The two exuberant dragons tackled the familiar to the deck, and Rorie laughed. “You have my blessings too, my beautiful Faedrekan. On our return home, Drekkoril and I will make sure you have a setup as wonderful as the D’Vaires have built for you here.”
The pretty mood that had built in Renny as he watched Drekkoril gently push away the happy Faedrekan popped at Rorie’s words. Although he liked the fairy, they’d made no genuine progress in getting to know one another. In nearly every conversation, it was impossible to dodge their different visions for the future.
Rorie might not be able to get home yet, but he was determined. The question was, how in the world were they ever going to manage the physical demands of Rorie needing Renny in proximity to survive? Renny was no closer to figuring it out, and it left him frustrated because the last thing he wanted was tension between him and his mate. Each day, he practiced patience and tried not to get mad when Rorie quietly assumed everything was going to fall into place the way he wanted without compromise.
∞∞∞
The D’Vaire household was festive as the entire extended family was visiting for the weekend. As much as Rorie loved his new pajamas, he’d decided to don his normal attire to be introduced to the shifters, sorcerers, elves, and undead that had descended upon Aleksander and Rafe’s home. It was beautiful to see the love flowing through the happy souls, and it made Rorie ache, for he did not understand how to solve his issue with Renny.
Rorie had no trouble understanding the depth of Renny’s roots, but it wasn’t as if he could walk away from his homeland. If not for his own personal reasons, at the very least, he had to be cognizant that Drekkoril had a duty. Bétea had selected him as ruler, and without Rorie around him for roughly eight hours of a Fae day, which had twenty-five hours instead of earth’s twenty-four, Drekkoril’s magic would slowly wilt, killing him.
What Rorie could not comprehend was why Renny was so reluctant to discuss the issue or come to any resolution. The door behind Rorie opened, and his smile bloomed as the stunning warlock familiar he’d been blessed with ventured outside. They had tremendous issues, but Renny was so handsome and intelligent, Rorie could not be sad to know him.
“Are you overwhelmed?” Renny asked, his deep blue eyes full of concern.
“In the best way. Your family is large and beautiful. I always wished for such.”
“I hope you know that you’re a part of it now too.”
“I have felt such warmth from everyone. They strive not to make either myself or Drekkoril outsiders.” They stared at each other for several minutes, and neither of them could do anything about the weird distance that sat between them like a large boulder. Rorie wove a bit of magic between his hands and smiled as his vision was created. “I wanted to give you a wand for your collection.”
Renny lifted a hand, then pulled it back. “I’m almost afraid to touch it,” he whispered reverently. “You recreated Orlami and Zurenzi perfectly.”
“There is a surprise. Go on and place a finger upon Orlami’s or Zurenzi’s head.”
With a grin, Renny did as he was asked. His charming laugh filtered out as both dragons, wrapped sinuously around each other, opened their mouths to breathe fire. “You’ve outdone every other wand I own with this. Are you sure you want me to have it?”
“I have been thinking on it for days now to create one that was worthy of the collection already in your room. If you do not take it, I will shatter it,” Rorie answered with a shrug, holding it out. The wand had no value to Rorie without Renny accepting it.
“Okay, don’t do that,” Renny begged, taking the object from Rorie’s grasp. “I can’t believe how incredible this is, thank you. Why did you make their fire pink and purple? I’ve only seen them use fire in oranges and yellows.”
“It reminded me of my homeland. The sky ranges between those two colors.”
“It must be beautiful.”
“It is.”
“I hope I’m able to visit someday,” Renny answered softly. “I should go put this inside. Are you coming back in? Noirin and Kendrick are putting together a crostini bar.”
“Give me another moment to enjoy the night air and yes, I will join you for whatever a crostini is.”
“There are going to be different wines, too. We’re even going to let the wolves and baby dragons have some.”
“The entire family will enjoy this?”
“Absolutely,” Renny said. “I’ll see you in a few minutes, okay?”
“Yes, I promise not to dally.”
When Renny disappeared into the house, Rorie rubbed a finger across the stone on his hand and the two dragons emerged from the privacy of the now single tent that was their private home outside their lagoon. “How it makes my heart happy to watch you together,” he told Orlami and Zurenzi, meeting them halfway in the yard. Both Faedrekan licked his face, and Rorie delighted in their exuberance. Like him, they led with their emotions. “Friends, I need your help. I wish for asiramen v’airsell niollbut fear Renny and I will never arrive at such an auspicious day. He cannot understand my desire to return, and I fail to comprehend why I can remember nothing of how I came to be here.”
Orlami lay on the ground, and a blue glow formed around his body. Seconds later, Zurenzi lowered next to him, and a cream aura swept over him.
“I had not expected to use the scales of you both, but perhaps it would be best to get the truth from two sources. You are both connected at the soul so, Zurenzi, you should have power too. This gathering of D’Vaires is perfect for such a dream. We will take them to the land of the Fae, so they can understand the beauty of our homeland and the responsibilities that await us. I must know what happened. How did Drekkoril and I wind up on this realm? Make no mistake, I am happy to have met Renny, but I cannot rest without the answers to my questions.”
When Orlami finished shedding a fine layer of his scales, Rorie bent to gather the skin. “Drekkoril would beg me for patience and suggest I ask the D’Vaires if they will travel through our dream, but I fear it will take time to get consent. I will not regret giving in to this impulse. The longer this stalemate goes on between Renny and me, the larger the impact it will have on whatever future we might have. I cannot stomach losing such a marvelous man. They tell me of the demonic spell to release us both, but how can I consider such a notion? And would it work upon a Fae? I have no wish to know.”
Zurenzi dragged his offering to Rorie, who accepted it gratefully. Closing his eyes, he crushed them and wove a spell of invisibility to hide them. Once that was complete, he pulled magic up from the root of his soul and cast the spell that would bring everyone in the house into a dream led by the two Faedrekan. There would be no lies, and it would not end until both beasts were satisfied. Rorie hoped it included every answer he needed.
