Page 56 of Distinctly Daray
“Probably more tasks than you actually,” Drystan said, rising.
“You should squeeze in an hour to dagger train; your skills remain shitty,” Alaric drawled.
“Thanks, Lich Sentinel,” Drystan retorted with an annoyed glare.
“Anytime, Reverent Knight.”
The Gylde-Kemps demanded another round of hugs, then left Alaric and Chander alone.
“Would you two use those damn crayons for your coloring books and not as projectiles?” Chander demanded of the two goblins, who were glaring at each other. They both dropped the crayons in their hands to the table and bowed their little heads as they offered small chirps of apology to Chander and each other.
“I am sure you will both create beautiful drawings if you take turns with the colors you need,” Alaric told the pair.
“You always make me be the one to yell at them,” Chander complained.
“Of course, you are far better at it than me.”
Chander’s pretty mouth flattened into a thin line, and his pewter gaze was annoyed. It didn’t stop Alaric from brushing their lips together. He tugged Chander into his arms and held the man he loved close. It never failed to soothe him.
“I like your plan for Phillip and Keegan,” Chander remarked as he lay his head on the chest of Alaric’s intricately embroidered uniform.
“It was the best I could do to give them as much time with Victor as possible.”
“I still can’t believe he has two mates. Despite Phillip’s issues with his dragon, the three of them have managed it so seamlessly. If I wasn’t living with them, I’d doubt it was possible to click that fast.”
“That is because you are not an optimist,” Alaric drawled.
Chander chuckled. “Yeah, well, as weird as it is for the leader of the most elite assassins on the planet to be the sunshine in this relationship, that’s how it works. I’ve told you from the beginning that you’re too damn nice.”
“Few accuse you of that.”
“And for some reason, you like that about me.”
“I love every damn thing about you,” Alaric corrected, pressing his lips to Chander’s dark curls.
“Do you have ulterior motives for insisting that Phillip and Keegan work from home in the mornings?” Chander asked, his eyes narrowing. “It’d be just as easy for them to head over here between breakfast and lunch.”
“It can’t hurt to have someone in the condo who knows how to use a weapon for a few more hours of the day.”
“You’re lucky that Victor will be so excited about being near his mates that he won’t immediately figure out that it’s partly to protect him too,” Chander said.
“Now there will be only four hours a day I must worry about him.”
Chander shook his head. “Right. Sure.”
“You sound skeptical of me, but I’m unsure why.”
“Alaric, I know you,” Chander replied.
“No one knows me like you.”
“I’m one of the most powerful people alive, but you insist on two sentinels following me wherever I go,” Chander said. “That’s why there are two Daemon Lords gossiping with my office staff downstairs as we speak.”
“You prefer not to learn how to use weapons, so I wish to give you one less thing to worry about, which is why you have guards.”
“Yeah, and it took me far too long to figure out why you’ve so quietly allowed Victor to get away with going wherever he wants for many years without anyone tagging along.”
“He is usually at home or hanging out with Evergreen and Dudley,” Alaric replied.
