Page 43 of Killian
“I do not know where to begin,” Dravyn murmured. Although he had not planned to enlighten his family yet, a sense of relief flowed through him at being caught. He did not want secrets, and he could use the advice of others. Dravyn was asimple man and lacked the life experience necessary to figure out how best to navigate the road ahead.
“Have a seat,” Zane said, leading Dravyn to the room where they took their meals. The only furniture in the space was a long table and tall wooden chairs.
Marcus was sitting in his usual spot and reading a tome by the light of the fireplace behind him. The teal-eyed Duke lifted his head and frowned. “What is going on?”
“Dravyn has a tale for us,” Brogan said, pulling out a chair for Dravyn.
“Shall I gather the others?” Marcus asked, already rising.
“I do not want to bother them,” Dravyn insisted, but Zane nodded at Marcus.
“Gather the entire family,” Zane ordered.
“Surely we can leave Aleksander to his peace?” Dravyn asked weakly.
Within a minute, the entire D’Vaire family was scraping chairs back and plopping into them as if a meal were imminent. Noirin took her seat next to him and patted his hand where he’d rested it on his thigh.
“You are ready to tell us why you are sneaking out and insisting on going to town alone?” Noirin asked.
“Is everyone aware of my travels?” Dravyn asked.
“With a family this small, did you think you could hide anything?” Madeline asked.
“I am sorry your evening was disrupted,” Dravyn said, wondering how long they would keep him. His usual meeting with Killian was supposed to happen soon.
“Are you in trouble?” Aleksander asked. Although the shine had returned to his black-and-blue tresses, Dravyn still recalled the bedraggled way they’d found his cousin in the dungeon at Castle Draconis. Dravyn would never forgive hisown kind for their treatment of Aleksander and the rest of the D’Vaires.
“No,” Dravyn said. “I must apologize, for I have kept a secret. The truth is…I have a mate.”
Noirin’s violet gaze went wide. “You have a mate? How long ago did you find her? Where did you meet her? Is she kind? When will you invite her here to dine with us?”
Swallowing heavily, Dravyn studied the wooden table and refused to look up. “It is a man. I met him in 1369 at Castle Draconis,” Dravyn said quietly. He did not mention that he’d watched Killian and the others steal the bodies of the Emperors. That surprise could wait. “I have recently written to him, and we have been meeting to find out if we have anything in common. He…he is not a dragon.”
“A human with a dragon?” Zane asked. “I did not think such a thing was possible.”
“Wait. Did you say you met him in 1369?” Noirin asked. “Dravyn, that was so long ago. I am so sorry. How he must have suffered at your silence while you were chained at Castle Draconis. Has he been understanding? Surely, he must realize you could not reach out until Imperial Duke Bernal’s death?”
“He is no human either. Magickind. He has magick. Much of it. His name is Killian. Killian the Dwyer. He is the ruler of the druids. They use their magick to grow things. He has healing abilities too. He fixed my leg. The new seeds I have were a gift from him.”
No one said anything as they took in what Dravyn was telling them, and he grew more fearful of their reaction as the silence stretched.
“I am grateful he healed you,” Aleksander eventually said. Then he smiled, though it did not reach his eyes. Happiness never did. “A man with a love of seeds would suit you well. It must be quite wondrous to have magick.”
“You have a bit of it yourself,” Madeline insisted. “Your gift is a magick, don’t you think?”
“I think of it as such,” Aleksander replied. “It saved me from wallowing in filth and gave me some control in a hopeless situation. That is a magick without compare. Killian the Dwyer is welcome here. I should like to see his magick, though I doubt anyone has your skill with gardening, Dravyn.”
The tears slipped down Dravyn’s cheeks before he even realized he was weeping. Relief and pride rushed through him. “I would be proud to have Killian meet my family someday,” Dravyn managed. He would allow the druid to step foot on D’Vaire land once he’d ensured the man was trustworthy and no threat to his family. But it helped immensely to know Aleksander was not against his matebond. Perhaps Dravyn need not run home so quickly tonight or at their future meetings.
“Where are you meeting him?” Brogan asked. “You must be safe. Can you not arrange for it on our land where I can watch out for you with my own eyes?”
“We meet just outside of town,” Dravyn said. “It suits us for now.”
“Leave him be, Brogan,” Aleksander commented. “Matebonds are a private matter, and Dravyn is no stranger to harm. He will do nothing to put himself in danger.”
“Go on then,” Noirin said, scooting back her chair. “It is full dark out. Is he already waiting for you?”
“Likely, yes,” Dravyn acknowledged.
