“I’m sure you already know this, but I do feel it necessary to point out that in no piece of my brain or my heart do I believe you had anything to do with this. We need to know where you got the cup and who might have tainted it before you handed it to Ell.”
The Ducblanc didn’t say a word as he continued his trek behind two of the Skeleton Seven. Chrysander would take Zane to task later over his inability to believe his words but for now, he had to know how to help Ellery.
“Who the fuck would make a potion to piss off a dragon?” Dra’Kaedan asked no one in particular.
“Let’s hope that’s all it does,” Chander responded.
“Ell, we’re going to need a sample of your blood. Will you calm down, so we can do that?” Chrysander asked. The dragon inside the bubble huffed out another plume of smoke.
“Might I make a suggestion?” Vadimas asked.
“Of course.”
“He either cannot or will not shift back to elven form. Perhaps his dragon would respond better to his own mate. I think you should shift.”
“It’s a good idea,” Damian said. “Plus, you’re the only dragon as strong as he is.”
“Relax, Ell. I’m going to go behind the changing room and shift into dragon form. I’ll be right back.” Chrysander gave one last pat to the dark bubble containing his other half, then walked away to find out if his beast could help keep Ellery’s calm long enough to take a blood sample. Chrysander had to stay focused, so he tamped down the rage he felt at someone harming Ellery. His anger he could deal with later.
If he shifted while seeing red, his dragon would likely give Ellery’s a run for the money on agitation. He allowed nothing but resolve to funnel through his veins as he stripped off his suit. Once they figured out what was wrong with Ellery and how to help him, Chrysander promised himself he would allow his fury to be unleashed. One thing was for certain, someone would pay—and pay dearly—for causing even a single moment of panic in Ellery’s heart.
Chapter 9
Ellery filled his giant lungs with air, then let it slowly out. Sitting in a dark bubble of magic, his mind was spinning. It was almost impossible to get his beast to listen to reason, but the moment the gorgeous black dragon emerged from behind the changing area, he finally got some semblance of control. Taking advantage of the calm as Chrysander strode toward him on four stout legs, Ellery closed his eyes and thought of only his elven form.
It was no use—he could not shift back. Fear slid down his spine; he had no idea what was wrong with him. If someone had truly poisoned his drink, he was going to make sure that person was found. He tried not to think about how long he could possibly be stuck this way. Around him were the brightest minds and the most magic on the planet. Surely, they’d cure him as soon as possible.
His job was to make sure his dragon remained tranquil, so they could get the bloodwork they needed. Through the smoky globe, his eyes met the black orbs of Chrysander’s. Focusing on Chrysander, Ellery no longer had the urge to take to the skies. It was a welcome feeling, and he hoped he’d be an elf again soon. There was movement out of the corner of his eye, and he turned slightly to see that the Reverent Knights had arrived.
Zane must have finished answering Gavrael’s and Gedeon’s questions, because he left the deck and headed straight for Drystan and Conley.
“We have the cup you gave Ellery,” Conley said. “There are fallen knights and sentinels doing everything they can to process the scene at the office. Hopefully you guys can get a sample of what he drank so you can reverse this.”
“Thanks,” Dra’Kaedan responded as he took the mug from Conley. Several of the sorcerers disappeared into the large office building behind the D’Vaire mansion, and Ellery wished them luck.
“Ellery, we have someone here to draw blood. Can you remain calm enough for us to remove the bubble?” Vadimas asked.
With no way to communicate as he normally did, all Ellery could do was sit still to reassure the wizard he wasn’t going to start slamming himself into the ground again. It wasn’t as if he liked hurting himself; he was just too scared to fly. He didn’t have control over his dragon and had no idea where he’d wind up or if he would be mortally wounded midair.
“He seems okay, let’s go ahead and allow the bubble to dissipate slowly,” Grand Summoner Dre’Kariston said.
Around Ellery the shadowy globe disappeared in increments. The entire time Ellery was able to remain calm. The moment it was gone, his beast headed straight for Chrysander. His mate gave a dragony grunt as Ellery barreled into him. Once his white scales were pressed close to Chrysander’s black ones, he was able to lower himself to the ground, so they could easily draw the blood they needed. Ellery loved being a dragon, but he had to be an elf too otherwise there was way too much distance between him and Chrysander.
“Very nice, Your Majesty. I apologize for the slight pain this will cause,” Vadimas remarked as a nurse resolutely headed for Ellery.
Chrysander lay down next to him and Ellery’s dragon shuffled close. His other half understood how imperative it was that he be near and curled protectively around Ellery. It made his heart turn to mush as he thought of how much he was loved. Once both dragons were settled, the nurse efficiently stabbed a giant needle into one of Ellery’s front legs. When he was done, he gave Ellery a pat and handed the vial to Vadimas.
“Wonderful, let’s get to work,” Delaney said. The High Arcanist and the other remaining members of Sorcery D’Vaire headed for the building their cohorts had already disappeared into.
“Let us know if you need anything,” Aleksander commented moments before he shut the door behind him.
“Zane, I realize you just went over everything with Gavrael and Gedeon, but we’d like to interview you as well,” Drystan commented.
The Ducblanc lifted his chin, and in his eyes was resignation. It pissed Ellery off. Zane had nothing to do with him being forced into dragon form. “Of course, I’m happy to help however I can.”
“You grabbed a mug from the breakroom and poured the coffee. Did you look into the cup before you poured?” Drystan asked.
“I had to look down to get the coffee in it. It appeared to be empty.”
