“Thank you for noticing.”
“Thank you for everything you said. I appreciate it. I’m different, though I don’t know if I agree it’s because Fate selected me for anything more than what I am.”
“Do you know what I have learned from this experience so far?”
“A great many things I’m sure you didn’t want to,” Aleksander replied seriously.
“That’s true, and one of them is that nearly everyone around me has a head as hard as a rock. Between you and Zane, I’m not sure which one I want to deck more today.”
Aleksander’s laugh rolled out. “On that note, I’m off to go study samples and log changes and results for these brilliant people trying to find this antidote.”
Chrysander waved him off and once he was alone with Ellery, still cocooned partially under one of his wings, the dragon sighed. “I wish I knew what was going on inside your head, Ell. I’d like to know how you’re handling this and what your thoughts are on who might be at fault. Words I’m finding are more necessary than I once believed, but these are the only ones I need you to hear right now. I love you.”
Ellery pulled his wing a little tighter over Chrysander’s body as he made a sound in his throat. It was all he could do to return the words that were screaming through his soul.One more piece of heartbreak to add to my growing collection, he thought miserably.
Chapter 16
Tiri balanced himself on his knees behind Zane, then picked up the brush and slid it through his dragon’s hair. He loved the feel of it in his hands and hoped Zane never tired of the length. In no hurry to end, enjoying being close to Zane, Tiri took his time bringing out the shine in the brown tresses. He was also admiring the strong muscles of his back. Zane had removed his shirt before he’d sat down on the end of the bed, and Tiri was always ready to salivate over his body. A week ago, his shoulders would have been held proudly, but now there was a slump in them.
It was no use telling Zane he should harbor no guilt over what happened to Ellery. Tiri understood time would show Zane the error of his thinking, and he along with everyone else would heal from this horrific event.
“Are you going to brush my hair all night?”
Tiri smiled, though Zane couldn’t see it. “It is my right as your mate.”
“I suppose it is.”
“I had Madeline make some new beads for you,” Tiri told him as he set the brush down. Separating a small section from the thick mass, Tiri split it into three and braided it.
“That was nice of her, but why did I need new beads? I have teal for you and black for my dragon.”
“Yes, but you’re the Ducblanc. That’s an honor you should wear with pride. I thought a braid decorated in white and gold was necessary.”
“I don’t know how long I’m going to be the Ducblanc.”
“Elf is immortal and thanks to my sprite blood, so are you. It’s a title you’ll always carry.”
Zane let out a snort. “If I do, it’s only because you’re all more stubborn than me.”
“It’s certainly not because you can’t handle the duties of your position.”
“At least one person on the administrative staff decided to drop poison in a coffee mug I handed to Elf.”
Tiri finished off his first braid and admired the contrast of the white beads and thread against Zane’s dark hair. Next to it he slid a black bead on and braided. “And you’re too smart to continue to believe that’s your fault.”
“Am I?”
“Yes, Fate would not pair me with a stupid man.”
Zane chuckled. “Believe it or not, I’m dealing with my guilt in this. I’m not sure if it’s because I truly think there was nothing else I could’ve done, or if I’m just tired of getting dirty looks and yelled at. I realized that if our family is dealing with my state of mind, it’s just more stress on top of an already volatile situation.”
“Yet your shoulders are still slumped. You’re hardly walking around with the confidence of the man who walked into my village that day.”
His dragon let out a long sigh. “That’s because letting my guilt go is allowing a whole heaping pile of frustration in to take its place. The entire investigation is being run by the fallen knights and sentinels. Their abilities outreach dragons, so I can’t pull rank just to soothe my ego. I have too much time on my hands and no real way to help Elf. I can’t work on the cure. What the hell do I know about sorcery and potions? I feel powerless, which I imagine is only a fraction of what Elf himself is going through. I wish I could do more to help him.”
“I do wish there was more we could do for Elf too,” Tiri said as he finished off the second braid and got to work on the third. “Who do you think in the office might be responsible?”
“I wish I knew, baby.”
