Page 18 of Becoming D'Vaire
“We are definitely going. We’ll do anything to help you guys,” Dre’Kariston responded.
“Could I go?” Duff asked. “Come on, Del. We’d have fun.”
Delaney would rather eat a toad than go anywhere near Duff, but if he had to be a grown-up, he was going to foist the problem onto his best friend. “It’s up to Idris.”
Idris gave him a look that spoke volumes. The wizard wasn’t pleased with being put in the middle, so Delaney smiled winningly at him. He’d make it up to him somehow. “You have to stay with us all night, so Mac’s not chasing you around. Vadimas never brings security, so my mate’s going to be losing his mind.”
“I thought I did that so quietly,” Mac teased. “I won’t be that nuts tonight, not with so many fallen knights and sentinels around, but I still expect you to do as you’re asked.”
“I’ll obey, Mac. You know I like Idris. Cool, guys. I can’t wait to wear a tuxedo. Sucks I’m going to be the only guy in our group without a crown, though.”
“Nerds get crowns I guess,” Delaney retorted as he got to his feet. He was going to put on the fancy cloak he loved and the smoky black crown he’d earned. They might be awesome to wear, but that didn’t mean he was happy about socializing.
Chapter 7
“Stop walking behind me, Delaney the Dark,” Prism Wizard Vadimas the Violet demanded as he reached over and grabbed Delaney’s arm. He did his best to drag Delaney up next to him.
“Ow,” Delaney complained as he tried to extricate himself from Vadimas’s tight grip. He glared into a pair of annoyed purple eyes. “It’s not like anyone’s going to want to talk to me. They’re all coming near us to drool over you.”
“It’s true, Vadimas. Since you lost that whole old-man deal you had going on, you got really hot and totally fuckable,” Duff told him.
Delaney chuckled as Vadimas’s cheeks went pink. The Prism Wizard was still adjusting to his new appearance, and Delaney was sure not many people spoke so frankly to him. Vadimas was part of the extended D’Vaire family, making Duff comfortable speaking his mind even if it wasn’t necessarily appropriate at a formal event.
“Stop that laughing, Del,” Vadimas ordered. “I appreciate the compliment, Duff, but people are eager to speak with the two new additions to the Spectra Wizardry leadership. They’re used to me, I’ve been ruling the wizards for two centuries.”
“Not with that face, dude,” Duff said.
“Let’s try not to embarrass the Prism Wizard,” Mac drawled out. Instead of lying across his shoulder, Roger was standing tall as he did at social events. Greggory was doing the same on Mac’s other shoulder.The little dragons must think it’s the duke’s responsibility to chauffeur them around all night, Delaney thought with amusement. Before they left, the familiars were fed until the two all but popped, so they wouldn’t swoop down and devour everything on the fancy food tables. They’d discovered that the small dragons didn’t really care for the offerings at most cocktail parties, which was a relief since they were messy eaters. “Vadimas is right, everyone’s been delighted to talk to both High Arcanists.”
“I like everything about my title except for these kinds of events,” Delaney grumbled.
“Suck it up, I had to do this for two hundred years on my own,” Vadimas retorted. Myrddin, Vadimas’s own small dragon, was also regally perched. He’d taken up a spot on his sorcerer’s cloak, and since it was made mostly from Noirin’s dragonskin—her shed scales an exact match for Vadimas’s eyes—his feet nearly blended into the garment.
“He’s right, he didn’t even have a single person acting as security for him,” Mac added. It was a bone of contention for just about everyone that Vadimas didn’t bother hiring anyone to keep him safe.
“The room looks really nice done in black and gray, and I think I see our warlocks talking to the Reverent Knights,” Idris observed. Delaney’s best friend had the biggest heart and always tried to find the best in any situation. As usual, Idris was trying to get them to all focus on the positive instead of bickering.
“Prism Wizard,” a voice called out. Their group pivoted almost in unison at the sound of the female voice. A woman in forest-green velvet with a gold circlet around her head was three steps away.
“Aloisa the Dwyer, how lovely to see you,” Vadimas returned once she’d arrived. “I’m sure you remember High Arcanist Delaney the Dark, High Arcanist Idris the Indigo, his mate, Duke Macardle D’Vairedraconis, and this is Duff Cominsky, a young Kellas cat shifter.”
The leader of the Circle of Druids dutifully shook their hands as she greeted them. “It’s still such a strange concept to think of a dark wizard as a reality. I do hope we don’t find ourselves with a new kind of druid in the future.”
“The Spectra Wizardry feels extraordinarily grateful to have Delaney the Dark in our midst. Druidic magic would be lucky to be introduced to a fresh take on things, as would any group of sorcerers,” Vadimas replied. His smile was strained, and Delaney appreciated the effort he always made to contradict everyone who found him lacking or evil in some way. He just wished the people he loved weren’t forced to do so continuously.
“High Arcanist Idris, your familiar’s a very striking color. People must remark upon it all the time,” Aloisa said as if Vadimas hadn’t spoken at all.
“Thank you, I think he and Delaney the Dark’s familiar make a handsome pair,” Idris replied.
“Indeed. I’m off to speak with the Emperor. Have a great evening,” Aloisa responded, then wandered off with her long cloak sweeping the floor behind her.
“Unpleasant woman,” Vadimas muttered.
“I wonder where her mate is,” Idris said.
“Probably grateful for the night alone,” Vadimas retorted; then he closed his eyes for a moment. “I apologize, I should keep those kinds of thoughts to myself. Del, don’t let those kinds of comments bother you. It’s the world—”
“That’s the problem, not me,” Delaney finished. “I know. You’ve been saying that since I was four. At least you can understand why I don’t always rush out the door to go to these things.”
