“I rule the Fae, Roriethiel,” Drekkoril stated. “But you are correct. We cannot stay.”
“I can’t exist without my warlock either. If my well of magic empties, I’ll die,” Renny stated with a frown. “Dra’Kaedan is a leader himself, and we’re interconnected with a large family. You’re assuming we’re all going to hop to the Fae realm, and that’s not a given.”
“But it is obvious Bétea sent us here for the sole purpose of finding you,” Rorie insisted.
“We do not know how or why we wound up here,” Drekkoril stated.
“We’ll figure out these mysteries and what the future holds. Everyone needs to be patient,” High King Rafe remarked.
“Patience is not Roriethiel’s strong suit,” Drekkoril drawled. Rorie glared but could offer no argument that wasn’t a lie. As a fairy, he was notorious for acting impulsively. It was not something he would apologize for, and Rorie liked that he went with his gut in every situation. Others might not appreciate his spirit, but Rorie did not lack confidence in himself.
It was worrisome that Renny was watching him through guarded blue eyes, and Rorie wondered what the future held. Begging Bétea for a quick resolution, Rorie devoted himself to paying attention as he was led into a throne room well-suited to even the lofty standards of a Fae. If nothing else, at least his surroundings were beautiful.
Chapter 4
Renny’s mind was whirling as he led Rorie into his bedroom. Thanks to Dra’Kaedan, another bed had already been dropped into the space while Rorie was introduced to the D’Vaires. The Fae had enthusiastically been impressed by the different races in their household, and although his manner had been stiff at the Fallen Knights’ Headquarters, it was becoming clear that it wasn’t Rorie’s usual behavior. Instead, he appeared to be a happy fairy who Renny would venture to guess was often excited.
“What are these marvels?” Rorie asked in a reverent voice.
Renny grinned as Rorie’s fingers traced the navy wand Dra’Kaedan had given him years ago when he first started his collection. A glowing golden orb was at the top and, if touched, revealed a blue dragon inside. “It’s my magic wand collection.”
“You require a stick to cast?”
“Nope, but often in books and movies, they depict sorcerers using them. I’ve always thought they were cool, and once I told everyone I wanted to start a collection, my family made it their mission to add unique ones constantly.”
“They are most lovely. So are your quarters,” Rorie said. Ripping his attention from the wands affixed to the walls, he gasped at the sight of Renny’s bed. Racing over, he ran his hand across the quilt Larissa D’Vairedraconis had painstakingly created for him. It was a medley of blues and the other colors of their household. “This is exquisite craftsmanship. You must have paid dearly for this artisan.”
“Larissa is insanely talented. You met her and her mate a few minutes ago.”
“What great luck you have to have such masters in your family.”
“I’m sure she’ll put something together that’s just as nice for your bed,” Renny offered. Rorie’s mattress was covered with a plain white comforter and looked drab in the space Renny had decorated with Larissa’s help. The sofa they’d piled with pillows that reflected the quilt had been pushed to the side, but nothing was cramped. “I’m going to get changed, okay?”
“Yes, fine.” Rorie’s tone suggested his mind was far away, as he’d returned to admiring the wands around the suite.
Renny grabbed clothes from his dresser and closed himself in the bathroom after removing his crown and cloak. Happy to be removing his uncomfortable attire, he wondered how to wrap his mind around Rorie. His mate seemed to think all he had to do was figure out how to get home, and it would delight Renny to return with him.
Renny didn’t want to be a jerk, but leaving D’Vaire? The thought was unbearable. How could he ask Dra’Kaedan to give up their family? It was impossible for Renny to say good-bye, and he did not want to try. Renny tied his sneakers swiftly and closed his eyes to quiet his mind. It was too early to bog down their acquaintance with so many problems. The last thing he’d ever wanted was a contentious relationship.
While he loved everything about Dra’Kaedan, it was not his dream to have a matebond fueled by the fiery arguments that his warlock enjoyed having with Brogan. Renny liked peace, and his goal was to have it. To do that, he had to remain agreeable and focus on one issue at a time. As he strode back into the bedroom, he promised himself he’d be no man’s doormat either. Rorie would not be in charge; they needed to find compromises to persevere.
Rorie caught sight of Renny and gasped. Jogging to him, Rorie grinned. “You look much different.”
“This is what I usually wear. I only put on a suit and cloak when my title requires it.”
“We are much the same size; might I borrow similar garments? They are most fetching.”
Amused that Rorie wanted to switch from his kickass outfit to the ordinary apparel Renny had on, he walked to his dresser and yanked a few things out. “I don’t want to ask you anything you are uncomfortable answering, but do you need underwear?”
“Under wear?”
“Yeah, I wear them under my pants.”
“Why?”
Renny shrugged as he pulled out a pair and tried not to think about Rorie wearing his jockeys. “A lot of reasons, I guess. Mostly I don’t want to…well, get my hair caught in the zipper.”
“The hair on your head is quite short. How would you manage such a feat?”
