by Brandon Fox
“Could you help us?” Ander asked. “I’m sure we’d learn faster if you’d show us the way. And there are dangers, enemies who—”
Pallaton raised a hand to stop the entreaty. “First you must grow stronger. Touching the forces I wield would destroy you, like an infant playing with fire. You are not ready.”
“Thane is much stronger than me, the most skillful mage of all. I’m only an initiate, a beginner.”
“Enough!” The ring of authority had reentered Pallaton’s voice and would brook no argument. His aura flashed with silvery streaks like tiny bolts of lightning. “I have seen into your mind, felt your beloved’s spirit through the bond you share with him. He has glimpsed what lies beneath the world’s surface, nothing more. The forces are too great for him as well. You may stay the night in the valley but must leave with sunrise.”
“But—”
“I have spoken!” The steel in his voice showed the hsien were still a warrior race. Argument would be futile and unwise. Ander bowed his head in acceptance of the decree.
A boom like a thunderclap echoed sharply through the vast gallery. Pallaton vanished in a flash of white light, and Ander felt himself pushed backward. He stumbled, almost falling, and found himself between the pillars at the entrance to the hierophants’ garden.
Within three heartbeats, Thane was at his side and had grabbed him in a fierce hug. Ander protested weakly, fighting for breath. Thane broke the embrace and held him at arm’s length. His eyes were panicked; through their bond Ander felt acute terror and grief that had only begun to fade. Skorri and Dannel stood nearby, looking vastly relieved.
“Ander…,” Thane whispered, his voice hoarse. He held tight, as if fearing Ander would disappear again. “I thought we’d lost you. Are you all right?”
“I think so.” Ander rubbed his eyes, fighting the fatigue that suddenly filled him. “Let’s get back to the lodge. There’s much you need to know, and little time to tell it.”
Chapter Fourteen
“THAT’S all I can remember,” Ander said. “I think it’s everything.” His eyelids drooped and his head tilted to the side as he fought a losing battle with drowsiness.
Thane’s mind still raced at the tale. There was no doubting its truth, or at least that Ander believed it without reservation.
Deep blue sky was fading to black, and stars were starting to appear in the patch of sky visible through the smoke hole in the lodge’s roof. They were all sitting around the fire pit, the air full of spicy smoke as Erik and Skorri grilled fish for dinner. Thane barely noticed the aroma or the warmth of the fire. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. His mind still swirled with visions of a world filled with mages born of man, but changed. “We thought we knew so much,” he said, humbled. “But we know nothing. The Aerehoth Gate and everything it conceals should have been enough to make us suspect. Men have never had the skill to build such a place, or even to imagine it.”
“The hierophants spoke of elder gods,” Dannel said. “There are legends, handed down from times before writing. Tales of monsters and death. Of punishing mankind for transgressions. They don’t sound like this Pallaton that Ander met, though.”
“I think you’re right. Maybe the legends grew from a seed of truth, but the truth got lost after so many retellings. Ander did say there was a bitter war between the two races.”
Ander leaned against him and yawned, already half-asleep. Thane put an arm around him for support. His partner’s success at meeting Pallaton’s tests filled him with pride.
He picked up a wooden bowl containing seedpods and other ingredients he had ground with a smooth rock. Brown paste that smelled of leaf mold formed a layer half an inch thick in its bottom. He examined the contents, then tilted the wooden bowl so Dannel could see inside. “The ointment is nearly done,” he said. “A little more blending and refining, then we can give it a try.”
Dannel’s eyebrows lifted. “After what happened to Ander? What if Pallaton objects? It didn’t sound like he wants us meddling with the powers his race left behind.”
Thane nodded, sharing the same concerns. “There might be risk. But this could be our only chance. Ander didn’t say we’d been forbidden to touch the kei. I’m willing to try, but it’s your decision. The art depends on love freely given.”
