“What do you need to do before we head back?” Damian asked.
Chrysander turned to meet his brother’s black eyes. “I have an entire staff to fire.”
Chapter 14
Wesley didn’t question Chrysander’s orders. He’d emerged from his office after meeting with the Reverent Knights and the Lich Sentinel and requested that Wesley assemble the entire staff. It was necessary, he supposed, to let them know Chrysander would be working from his newly established post at D’Vaire. Privately he wondered just how long Chrysander would keep this up. If Oklin was correct and Ellery was now permanently a dragon, he would need to deal with that reality.
While Wesley had imagined a scenario where Ellery was simply gone from any tangible form of existence, being stuck as a beast would do just as well. As Wesley made his calls to the tiny staff he now oversaw, he thought back to his conversation with the horrible wizard. That man had promised him that Ellery would vanish, and to be double-crossed was unacceptable. He was so glad he’d been smart enough to put more than the recommended amount of potion into those mugs.
If Ellery had reappeared in a few weeks, it would’ve been a disaster. The fallen knights and sentinels were still a concern. They were trying to get phone records, but it would lead nowhere. Not stupid enough to use his regular cell phone to contact Jael Giles, Wesley had bought a prepaid one which he’d destroyed after his last chat with Oklin. There would be no record of him owning such a device since he got it from some obscure little shop, so that avenue was a dead end for them.
If they’d picked up anything from the office itself, his arrest would have already happened. Wesley patted himself on the back for a job well done as he dropped the receiver into its cradle. The staff were flowing into Chrysander’s office, as he’d selected his own boardroom for this impromptu meeting. Wesley followed them, already imagining how much better it would look once they got rid of the ridiculous white furniture and decorations.
Emperor Ellery was now nothing more than a useless dragon stuck at a sanctuary where he belonged. He was a freak and not worthy of the title Fate carelessly handed him. Inwardly he kept his smile to himself as he found a seat on the other side of Damian. The Imperial Duke’s handsome face was a study of fury, but Wesley was unperturbed. It certainly burned Damian’s ass that this had happened on his watch and Wesley hated to defy him, but Fate had offered him no choice, and he had to do what was best for dragonkind.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’ll get right to the point,” Chrysander stated once everyone was seated. His jaw was tight with rage. “I’ve been informed by the Reverent Knights and the Lich Sentinel that the poison that was put in His Majesty’s cup could only have been orchestrated by one or more of you. I cannot express in words how incensed I am. I allowed the man I waited over a thousand years for to stand each day amongst you, and you chose to hurt him. My trust in you was absolute, and I willneverforget this betrayal. I feel I’m left with no choice. Effective immediately, you are all terminated.”
There were murmurs around the room and even Wesley gasped. Not in his wildest dreams had he imagined Chrysander would do something so harebrained as firing his entire staff.
“Your Majesty, we have bills to pay. Families to feed. What will we do with no income? No references for future employment?” Gary asked.
“I have spoken with the Managing Director of Draconis Enterprises. While she wasn’t willing to take on any person who may be culpable, she will determine on a case-by-case basis where you can be placed. The company is always in need of talented help, and she’s excited at the possibility of another influx of assets which might help her grow the company which sustains all dragons. However, she won’t consider anyone until you’ve been cleared by the fallen knights and the sentinels. I would suggest you be as amenable to this investigation as possible if you don’t wish to have any gaps in your employment record.”
“What can we do to help them?” Gary asked.
“Your phone records are now in their hands,” Damian commented. “I understand you’ve all been interviewed. Contact Venerable Knight Arvandus Ruarc-Daray or his mate Skeleton Lord Albrecht Ruarc-Daray, and they can schedule an additional meeting. Be as transparent and as straightforward as you can. Give them everything you can think of. They’re working as fast as they can on this investigation. If they can clear you in a day or two, then you can start at Draconis Enterprises immediately. His Majesty is willing to fill any gaps in employment if you’re innocent. We don’t want you or your family to suffer if you’ve done nothing wrong. None of you who weren’t involved will wind up unemployed, and your position will be comparable or in some cases higher than where you are now, as there is more room for growth in the company versus our office.”
“If you saw anything you think was strange or out of the ordinary, tell them. Even if you think it’s nothing, it might lead somewhere. It’s imperative that we find out who hurt His Majesty. I want you to understand—there is nothing that will stop this investigation. We will find out who among you did this. That’s undeniable. There was no one else on this floor at the time, and the potion evaporates too quick for it to have been some phantom sneaking it in the night,” Costas added.
