Page 94 of Distinctly Daray
“Every elf honors matebonds by offering wreaths to the people binding their souls,” Chander said. “The D’Vaires and Darays have adopted this elven tradition. The circlets were designed by Killian the Dwyer and Drindyr Duke Dravyn D’Vairedraconis and will be presented to Phillip, Victor, and Keegan by Vellerynd Daray, Lich Reaper Grymington and Lich Reaper-mate Devlin Daray-D’Vaire.”
The floral wreaths were made of sunflowers with charcoal gray ribbons trimmed in sparkles, and Phillip loved them. He bent his knees to allow Vellerynd to place one on the hair he’d taken the time to comb before his ceremony. Phillip had borrowed Keegan’s brush to complete the task; he usually did nothing more than drag his fingers through it after a steamy shower with Victor and Keegan.
“Cinder Lords and Cinder Lord-mate, please raise your hands,” Alaric instructed.
Phillip handed one of his daggers to Brynnius and the other to Chander, who added his poison to allow Keegan to be cut, then passed it to Samson. To cut Victor, Keegan gave one of his blades to Morcant. The Skeleton Lord nodded at Phillip. A second later, he swiftly added the black poison known only to sentinels and a select few of their mates and used his body to shield the quick slice he made to Phillip’s palm. Thankfully, sentinels could move faster than the naked eye could perceive.
Ignoring the pain, Phillip held out his palm and allowed Brynnius to repeat the process on his right side. A moment later, Keegan and Victor pressed their hands to his and the lovely start of their matebond filled his mind. His dragon roaredwith approval and impatience. Neither man nor beast would be satisfied until bites completed their connection.
“Cinder Lords to Cinder Lord-mate and Cinder Lords to each other,” Chander said. “Their souls are now tied, and their lives are now linked. May their hearts always stay united so they will never want another.”
“For dragons, it is not enough to share bites,” Alaric stated. “They wanted the world to easily see their bond and started the practice of exchanging rings. As a dragon, Phillip honors this tradition as do his mates. They have asked me to express their profound gratitude for the all the masterpieces created for them by Madeline D’Vairedraconis.”
Pizza and Rogue rushed over to the three of them with a small velvet bag shimmering in the sun. Unlike many other couples, Phillip, Keegan, and Victor had opted to forgo the custom of wearing matching jewelry. They’d each wear three bands, and Madeline had outdone herself in crafting beautiful pieces for each of them to wear.
With some chattering between the two goblins, three glittering bands were passed to Baxter. He handed platinum-and-diamond rings to Keegan and Phillip. The last one he gave to Victor. It was the centerpiece of the set and had a large green amethyst flanked by two pink ones. Its sparkle would never be missed.
“Chosen by both Fate and Bétea, and accepted by my heart as true, I accept you as my mate andv’airsell nioll,” Keegan said with a beautiful smile as he pushed the first ring onto Victor’s finger. Although Victor was visibly trembling, he slid the ring with the fat gemstones on next.
“Chosen by both Fate and Bétea, and accepted by my heart as true, I accept you as my mate andv’airsell nioll,” Phillip repeated as he added the last band and gave Victor’s hand an affectionate squeeze.
Rogue dug into the bag and handed Keegan’s jewelry to Benton. Two black bands channel set with smoky quartzes were handed to Phillip and Victor. The center ring had yellow sapphires, and the colors of the set had been chosen to resemble a sunflower in honor of the scent that filled Phillip and Victor’s senses whenever the fallen knight was near.
“Chosen by both Fate and Bétea, and accepted by my heart as true, I accept you as my mate andv’airsell nioll,” Phillip said for a second time as he slid the dark ring onto Keegan’s finger.
“Chosen by both Fate and Bétea, and accepted by my heart as true, I accept you as my mate andv’airsell nioll,” Victor added once Keegan had pushed on the center ring and the cat shifter added the final one to complete the set.
There was a minor squabble between the two goblins.
“Do it together,” Alaric instructed. Perhaps because it was a formal occasion, the goblins chose not to continue their argument with themselves and now the Lich Sentinel, and together they passed the three charcoal bands created for Phillip to Gedeon. One band was scaled like dragonskin, and one had bones. The center one was enchanted to glow in the same flow of green and charcoal as Phillip’s weapons and was decorated with skulls.
“Chosen by both Fate and Bétea, and accepted by my heart as true, I accept you as my mate andv’airsell nioll,” Keegan said as Phillip held out his left hand and smiled at the fallen knight pushing the first ring into place. Phillip slipped on the second one and aimed his arm at Victor, who grinned.
“Chosen by both Fate and Bétea, and accepted by my heart as true, I accept you as my mate andv’airsell nioll.”
Victor slid on the final ring, and Phillip immediately loved the weight of them on his finger. His dragon growled with delight too.
“The next tradition Phillip, Keegan, and Victor wish to honor is practiced by the Vampyr Clutch,” Chander commented. “Although they won’t use the sacred words of vampires, they’ll use their blood to seal the locks for eternity to honor the love they share.”
“Reverent Knights Drystan and Conley Gylde-Kempe and Scythe Lord Orpheus Daray will help them in placing the necklaces,” Alaric stated. “The cuts will be made with sentinel and fallen knight daggers by Skeleton Lord Ducarius Daray, Evergreen Tenebri, and Dudley Tenebri.”
Like their rings, the necklaces were individualized and crafted by Madeline. Conley put the triple chains of charcoal around Phillip’s neck. His lock was in the shape of a dragon head and had the Daray crest stamped in the center.
Keegan’s triple chains were a mixture of silver, black, and charcoal gray, and he was assisted by Drystan. The sunflower-shaped lock also had the Daray crest in the middle.
Like his rings, Victor’s three platinum chains sparkled in the sunshine, and they were embellished with diamonds. Orpheus helped him get the tiara-shaped lock with the visible Daray crest in the center near his collarbone.
This time, the tips of their fingers were cut so they could spread their blood on the locks. As Brynnius had, Ducarius used the black poison to cut Phillip. Soon they had the necklaces locked, and Phillip loved them as much as their rings. His dragon appreciated that the necklaces couldn’t be removed unless they exchanged blood again. It was another lovely way to be reminded that man and beast belonged to Victor and Keegan.
“With the traditions of the Draconis High Court of D’Vaire and the Daray family, you are now mates. You have honored us by allowing us to share this day with you,” Chander said.
They had one last task to perform, and that was to ask Fate for mating marks. Like the other triple matebonds in the family, Phillip, Victor, and Keegan were each electing to have artwork covering their entire left arm. Phillip slipped off his cloak. Beneath it he wore a sleeveless shirt and loose pants in dark gray, which matched the outfits his mates were wearing.
Phillip gave his cloak to Scythe Lord Masse Daray while Keegan and Victor handed theirs to Hexaniys and Eduard. Blades were passed around again, and Gavrael added his black poison to cut Phillip. Arvandus took a recently poisoned blade from Chander to slice Keegan’s palm, and it was Albrecht who nicked Victor.
Their blood mixed, and Phillip lifted his chin to speak.
“Cinder Lord to Cinder Lord. Cinder Lords to Cinder Lord-mate. Our blood has spilled, and our spirits have bonded. We ask Fate to grant us a mark from left shoulder to wrist so the world may bear witness we belong only to each other.”
