Page 15 of Worthy Promises
“I couldn’t have imagined I’d be in the same room with the former Emperors, the former leaders of the warlocks, and the Emperor,” Lex said.
“Incredible. Of course, it wouldn’t be possible without necromancy since most of them were dead,” Worth responded. “How anyone can say magic is anything but a gift, I’ll never know. I’ve questions dancing through my head.”
“What kinds of questions, dear?” Saura asked.
“I’m a fan of history. I managed to learn some of the Council despite Boian, and I’ve been poring over things in the few days we’ve been here as part of your group. The past has been large on my mind, and perhaps Fate was telling me I’d have this opportunity someday, but I can’t help but think of the events when the Council was first started. It’s probably not appropriate to discuss it though.”
Worth’s thoughts had tumbled out of his mouth, and he waited anxiously to discover if he’d insulted anyone with his rambling.
“No one in this room who’s been resurrected pretends they weren’t dead,” Drystan responded. “T’Eirick, Saura, Con, and I were all murdered. If you’ve got questions, ask them. We only have our warlocks here for three months.”
“A pity that,” Worth said, relieved that no one was shouting at him for his carelessness. “My question is for you and the Reverent Knight. I’ve read that the Council was to beg your aid, but you were murdered before it could happen. Would youhave done it? Would you have done the same as Chrysander and allied the dragons with magickind? The reason I ask is Boian—the shitface—claims he need not follow the Emperor because he’s betrayed the dragons by putting their needs second to his own. That he wished for the alliance for money and access to their magic. Of course, the man would know everything about that since he’s the most selfish bastard you’ve ever met in your life, but I digress.”
“Ironically, when Con and I led the dragons, there was no money. We were fully prepared to offer defense to magickind for gold. We knew it would benefit the dragons because a race can’t flourish without the basic necessities. But I wish the Council had approached us before the Coven of Warlocks was decimated. My dragons wouldn’t have been affected by the Cwylld stones that reduced magic, and we could’ve turned the tides of war.”
“Saura and I were told dragons were real, and Dra’Kaedan was already smitten with the idea, but we didn’t know where to find you,” T’Eirick added. Like Dre’Kariston, T’Eirick had black hair, but his was straight and pulled into a ponytail that trailed down his back. “When the war broke out, there was no time to figure it out.”
“The problem is one that still exists today,” Chrysander said. “Each race tends to stick to themselves without reaching out and helping another. Dragons were isolationists, and no one was more surprised than I when my kings voted so overwhelmingly to join the Council. I would’ve preferred a unanimous vote, but it was not to be. Someday I hope all dragons will join us. The Consilium does nothing to better their lives.”
“The Consilium cares for nothing but wizards, and they aren’t kind ones,” Worth stated. The Consilium Veneficus was ruled by—and technically only included—wizards, but fools likeKing Boian believed the government would somehow aid them far better than the Council would.
“They barely even talk to the dragon Kings,” Lex said. “With so few dragons they can’t offer anything, so they never will. Boian thinks he can gain more power with alliances, as do the others, but it’s all foolish talk.”
“He thought it would help,” Somerly remarked.
“The man’s a damn fool,” Worth insisted.
“Well, in the Council we’re doing what we can to more fully unite races,” Chrysander commented. “Your brother Aleksander’s part of that movement. You’re standing in the first and only multi-race sanctuary. The people you will spend your days with are some of the most incredible ones you could possibly meet, including your two cousins over here.”
“So, my brother is fine-looking and smart. At least Boian didn’t father any stupid children,” Worth replied. He couldn’t wait to meet his cousins and wondered how many other family members he had.
“I’m not going to take credit for the sanctuary—that was Dra’Kaedan and Blodwen’s idea—but I’m thrilled to be able to run this court,” Aleksander remarked.
“All right, we can get into all that later. Now, let’s get our boys settled here and let them start learning names,” Saura said.
It was difficult for Worth to believe that he was standing in his new home. As soon as his head stopped spinning, he’d find a moment alone to settle his emotions and soothe the pink beast who was tired of being cast aside. It was a fresh start Worth hadn’t dared dream of in his crumbling house a continent away. But he still had to shift for everyone. Would they embrace him once they saw his dragon?
Chapter 6
Worth was wary as he wandered toward the changing room at the back of King Aleksander’s mansion. Despite his resemblance to Aleksander, Worth found it tough to believe he was the brother of an admired King. Although he was born the son of a King, he lacked respect for Boian. Aleksander was a different story.
The man had opened his home and allowed it to become a sanctuary for misfits. As someone who was ostracized from dragonkind because of his rare pink dragon, Worth firmly believed in the cause of the D’Vaire sanctuary. Aleksander was also a friend of the Emperor, and from the relaxed conversations Worth had witnessed since his arrival at the house, it wasn’t political.
Besides Aleksander’s important friends and family, he appeared not to lack wealth. His mansion was enormous, but what Worth liked most was the casualness of the furnishings. It was a home—something Worth had yet to experience in his two centuries of life. He’d gone from the hideously pompous rooms of his father’s ornate abode to an ancient house devoid of anything but Worth himself.
The D’Vaires had promised Worth a roof over his head, but he knew that might not last. He desperately wanted to fitin among them. Worth walked into the changing room and took a steadying breath after closing the door behind him. If anyone spoke detrimentally about his dragon, Worth wasn’t sure how to react. Where would he go? What would he do? The last thing he wanted was to give up the burgeoning friendships he’d built in the past week with Lex and Somerly.
The idea of being forced into solitude again was too much to bear. With shaky hands, Worth slowly peeled off his clothing. His dragon was eager to preen for their Emperor and new King, but Worth was terrified. He was an enormous beast, which should have meant he’d impress others. Unfortunately, his hue distracted from his power. Worth ignored the growly rumble of protest in his head.
While his color embarrassed Worth, his dragon had never understood his feelings. Worth folded his pants and shirt with a precision that was completely unnecessary, but he believed he was due some time to dither. In a few minutes, nothing would be the same. Would his new connections react with the same horror Court Ethelin had?
Thoroughly convinced he was about to be booted from the enormous house in a remote part of Arizona, Worth forced himself to grab the door handle and step outside. Lifting his face to the sun, Worth stopped once he was far enough from the two buildings of the estate so he wouldn’t unintentionally damage them with a scaly wing or tail.
Then he reached deep inside himself, and his dragon happily took over. Muscles stretched, tendons elongated, and bones grew as Worth switched to the form that had haunted him for a hundred years. His dragon roared triumphantly, and Worth walked across the sandy dirt toward the deck where the D’Vaires and Draconises awaited him.
The first thing he heard was a gasp, and he was thrust back to that moment when he’d gone from drakeling to dragon.But before Worth could decide if he wanted to fall to the ground and find out if his beast could weep, there was applause.
“Oh, please tell me I can have your dragonskin immediately,” enthused Blodwen D’Vaire, a necromancer and the other person responsible for bringing the idea of sanctuary to Aleksander. At her side, her mate Trystan D’Vaire—the son of the Reverent Knights—grinned at her excitement. “I chose a lighter pink for my space, but I’m thinking accents of your beautiful color would be perfect. What do you think, Larissa?”
