The Darkest Sword

by Samantha Kroese

  “I think she pities me, actually. Which is worse,” Ashiyn ignored the rest of the comment and tried to shift to look behind Soryn’s back. “What are you hiding?”

  Soryn whipped out a dark tome and waved it in the air. “Your book about Sihtaar. The only one in Rurik’s library that mentions it.”

  Ashiyn’s eyes widened and he eagerly leaned across to try to wrench it from his friend’s grip. Soryn laughed and danced back out of the way. Ashiyn gave him a scowl and demanded, “Soryn, give me the book.”

  “I believe I was promised payment for the book,” Soryn said, holding it just out of reach.

  “I said I might reward you,” Ashiyn said as he stood up. He walked around the desk with purpose, hand outstretched. “Let me see that it is indeed what you say it is.”

  Soryn hesitated, then handed it over. “It was not easy to steal from Sia you know.”

  Ashiyn flipped through the pages, his heart starting to race. Inside were the secrets to the legendary blade. How it was created, the power it housed, the way to tame it, even its location. He turned and started for the door, but Soryn blocked his path. “Soryn, I need to go get this sword.”

  “I performed a service for you. I expect payment. I am not your slave or servant; I am Rurik’s high priest. That makes me of a similar rank to you,” Soryn said as he advanced on Ashiyn.

  Ashiyn backed up slowly until he hit the desk, jarring it and spilling wine as he knocked against it. He narrowed his eyes. “What do you want?”

  “I think you know what I want,” Soryn murmured, looking Ashiyn over. “I know you hear my sexual comments and flirting even if you ignore them.”

  “I’m not a whore, Soryn,” Ashiyn said gruffly. “I don’t pay for sex, and people don’t pay me for it.”

  “Then you’ll do it for free? Excellent,” Soryn teased, as he got as close to Ashiyn as he could without them touching.

  Ashiyn set the book carefully on the desk away from the spilled wine and eyed Soryn. “If you were any other man you’d be dead.”

  “If you were any other man, I wouldn’t be asking,” Soryn countered. Then he reached over to play with the buckle on Ashiyn’s belt.

  Ashiyn crossed his arms. “I have told you that I am only aroused by women. I don’t find you sexually attractive, Soryn. I have to find you at least a little bit attractive to be able to give you what you want.”

  “I’ll make you a deal. If I can get you up, then you’ll give me what I want,” Soryn shrugged. “If not, I’ll never ask again.”

  Ashiyn narrowed his eyes. “You have one minute. If you can’t, I’ll kill you.”

  “I don’t even need that long,” Soryn smirked and leaned close, both hands flat against the desk and his body pressed close to Ashiyn. Then he whispered in Ashiyn’s ear, “I just handed you your freedom. You will be king now.”

  Ashiyn growled as his body responded to that thought. “That’s cheating!”

  Soryn smirked then played with Ashiyn’s belt. “Come on, if I were a woman, you’d have already thrown me down on the desk, and we both know it.”

  “I’m still going to kill you,” Ashiyn growled as he used his magic to clear the desk.

  “As long as it’s after, I don’t care!” Soryn said, breathless. “Here, I’ll let you off easy this time.”

  Ashiyn tensed as Soryn knelt before him, then he decided to allow it. Why not? He was bored anyway. No one was here to catch them this time.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Ashiyn lay in the morning light flipping through the book about the sword as Soryn slept in bed next to him. He still felt rather ambivalent about being with Soryn, but what started in the study had ended in the bed. Soryn, on the other hand, behaved as though Ashiyn had given him the world. Ashiyn had never known anyone so happy with anything. But to keep himself from looking at Soryn or thinking about it, he tried to figure out the location of the blade on the map. The map was poorly drawn and ancient; he didn’t recognize any of the markings on it. After a while, Ashiyn gave up and nudged Soryn. “Wake up. You can’t stay here,” Ashiyn said with a scowl.

