“I still don’t understand that, dear. You share the same magic source. He would have felt the pull of the darkness since he was summoned. It’s the same one you began experiencing once you understood what power lurked inside you,” Saura commented.
“The darkness enticed me since I was a child. I imagine it was the same for you,” T’Eirick added.
“You were a dark warlock?” Somerly asked.
“I wasn’t. I was born knowing I would be Grand Warlock just as my son was. I wasn’t brave enough to change the tradition of thousands of years by embracing the true path of my magic. Dre’Kariston has more courage than I did in life,” T’Eirick supplied.
“Bullshit. Before Mom, the Grand Summoners were all dark. It wasn’t much of a stretch for me to do the same. I didn’t accept the darkness because of Derwin and the fact that there were so few warlocks in general. It seemed selfish to give up healing.”
“You can heal. It just comes at a steep cost and it’s not nearly as effective as light, but you’re immortal. You have the time to discover new ways of doing things,” Saura argued.
Before Dre’Kariston could reply, Cadlyr returned and Evlithar held out his hand. Cadlyr locked their palms together. “There are two stones gone. I’m sorry, I should’ve kept a better eye on them.”
“Nope, you aren’t going to take any guilt for this one. You can’t open the safe and count them every day. It’ll hurt the Acwellan elves and tug on the magic of all the D’Vaire sorcerers. I would even bet with that constant exposure, it’d weaken the big dome that keeps us all free from harm. My familiar broke your trust and stole from you. End of story.”
“He’s right and it’s very important, considering the circumstances, that those layers of magic protect us. Who knows what might happen if they weren’t there? I mean, come on. Carvallius was loitering around our bubble not so long ago,” Brogan added.
“I’m sorry, I must have heard you wrong,” Saura bit out in a voice thick with anger. “Maybe it’s because I’m dead and not used to being around people in the last few years, but I could’ve sworn you said the name ‘Carvallius.’ My son avenged his people and ended his life over six centuries ago.”
“Now might not be the best time to get into all this since we need a plan to find Derwin, but the former Arch Lich resurrected Latarian, Carvallius, and Le’Terrius,” Dra’Kaedan responded.
Saura put the fingertips of her right hand to her temple. “I seem to have missed a lot after we gave up our magic. What do you mean former Arch Lich? Chander’s the Fate-born leader of his people, and he was a teenager when Carvallius died. And who in their right fucking mind would resurrect any of those people?”
“Le’Terrius. I remember his name but not much more. It was rumored Carvallius murdered him. But that damn Carvallius didn’t even tell anyone his father was dead until years after the fact. By the time we could investigate, evidence was hard to come by,” T’Eirick said.
“Well, you kept up with Chand until you gave us your magic. You know what his elder council was like and how they stripped him of all his rightful power. They tried to unseat him and supposedly had a petition full of signatures from his people. Chand thought he’d let them all down and he was heartbroken because he thought Alaric cheated on him, so he resigned. Elder Sigimund became Arch Lich and he resurrected those three asshats. Le’Terrius has already returned to the other side of the veil. Sigimund was murdered by Elder Hubert. Carvallius experimented with the three remaining elders to try and give himself power. It backfired, and he wound up as a skeleton,” Dra’Kaedan explained.
“Then the fucker showed up at the edge of our property, demanding Dra’Kaedan and I help him. He wanted us to fix the spell and return him to normal,” Dre’Kariston added. The emotion in his voice had roughened it, making Somerly shiver. “Obviously I wouldn’t have done a damn thing to help that evil fuck. The fallen knights charged him with a litany of crimes, and then we slapped a Cwylld stone on his chest, rendering him unconscious. We’d like to find a way to restore him so we can execute him, but we aren’t willing to do that until we also figure out how to make it impossible for his criminal ass to ever be resurrected again.”
“And Latarian? Where’s that bitch?” Saura demanded.
“We don’t know. She’s still missing, as are the three remaining former elders. We have no idea where they are or what their plans are. That’s why we don’t want any D’Vaire traveling around without security. She kidnapped Renny and managed to get Gedeon as well. She’s capable of anything,” Dra’Kaedan said.
“She had help,” Idris replied. “But I didn’t know how evil she was.”
“You were a child she manipulated,” Dra’Kaedan shot out.
“And she also put a fucking knife in Dra’Kaedan’s chest. You were the one who saved him,” Brogan told Idris.
