Chapter 26
Long before Drexley was ready, Ducarius helped him to his feet. Drexley clung to Ducarius as the Skeleton Lord surveyed the surrounding area. The light was poor. There were some far-off structures in the distance, and the moon illuminating the ground, but there was little else to aid them.
“I hate to leave you, but I have no choice,” Ducarius complained, kissing Drexley’s cheek.
“Since I dropped it the day I fell into your realm, my cellphone is Fate only knows where and useless to us. Although I am eager to be with my family, D’Vaire is probably my best option.
I can get a teleportation stone to bring you back with me. ”
Drexley recalled that D’Vaire had a sanctuary, but he knew little else thanks to his insistence on avoiding the future.
Now, he had no choice, and he was terrified.
To Ducarius’s credit, he was flooding Drexley with endless waves of calm.
But peace was not something Drexley could find in his heart. It was too broken.
“I will be fine while you are gone,” Drexley assured Ducarius with confidence he lacked.
“You do not feel strong right now, but I assure you that you are, Drexley. I promise.”
With a nod, Drexley forced himself to step away from the man he loved. “Go.”
Ducarius scowled, but he did not argue. A cloak appeared in Ducarius’s hand, and he shrugged it on so swiftly his movements blurred. He dragged Drexley close, kissed him hard, and vanished.
Left alone, Drexley hugged himself. He was not ready for life beyond Adney’s realm.
And his mind felt strange. It was subtle, and he could not pinpoint the cause, but he assumed it was the adjustment from leaving a magical realm to standing on a planet.
There was no thrum of energy permeating Drexley.
Because the necromancer who had spent five centuries caring for him was dead.
Fresh tears wetted Drexley’s cheeks.
“Drexley?”
Grateful for the reminder that his mate was connected to him wherever they both went, Drexley smiled.
“I can hear you.”
“One more minute. That is all I need. Then I will return, okay?”
“There is no need to rush, I have not moved.”
“You are by yourself in the middle of fucking nowhere, I will not dawdle.”
For some inexplicable reason, the irritation in Ducarius’s words widened his grin. Of course Ducarius would insist on returning swiftly. Drexley’s other half was the definition of caring.
A second later, a cloaked sentinel popped into view. Drexley was hauled into Ducarius’s arms.
“I apologize for the delay,” Ducarius murmured next to Drexley’s ear. “We are going to D’Vaire first. It will be bright; it is afternoon there instead of night.”
“You have the teleportation stone you spoke of?”
“As a student of magic, you will appreciate this,” Ducarius said, shifting so he could hold his hand out and allow Drexley to view a lovely rock.
It was shiny blue-black with a dragon’s head engraved on the top.
“A spell is trapped inside. It will teleport us directly to a spot outside the gazebo in the D’Vaire garden.
Whenever you are ready, rub your thumb across the dragon to take us there. ”
Although he was wildly unprepared for whatever awaited him, Drexley had Ducarius.
Together, they would find a way to navigate their future.
Drexley blew out a breath and gathered his courage.
With his arm trembling violently, Drexley reached out and swept his thumb over the smooth stone. A pull of magic touched him.
“Close your eyes,” Ducarius reminded him. It was so rare for Drexley to use a basic skill like teleporting that he nearly forgot, so he was grateful for Ducarius’s warning.
The ground disappeared beneath his feet, and Drexley swallowed thickly.
His stomach churned as he vividly recalled being hurled through the air as Adney’s realm ceased to exist. On solid land again, Drexley was tugged into Ducarius’s embrace.
There was no need for words. Ducarius could feel Drexley’s pain and recalled horror.
Drexley buried his face in the voluminous folds of Ducarius’s cloak as his rusty sentinel abilities roared to life.
They were not alone. Six entities were nearby.
Two were almost animals, but not quite—oddly, they were sentinels too.
The other four were people. One had magic.
A lot of it, and it was not dark. The remaining three were a mixture of man and beast. Shifters.
“Who are they?” Drexley asked his mate.
“Skeleton Lord-mate Drexley Daray, allow me to introduce you to High Kings Aleksander and Rafe D’Vairedraconis,” Ducarius stated. “This is their home. Welcome to the High Draconis Court of D’Vaire.”
“Drexley,” a man exclaimed in surprise.
Turning on instinct at the sound of his voice, Drexley had to look up to meet a pair of scaly blue-black eyes with a ring of silver and gold around the pupils.
The man’s raven hair nearly brushed his shoulders, and Drexley was stunned to find navy strands mixed in with the black.
Holding his hands was a man with curly locks in the same color palette. On either side of the pair was a wolf.
“Do you know of me, Your Highness?” Drexley asked.
“I guess you didn’t mention to your mate that we don’t use royal titles around here,” drawled the first man, who had to be at least five or six inches taller than Drexley.
“No time,” Ducarius replied. He swept his hand down Drexley’s back. “The D’Vaires are family, and none of us use our titles when we are together. And Alaric has told everyone about you, Drexley; he has been worried about you for centuries. Every sentinel has.”
A man with a head of golden ringlets, who stood a good foot shorter than Drexley, waved. “Hi, I’m Dra’Kaedan since Duc doesn’t want to introduce me.”
“I was getting to it,” Ducarius retorted. He yanked the hood of his cloak off, and Drexley didn’t miss his eyeroll. “Love, this is Grand Warlock Dra’Kaedan D’Vaire. Next to him is Grand Duke Brogan D’Vairedraconis. The handsome sentinel wolves who guard the High Kings are named Nox and Mortis.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Drexley managed, then belatedly stuck his hand out to offer the men a proper greeting.
The Grand Warlock waved it off. “Don’t worry, we know all about sentinels.
