Page 55 of Distinctly Daray
“I never strive to do that, Arch Lich,” Alaric drawled.
“Right,” Chander muttered as he walked over to hug the two men he’d resurrected at seventeen. He lifted a brow at Pizza as the goblin threw a black crayon at Rogue, but said nothing to the pair. Instead, he tugged off his crown and cloak and rested a hip on Alaric’s desk. Watching the unique way the pair colored was nothing new to Chander. “Okay, Lich Sentinel, what do you want to discuss?”
“I assume it has to do with the graduation ceremony in a few days at the Ascension Center,” Drystan said.
Alaric dropped into his desk chair and bobbed his head in agreement. “Yes, we need to discuss the plan for Keegan and Phillip.”
“How’s Phillip doing?” Conley asked.
Alaric grinned. “Since he moved into our condo, he has not needed a single potion. Although he wished to fly, Jeremiah has convinced him to shift a few times now without taking to the sky, but it wasn’t because he was struggling. Jeremiah is consumed with safety, and as sentinels, we understand his caution. Phillip is aiding us in the office, but he needs a permanent position where he can be challenged.”
“That’s great news, but what does that have to do with us? You already know we’ll allow Keegan’s schedule to be flexible so he can be available if Phillip needs him,” Drystan said.
“I have given things a great deal of thought since we discovered Keegan was Phillip’s mate,” Alaric confided. “Phillip has a strong dragon. One that is protective of both his mates. We don’t want him to use potions, which means he will need to be with Keegan and Victor often. I think there is only one solution.”
“Going to clue us in?” Chander asked.
“Of course,” Alaric replied. “I want you to sign Keegan over to the Sentinel Brotherhood.”
“You want us to do what now?” Drystan asked, his gaze wide.
“We have never given up a fallen knight. Why the hell would we do that?” Conley demanded.
“Because it makes the most sense,” Alaric calmly responded. “I believe we should create an office for Keegan and Phillip at our condo. The two can work there in the morning so they are close to Victor. In the afternoons following lunch, they will be here. In deference to Phillip’s dragon, his unique poison, and Keegan’s extraordinary test scores, they deserve a special title. Keegan is unlike other fallen knights. He is not quite at the level of a Venerable Knight, yet he is no Juris Knight—he is too gifted physically. He mirrors sentinels more than his brethren. I want them on the special task force, and I want Keegan to oversee technology for the Sentinel Brotherhood. The reapers aid us, but they have their own workload and tasks.”
“Keeganisunique,” Conley said, standing up to pace.
“Fine, I agree. Keegan is unique. But to give up a fallen knight? Alaric, I can’t do that. I can’t sign over a fallen knight. Imagine what the Council would think. You want him working here to give him complete access to Phillip and Victor, we can negotiate that, but he deserves to know the fallen knights are still his people and that we value him and his accomplishments,” Drystan insisted.
Alaric shrugged. “Then we officially make him a part of the Sentinel Brotherhood and we share him.”
“You didn’t really think you’d win getting your hands on Keegan fully, did you?” Chander asked, cracking a smile.
“Of course not, but I had to give it a shot,” Alaric replied. “I already have Larissa crafting special uniforms for them. They will be called Cinder Lords.”
Larissa D’Vairedraconis had designed the uniforms for every sentinel, and Alaric would trust no one else with the task.
“You’re annoying,” Drystan told Alaric. “You want to announce all this at the graduation ceremony?”
“Yes. We can design rings of rank together if you wish,” Alaric replied.
“I’m surprised you’re letting us have any say in shit,” Drystan retorted. “I’m assuming that’s your only issue with the Order of the Fallen Knights today?”
“No,” Alaric responded. “I want the spell for fallen knights and sentinels changed permanently.”
“How so?” Chander asked.
“No more shifters,” Alaric said. “We put both Sam and Phillip through an ordeal. I fear no matter how many times it happens, the result will be the same. Our new recruits deserve better, and so do you, Chand. It is impossible for you not to take on their pain, and it adds to your guilt. I will not allow the Sentinel Brotherhood to hurt you, and I would prefer if the Order of the Fallen Knights consented to the same vow.”
“The last thing I want is another situation like Samson’s,” Conley responded. “Thanks to him, Phillip’s road was perhaps a smidgen easier, at least in the sense that he didn’t suffer through unplanned shifts or have to live at the dragon facility. However, it was unnecessarily grueling. Fallen knights are impressive enough without needing to be shifters. However, I want to keep the spell altered to allow added diversity for fallen knights in the entire variety of skin colors available to elves, along with the possibility of pretty pointed ears.”
Chander closed his eyes and sighed heavily. “Thank you for making this easier on me because I wasn’t going to use the spell again, with or without your permission.”
Alaric stood and dropped his hands onto Chander’s shoulders. His mate leaned into him as he began to knead. “Anything for you.”
“They’re so cute,” Conley enthused. “I’d rush out so you guys could have some afternoon delight, but your goblins are still throwing crayons at each other, so that’s not happening.”
“But you can get out of our office anyway,” Alaric told the grinning fallen knight. “I assume you have other tasks to accomplish today.”
