A King's Ransom

by Lia Black

  "That may be, but I could not lie about what was in my heart."

  "Crow," the look was definitely pity, Crow decided, as Klimri gazed upon him, "you are not even the same man…"

  "I am. I am the man I always was because my heart spoke true."

  "You used to laugh all the time, always smiling…" Klimri's voice rose slightly and his face showed distress, but also what looked like hope. "I want to see that again."

  "I have had to adjust to being alone. You have a wife now. She smiles for you, I am certain." The thought of it once made Crow nauseous from the emotional rending, but now he only felt the cold truth.

  "It's not the same…" Klimri's voice was a pleading whisper and Crow was surprised that he seemed near tears. Not pity then, but pain.

  "Crow—Nalthiel—please…give up the humans and come home…"

  Crow flinched, hearing what was once his own name turned his blood to ice. It no longer sounded familiar to him, more like an oath hurled out of disrespect.

  "I have a home." He reached back and was soothed by Lucania's wet nose rubbing against the palm of his hand.

  "Nalthiel…I have missed you…I-I have never stopped loving you…" Klimri reached up a hand but stopped short of touching Crow's cheek. For this, Crow was grateful. He didn't know if he could hold himself in check if Klimri touched him. Klimri, who had touched him so many times in the most intimate places. Crow pressed his teeth against his tongue. Those memories were no longer to be cherished. They had both made their choices six years ago.

  "If you love him, then let him go." Barlan's voice rumbled beside Crow and eased the tension caused by his nostalgia.

  Klimri's jaw flexed, "So you can have him, Dulath?"

  Jealousy? Crow had never heard such a tone from this man when they were lovers.

  "It would be unfair of me to presume so," Lucania said softly, bowing his great head. His blue eyes, however, remained fixed on Crow. "Crow makes his own decisions, and I respect them."

  The albino crow returned then, landing on Crow's shoulder and Klimri drew back in surprise.

  "Where did you find that?"

  "T'ival ut Andullune sent her to me as a sign," Crow said, glad for the distraction. He gently scratched the bird's neck with one finger. It dropped a small twig onto his shoulder. Ah. From the Breezefower bushes at the edge of the North Wind's territory. The humans had made it safely, then.

  "A sign—" Klimri shook his head, "impossible…have you gone mad? Only royalty can communicate with the gods!" Yet he watched the exchange between Crow and the bird with great interest, and what nearly seemed like awe.

  "I do not claim to communicate with them." Crow understood that saying as much constituted not only blasphemy, but could be taken as a challenge for the throne. But he was nameless, so what he said mattered little.

  "Perhaps it is the gods who choose their messenger, and not the other way around," Lucania suggested.

  Klimri's mouth opened and closed like a fish a few times, but just when it looked as though he might speak, a voice called out to him.

  "Commander! Where are you? Have you found the rat?" Laughter filtered to them from up on a ridge where three riders sat on horseback. Crow was confident that they could not see him or Lucania; the enchantment remained intact.

  Klimri's face reddened and he looked apologetically at Crow.

  Crow held his breath. Whatever the outcome, he would accept it with honor. If he had to suffer death at Klimri's hands or by will of the queen, so be it, as long as Lucania and the humans were safe.

  "No—nothing. Check to the west!" Klimri called back to his companions. His voice was as steady and cold as any Court officer's.

  There were shouts of affirmative, and hoof-beats accompanied the riders' voices in the direction of their travel.

  "Go," Klimri said, looking away from Crow. He swallowed hard and tightened his jaw.

  Crow offered a terse nod. Part of him wanted to embrace Klimri, but wasn't that why the queen had sent him in the first place? She had been the one, after all, who had known of their affair and had forced them to make their choices. His heart hardened towards her with the disappointment of her treachery.

  Crow turned on his heel and began to walk away, conscious of Klimri's eyes upon him long after they had left his sight.

  *~*~*

  It was so cold and dark. Veyl was someplace wide open, yet he could not move. He saw nothing but streaks of light as landscape, and nothing but his own heartbeat disrupted the silence. The throb came only occasionally, making him wonder what the sound was, and occurring again long after he'd forgotten. Where was Kaidos? Had he forgotten him? Or was everything just a dream? Perhaps he'd been killed by Lirin, and everything since that point had been the suffering of a feverish mind as the body died around it.

  Veyl always suspected that there was no afterlife to receive him. Whether it was because of his sins or the lack of its existence didn't matter.

  He wondered if this loneliness would continue for eternity, or if perhaps he could conjure up an image of Kaidos to share it with. Veyl tried to reach out. His arm was as heavy as a mountain, but still he struggled. Stretching his fingers towards that tiny spark of light, something so far away, but something he knew that if he could just try hard enough, he could eventually touch, and maybe, just for a moment, break through...

  Kaidos jerked to attention in his saddle, suddenly aware of his surroundings as he and Engel came through the thicket, and the weight of the forest's enchantment fell away at once. Something had pierced through Kaidos' consciousness, a flash of light behind his eyes, leaving him disoriented and far too aware of the lonely world around him.

  "Parthus..." Kaidos croaked, his throat dry, "nearly there…" He felt an urgency he'd never known coursing through his blood.