  Soryn started awake, then cleared his throat. “But I want to stay here,” Soryn mumbled. Ashiyn heard the hoarseness in his voice from the screaming Soryn had done the previous night.

  The reminder of Soryn screaming his name started to arouse Ashiyn, so he quickly distracted himself by throwing the open book onto Soryn’s lap when the other man sat up. “Do you know how to read this map?”

  Soryn rubbed the sleep from his eyes then picked the book up and turned it around various ways while studying it. Then he shook his head. “No idea. I bet Sia does. Sia wrote the book.”

  “You stole the book from Sia. It’s not like we can go ask him,” Ashiyn grumbled as he yanked the book back.

  “Sia doesn’t like serving Rurik. I bet he would help you if you free him,” Soryn said as he stretched lazily. Then he tried to crawl into Ashiyn’s lap.

  Ashiyn grabbed Soryn’s arm and forced him off, making Soryn yelp under his grip. “No!”

  Soryn pulled away, got up from the bed to retrieve what little he’d been wearing, and tied the loincloth back around his waist. “I know you enjoyed it. Now what’s the problem?”

  “It’s a habit neither of us can afford to get into,” Ashiyn glared at him. “Did you forget my master will kill us both? And your master will do who-knows-what to me if he finds out I touched his favorite. What was that about freeing Sia?”

  “Figure out a way to release him from the trap spell Rurik has on the tower,” Soryn shrugged, looking upset, but he didn’t argue.

  “Wouldn’t Rurik be angry that Sia was missing? How do I do that without getting caught?” Ashiyn asked, dubious.

  “You make it look like Sia escaped on his own. Sia’s been trying to get away ever since I can remember. I should go back now. You’ll figure it out,” Soryn said as he edged toward the door. “Thank you for last night, Ashiyn.”

  Ashiyn felt a hint of jealousy when Soryn opened the door. “I don’t like that Rurik touches you, Soryn. It drives me crazy in bad ways. I want to kill him for it.”

  Soryn turned back to look at him, shocked. Then he blushed a little and turned away. “It’s not as bad for me as it would be for you. I hate that Rhadamanthus kills you. Same thing. No big deal to you.”

  “Rhadamanthus will kill you if he finds out, Soryn. Be careful,” Ashiyn said quietly. “I can’t protect you yet.”

  “They won’t find out. Either of them. I promise. Don’t worry,” Soryn winked at him, then disappeared out the door, shutting it behind him and leaving Ashiyn alone with his plotting.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Ashiyn broke away from Rhadamanthus’s army. The army of heroes that had ridden from the city to meet them had not even lasted even ten minutes. Ashiyn hated being bored, so instead of staying with the army and finishing off the conquest of the city, he turned Illusion away from the bloodshed and into the thick woods nearby.

  This forest had a strange feel to it and it suppressed his magic. The trees reminded him of the elven queen Harm he’d encountered when he was much younger. Was this an elven forest? Diredin had told him the elves once had many forests on this world, but there were only a few now.

  He scowled. The queen had taken full advantage of his youth and inexperience, and he had never seen her again. The war between his master and her kingdom still raged. The elves were proving resilient and difficult to exterminate.

  Suddenly, Illusion screamed and reared as something fell out of the tree on top of Ashiyn. It grabbed him around the neck, and he felt metal bite into his skin. His hot blood gushed down his chest, but he knew it would take a few moments to bleed to death. He snarled and grabbed his attacker from his back and slung them off. Then he tumbled from his saddle, stumbling a few steps as he put a hand to the deep gash in his neck.

  There lying among the moonlit trees was a mirror image of his younger self, except the ears were much longer. The same brilliant golde
n eyes glared back at him, as the young boy scrambled to his feet.

  Ashiyn coughed, which only made the blood gush worse. He stumbled and fell to his knees, as Illusion danced nervously around him. He grabbed the horse and smacked its rump, sending it bolting back toward the army. Hopefully, the idiots would realize what his blood-covered horse meant and come retrieve him before the elves did.