No need to touch any strangers. Duc insisted we come out and introduce ourselves.
Duc, what you asked for is behind the gazebo.
When you’re done, I placed another stone inside the gazebo.
It’ll take you two directly to your bedroom at home.
No one will come out and bother you; meeting the rest of us can wait another day. ”
“Thank you, Dra’Kaedan.”
“It was wonderful to meet you, Drexley, and congratulations on your matebond,” High King Aleksander offered.
Drexley had no time to reply. The Grand Warlock cast a spell, and the D’Vaires disappeared.
Ducarius grabbed Drexley’s hand. “Come with me.”
With a nod, Drexley allowed himself to be led around the gazebo. Drexley’s mouth twisted as he took in what awaited them. A pyre covered in gray flowers rested there.
“I wanted you to have your moment to say goodbye with no distractions,” Ducarius said quietly. “Everything else can wait as long as you need.”
Grateful to have someone who understood him, Drexley offered Ducarius a watery smile as his grief dominated him.
“Thank you, this is lovely.”
“It was the best we could do on short notice,” Ducarius corrected.
He bent and grabbed a waiting torch. “You were the one who knew him best. For the past five centuries, you were united in your studies and kept each other company. It is you who should ensure that he is guided across the veil and does not linger anywhere else. Light the pyre when you are ready.”
Tightening his grip on Ducarius’s hand, Drexley used his free one to take the torch from his other half.
Together, they approached the pile of carefully laid wood, and Drexley focused on the cut blooms that reminded him of Adney’s wise gaze.
Five centuries had passed swiftly, and Drexley mourned the years erased by his poor memory.
He promised himself to cling to everything he recalled about Adney and never forget the lessons he was taught.
Thanks to Adney’s guidance, Drexley had become a scholar.
The books were now gone, but more adventures of the written word awaited him.
It would make Adney proud to know that Drexley did not abandon his education.
Adney had been a stern man but one who had cared fiercely about Drexley and his own legacy. And Drexley could hardly believe that he had to think of Adney in the past tense.
“I hope you have already found your son on the other side of the veil, though little time has passed since you left us,” Drexley whispered.
Filling his mind with a reunion between Adney and the son he had treasured, Drexley carefully touched the lit flame of the torch to the pyre.
Smoke rose as the fire was transferred, and he inhaled deeply.
The scent of a bonfire would likely forever remind him of this solemn moment.
Or so he hoped. “I am glad you are no longer in pain and that your magic overflows again, Adney. Thank you for summoning me from the compound and teaching me. I am in your debt.”
Ducarius plucked the torch from Drexley’s grasp and returned it to its spot floating above the ground thanks to the magic that had created it.
With his tears flowing in a river Drexley idly feared would never stop, he was hauled into Ducarius’s arms. Drexley clung to the man he loved as he said goodbye to the one who had molded him into a gentleman.
No matter where his future led, Drexley would remain grateful that he had known Adney and that the necromancer had invested so much of his time in offering his guidance. Drexley already missed him. Through his pain and tears, Drexley had a bright glow of light inside him.
It was Ducarius’s love and the powerful waves of caring and reassurance his other half was pushing through their mindlink. Already it comforted him.
“Can I do anything for you right now?” Ducarius asked.
“Do not let go of me. That is all I need at this moment.”
“I already had no intention of letting you go, so that is a simple task.”
“You did not always get along, but I am glad you knew him. That I am not alone in remembering him. In mourning him.”
“He was an important part of your life, and neither of us will ever forget him.”
“I wanted to be with him a little longer,” Drexley sobbed. “Just another day at the very least.”
“I am so sorry, love.”
Drexley lifted his head and forced himself to look past the now-roaring blaze of Adney’s pyre. Beyond it was an extensive garden. It made Drexley lift the corner of his mouth in a reluctant smile.
“At least I get to say goodbye in a beautiful spot.”
“This is the memorial garden. Someday I will take you through each part. It abounds with memories and beautiful statues, trees, and flowers dedicated to those lost in the lives of our extended family. We will add a spot for Adney, and we can come visit it whenever you want to take a moment to remember the centuries you spent together.”
Overwhelmed by the beauty of that, Drexley tightened his grip on his mate and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, I would like that very much. The gray flowers were stunning and made me think of Adney’s eyes. Or the colors of the castle.”
“This garden is tended by the world’s best inventors of flora. They will no doubt insist on creating something spectacular and unique to honor Adney’s spirit. If you want gray, they will be happy to oblige.”
“I will owe them a boon.”
“Good luck with that, love,” Ducarius drawled. “The D’Vaires are renowned for their generosity and their unwillingness to accept anything in return for their kindness.”
“They sound like wonderful people. I am already grateful to them for giving us this moment and the speed with which they set up Adney’s pyre.”
“I would do anything for you, and so would they. That is how family works. At least that is how ours functions.”
Drexley had not even met all of Ducarius’s family, and he didn’t yet feel like he belonged, but that was fine.
There was ample opportunity for him to offer his gratitude.
But it would have to wait until Drexley was ready to say goodbye to his past. No easy feat, but he could not stand in the D’Vaire garden forever.
So, Drexley braced himself mentally and returned his attention to the fire.
It crackled, and smoke plumed. A few singed petals danced through the air.
Drexley appreciated the wild beauty of it.
He liked to think Adney would appreciate it too.
Perhaps he was staring at the same scene from his side of the veil.
That image mended a bit of the massive cracks in Drexley’s heart. Adney was gone, and so was his realm, but his spirit lived on. With that warming him, Drexley offered his last goodbye to the necromancer.
“Thank you for being my family, Adney,” Drexley whispered.