Page 32 of No Ordinary Drakeling
“King Stavrosdraconis is on the phone.”
Damian handed him the device, and Chrysander greeted him.
“Your Majesty, His Grace has asked to have the pyres this evening. We’re doing our best to accommodate him.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. Is there anything Court Draconis can do to help?”
“I don’t think so, Your Majesty. Will you all be staying with His Grace?”
“Yes, Your Highness. You don’t need to find other accommodations. The house isn’t large, but we’ll make do.”
“Very good, Your Majesty. Court Stavros would like to offer our deepest condolences to your family.”
“We’d like to offer the same to you on the loss of two members of your court, Your Highness.”
“They were well liked, Your Majesty, and our court won’t be the same without them. I must say, we’ll also miss the presence of His Grace, but I’m sure your family’s relieved that he’ll be returning home.”
“Indeed, Your Highness, though I wish it was under better circumstances.”
Chrysander assured King Stavros he’d do everything he could to assist with Costas’s request that the funerals be held in a matter of hours and hung up the phone, then handed it back to his twin.
“Costas is having the funerals tonight,” he told the men in the car.
Damian’s eyebrows flew toward his hairline. “I would’ve thought he’d wait until at least tomorrow.”
“Me too, but this is his show.”
“Absolutely, I’m just surprised.”
“The necklace looks beautiful,” Chrysander offered Ellery who’d already managed to get a pretty long length of beads on his thin ribbon.
Without looking up, Ellery said, “I have never worked with such nice beads. Zane told me to buy them from the Valzadari Beading Company. I am glad I took his advice.”
“They’ve been making them for thousands of years and are considered the best in the industry.”
The occupants of the car fell into silence as they traversed the roads leading them to Court Stavros. Ellery finished the first necklace, tied the ends of the ribbon snugly, and moved on to making a second one. Not long after he finished, the limousine came to a stop. They’d made excellent time, and Chrysander was relieved to finally be there. Damian quickly checked for any threats, and Chrysander allowed Ellery to get out first before he exited.
Costas did not wait for them to get to the door. He approached them with a weary smile and dark eyes full of sorrow. “Your Majesty, I’m delighted to meet you,” he said to Ellery.
“Please call me Ellery. I am sorry about your parents. I hope you do not mind, but I made you two mourning necklaces.”
Costas swallowed heavily, then bowed his head. Ellery slipped the necklaces over his head and shocked everyone when he offered Costas a hug. The dragon embraced him tightly. Chrysander was too far away to hear whatever words of comfort Ellery offered to their duke, but when Costas lifted his head and released the hybrid, his smile was a bit brighter.
“Thank you, Ellery,” Costas responded. He turned to Chrysander. “Fate’s been too good to you.”
Without a word, Chrysander wrapped Costas into a tight embrace. Since he was barely more than a hundred years old, Costas had been at his side. When he and Damian knocked on the door of a neighboring court, begging to be allowed to serve a king as dukes, Costas welcomed them in. They all took an immediate liking to each other, and Costas never complained that with the addition of two black dragons, he was no longer a rarity. When Fate made Chrysander a king a few decades later, Costas packed his bags and swore fealty to him.
“I’m so sorry about your parents,” he managed. Costas patted his back and put some space between them.
“Thank you. I didn’t expect to feel so bad. At first it was such a relief, the last few years being so hard on them but…” Costas shrugged, and his eyes grew damp. “It hurts. They’re really gone. I need to be out of here. I want to go home right after the funerals.”
Damian shoved Chrysander out of the way, so he could get a chance to hug Costas, then stepped aside to allow Zane to do the same.
“Are you sure?” Chrysander asked.
Costas nodded emphatically. “I’m already packed. It’ll be helpful to King Stavros too. He can give the house to someone else. He’s got some new additions and not enough roofs as it is. Unless you gave away my room.”
“You’re hilarious.”