  The boy held his knife defensively and crouched. Ashiyn collapsed onto his side, his strength fading far too quickly. A mortal strike from someone so young. He should be proud. And the child looked just like him. He almost hoped Harm would capture him so he could find out just how angry she was. There was no way anyone in this world would not know that boy was his son. He watched the boy creep cautiously closer until the darkness swept him away.

  He woke to Rhadamanthus and Harm arguing, loudly. Rhadamanthus stood in front of his prone form, sword drawn, while Harm stood with her arms around the boy, a dozen elven mages standing around her with staves ready.

  “What did you do? Seduce Ashiyn while you were at the castle? That boy is clearly Ashiyn’s child,” Rhadamanthus said, his voice a growl. “The boy will not fit into your realm. Everyone will know who he belongs to, and he will be hated. Give him to me so he can train with his father.”

  “No, your slave forced himself on me. And Ember is not going anywhere. He belongs here, with me,” Harm retorted with a glare, her nose in the air as always.

  Ashiyn couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He certainly had not forced himself on Harm. He tried to voice as much but his throat was still mending. He managed a snarl and slowly got to his feet. Illusion trotted over, snorting with worry. He leaned heavily on the horse, still feeling weak, but not wanting to look like it. “Is that what you told the boy? Is that why he tried to kill me?”

  “I did kill you!” Ember insisted, his fists clenched at his sides and his anger making him shake. “For what you did to my mother!”

  “I didn’t do anything to your mother. You should ask why she lies to you,” Ashiyn grumbled. “Can we go? She’s a waste of time, Master.” With that he climbed carefully onto Illusion’s back.

  “This is not over, woman,” Rhadamanthus promised. “Keep that boy away from my slave, or I will teach Ember not to touch what doesn’t belong to him.”

  “Tell Ashiyn to stay out of my forests then!” Harm huffed as Rhadamanthus mounted and he and Ashiyn rode off.

  Ashiyn tried to keep Illusion ahead of the bull, but Rhadamanthus’s bull was a powerful beast and caught up. He cringed, knowing what was coming. “She seduced me, Master. She told me she wanted a child from it.”

  “I understand that much. What I do not understand is what part of your brain thought that was a good idea,” Rhadamanthus glared at him. “Now Harm has an immortal to train and she’s turned him against you. He will become your enemy, and he will not be impossible to slay.”

  Ashiyn rubbed at his neck. “I’m not worried about it, Master. For every year he trains, I will continue to train and become better. He will never match me.”

  “He just killed you, idiot,” Rhadamanthus shook his head.

  “He dove out of a tree! I wasn’t expecting little half-elven squirrels to try to murder me!” Ashiyn retorted with a glare.

  “Why were you in that forest? You were supposed to stay with the army,” Rhadamanthus asked, his dark gaze boring into Ashiyn and making Ashiyn shudder.

  “I was foolish, Master. I just wanted to see why it suppressed magic. I thought it might be something useful to know,” Ashiyn said, bowing his head as though he was shamed. At least the last part wasn’t a lie.

  Rhadamanthus gave him one last warning glare, then rode off to the commanders for their reports. Ashiyn held back with a frown. He had found a way to free Sia. He only had to find a place to imprison him again. Ashiyn had no intention of letting someone that useful vanish into thin air to languish through eternity. He craved the knowledge the man possessed. It would be his.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Ashiyn could not listen anymore. The meeting before him seemed such a waste of his time. He could not stop thinking about Soryn and Annalysa. How different they were. And how much caring for either of them scared him. It was difficult to hurt him with a wound that would last and cut deep. He had died so many times and so many ways by now that his own physical pain and death no longer held any power over him. Yet, the thought of Annalysa or Soryn dying held terror. That would hurt him in a way nothing else could. How had he allowed himself to care about either of them this much?