“For Fate’s sake, all this shit happened, and I didn’t know about any of it. I can’t even get pissed off because I wanted you both to have our magic, but it left us with nothing.” Saura’s jaw clenched. “I can’t go there right now. We need to find Derwin.”
“Saura, it’s not like the other familiars,” T’Eirick said softly.
“What other familiars, Dad? What are you talking about?” Dre’Kariston asked.
T’Eirick sighed and the blue of his eyes darkened in sadness. “In the minds of your mother and I, there were two great wars. The first one you lived through on this side of the veil. After our deaths, there was a second one.”
“There were so many people murdered in such a brief time. Anger and fear followed us as we passed from living to dead. Eldwyn, he was enraged. When the Cwylld attacked, he begged your father to embrace his darkness. He believed it would put us on the offensive. Your father’s familiar also wanted Dre’Kariston on the front lines. You were the most powerful sorcerer with your brother missing, but you were the only child we had left. As parents, we couldn’t do it and if the warlocks had any future, you needed to live. When the Cwylld destroyed our people, Eldwyn put together a rebellion. Briallen came to me and explained that she didn’t agree with him, but he was her mate. She couldn’t abandon him, and I understood. I didn’t argue with her. How could I? They call themselves the Coven of Familiars. In death, they don’t need warlocks to fuel their magic. Fate gives them freedom, and they have nothing to do with our people at all,” Saura confessed. “The only time we’ve seen them in all the centuries since was when they surprised us by showing up to help push you back across the veil. They didn’t say a word and left after the task was completed.”
“I’m sorry. I know you always worked tirelessly to champion the cause of familiars,” Dra’Kaedan offered.
“It was a painful pill to swallow, but I just want them to be happy,” Saura said. “I do miss them, though.”
“I wanted to be on the front lines fighting,” Dre’Kariston pointed out.
“You faced Carvallius. You were on the front lines, and I don’t give a shit if you wanted to do more. If you’d stayed at the castle, you would’ve been as dead as your mother and me. We made mistakes. I’m the first to admit it, but there were no easy answers,” T’Eirick retorted.
“There was nothing any of you could’ve done. My parents went after every person with warlock blood, even innocent children. Whatever choices you made or didn’t make wouldn’t have changed their savagery. Dre’Kariston’s only alive because he was smart enough to craft a spell to hide his identity,” Cadlyr insisted.
“It’ll never be easy for any of you to reconcile the war between your people. I, like everyone else here, wish the Cwylld hadn’t met the warlocks on the battlefield,” Aleksander said.
“And we need to keep focused on Derwin to make sure another life isn’t lost,” Saura added.
“Absolutely,” Aleksander agreed. “Brogan, assemble the D’Vaires. I want the entire family in the living room within ten minutes.”
“On it,” the duke promised as he got to his feet. He dropped a kiss on the top of Dr
a’Kaedan’s head and left the room. Mac was only seconds behind him.
“I’d like to help,” Somerly told Dre’Kariston quietly.
Dre’Kariston gave him a lopsided smile full of sorrow. It was at that moment that Somerly understood; the warlock had already resigned himself to nothing good coming out of Derwin’s disappearance. However, his words were light and teasing. “I believe your king just asked for his entire court to show up for duty. I’m pretty sure you don’t want to be reprimanded on your second day as a D’Vaire for failing to show up.”
“I’m such a wreck, the whole changing courts thing hasn’t even registered yet.”
Saura stood and placed a hand on Somerly’s arm. “Everything in your life has been turned upside down, but that’s the beauty of Fate. She gave you Dre’Kariston to help you through it.”
“Which is my mom’s way of not interfering in our relationship,” Dre’Kariston responded.
“Humor the dead woman, Dre’Kariston, and take your Somerly’s hand. You’ll need each other.”
Dre’Kariston might’ve been reluctant to give them a fresh start, but he did as his mother requested. Somerly’s heart swelled at the feel of Dre’Kariston’s palm against his own. He grinned despite the anxious air around them as they all piled out of Aleksander’s office toward the living room. Forcing himself to stay focused on the task at hand, Somerly hoped to hell they would be able to find Derwin quickly. He couldn’t understand what would entice the familiar to grab two rocks that drained magic and run off with them. Somerly might not have been that enamored of Derwin, but he certainly didn’t want anything bad to happen to the familiar. And the consequences of not locating Derwin were dire. Somerly wondered if Derwin realized how much peril his life was in. Or was that his point in taking the stones in the first place?
