Page 40 of No Ordinary Drakeling
Chapter 14
Ellery had his suitcase in hand when a small, blond man and a dragon shifter popped into the foyer.
“Grand Warlock Dra’Kaedan D’Vaire and Duke Brogan D’Vairedraconis, allow me to present my mate, Emperor Ellery Draconis,” Chrysander said to the couple. “And this is Duke Costas Draconis.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty and Your Grace,” the Grand Warlock replied. His navy eyes were lively, and he was wearing a T-shirt that had a dragon head emblem with the words “Elven D’Vaire” around it. “Everyone ready to step into chaos?”
Not sure what he was agreeing to, Ellery nodded his head. He closed his eyes and experienced the sensation of being teleported. When the ground was solid under his feet, he lifted his lashes and grinned. The Draconis condo was cold and unwelcoming to Ellery, but D’Vaire was the opposite in every way. He was standing in a two-story living space with comfortable furniture strewn about and smiling faces everywhere.
“Your Majesty, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to D’Vaire,” a king who stood as tall as Chrysander’s six feet and six inches said. When he’d learned his family was traveling to King D’Vairedraconis’s home, he’d done his homework, so he wasn’t surprised by the exotic man in front of him. Though Ellery admitted to himself, the few pictures he’d seen hadn’t done the man justice. His blue-black eyes and hair in the same two shades set him apart from even Duke Worthington. Worth was Aleksander’s brother and while they looked similar, it was still Aleksander who commanded attention.
“Please call me Ellery, Your Highness. Thank you for having me in your home.”
“None of us use our titles at home. I’m going to ask Talfryn and Evlithar to escort you to your room,” Aleksander replied. “After you’ve had a chance to get settled, I’ll introduce you to everyone. Larissa, did you want to escort Costas, so you can grill him on how he’d like his permanent guest room decorated?”
A blond elf with lavender tips and what had to be millions of beads in his hair came over and wrestled Ellery’s suitcase from his grasp. At his side was an elf nearly a head shorter with skin the blue of a summer sky. “I’m Talfryn and this is Evlithar.”
“Follow us,” the blue one named Evlithar encouraged.
Ellery had a D’Vaire on each side of him as he left the living room, and they immediately started talking.
“I can’t tell you how excited we were when we found out Chrys met his mate, and we even threw ourselves a little party when we found out you were an elf,” Talfryn revealed.
“Half elf.”
“We’ll take it,” Talfryn responded. “I hope you are not offended, but we made you an outfit beaded in the style of the Acwellan tribe.”
“Why would I be offended?”
“We know you don’t wear traditional clothing,” Evlithar said. “You have jeans on.”
“I still wear elven clothing around the house. I just feel like I represent Court Draconis in public, so I should dress like a dragon.”
“That makes sense,” Talfryn replied. “So you don’t mind if we give you an outfit?”
“No. Not at all. I would be honored.”
Evlithar clapped his hands and beamed a smile at him. “Oh, good. We did a mix of our tribes, so it’s silk like Valzadaris wear with our beads, but the style is Acwellan. Cadlyr helped with the beading too, so it’s Cwylld as well.”
“You are Valzadari?”
“I was until I mated the Chieftain of the Cwylld. He’s the best elf ever.”
Talfryn swung a door open and smirked at Evlithar. “The best elf ever is Chieftain Lorcan of the Acwellan. He even has something in common with you, Ellery. His entire tribe is hybrid. He’s part demon.”
Ellery’s eyes grew wide. He needed to spend time studying the elven tribes in the Council because they were fascinating. Thus far he’d focused on learning more about shifters and sorcerers but clearly, he should expand his horizons. “That is incredible.”
“Most people think it’s terrible. Just like they hate the Cwylld since Cadlyr and Talfryn’s parents murdered so many people, including almost all the warlocks,” Evlithar remarked.
“I didn’t even think of that when you said the word Cwylld. I read the history of the Coven of Warlocks and the Cwylld elven. I did not realize what was left of both people live here at D’Vaire.”
Talfryn set Ellery’s suitcase down carefully on the floor. “We even have the murdered former rulers of the Coven of Warlocks here now. A group that meets here every weekend that your mate named Sorcery D’Vaire resurrected them into a new race called Darkfallen Court. T’Eirick and Saura are incredible, by the way.”
“I did know they were here. I read about the creators of the Council,” Ellery said. “I have to tell you, I am nervous about meeting them. I was when I met the Reverent Knights too and I really liked them.”
“They are amazing. They visit us regularly—their son and his mate live here,” Evlithar confided.
“It must be incredible to live here,” Ellery responded and wished he could call D’Vaire home. He thought the mix of people under a single roof must be such a fun and dynamic way to live.
