hear that your relationship with your mate is strained. It does give me some insight into why we suddenly have three dragons wishing to join the Council. That doesn’t happen every day. I know how important this evening is to you, and I don’t want to do anything to impede your spell. The excitement of the dragons a
side, it’s not every day you get to have your parents resurrected. I’m perfectly okay with telling him he has to wait.”
“Thanks, Chrys, I appreciate it. If you could wait until Monday or Tuesday to file that form with the fallen knights, I’d be very grateful.”
“Considering your rank and the fact that the Reverent Knights are your family, that form would go straight to Drystan and Conley anyway. I’ll save it until they can deal with it personally. Best of luck tonight. I’ll be thinking about you guys, and I hope you have a wonderful reunion with your parents.”
The prospect of seeing his folks rose in his mind and brought such a welcome feeling of happiness, it softened the sharp pit of anger and bitterness Somerly created inside him. “Thanks again. I’m beside myself about being with them. It doesn’t seem real yet. Aleksander will give you a call when it’s done.”
They said their good-byes, and after Dre’Kariston handed the phone back to Aleksander, every person in the room was staring at him. “What?”
“We only heard your half of the conversation,” Dra’Kaedan responded.
“One of the three dragons who’ve come to join the Council is Somerly.”
“Thank Fate he’s come to his senses. He wouldn’t be here if not for you,” Dra’Kaedan replied.
“I don’t care. I can’t deal with it right now.”
“Don’t say you don’t care. You do. That’s why it hurts so much. If you want to wait until after this weekend, that’s okay…but try to find some reason to remain optimistic.”
“He may have joined the Council, but he’s still a liar. And we don’t even know who his two companions are. One of them could be his damn wife for all we know.”
“Okay, don’t make yourself crazy. I’m sorry, I should’ve quit while I was ahead. Let’s just get ready to do this.”
“Fine with me. Drystan and Conley, Chrys is going to give you guys the mate form Somerly filled out when you’re back at work. I’ll sign it or whatever, then.”
“I’m glad you’re willing to sign it,” Dra’Kaedan remarked.
Dre’Kariston gave his brother a bored look. “It’s not as if I have much choice. He is my mate, and I’m not going to put anyone through a court battle to make him prove it.”
“I do have to inform you that once it’s signed, I have a legal obligation to give him your address,” Drystan cautioned.
“He can knock on the fucking door if he wants—that doesn’t mean I’ll talk to him.”
“Okay, let’s get set up for our spell before Dre’Kariston has to open that Pandora’s box of pain his mate gave him,” Renny said.
“You know, the other two dragons are probably his dad and the woman he’s either going to marry or has already married,” Derwin pointed out. “If he told them about you, they’d realize you’re wealthy and powerful. If he can prove you guys are mates, he can push for a separation agreement. Wouldn’t that guarantee him a certain portion of the fortune Aleksander gave you?”
“Nope. We’re absolutely not doing this. If you aren’t going to be supportive, then you can leave your warlock alone,” Dra’Kaedan stated with his fists clenched.
“You wouldn’t be getting pissed off if it wasn’t a real possibility that those two dragons are exactly who I said,” Derwin taunted.
“Enough!” Dra’Kaedan yelled. “There’s no reason for you to be so hurtful. He’s done nothing but care for you. I don’t know why the hell you’re so bitter. What, because you had to take care of him for a few years? He had to battle a fuckhead who started a war that led to the murders of all our people. Get over yourself. Look around you. You’ve got everything anyone could want at their disposal. And all you want to do is cause him pain. I’m not going to listen to it any longer!”
“Fine talk for a man who sat in a cottage while the rest of us suffered,” Derwin shouted back.
His brother’s cheeks flushed with anger, and Dre’Kariston held up a hand before Dra’Kaedan could get a word out. “Derwin, you don’t have to like me. That’s not a necessity. We’re bound by our magic because that was Fate’s choice for us. I’m sorry your life didn’t turn out the way you wanted. But you know what? Neither did mine. And tonight, I have the opportunity to have the two people who gave me life back at my side. I’m not going to let you tarnish that. I don’t know who those two dragons with Somerly are. I’ll find out next week, and that’s when I will deal with it. I don’t have the answers, and I couldn’t give a fuck less. In the meantime, you need to treat everyone in this house with respect, including me. It’s something I’ve always done for you, even when you didn’t deserve it.”
“Fuck you, Dre’Kariston,” Derwin spat out. “You’re right. I don’t have to like you. I never have. My entire life has been a disaster, and all you do is make it worse.” Dre’Kariston’s familiar turned on his heel and stomped out of the room. Dra’Kaedan made a move to go after him, but Dre’Kariston placed a hand on his arm.