Chapter 36
“I can’t believe he’d do this,” Renny said with a shake of his head. “I told him I don’t know how many times how dangerous those stones are. I was so lucky Gedeon jumped into Latarian and Idris’s teleportation circle. If he hadn’t, Gavrael and the rest of you might not have found me before it was too late. If he doesn’t put down the fucking stones, it’s going to be a matter of days before he’s drained fully.”
“Which doesn’t leave us with much time to find him,” Aleksander said. Dre’Kariston wasn’t surprised his king had rallied the entire family and gathered them so quickly after Derwin disappeared. It made him grateful for Fate bringing them all together. As the discoveries of the last few days seeped into his brain, he nearly laughed. No matter how he looked at it, he was destined to be a D’Vaire. If Dra’Kaedan hadn’t met Brogan, Dre’Kariston would still be mated to Aleksander’s youngest brother. In the tumult inside of him, joy bubbled through at the thought of it. He squeezed Somerly’s hand for no good reason, and the dragon offered him a tentative smile.
“What’s the plan?” Dra’Kaedan asked, bringing Dre’Kariston back to the mess at hand. He was furious at his familiar for stealing from Cadlyr and leaving the sanctuary of D’Vaire. Derwin needed to be found before he hurt himself irreversibly. Then he and Dre’Kariston had to sit down and finally hash out their differences. There had to be a compromise somewhere, so they could both find some measure of happiness. He couldn’t change his magic; there was no way to return to the light but perhaps his brother was correct, and Derwin should find a place to live where he didn’t feel confined or ignored.
“Let’s figure out the most efficient way of using our resources,” Aleksander replied. “Gavrael, do you think it’s possible for the sentinels to track Derwin with the stones on him?”
“As long as he is holding the stones, I do not believe he will leave much of a magical trail to follow. It will be difficult but with luck, not impossible. Geddy, Hadley, Bridger, and I will need assistance. I would suggest we call in the rest of the Skeleton Seven,” Gavrael responded. Since Dre’Kariston had no clue which direction to even begin a search, the four D’Vaire sentinels had their work cut out for them.
“I agree, and I hope they can assist us. Give Alaric a call and see who he has available,” Aleksander directed and Skeleton Lord Gavrael D’Vaire nodded in response.
“I know I’m not a sentinel, but I do train with weapons every day and I can help,” Brexton offered. “I’m also a familiar—I don’t know if that would give me an advantage in finding Derwin but he’s one of my people, and I’d like to be a part of the search party.”
“No worries, Brex. I have the full intention of utilizing everyone in this house to locate Derwin. We’ll split up into groups. I’ll be heading up the first one. Brogan will be with me—so Mac, Dravyn, Noirin, Cadlyr, Gavrael, and Lorcan are going to lead the rest of you. I don’t care whose team you want to be on, but you will listen to whatever orders are given to you, and you will stay together no matter what. Is there anyone that would prefer to stay home? Keep in mind, the magical dome will continue to be in place. Our sorcerers will know if Derwin returns and will notify all the team leaders,” Aleksander stated. He was in full king mode and it was never more clear; the rank Fate gave him was well-deserved.
“Do the groups have to be evenly distributed? Is there a limit to the number of people that can be together?” Evlithar asked. The former Valzadari elf was a stickler for details, and Dre’Kariston was unsurprised by his need for further clarification.
“No, they don’t. In fact, people like Lorcan who can fly might prefer a smaller team or to have a sorcerer with him that can teleport. We only have a few warlocks available, but except for the twins, I’d prefer they not be bunched together,” Aleksander responded. “There’s going to be a lot of guesswork here. We don’t know why Derwin left or what his destination was, so this is essentially a blind chase. Before we leave, I’m going to ask the sentinels to go into Derwin’s room and hunt for clues. Dre’Kariston, you might want to check your room as well to see if he left you anything.”
“I will,” Dre’Kariston promised.
“Dra’Kaedan, do you have anything to add?” Aleksander asked.
“I can create an amplified scent, so to speak, for Derwin for the shifters to use to try to track him. It might help,” Dra’Kaedan said. His gaze met Dre’Kariston’s, then flicked back to where their parents were seated. “I also think Mom and Dad should stay here.”