“I don’t fear risk. My whole life has been spent learning how to fight.” His brow knitted. “This is different, though. It’s not just my risk. Pallaton might punish us all. I’d be a poor apprentice if I brought the wrath of an elder god down on your heads.”
Ander opened his eyes. “Pallaton is a warrior too. He said courage is a virtue, so maybe he won’t get mad. Besides, we’re your friends. You need help, so we offer it. Risk doesn’t change that.”
Dannel looked at them with unguarded longing, clearly struggling with the decision.
Silence stretched as Thane gave him time to make up his own mind.
“You offer more than I deserve,” Dannel said at last. “I’ve never had such comrades. I… I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to see you come to harm but also don’t wish to spurn your gift.”
Thane gave Ander a gentle squeeze and touched their heads together, an unconscious token of their bond. A sense of peace filled him. He turned to Dannel. “Part of friendship is learning to trust. We’ll always stand by you. You’ll always come to our aid. That’s what makes us strong.”
Dannel nodded, his expression full of hope and pride. “Trust is hard after what my family and the hierophants have done to me. But you have it. If you think making an attempt with your new potion is wise, then I want to try.” He paused, then cleared his throat and continued in a subdued voice. “What will I need to do? Is it complicated?”
Thane heard the anxious note in his question. Dannel was hunched forward, his hands clenched together. Even in the fading light, Thane could see his uncertainty. I let myself get distracted again. I forgot his failed attempts at lovemaking. Dannel’s assured bearing made it easy to forget his inexperience with intimacy. Sex was second nature to anyone who practiced the art, but to Dannel it was a forbidden land filled with mystery and trepidation.
Thane eased away from his sleepy partner and moved beside Dannel. They stared into the fire for a time, watching orange sparks swirl in the rising currents, until Thane felt the tension start to ebb. “I don’t suppose Ander has told you about my many faults,” he said. “One of the worst is that I sometimes neglect my friends when I get too busy or distracted.”
“That’s one of them,” Skorri said, looking up from the grilling fish. “Want me to tell him about the others?”
Thane laughed and used the tip of his boot to direct a small pinecone in Skorri’s direction. “Later, beast. I have to warn him about you first.” He wasn’t entirely jesting. Skorri was notorious for telling lurid stories that often had more to do with his randy imagination than reality.
Skorri rolled his eyes and turned back to Erik, who was tending to the cooking with single-minded concentration. Thane’s stomach rumbled at the savory aroma of wood smoke and fish. He noticed that Dannel seemed oblivious to it, a sure sign of his preoccupation.
“What would you like to know?” Thane asked. “Don’t be afraid to ask. The art won’t work if you’re nervous. And if we succeed, it’s important that we make it as good for you as possible. It’s your first time, a night you’ll always remember. We should make it a good memory.”
Dannel looked at Thane in wonder. “I’ve heard men in Skarn talk of sex. They joked and bragged but never said anything about pleasing their partner. They just took what they wanted.”
“If that’s what you feared, put your mind at rest. Half the art is learning to please the one you’re with. Pleasure grows strong enough to work magic only when both lovers share that goal.”
Dannel gazed into Thane’s eyes as if entranced. “You and Ander are perfect for each other,” he said softly, as if to himself. “Will I get to take Ander’s place tonight? Will you touch me the wa
y you touch him?”
Thane grinned, not trying to conceal his enthusiasm. Though he was serious about the art, his body and spirit still burned with a young man’s appetite for sex. “Everyone is different. What Ander likes best might not be what pleases you the most. We won’t know until we try. No pain, I promise. Only pleasure. Pain is anathema to the art.”
“I hope your potion works.” A corner of Dannel’s mouth lifted. “You remind me of a stable boy I know in Skarn. He’s strong like you, though not so fair. But what I like best about him is how he tames horses. He doesn’t break them to his will like other riders. Instead, he makes friends with the horse. He only mounts when it’s sure of him and not afraid. It takes longer, but the horses he trains are the best in Skarn.”
