Chapter 11
Still smarting after a thorough tongue-lashing from Adney about unsuitable things to discuss with weapon-toting barbarians, Drexley walked into the library.
Ducarius was already there, but his welcoming smile died as Drexley approached the seating area where the other sentinel was planted with a book on his lap.
“What is wrong?” Ducarius asked.
Drexley took a moment to breathe out slowly and relax the muscles of his face to disguise any expression. “Nothing, did you read more of the book?”
“I am a sentinel and am often accused of lacking facial expressions. You are freer with yours, and I could tell there was something on your mind as you walked in. While we are newly acquainted, I would like to be your friend at the very least. You are welcome to tell me to fuck off, but I can be a shoulder for you to lean on. There is a great deal of turmoil in your life right now, and it cannot be easy to handle it alone.”
Touched by Ducarius’s kindness, Drexley decided he could use a friend, and perhaps that was why Fate had sent the other sentinel to Adney’s realm now. “My heart aches for what Adney is enduring. I do not want him to die.”
“You may find it hard to believe, but I understand. I lost a dear family member, and the grief never truly goes away. Adney is lucky to have you. Nothing you are going through is easy, and I want you to know you can count on me to be here for you. Scream, cry, yell, or do whatever else makes you feel better as you face this tragedy. I will be here to listen or do whatever else you need.”
Tears threatened, and Drexley offered a grateful smile to Ducarius.
“Thank you. I believe you; I can see the sorrow in your eyes. I am sorry for your loss. Each morning, I wake up telling myself I can handle this, but then I am confronted with the agony on Adney’s face.
What I want most is to take away his pain, but that is impossible. ”
Ducarius opened his mouth to speak, but it snapped shut. He hopped to his feet as the castle shuddered around them. The grinding of stones made Drexley wince. A loud boom followed, but Drexley did not move.
“What the fuck was that?” Ducarius demanded, his hands reaching for the hilt of his daggers.
“More of the land surrounding the castle has crumbled,” Drexley explained sadly.
“The first time it happened was long ago now. It was infrequent at first but is now happening weekly or quicker. Adney’s magic is failing along with his health.
I am afraid it will not be long until the castle itself is torn apart. ”
“This is unsafe, Drexley. What if Adney is hurt? It is his magic holding us here. He is the only one who can decide whether you leave. Have you considered that it might be better for you both to travel to the Council now? It would give you a chance to acquaint yourself with everything that has changed in the last five centuries and give Adney every resource available so he is not suffering needlessly or hurt by his home turning to dust beneath his feet.”
Drexley bit his lip and wished he could hide his feelings, but Ducarius was right. Lying for a sentinel was either impossible or difficult. Much too damn hard for Drexley to contrive untruths when his heart was aching.
“Adney wishes to die in his castle. Even if he wanted to leave, he already told us he lacks the magic to change the spell containing us. I cannot perish, so I will survive the destruction of his realm. And the last thing I want to do is speed up my trip to somewhere beyond this place. I like my life. It has been wonderful being here with Adney. I have no choice but to start fresh, but I am in no rush to go anywhere.”
“Drexley, I know you are frightened, and I do not blame you for your fear, but you already know you will have to face it. And while I applaud Adney’s desire to stay in the realm he created, I believe it will make his end that much more difficult for you both.
There must be a way to leave. Another necromancer could fuel his power far from here perhaps. ”
“I will honor Adney’s wishes whether you like it or not,” Drexley stated firmly.
Ducarius bobbed his head and returned to his seat. “I appreciate your determination, and I respect how much you love Adney, but I hope you will give my words some thought.”
Since Drexley could not make a promise he refused to keep, he dropped his gaze from Ducarius’s distressed countenance to the floor. “Do you want to talk about your thoughts on the book you are reading and what you hope the ending will bring?”
“If it pleases you, I am happy to discuss the book. I am enjoying it thus far. It better have a happy ending or I will be angry with you for dragging me into its plot.”
Unperturbed by Ducarius’s threat, Drexley grinned. “Did I mention that the story is written over three books, and the first one ends with many unresolved mysteries?”
“I dislike you intensely right now, Drexley.”
“I believe you.”
“Unfortunately, your smile is making me feel better.”
“Should I frown or scowl to please you?”
“No, I prefer happiness on your face.”
Drexley didn’t care if Adney thought it was inappropriate; he enjoyed Ducarius’s compliments. His words were almost as nice as the warm feeling in Drexley’s heart, which compelled him to praise the gorgeous sentinel whenever Ducarius was near.
“You wear a smile well too, Ducarius.”
“No matter what happens or if we decide this matebond will not please us, I am glad Fate brought me here,” Ducarius said. “I am happy to have met you.”
“I never considered I would have a mate, and I remain unsure how to handle the situation, but I cannot be angry that you are here either.”
“If you would like, we can figure out what to make of Fate bringing us together.”
“I would like that.”
“Good, now go find the rest of this trilogy you have dragged me into against my will.”
Drexley chuckled as he stood to grab the other two tomes. “I promise the anticipation will be worth it; the finale should not be missed.”
“You will pay dearly if I disagree.”
“I am almost afraid to ask how I will pay.”
“Well, I am glad you did not directly phrase it as a question because I have not figured out yet how you will pay, but there must be consequences.”
