Page 34 of Dark Master's Redemption

“Thank you, Adicus.” I nod to him as Lucca does, as well.

As Alleno gives Lucca a brief nod now, moving to the front porch and taking up a watchful stance at the entrance of the manor, Lucca and I follow the former Tempest of the Darkwatch into his home. Ariana goes before us with her father, an arm around his waist.

I admire the gorgeous entry hall of the Renaissance manor now, festooned with plants and dried herbs that hang in all the white stuccoed niches between the strong wooden beams, plus beautiful classical Italian Renaissance statuary that linger here and there.

Ornate dragonfly glass flutes hang in the elegant wrought-iron chandeliers, the same sprouting in sconces on the walls to provide light, though they’re not illuminated right now. Natural sunlight floods the lovely space from vaulted windows that devour the ground-floor rooms. It gives Ariana’s home a lovely, homey feel, with the artistic and herbal decor all around.

An ornate grand staircase of wrought-iron curls up to the second floor. Inset with gold sigils and script, the white stone floor creates a welcoming space that breathes with light and peace, even though I know it’s deadly to any foe that might walk upon it.

As we head towards a doorway halfway down the wide entry hall on the right, beneath the beautiful staircase, I have a moment to take in Adicus.

Always quiet and stern, yet elegant, he’s older now than when I saw him last. His tawny hair has streaks of bright gold and aged silver in it; tall and lean, he’s less robust than I remember him, though just as immaculately put-together as always. His grey Victorian vest shines with gold, his grey trousers, russet men’s riding boots, and white shirt immaculate despite living on a farm.

His only obvious homage to his home and people is a beautiful golden Summer Fae men’s torque around his neck, which peeks out beneath the open collar of his shirt, matched by cuffs of ornately-worked gold at his wrists. Of a lean but wiry build, his piercing, calm command is still in his every movement as he weighs Lucca and me, inviting us into his study as he nods in welcome.

Though we are his current and former Prince, Adicus was never one to stand on ceremony. He simply closes the door behind us, inviting us all to sit on a collection of cocoa leather couches before his broad desk.

I take in his study now, curious about how the Tempest of the Darkwatch lives. The tall, mahogany doors of the study are bound with ornate wrought-iron, also containing intense sigil-work; moving in, I see the gorgeous library is full of built-in mahogany bookshelves in an ornate Summer Fae design.

As I glance around, seeing forest green silk benches built into the vaulted windows for reading, along with the beautiful cocoa leather couches, chairs, and footstools that create a homey environment, I see the lamps are all Tiffany style. As Adicus waves for us to sit on the couches, one section of bookcases catches my eye.

Filled with a treasure trove of human world artifacts, from numerous centuries.

It’s a beautiful collection that might even rival my halls of oddities, though it’s small. An ornate brass spyglass from the 1800s sits next to a lovely Victorian globe, before an old Victrola record player and a shelf full of records. An old box-style coffee grinder from the late 1800s sits next to a beautifully etched silver snuffbox from much earlier, lovingly displayed beside a whalebone and ebony pipe.

Modern items clutter the niche also; I smile to see an original Nintendo Gameboy on the shelf beside a few cartridges, a 6-disc CD-player with a rack of mostly classical CDs beside a pair of original yellow and green Nike sneakers in pristine condition. Shaking my head, I can’t help but smile at Adicus now as he follows my gaze.

His green eyes sparkling as we all sit.

“Your collection of human world curiosities is impressive, Mr. Summers,” I say as we settle. Adicus pushes a silver tray of coffee and orange almond biscotti towards us, just as a servant bustles in with a far larger breakfast spread.

A steaming Bialetti of fresh coffee, plus three espresso cups, milk, sugar cubes, and more biscotti than a giant could eat, she sets it all down with a brisk, Italianate manner then bustles out, ostensibly to get more breakfast ready.

I feel no magical aura whatsoever from her, though, and know she’s one of the house’s human employees.

“They are antique curiosities, yes. And I am very fond of them.” Adicus corrects me now as his help closes the door. His look reminds me to be more careful, as I chastise myself for the brief slip-up that was nearly overheard. Now that their house help is gone, his grey-green eyes pin me. “We may speak plainly when the doors are closed, as they have wards to prevent our human help from hearing anything amiss. But do be careful when we are in an open room, gentlemen.”

“Of course.” I nod soberly as Lucca does the same.

Adicus’ gaze roves me and Lucca now, before he takes in Ariana. Uncharacteristically quiet, she’s chosen a leather chair adjacent to the couch Lucca and I sit on; it’s between her father and us, as if she expects to play referee to our conversation.

She’s tense; I feel it grip all through her now as she clenches her hands in her lap. With a deep breath, I make the first move, leaning in to pour her a coffee, then make one for Lucca and myself.

Adicus already has one, as he leans forward and claims it now.

The silence is deafening as we all sip, Ariana taking a biscotto and dipping it nervously.

“So. The time has come for war. All over again.”

Adicus’ dark words startle me, not to mention Ariana and Lucca. I had thought he might open our conversation with talk about his daughter and whether he approves of us bonding her.

But just like the Adicus of old, the turning of millennia is always on his mind. It shows now as he addresses our greater situation with the Summer Fae King, and the Vampire Council of Rome first and foremost.

“We did not intend to bring war to your doorstep, Adicus, truly—” Lucca begins now, though Adicus waves a hand, dismissing his words elegantly.

“War is upon us, young one,” Adicus says with dire calm now as he responds. “You did not start it, and you will not end it, though you are in the middle of it. The tensions between Fae, Dark Fae, and Vampire have been with us since the Fall of our ancient ancestors, when they first created Rome. War is not my pastime; not anymore. Protection is. I wield everything I ever learned in the Darkwatch now towards that aim. And my wife does, as well.”

“You protected me as a baby,” Ariana says as she stares her adopted father down. “You saved me when the Revenant Gold Eyes destroyed my family, then made me Dark Fae as a one-day-old infant. Why?”

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