“I placed my trust in all of you. The trust of my most important treasure, and he is at this moment stuck in dragon form with no way to communicate his own anger or frustration at this situation. I am his voice,” Chrysander growled. He stood and stared at each one of their faces for a few seconds. “I am also the hand of his vengeance. I do not take treachery lightly. I would think anyone who opened a history book and understood the lengths my brothers and I went to after the deaths of our former emperors would understand that. Now get out of my boardroom. You have exactly twenty minutes to clear your desks and get out of my building. Your cards will be reprogrammed this afternoon, not allowing you entry again. I suggest you don’t forget anything.”
Grumbles were heard from every corner, but Chrysander simply stood there. His regal chin lifted as the men and women around Wesley scurried out. Damian and Costas rose to stand on either side of their brother. It was a wall of dragon strength and somewhere deep inside of Wesley, the first real spark of fear roared to life. He sat patiently for several seconds and once he was alone with the members of the royal family, he finally got to his feet.
“Chrysander, I wouldn’t be doing my job as your office manager if I allowed myself to walk out of here, leaving you with no staff. Who will answer the phone while you’re at D’Vaire? Who will assist you in coordinating the Council bills? You need your brothers with you at such a sensitive time. I insist you allow me to stay so I can support you and your family as necessary,” Wesley stated. It was not simply his job on the line but centuries of absolute dedication. He’d sacrificed everything, including his entire bank account and quite possibly his life, to make sure Chrysander had what he needed. He couldn’t allow himself to be dismissed so easily.
“Do you think I care if the phone rings without an answer?” Chrysander snarled. For a moment, his composure cracked to show the molten rage he was carefully controlling. This was the fierce dragon Fate picked to rule over dragonkind. While Wesley could appreciate that she had not erred in her decision, he didn’t particularly want to face such a formidable beast. “My mate is suffering. That is theonlything that matters.”
“Of course, Chrys. I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise. But that’s just my point. All your energy is understandably with your mate. Allow me to handle things on this side for you. It’ll lessen the burden on you. I know how dedicated you are to not only the dragons but the entire Council. It’ll weigh on your heart if you cannot attend to everything. From my limited ability to observe, you’ve always come across as a man who holds himself to an extremely high standard. I wouldn’t wish to see guilt accumulate in your soul while you try to juggle everything Fate expects of you.” Wesley swallowed down bile as he went for broke. “Emperor Ellery has also shown a remarkable commitment to his position. It’s not only for you I want to continue but for His Majesty as well. It’s the very least I can do to help him in some way as he waits for a cure. I would even be willing to give up my salary. Money’s no object when the Emperors need me.”
Wesley sincerely hoped when Chrysander consented to allowing him to stay—because he wasn’t leaving this room until he did so—that he agreed to keep paying him. He had emptied his accounts to pay Oklin, though he’d carefully made it appear as if he was purchasing expensive works of art, and he did have a mortgage to pay. Not to mention food if he wanted to eat and all the other day-to-day expenses of life.
He watched Chrysander carefully to see if he could deduce his reaction to Wesley’s little speech, but he gave away nothing. There were bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, he noted, and the orbs were turbulent with emotions too varied and numerous to decipher. When Chrysander glanced first at Damian, then Costas, Wesley kept his body still. Victory was at hand, but his happy dance could wait until he was alone.
Chrysander let out a long sigh and his gaze hit the ceiling for a moment. “It was Ell who wanted me to come to Council session this morning. I spoke with the Arch Lich, and we were going to suspend them indefinitely, but my mate wasn’t happy. He’s the reason I’m here and the only motive I have to leave him at D’Vaire while I attend to matters of our jobs. I think he’d agree that it’s important to have at least one person here to keep things coordinated.”
“Absolutely. Ellery’s determined to make his mark on the Council world. I’ll make sure he isn’t disappointed. You won’t regret this decision, Chrysander.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to do your job for free, though. Your salary will continue. I want you to request another interview with Arvandus and Albrecht. It’s important we do what we can to find the culprit or culprits responsible for this atrocity.”
“I’ll be honest. I’m not always judicious with my funds, so I appreciate that. I will call both men and get that taken care of today.” Wesley would do as Chrysander asked, but he had no intention of implicating himself. Sentinels—and to a lesser degree, fallen knights—could sense lies but the less you said, the harder the job they had to ferret out those untruths. Wesley was smart, and he could play the game, never giving a damn thing away.
Damian got Wesley’s attention, and there was no compassion in his dark gaze. “Our office is now at D’Vaire until Elf is back. Coordinate directly with myself, Costas, or Zane. Chrys is not to be bothered. He has enough on his plate.”
“Of course, I understand. Has Sorcery D’Vaire devised any possible antidotes yet?”
“They will. Don’t worry. I know each of them well. They aren’t going to fail,” Chrysander barked.
Wesley nodded sagely and hoped Oklin’s potion was never reversed. “You three should head to D’Vaire now. Rest assured I’ll make sure everyone zooms out of here, and I will relay everything that happens here to you.”
