But there was a dark shadow in his mind that understood too well. Hadn’t the same thought crossed his mind when he’d awakened that first morning, clanless and wingless? Hadn’t he feared his sacrifice would be for nothing because Caelan wouldn’t want him any longer? Hadn’t he wanted to end it all when he was sure he’d lost a key part of what made him Drayce?
No, as much as Rayne’s actions hurt, Drayce understood his feelings a little too well for comfort.
“What are you doing?” Rayne inquired and Drayce nearly rolled his eyes at the man. He thought it was pretty damn clear that he was bringing him tea.
“Move the papers! Move the papers!” he called out with a forced cheerfulness. “Move them or the tray is going on top of them.”
Rayne made a disgruntled noise, but quickly started snatching up the papers in both hands and pulling the maps down to the floor, safely away from Drayce and his pot of hot water.
Drayce set the tray on the center of the table and kneeled opposite of Rayne. His hands deftly pulled close both the cups he’d warmed before bringing the tray into the parlor and carefully filled the silver ball diffusers with tea leaves.
“What tea did you bring?” Rayne asked, watching Drayce closely as he worked with practiced movement. Maybe he’d not had a lot of tea to drink while he’d lived in Stormbreak, but hot tea had been a part of everyday life when he’d lived with the Takahashi.
“White Eternal Spring,” Drayce said and then smiled. “I know you’re partial to the Strawberry White Star, but this one has strawberry as well as notes of pineapple and mango. It’s healthier for you.” He carefully poured the hot water into one cup and then the other.
“No milk?”
“No milk. I don’t want you to miss the hint of cornflower.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell Rayne that White Eternal Spring was a very special tea meant for strength and rejuvenation. It took the longest to create and needed to be savored for the first time without any additions. The clan leader and his family were typically the only ones who were allowed to drink White Eternal Spring, but the head of the kitchen hadn’t hesitated to hand it over when he’d requested it. And Rayne didn’t need that added pressure when it came to the importance of this tea.
“I don’t need you serving me,” Rayne muttered under his breath as he accepted the delicate teacup and saucer from Drayce.
“He also doesn’t need to steal the last of the fruit tarts,” Adrian grumbled as he strolled into the room.
Drayce glared at the man, but it didn’t stop Adrian from plopping down on the floor next to him. He’d been hoping for a couple of minutes alone with Rayne to talk, but maybe Adrian being there was a good thing. The newcomer seemed to be struggling with what had happened as well. While Drayce had filled him in on the basic details of the events of Zastrad, there were deeper, emotional things they were all having trouble with that needed to be aired before they could move forward as a team.
“I brought only two cups for tea,” Drayce warned.
“But you snagged the last five tarts,” Adrian countered, already reaching out to grab one of the tarts in question. “I’m not here for the tea. Just the tart.” He took a bite and made a happy noise. “Is there any way we can bring Omari Hoshiko home with us? I’m not sure how I’m going to survive in Stormbreak without regular access to her cooking.”
Adrian did have a good point. Omari Hoshiko was Nori’s amazing chef. The past few days had reminded him of how much he’d missed the cooking from his homeland. There was something about it that struck him as being warmer and cozier, as if it reached down and cuddled his soul.
Rayne closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, letting the scent of the White Eternal Spring fill his lungs. He released it in the form of a happy sigh. “I’ll miss the tea.” He opened his eyes again, staring at Drayce. “How did you adjust to the lack of tea selection in Erya?”
“Slowly,” Drayce said with a little moan. It wasn’t that Erya didn’t have tea, just that it was a small and relatively uninspired selection. He’d largely given up drinking hot tea while living in Stormbreak. “But Erya does have an excellent beer selection. And junk food. Stormbreak definitely does junk food better.”
Rayne made a scoffing noise, and Adrian let out a bark of laughter.
“Being a dragon explains why you’re not as big as a house.” Adrian flashed him a wide grin. “I’ve seen you eat enough to fill two men and you never gain a pound.”