Page 57 of Worthy Promises
“Feisty?” Oliver asked.
“Yes. Like, you say something they don’t like, and you’ll find a small dagger in your face. Alaric and Chand can talk them down, but I’m not sure what’s going to happen if the Lich Sentinel or Arch Lich ever aren’t around to prevent violence.”
“Okay. I’ll be extremely cordial with the adorably armed goblins.”
“Good man. Ah, the dragons from Court Bera are here. Let me introduce you,” Worthington remarked, an odd note in his voice Oliver couldn’t identify as he pointed out who the newcomers were. Before Oliver could question Worthington about his feelings, they were offered hugs by King Aeron and Queen Helen Beradraconis. Lex came over and grabbed his baby brother from another couple Oliver learned were his parents. Then Oliver stood face to face with Duke Drogo and Duchess-mate Emmeline.
All Oliver knew about the pair was that they were Lex’s folks and that Duke Drogo had been Worthington’s sole visitor for the century his father had confined him. Oliver had assumed Worthington would be pleased to see them, but his body was stiff and his beautiful blue gaze was uncharacteristically neutral and flat.
“We’ve been so excited since Lex told us Worth had met you, Oliver,” Emmeline offered. “Congratulations to you both.”
“Thank you, meeting Worthington was unequivocally the best day of my life.”
With a smile Oliver couldn’t interpret, Worthington met Oliver’s eyes, and it pleased him to find some warmth back in his mate’s gaze. “I feel the same, Owliver.”
“I can think of few people who deserve happiness more than Worth,” Drogo added quietly. “Emmeline and I will let you enjoy your weekend.”
“Yes, I’m pretty sure I haven’t hugged Rutledge near enough,” Emmeline said. The pair headed for the deck where Rutledge and Lex were sitting with the baby. To Oliver’s delight, the tension in Worthington’s long frame seeped away as the couple ventured farther away from where he stood with Oliver.
“Are you okay?”
Worthington squeezed his hand and shrugged. “You’re incredibly perceptive. I’m fine. My relationship with Drogo is complicated. It may be unfair, but it’s difficult for me to forget that he could’ve sent me to Aleksander instead of keeping me my father’s prisoner. I’ve forgiven him, and I understand why it was dangerous in his mind. But it was the wrong decision. However, I’m also grateful to him for being my friend in that century. When it mattered, he let me go. Now, I’m a D’Vaire and Drogo and Emmeline named their son Wentworth in my honor. I hardly know how to comprehend that, but it was far too kind of them. My mind says let the past hurts go and focus on the positive, but my heart…well, I suppose any hour I spend alone reminds me of days best forgotten.”
“Loneliness is terrible, and I’m sorry for what you endured,” Oliver remarked, unsure of what else to say. Although he’d experienced his fair share of that ugly feeling, he hadn’t been confined like Worthington. It hurt to think of the enigmatic man at his side deprived of company—or of anything else.
“I’m terribly sad you understand the feeling too well. Perhaps that is one of the reasons Fate put us together. A common background. Unfeeling parents and too much alone time.”
“Parents. You’ve never spoken of your mother.”
“Ah, well, I’ve never met her. Aleksander is my full brother, while Somerly and I share a father. The strange thing is the number of centuries that separate my birth from Aleksander’s without either of us having met the woman who gave us life. Her name is Ismay. Drogo told us she accepted money to have us. I know little else about her. Oh, and her sister is Noirin and Dravyn’s mother. Unlike Ismay, Onora was murdered by another of my father’s Dukes.”
Furious at learning another of Boian’s misdeeds, Oliver frowned. “Your father is really an awful man.”
“Ever wonder why Somerly is the same five-foot-five as his sorcerer mate? Boian fed him potions daily without his knowledge to try to control how powerful his dragon grew. It didn’t work. Oh, and Boian tried to sell Lex to a wizard interested in experimenting on dragon blood. That in addition to telling dragonkind that his eldest son was cursed and his presence unnatural for centuries. There’s more, but that’s the worst of his crimes.”
“How in the world are you related to anyone like that?” Oliver asked. It was difficult to imagine someone so nefarious contributing to the birth of the beautiful, kind man Oliver was proud to call his mate.
“Perhaps I was dastardly in a past life,” Worthington teased with a wink.
“I can’t picture it.”
“Because as my mate you’re unable to perceive my flaws, Owliver.”
Oliver laughed, and Asteria shifted her paws as if annoyed at the shaking of his shoulders. “I don’t think it works like that.”
“Think about it. That would make me equally unable to perceive yours.”
“I’d rather you know me exactly as I am.”
Worthington leaned in and kissed his cheek. “You always say the perfect thing to me. I wish you to know me with all my flaws and innumerous attributes.”
Heavy footsteps distracted Oliver, and he turned to find Lex lumbering toward them with Rutledge on his heels.
“Noirin stole the baby from me,” Lex complained forlornly. “How can I argue with a pregnant lady? I can’t, so I guess I’ll never hold my brother again.”
“She’ll have to pee eventually,” Rutledge offered helpfully. “You can get him back then.”
“Listen to our fair Rutledge, he always finds the perfect solution,” Worthington remarked.
