Page 38 of No Ordinary Drakeling
Since he wasn’t yet tired, Zane wandered over and knocked on another door. Costas opened it in nothing but a pair of sweat pants. “Hey.”
“Put on a shirt and let me in.”
Costas cocked a brow but stepped out of the way to let Zane into his space. Zane dropped down into a comfy chair as Costas pulled a shirt over his head and dropped down onto a sofa. “You afraid you aren’t going to be able to keep your hands off me?”
“You wish.”
“So what can I do for you, Your Grace?”
“Tell me how you’re doing.”
Blowing out a breath, Costas sank down onto the couch and leaned his head back. “I feel like I should be sadder, but I’m doing okay.”
“You were their son and they cared for you—they wouldn’t have wanted you to be depressed about it. They lived a long time.”
“I know, but sometimes I’ll smile and hear this voice in my head telling me I should be crying instead.”
“You were always one to beat yourself up over shit.”
Costas sat up and grinned. “Because you’ve never done that yourself.”
“I’m not going to argue over my perceived personality flaws.”
“Good, I need some sleep at some point, and you’re as hardheaded as they come,” Costas retorted. “Zane, I’m okay. It helps to be back home. I missed the fuck out of you guys. And Ellery? I’m so glad he’s here. I like him.”
“Me too.”
“I know how he feels, trying to catch up with everything going on. I mean, look at all the shit that’s happened since I went to Minnesota. New races, a king everyone thought was a freak now a close friend of our family, and fuck…Chand’s a demonic hybrid.”
“And mated to the scariest assassin on the planet.”
“Speaking of mates, why is Chrys simply orbiting around Ellery?”
“Because he chose to wait so fucking long to have his mating ceremony, and I think he’s scared to get too close.”
“That elf’s going to live. I don’t care what anyone says.”
“I hope you’re right,” Zane said as he stood. “Come talk to me if you get sad and shit.”
“I will.”
Zane left Costas’s room and headed to his own. It took him no time to strip down and crawl into bed. For everyone’s sake, he hoped the next few weeks would speed by. It was as if their family was stuck in quicksand, unable to move forward until after Chrys and Ellery were united and the elf-drakeling connected with his beast. Until then, they would continue to walk around on pins and needles, wondering what Fate had in store for them.
* * *
Chrysander leaned over the deck railing, unable to remember a time when he was so embarrassed. He’d stood there all night at Ellery’s side, not realizing they’d neglected to take his needs into account. It was Wesley’s oversight, but it was Chrysander’s responsibility to care for him and he’d failed.
“Here, have a beer,” Damian said as he joined him. Chrysander gratefully took the bottle from his twin’s grasp.
The cool liquid was welcome on his dry throat as Chrysander downed half the beverage in one large gulp. “Thanks.”
“We fucked up.”
“No, Ellery’s my mate.Ifucked up.”
“I keep thinking about the conversation he had tonight with Drystan and Conley.”
“You mean when he told them his favorite color was white?”