Saura rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. What’s going to happen to us? We’re already dead.”
“She has a point,” Aleksander said. “And I’m not going to tell them they have to stay, so you lose on that score, Squirt.”
“Since everyone’s going to track Derwin, that leaves no one here to safeguard anyone. Does that mean if I decide to go out tonight, I can do it on my own?” Duff asked. The young Kellas cat shifter discovered after arriving at D’Vaire that he preferred clubbing several nights a week in Las Vegas. To this point, the two Coven Lord sentinels had given up their evenings to guard him. Privately, Dre’Kariston wondered how long the pair of men would be willing to continue to surrender their free time.
“Derwin’s disappearance doesn’t negate the very real danger Latarian poses to this family. You will not go out unescorted,” Aleksander stated.
“Oh, because that’s fair,” Duff muttered loud enough for his voice to carry across the room where Dre’Kariston was seated.
“Rather rude to disrespect your king,” Worth snapped.
“Duff, if you believe I’m being unfair, I’d be happy to discuss it with you. However, it will have to wait until Derwin is located. In the meantime, you will obey the rules I’ve set out. They exist only to protect you and the other residents of D’Vaire. Now, are there any further questions regarding our search for Derwin? I expect all of you team captains to stay in touch with me and each other. We don’t need to be crossing the same ground, and if you hit a dead end perhaps someone else can give you a new avenue,” Aleksander said. When no one offered a response, Aleksander bobbed his head in a quick nod. “Good. Find the leader you want to search with and let�
��s get rolling. Gavrael, you guys can do your search now and Dre’Kariston, let us know if you find anything.”
The meeting adjourned, and Dre’Kariston rose to his feet. Somerly didn’t seem to want to relinquish his hand, so Dre’Kariston gave a mental shrug and headed out of the living area toward his private space.
“Are we on Aleksander’s team, then?” Somerly asked.
“Unless it would be better for us to go with the sentinels, yes.”
“How are you feeling about this? Are you okay?” Somerly inquired as soon as Dre’Kariston shut them in his room.
“Angry. Confused. Furious. Worried.” Dre’Kariston shrugged. “A lot of things are floating through my brain. You gonna let go of me so I can search this place?”
“For a kiss, I will.”
Dre’Kariston smiled. He bussed the persistent dragon on the lips and as promised, Somerly released him. Pointing in the direction of the desk, Dre’Kariston said, “I’ll take this side.”
“Okay. I’ll start with the bed.”
“Don’t get in it.”
“Find Derwin,” Somerly stated as he gave him a coy look. “Then I’ll get in it.”
“Be good.”
“I plan to be.”
“Somerly, start searching.”
Without any further teasing, Somerly crossed the room, and Dre’Kariston strolled over to his desk. He assumed if Derwin wanted to leave him anything, it would be in an obvious place, but there wasn’t anything lying in plain view.
“Dre’Kariston.” It was a single word, but it held a wealth of emotion. Turning toward his mate, Dre’Kariston found Somerly with an envelope in his hand. After returning to the dragon’s side, he took it from Somerly and ripped it open. Inside was a single page in Derwin’s messy handwriting.
Dre’Kariston,
As you’ve figured out by now, I’ve taken two of the Cwylld stones. I considered taking them all, but I worried it might drain me before my plan was complete. When your mate showed his lying face back at D’Vaire, I lost hope of ever getting you to listen to reason. From the beginning, I’ve dealt with your overwhelming selfishness. You summoned me at the wrong time under the worst circumstances. It left me in pain for years and instead of healing, I had you to care for. When you were finally well again, you forced us to travel relentlessly under the guise of being human. It was a horrible existence being denied my identity and all the glory of my rank. When you finally located your worthless twin, you casually informed me that we’d be staying at some tiny court in the middle of nowhere. The Council welcomed back the Coven of Warlocks with open arms and yet once again, you deprived me of my role in it. If that were not cruel enough, you involve yourself in some silly romance with a dragon who breaks your heart. Instead of acting like a rational adult, you betray us both by going dark. I’ve had enough, and I will no longer stand for you dictating my life. You’ve made me evil, and I’ve decided to take control. I don’t want to just be separated from you, I want to destroy you and your little band of warlocks.
The Summoner's Path (D'Vaire, Book 10) Page 27
