Page 57 of The Missing Sentinel
“I love you too,” Drexley replied, brushing their mouths together again.
Ducarius’s eyes narrowed as Drexley yawned. “Now, we need to rest. The last thing you should do is add fatigue to your concerns.”
“I wanted to discover if we will lose consciousness when we make love now that we are bonded, but I suppose it can wait until tomorrow.”
“Perhaps if we are not exhausted, we can avoid passing out and can brag to the sentinels that we conquered something they could not.”
“I like your competitive spirit.”
“Good, now help me fix these covers; they are hopelessly tangled. And do not even think of looking at the dressing gown I threw to the floor earlier.”
With a chuckle, Drexley stole plenty of kisses as they straightened their bed. Then Drexley snuggled close to Ducarius, laid his head on the Skeleton Lord’s chest, and drifted away wearing a smile as he reveled in the tender growing love emanating from the other sentinel’s stalwart heart.
Chapter 25
Something roused Ducarius from sleep. He wasn’t sure what had awakened him, so he yawned and kissed Drexley’s short blond locks. Wiggling his shoulders, Ducarius slid a hand down to cup the curve of Drexley’s naked ass. It was tempting to caress much more of him, but Drexley required rest. So did Ducarius.
Ducarius’s eyes drifted closed as he yawned again. A second later, he was wide awake. The ground beneath him rumbled, and the bed shook. It was subtle but unmistakable. Was another section of the castle crumbling? Worried that the bedroom where his mate lay would be the next victim of the shrinking realm, Ducarius opted to get up and survey the latest damage.
It was imperative Drexley remained asleep, so Ducarius moved slowly and let out a relieved breath as the shaking stopped. Perhaps it was foolish to even bother taking a walk around when he could be cuddled with Drexley, but now Ducarius doubted he would find it easy to relax again without checking the castle.
As carefully as possible, Ducarius slid toward the edge of the mattress. He made it halfway out from under Drexley before the brittle building roared to life again. The quaking of the stones was louder this time around. Drexley’s eyes popped open.
Ducarius immediately sensed his confusion and fear. The connection they had gained hours earlier thanks to their matebond was reassuring, but also recent enough that it was odd to have feelings that were not his own. But that did not make Ducarius any less grateful to have the rare skill.
“More of the castle is falling apart?”
“Yes, I will go check and see what we have lost. Go back to sleep.”
Drexley rolled his eyes as the room continued to sway. “How could I rest now?”
The question was rhetorical, so Ducarius threw the covers aside and climbed out of bed. Thankfully, he had worn one of robes earlier, which had allowed his uniform to dry. Ducarius was far more comfortable in his own clothing. As Drexley moved behind him, Ducarius grabbed his underwear and stepped into them.
Beneath him, the floor shifted violently, and he was flung into the wall near the hearth. He was slammed hard enough that the air rushed from his lungs in a whoosh. Ducarius’s bare ass hit the ground, and his teeth clacked together.
“Fuck,” Ducarius barely managed as he sucked in some needed oxygen.
Drexley’s panic crashed through Ducarius, nearly as intense as his short flight through the bedroom.
“Adney,” Drexley cried out.
“Dress swiftly,” Ducarius ordered as yanked his boxer briefs up his legs.
The grinding noise of the rocks and the popping of wooden planks were overwhelming. But Ducarius had to focus. On his hands and knees, he crawled to the trunk and snatched his clothes from the top. Sparks from the fire filled the air. But Ducarius paid no attention to any of it.
Drexley had crawled to his side. Ducarius paused long enough to help him yank a clean robe and hose out of the trunk. Tears were swimming in Drexley’s eyes, but Ducarius had to wait to soothe him. The pitcher and basin they used to wash crashed and broke into pieces. A heartbeat later, the fragments poofed out of existence.
Ducarius’s fingers trembled, and the swaying made his belly roil. But he finished dressing. Once his boots were on, he grabbed his daggers. With a whispered word, they were floating at his sides. He shuffled to the wall and braced his palms to get to his feet. Planting his legs wide, he stood.
Ducarius used every ounce of strength he had honed in his two thousand years of training to haul Drexley upward. The other sentinel nearly landed in a heap thanks to his robe, but Ducarius refused to let him go. Air whistled through the room, and Ducarius whipped his head to watch half of the space disappear.
“Adney!” Drexley shouted.
“Head to the door,” Ducarius ordered firmly through their mindlink.
“I must go check on him,” Drexley replied, though Ducarius already knew his mate was in a near-blind panic thanks to his worry over Adney.
But their bedroom was zipping away. Thanks to the larger view they now had of the castle, they could see that the damage was far more extensive. And ongoing. Ducarius urged Drexley forward, and they used the wall to brace themselves. Once in the hallway, Ducarius sent waves of positivity to Drexley through their connection.