  “Rurik will be visiting the castle all day. We have much to discuss,” Rhadamanthus said, drawing Ashiyn’s attention back to the present.

  Ashiyn’s thoughts churned at the information. That meant two things. Rurik would be close by and that bothered Ashiyn. He had hated the priest even more since that day in the library. But the more important point was that Rurik would be away from the tower. Today was the day to free Sia. He tried not to squirm in his chair through the rest of the meeting.

  When the dignitaries left Rhadamanthus rose and started for the door and called, “Come, Ashiyn.” Ashiyn stood up, hesitated just enough to be believable, then he fell into step at Rhadamanthus’s side, holding himself rigid and staring at the floor.

  Rhadamanthus scowled at him. “What is it? You are tense.”

  “I don’t want to greet your brother with you, Master,” Ashiyn said in a low voice. When Rhadamanthus glared at him, he added, “He’s been inappropriate toward me.”

  Anger flared on Rhadamanthus’s face, and he stopped to grab Ashiyn’s chin with his massive taloned hand and turn it so their gazes locked. “What did he do?”

  “He said your lessons weren’t good enough and if he ever caught me, he’d teach me humility,” Ashiyn sputtered. “He tried to touch me. I barely escaped his perversions.”

  Rhadamanthus held him there so long, scrutinizing Ashiyn’s face for any sign of a lie. The fury that filled those black eyes made Ashiyn happy, for once it was not directed at him. Then Rhadamanthus let Ashiyn go and turned away. “Go then. I will make it clear to my brother that he is not to teach you anything. You are mine.”

  “Thank you, Master,” Ashiyn said with a deep bow. He remained bowed until Rhadamanthus left the room, then he smirked and rose. Maybe he would be lucky, and Rhadamanthus would kill Rurik. He turned and hurried from the room when his magic warned him that Rurik had arrived at the castle.

  Ashiyn used his magic to make it seem to anyone who was able to sense such things that he was in his chambers. Then he stepped through the shadows and back into Sia’s library. “Sia!” He called.

  Sia appeared from the thin air once more. Irritation was clear on the ghost’s face, as he brushed strands of ethereal purple hair out of his violet eyes. “What do you want, Prince? Didn’t Rurik make it clear you aren’t allowed in here?”

  “Do you want to be free, Sia?” Ashiyn asked.

  Sia’s eyes widened, and he stared at Ashiyn in disbelief. Then his entire being seemed to waver in the air, in and out of sight. “Yes. I want that more than anything.”

  Ashiyn almost felt bad for a moment. But only a moment. For the most part, Sia would be free to his own devices. He would just be free in a place Ashiyn could always find him. He pulled out a small runestone that glowed with power when his magic touched it. “I will free you. In return I want your help whenever I need it.”

  “Truly?” Sia asked, still skeptical. He hovered closer to peer at the rune.

  Ashiyn dared not let him look too close. He threw the runestone down, so it shattered on the floor, releasing the magic. The entire tower groaned, and the air shivered around them. Then there was nothing for a brief, terrifying moment between spaces until they both materialized in a room far from the tower. Slowly, Sia’s books appeared here and there also, popping into existence and falling to the floor in messy piles. There were bookshelves, but Sia would have to reorganize them all.

  Sia floated about, excited
. He disappeared through one wall and came back through another. But when he tried to exit the building, he bounced back. He narrowed his eyes at Ashiyn. “Why can’t I leave the building?”

  Ashiyn shrugged. “I have to know how to find you when I need you, Sia. You’re a ghost. Where would you go?”

  “Just because I lack a mortal body, does not mean I do not still have needs and desires, young Prince! Remove the restrictions on this place immediately,” Sia cried furiously. “I will not be held here like a caged bird.”

  “Actually, you will. I don’t trust you not to fly away,” Ashiyn frowned. “What is the big deal? Where would you go?”

  “Home. I would go home,” Sia mumbled, looking distraught.