Thane laughed and squeezed Dannel’s leg. “That’s the first time I’ve heard lovemaking compared to riding horses.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Dannel said, blushing. “You just reminded me—”
“I know. Don’t worry, I’m not offended. But what you say makes sense. Riding a horse and making love both need trust.” He paused, meeting Dannel’s anxious gaze with a steady eye. After a while he leaned forward again, elbows on knees. “I know what the problem is. It’s happened before. You look at me and think about magic, instead of just seeing me. It makes everything so much more complicated. I wish there was a way to avoid it.”
Ander stirred, opening his eyes and yawning. “It’s true,” he said. “The first time I met Thane, I didn’t know who he was. I thought he was just a sexy kitchen boy. We seduced each other so fast it still makes me flinch to think about it.”
“A kitchen boy?” Dannel’s surprised amusement seemed to lighten the room.
Ander nodded. “A horny kitchen helper who wanted to share a kiss. How could I say no? You wouldn’t, would you?”
Though embarrassed, Dannel shook his head. “No,” he said softly. “I wouldn’t.” Hesitantly, he reached over to Thane and touched his arm. “I can forget about magic. Would you give me the same offer you gave Ander?”
Thane looked up, warmed by the prospect of simple friendship. He touched Dannel’s cheek in a wordless invitation. They leaned close and kissed.
He let Dannel set the pace. The chaste kiss deepened as they turned toward each other and moved into a full embrace. Dannel’s strong body felt like a bundle of energy in his arms. Thane parted his lips, and Dannel’s tongue slid into his mouth with youthful urgency. Whatever he lacked in experience was overcome by pent-up desire. He leaned against Thane and kissed him thoroughly.
A thud and muted giggles coming from near the fire interrupted their intimacy. Thane reluctantly broke the kiss and turned to look. Skorri and Erik lay on the ground in a tangle.
“They were inspired by your example,” Ander said, restraining laughter. “But Skorri forgot how close the fire is. His rump got a little warmer than usual.”
Thane shook his head. Erik looked chagrined, but Skorri wasn’t fazed at all. His sunny disposition found cause for humor in most situations, even when it came at his own expense.
“Perhaps it’s for the best,” Thane said. “It smells like the fish are done, and we have a long night ahead.” He brushed his fingertips across Dannel’s lips, felt warm breath against his hand. “You surprise me. I never doubted your spirit but didn’t expect your skill to match it.”
Dannel blushed, flustered by the praise, but Ander laughed softly. “He’s had a little practice with kisses. I was impressed too. He’s well suited for the art. Or he will be, once the firestone is tamed.”
The reminder of unfinished work was like a spur. Thane stood up and inspected the fish fillets. “They’re done,” he announced. “Let’s eat.”
Dinner passed quickly as they debated the meaning of Pallaton’s tests and compared his version of history to legends they had heard from near and far. Throughout it all, Thane felt the tug of Dannel’s furtive glances. He did his best to put him at ease but couldn’t help responding to his desire. Anticipation kept him hard through the meal.
“Can I help you finish the potion?” Ander asked as they cleared the table. He leaned close and cupped the mound at Thane’s crotch, giving him a friendly leer. “It looks like you need some help. Were you watching Dannel at dinner? I’ve never seen anyone so eager.”
Thane glanced over his shoulder. Dannel was helping Erik bank the fire, crouching with the stiff awkwardness of a boy with pinched flesh cramming his leathers. “Who can blame him? I can’t imagine how frustrated he must be.”
“He’s been horny as a rutting stag for years,” Ander agreed. “He’s lucky in one thing, though: having you for his first real lover. Nothing could be better.”
Thane nudged Ander’s crotch. “You’ll help me, won’t you? He fancies both of us. If he can feel our bond, it might help him understand us better.”
“Generous as always.” Ander beamed, strands of hair partially concealing his eyes. “What about the potion? Need help?”
“It’s almost done. Rest awhile. I haven’t forgotten how tired you are.”