“Leave him be. He gets to decide how he perceives the world and his role in it. I doubt he’s going to forgive me for going dark or any of the other things he believes I’ve done with the intention of hurting him. I don’t know what went wrong there. My magic was in flux, and I don’t know if that affected his mind or perspective. You can’t change it, so there’s no use getting into a screaming match with him.”
“I know you’re right, but I hate hearing him tear into you.”
“That’s because you’re my brother and you love me. I’m grateful for that, more than I can ever tell you. I lost you for six centuries. I can’t have you locked up for choking him to death.”
Dra’Kaedan let out a chuckle. “I don’t think you can choke a familiar to death. Hey Renny, come over here and let’s test the theory.”
Renny swiped a tear from his cheek and laughed. “Your sense of humor sucks, you know that? I’m just going to ignore you and hug your brother. Then I’m going to tell your mom you threatened me.”
“No, don’t do that. She ruled over familiars. That was her thing and she loved it. Always championed their cause. If you tell her I was mean to you she’ll punish me,” Dra’Kaedan pleaded as Dre’Kariston was embraced by Renny.
“Oh, good. I’m going to hold that over your head every time you’re a jerk.”
“I would expect nothing less.”
“Okay, I can’t deal with any more emotional shit. It’s time to play with some fucking magic, gentlemen,” Dre’Kariston ordered.
“Let’s go to their room, so I can shoot Drystan and Conley,” Alaric said.
“He does know he only gets to shoot each of us once, right?” Conley asked Chander as the D’Vaires and their guests brought their plates to the dishwasher. The select group of people who were participating as well as their mates headed toward the room Noirin had designated for the Reverent Knights years ago.
“I’ll have Bax and Ben wrestle the gun from his hand if he gets overzealous,” Chander promised.
“That’s not very reassuring since they want to shoot us too,” Drystan retorted.
“Maybe you should stop shooting sentinels—then you wouldn’t have so many ready and willing to take you down,” Alaric advised.
“Maybe sentinels should learn not to hold grudges,” Conley remarked.
“Sometimes grudges are the only things people have to protect them from being hurt again,” Dre’Kariston said. “Remembering the pain someone has caused you is a weapon against future heartbreak.”
“But having an open heart gives you room to love again,” Conley returned. Dre’Kariston didn’t offer a reply; he knew how important it was to be a forgiving person, but he just wasn’t in a place where it was possible for him. And the truth was, he wasn’t ready to show mercy. Somerly had torn him apart, and he was in no mood for compromise.
Chapter 29
Former Grand Summoner Saura Leolinnia laughed as Reverent Knight Conley’s dragon licked her hand. The tip of his giant scratchy tongue tickled her, but she welcomed the affection from t
he magnificent beast. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed the half-demonic soul of a man who wasn’t dead like her.
“Chander, how great to see you again,” she offered to their guest. “I take it you had no problem following the trail my son left for you.”
“No, it was very easy to shadow walk back to the same spot we took the last time we were here. I can’t stay long as I didn’t drink much tea. I need my energy for the spells we’re casting tonight, but I want to go over a couple of things before we get started. How comfortable are you with your plans to pull the dragons over the veil?”
“Well, there’s no way to say for sure that they’re on board. We’ve discussed it at great length with the pair. I have no way of knowing how much they comprehend of our plan but in the last few days, they’ve hovered closer and today they didn’t fly at all. They’ve been less than an arm’s length away. I believe they want this. What kind of spell did you create for tonight?” T’Eirick asked.
There was excitement in the pewter eyes of the man Fate chose to lead the Order of Necromancia. His enthusiasm was infectious, and it soothed her nerves over taking the choice away from two dragons who had no way of refusing them. She understood how powerful Chander was, and he had the help of others with the same determination.
“So, here’s the deal. I’m going to resurrect you one at a time. You can decide who’d like to go first. The spell will give you three months of life. Your end won’t be painful, you’ll feel a strong compulsion to sleep when the time’s up, and you’ll slip back across the veil. I can’t give you power—I don’t how to do that, but it will turn your soul dark. You were both light casters in life, so I wanted to say that, even though I’m sure you were already aware of that change. I can grant you the ability to teleport, and you won’t be wired so I can summon you. That’s unnecessary, and it feels wrong given who you are. As you’re resurrected, we thought each of you could guide a dragon over. When I feel the presence of the dragon, I can use a resurrection spell on them; then one of the other dark sorcerers will essentially encase the beast in a bubble to prevent them from being lost as they cross the veil. That bubble can be placed inside one of the Reverent Knights. Dre’Kariston will be handling the dragon you bring, Saura, and High Arcanist Delaney D’Vaire will take care of yours, T’Eirick.”
The Summoner's Path (D'Vaire, Book 10) Page 21