“So you say. But I believe that if you do not like the stories that the fault lies with you. The saga is captivating, and everything is well written. Perhaps your sense of art is not well enough developed to enjoy a good book.”
“Do not be confused by the weapons I carry or my instincts as an assassin; I have wonderful taste. In fact, I like so many things that I find it difficult to narrow my scope. At home, my bedroom is the same gray as my old cell at the compound. I could not choose between the many lovely pictures I found, so I went with the default choice.”
“Thankfully, Adney had already designed every room in the castle, so I did not have to think about how I might like my quarters designed.”
“Interesting. I hope you find it pleasing.”
“It is a nice mixture of greens,” Drexley responded.
The design of his bedroom wasn’t something he thought about often.
It was Adney’s castle, and he made the decisions.
Since Adney was the necromancer, Drexley deferred to his judgement as he’d been taught.
Thankfully, Drexley was fond of verdant hues.
“As is the guest room I am using. It must be a favored shade of Adney’s.”
“You may be right. There are many robes in his trunks in green.”
“Do you have any robes in green?”
Drexley had a few different clothing options but nothing in green or gray. Those were the colors of his past and a forbidden part of his wardrobe despite Drexley’s keenness for his favored hue. “No.”
“I like the blue you have on today; it flatters you.”
Inordinately pleased by the compliment, Drexley’s face grew warm. “Thank you.”
“Have no fear, I do not expect you to compliment me on my clothes. I know sentinel gray offends you and Adney.”
“You cling to a past that defines you as a mindless killer.”
Something undefinable flashed in Ducarius’s eyes, then his expression went blank.
“Every person is a product of what they have endured. I am no different from anyone else. My clothing is comfortable and suits my purposes. It is favored by my people and sets us apart from other races. We were allowed to join the Council and call ourselves the Sentinel Brotherhood. We are proud of the fact that we have much in common, including our preferred shade of gray and love of training.”
“I did not intend to offend you. I have spent the past five centuries studying and molding myself into a gentleman that a necromancer can be proud to know. If you dedicated yourself to the same, you might find that you can rise above the spell that once held me back.”
“The last thing I wish to do is fight with you, so I suggest we set aside our differences about sentinels. We are individuals and can define happiness however we want. I am glad that you are content. I am too, just in a different way.”
Drexley smiled. “I am not argumentative by nature and prefer peace. You are right to suggest we avoid discussing our vastly dissimilar paths.”
“Excellent. Now, get the damn books and be quiet so I can read them.”
Amused at the order, Drexley finished his excursion to the bookshelf and plucked the two tomes from their resting spot. He handed them to Ducarius with a smile. “I will have to find another book to entertain myself.”
“It is a big library. I am sure you can find something,” Ducarius remarked as he settled into his chair and flipped open the book he had started the previous night.
Drexley noted that he was over halfway through it already.
Hoping Ducarius loved the saga as much as he did, Drexley stalked off to find something to interest him so he would not distract the other sentinel.
It was far too easy to imagine spending many hours sitting alongside Ducarius in Adney’s library.
But it would not last forever, and Drexley was afraid that Adney’s end was far too close.
His heart broke anew at the thought of a world beyond Adney’s realm and without the necromancer to guide him.
Drexley blew out a breath and decided he had no choice but to count on Fate to help him through this chapter of his life.
Drexley also thought back to Ducarius’s vow to be there for him if he wanted.
It was a tempting offer to lean on him and build a friendship.
One Drexley did not want to refuse. He could not be sure if he was up to being someone’s mate.
Adney had taught Drexley nothing about matebonds or what was expected of a partner.
But perhaps that was something Drexley could learn alongside Ducarius as they grew closer.
Was Ducarius interested in the matebond Fate had created, or was he thinking in terms of friendship alone?
Drexley knew Adney disapproved of anything developing between him and Ducarius.
The necromancer did not trust Ducarius and cursed Fate for her decision to strip sorcerers of their magic as they neared death.
Were it not for Adney’s fading sorcery, Ducarius would not be in their guest room.
While Drexley generally praised anything related to spellcasting, he was pleased to have Ducarius in Adney’s realm.
Ducarius was deeply entrenched in the idea of being a dagger-wielding assassin, but Drexley appreciated his kindness and hints of humor, and wanted to learn more about him.
It was a tiny growing light in Drexley’s precarious world, where sadness and a macabre sense of dread dominated his existence.
Opting to grab one of the romances Adney had revealed he’d collected in his youth, Drexley took a seat opposite Ducarius to read it.
The story was one Drexley had appreciated in the past, but this time he planned to pay closer attention to the interactions of the featured couple.
Perhaps he could glean some helpful hints about what made romance and matebonds successful.
If Drexley were lucky, that kind of education could play a part in his own life in the coming months and years.
Or Adney was right, and Fate had erred in dragging Ducarius to the realm.
For once, Drexley hoped Adney had made a rare error in judgement.
Drexley had no clue if he could be anyone’s mate, let alone a partner to Ducarius, but Fate did not offer second chances.
It was either make this matebond work or settle for a lonely eternity.
That thought was so unsettling, Drexley closed his book and decided a walk to clear his head would suit him. So would a few tears.