Ander looked like he wanted to argue, but a yawn chose that moment to escape. He nodded and went to the sleeping ledges for a nap while Thane continued working.
After creating a small telos light and positioning it above the table, Thane settled down for the final steps in creating the numbing ointment. The task was more demanding than he had admitted, requiring repeated tests pricking the underside of his forearm with a knifepoint after dabbing the skin with ingredients mixed in different proportions. He wasn’t satisfied until he could draw blood without the slightest sensation. He judged dawn was still three hours away.
He carefully wrapped the ointment in a broad leaf, then left the table and went to the ledges where his friends were sleeping. Erik and Skorri were curled together front to back, as they always slept since banishment from their boyhood home. Dannel was on his side, his blanket knocked to the ground, an erection making a long mound beneath his leathers.
Thane arrived at Ander’s ledge and sat beside his lover, who slept with lips parted, his long lashes fluttering as he dreamed. Sleep revealed an innocence that was usually concealed. Thane yearned to protect that innocence, shield him from the brutality and pain that filled the world, but knew it was impossible. He stroked his partner’s hair, his breath catching as Ander’s eyes opened and engulfed him in a warm gaze.
“It’s time?”
“The potion is done. I hope it works. I don’t know what else we can try if it fails.”
“It will work.” Ander knuckled his eyes, then sat up and stretched. His trust was flattering, though Thane wasn’t sure it was justified. But there was no point in fostering doubts; confidence in the potion might be as important as the actual physical effects. Thane had found that belief in magic was half the battle in making it work.
“We still have a few hours until dawn,” he said. “I decided we should go to the place Dannel went when he was entranced. The kei is close to the surface of things there. If we can touch it, we might understand the forces Pallaton spoke of. And we won’t get another chance.”
Ander nodded, though he looked doubtful. “I understand. But if your balm works, this will be the first time Dannel has even had sex. How can someone so inexperienced hope to touch the kei? There’ll be no trance to help him this time.”
“Remember, he’s like a conduit. His problem isn’t with his capacity to experience pleasure. It’s with his ability to control pleasure. Before, the firestone always prevented control. If we neutralize it and forge a bond, who knows what might happen?”
Ander shrugged, then slid to his feet. “We might as well try. As you say, this will be our only chance. And I doubt Dannel will care. He’d make love in the treetops if that’s what you wanted.”
“That’s a really hard way to do it,” Skorri said, stirring nearby. “Ask Erik. We almost fell out of the tree.”
“Why were you… no, never mind.” Thane shook his head. “I don’t th
ink I want to know.” He went over to Dannel and nudged him. He woke instantly and sprang up with fists raised. Thane jumped back at the unexpected reaction.
“Sorry,” Dannel said, lowering his fists. “Habit. Sometimes you have to fight as soon as you waken.”
Thane raised an eyebrow. “Useful for warriors, I’m sure. And likely to keep your lovers from getting careless.” Fatigue left him as he started to contemplate the adventure ahead. “Tonight is a new beginning for you, Dannel. And for us as well. Get ready to ride.”
TWO hours remained before dawn. Preparations were complete, and there was no time for second thoughts. A sense of mystery and enormity hung in the air. Here at a nexus, the connection between the everyday world and the kei was almost tangible to one who knew what to seek.
They stood on the platform at the center of the wide depression. The bowl retained heat so that even in the final hours before dawn, it felt like a comfortable summer evening. Silvery fog wafted from the channels of rippling water, reaching halfway up the truncated pyramid. It was as if they occupied a small island in the clouds. Above them the Sentinel continued its stately rotation and cast reddish light over the ancient landscape. For the first time, Thane felt the truly alien character of the temple’s builders. They had not been exotic ancients; they had been something other than men. Something greater, beyond a doubt.
They had left their clothes at the base of the pyramid and ascended with only the numbing ointment in a folded leaf, a jar of slick oil, a flask of water, and blankets to spread as a cushion over the smooth stones.