Only he remained of a once-powerful family line.
Well, he and one other.
He trudged on, entering the circle where the temple grounds once stood. His mind took him back to his younger self, heart pounding, as he stood with a smiling young man to declare their bond in front of their family and friends. The gardens had been so beautiful that day, the breeze fragrant with the scent of the many now-extinct species of flowers and shrubs.
Family and friends now long gone. His mate claimed by the creature as an oracle. Best not to dwell on the past, lest he forget that all his endeavors now were for the possibility of a future for his and other races.
Tossing back his hood, he declared, “I know you’re here. Show yourself.”
Striding over the rough stones of the ancient ornamental bridge, he removed his glove and placed his hand over his heart.
Xariel appeared, bearing the taint of evil like a whiff of sour perfume. The glamour he’d worn in Martin’s realm didn’t do him justice.
He’d been so beautiful the first time Dmitri met him. His beauty hadn’t faded with time.
“You’ve come for your little pet,” Xariel spat, a cruel twist to his lips.
“He’s not my pet. He is my student, nothing more.”
“Yes, I know. But you can only break our bond completely by forming another. Don’t think I haven’t felt your attempts to rid yourself of me.”
An old argument, one they had no time for. “I’ve not tried to bond with anyone else.”
“You’re here to win back the man you call Martin?”
“While I wish him to remain unharmed and need his skill for the upcoming conflict, it’s you I’m here to see.”
“Me?” Xariel’s scowl softened momentarily, then his face returned to its rigid, unyielding mask. “You’ve had no use for me in many seasons. Why would you need me now?”
“Because neither of us can win this war fighting on two fronts.”
Xariel stayed silent for so long that Dmitri braced for an attack. While he was the strongest among the guardians, Xariel could defeat Dmitri with little problem—providing he’d been able to glean enough magic from his servants to replenish his energy.
Xariel cocked his head to the side, long silver hair sweeping over his narrow shoulders. “What do you suggest?”
Dmitri lifted his chin and let out a deep breath. So far, so good. “Combine forces. Let us put aside our differences. Work together to defeat this enemy.”
“My stance doesn’t change. If we defeat the damnable creature, I still intend to restore this world as close to its former glory as possible.”
“At the cost of another realm.”
“If we don’t win this fight, it won’t be an issue. Neither will survive.”
“True.” Somehow, being here, standing in Xariel’s presence, old feelings came back, the desire to see him smile once more, feel his arms. “You know who you’ve taken, don’t you?”
One side of Xariel’s mouth lifted into a smile, causing Dmitri’s heart to ache with its familiarity. “A mage-born, with one parent from this realm, one from the other.”
“He’s more, and you know it.”
For a moment, true pain crossed Xariel’s face. “I know. How could I not? So, she’s dead.”
Dmitri hung his head, an ache blooming in his heart that he’d not allowed himself to acknowledge. “Yes.”
“How?” Xariel’s voice came out soft, a mere whisper.
“You haven’t asked him.”
Xariel’s silence provided answer enough.
