Page 112 of Becoming D'Vaire
Chander blew out a breath. “I’m here tonight because I need to give each and every one of you my most sincere apology. I recommended D’Vaire to the Antonovs and because of that, Duff wound up here. If I’d known the truth about him, I would never have put any of your family in danger.”
“Is he serious?” Dra’Kaedan asked Alaric.
“I did mention none of you would blame him,” the Lich Sentinel remarked.
“Chand, we love you. You’re a part of this family. We knew the dangers of opening our doors to strangers. Brogan was the first to bang that drum, and it seems we didn’t pay enough heed to his words,” Dre’Kariston said.
“The question is, do we keep ourselves at the mercy of outsiders? I think we need to have a serious discussion about whether it’s smart to continue with Dra’Kaedan’s Coven,” Dra’Kaedan commented.
“Before we go down that road, keep in mind that without Duff, we’d still be sitting around with danger looming. He helped us finally capture Latarian so we can put the past where it belongs,” Saura pointed out. “Thanks to him, we can tie both her and Carvallius on the other side.”
“Saura’s right. Without Duff, it might’ve been years before Latarian showed her face,” T’Eirick added. “You are all the ones who told us how lazy she was and how her plans lacked intelligence as well as cohesiveness.”
“Are we really going to shut our doors because of one bad seed?” Mac asked.
“I have a fairly straightforward way to fix this,” Worth remarked. “We simply need a new rule. Duff was able to bypass all the safeguards you put in place because he had no references. There was zero way to confirm his words. From this point on, we say if we can’t verify what you’ve told us, then we’re terribly sorry, but we have to deny your application.”
Brogan smiled. “I think that’s something worth voting on.”
“Let’s do it. All those in favor of keeping our sanctuary open if we add Worth’s rule, raise your hands,” Aleksander invited. Hands flew up all around the room. Aleksander glared at Chander and Alaric, who hadn’t voted. The two lifted their arms to make it unanimous.
“Great. That was easier solved than I thought it’d be. I want to thank Del for his quick thinking,” Aleksander said.
Delaney grinned. “Hey, I’m just glad I got the chance. I had to stay home the first time around since I was a kid. The other night made me feel like I finally earned the name D’Vaire.”
Aleksander’s eyes met his and they were full of barely leashed fury. “Listen to me, Delaney. The first time anyone looked at you with fear in their eyes, you earned the name D’Vaire. For every harsh comment, hideous nickname, or hurt feeling they ever gave you, the D’Vaire name was yours. You earned it before you ever walked through those doors. And since you got here, you’ve elevated it by giving your heart to each of us. We love you, and we know how special we are to you because every action you make is for us. Don’t you ever forget that.”
On the verge of tears, Delaney bobbed his head. Aleksander’s face morphed into a smile and he gave a little nod, then moved on to the next item on his agenda. Overwhelmed by everything Aleksander said to him, he leaned against Grigori and the vampire’s arm tugged him even closer. Somehow, he’d gone from a child given the cruel name Scary to a man with an incredible mate and a family he cherished.
Becoming a D’Vaire was the start of his life—thanks to Vadimas leading him to the most incredible place on earth. It reminded Delaney that he still had a conversation to have with the Prism Wizard. He made a mental note to get it done as soon as possible. Whatever the past was, he wanted to know. The D’Vaires as a whole had lifted an enormous weight off their shoulders, and it was time for Delaney to do the same with his biological origins.
* * *
Vadimas greeted Delaney and Grigori with a smile. He was more than willing to come to D’Vaire for a visit, and it helped Delaney that they would have this important discussion where he was most comfortable. With no idea what to expect, his nerves were working overtime.
“Grigori, have I mentioned what a fine pair you two make?” Vadimas asked.
“I’m so glad you think so. Fate’s been so good to me,” Grigori responded as he gave Delaney a look that reflected his feelings of love perfectly.
“Well, let’s have a seat,” Vadimas invited. Delaney and Grigori chose to share a large chaise, and Vadimas took a seat opposite them. They were outside, and the rich fragrance of Dravyn’s garden always managed to help calm Delaney when he was filled with anxiety.
Delaney decided the best approach was to be as direct as possible. “I have a confession to make. When I reached High Arcanist and had the entire Spectra Wizardry computer system available to me, I searched for my file.”
Vadimas’s expression grew shuttered. “I knew you would.”
“You sealed it on purpose. You have my DNA. It’s required for all wizards in the Spectra Wizardry. You told me there were no matches when I asked you who my parents were. If that’s true, why is my file sealed?”
“Del, I have my reasons, which I’m not going to share, for sealing your file.”
Grigori tightened his hold on Delaney’s hand. “I think Del has a right to know about his parentage. He wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important to him.”
The Prism Wizard was a study in frustration as he hopped to his feet and leaned against the deck railing with his back toward the couple. “I know it’s difficult to understand, but sometimes not knowing is better than the truth.”
“That’s the opposite of everything you’ve ever taught me. Since I was four years old, you’ve been a good friend to me. You brought me here, you gave me everything. You’re not only my leader, you’re part of my family. All I’m asking is to know about the people who gave me life.”
Vadimas swung around suddenly and his eyes blazed with anger. “Not all mysteries are meant to be solved and because of our close association, I will always do what is best for you even if you don’t like it. I will not answer your question. Know this—you’re better than them. They don’t deserve you,” he responded, his voice tight with the intensity of his emotions.
Delaney jumped up so they were face-to-face. “I scare them too, don’t I? That’s why they got rid of me and I wound up passed through all those foster homes and orphanages. I’ve scared people—especially wizards—my whole life. They probably think I’m evil just like all the others. Do you think I can’t handle the truth? Just say it. They threw me away because they considered me an aberration.”