  "We stop here," Engel announced, bringing down his arm and halting the horses. The animals staggered to a full stop, their taxed bodies heaving under the weight of their riders.

  Kaidos felt mania bubbling up inside of him, but was unable to restrain it. That dream, vision, whatever it was that had taken over his mind was too important to ignore. "We're nearly there! So close! Just a few more miles…!" He bounced in his saddle, frustration building as his horse refused to take another step.

  "We are much farther away than you think, Vailinn," Engel said through gritted teeth. "Let's get a fire going and…"

  "No! You don't understand!" Kaidos tugged the horse's reins but the animal pulled back with a raspy whinny. He could feel himself breaking down, the world moving around him too slowly as his time away from Veyl chipped away his equilibrium. There was something wrong. His blood raced too hot in his veins as his heart beat double-time to process it. He was exhausted, yet his mind spiraled and drove him to go on.

  "Listen, Vailinn!" Engel reached over and grabbed the reins of Kaidos' steed, bringing their horses together. "The horses need rest and you can barely sit up in the saddle. We stop here!"

  "No! We can't stop now!" Kaidos yelled. What remaining shard of logic he had understood that Engel was right in calling a halt for the night. But Kaidos couldn't suppress the feeling of urgency that tore at him. He felt darkness creeping along the edges of his mind, the stillness of loneliness, of death…. He had a driving need to try to outrun it. To cling to that thread of light that was pulling him back to Dandre and the man he loved but had left behind.

  Kaidos began struggling to get control back of his horse from Engel, but the horse stubbornly drew closer to Engel's steed.

  Engel let go of the reins and grabbed Kaidos by the shirt instead. He jerked him forward out of his saddle and cracked him in the forehead with his own thick skull. Kaidos saw black stars as his horse side-stepped from underneath him and he dropped to the ground.

  "Gods! Damn it!" Engel clutched his bleeding brow.

  Kaidos was too nauseous to speak and too dizzy to move. He lay on the ground in the mud, staring up at the stars that bounced wildly with each throb of blood through his clou
dy brain. All of the energy drained out of him, and he lost the will to keep his emotions under control. He started to laugh, which turned to hysterical giggling, and quickly broke down into choking sobs. This was it. He was finally losing his mind, and losing Veyl right along with it.

  He wasn't certain how long he'd lain there bawling like an infant, but a pair of strong arms scooped him up. Barlan. Crow's voice came from somewhere nearby and Kaidos sucked in a shuddering breath, sobbing in relief that at least their companions were safe. Kaidos rolled into Barlan's chest like a child. He was so tired. He just wanted to sleep and wake up someplace warm, dry, and with Veyl, or not at all.

  "We'll get there, Kaidos." Barlan reassured softly. He lay him gently on a bedroll and faded from his awareness for a moment.

  The albino bird was still with them, perched on Crow's shoulder. Its eyes glowed like twin rubies in the firelight as it cocked its head this way and that. Kaidos startled slightly as he became aware of Barlan again.

  "Here." Barlan was offering him a skin of water, which Kaidos accepted with shaking hands.

  "Need anything?" The big man asked, flicking some mud out of Kaidos' hair. For such a giant, his manner was soothing, and Kaidos started to relax and pull his mind back together. He realized how tired Barlan and Crow looked, and felt ashamed by his erratic behavior.

  "I'm sorry…I kind of lost myself there…Are you both all right?" He asked Barlan, sitting up a little and clearing his throat. His head was still spinning but he appreciated Engel knocking some sense into him, although he knew it was going to ache in the morning.

  "Yeah." Barlan said, but Kaidos detected a note of hesitation.

  "You sure?"

  Barlan nodded. "We were stopped…someone Crow knew. He let us go."

  Kaidos could see from the way Barlan's eyes shifted that it wasn't something he wanted to talk about now so he accepted his answer and let the subject drop.

  "What about you, Wanderer?" Barlan's voice rumbled.

  Kaidos shook his head, the sense of dread settling back in his chest as Barlan reminded him of his own concerns.

  "Veyl. Something feels…I don't know. I can't make sense of it now."

  "He'll be fine, Kaidos." Barlan said softly. "Have faith."

  "Faith? I have no gods to pray to. I've done no good deeds. I've always relied on wit and luck...but I seem to be in short supply of either right now. I just feel so helpless." Kaidos made fists of his hands then sighed and forced himself to relax. Barlan dabbed off the fresh supply of blood that had created small rivers in the furrows of his brow, and had begun to drip downward without Kaidos noticing it.

  "You saved my life. That's a good deed." Barlan said.

  "That was luck," Kaidos chuckled. "And it wasn't me, it was Engel."

  "Still, you could have left me behind. That ought to count for something."

  Kaidos sighed and looked up at the stars once more. Thankfully, they had stopped moving. "Damn, that guard captain has a harder head than me." He gingerly touched the small wound on his forehead.

  "And it's a good thing. You won't get in to see the archduke looking like the weary travelers you are."

  "You're not coming with us?"

  "I am not so fond of large human cities. Nor is Crow. We will map out a course and wait for your return."

  "Makes sense," Kaidos said, although he was a little disappointed. He liked Crow and Barlan, and their presence kept him and Engel from what would likely be a never-ending exercise in one-upmanship.

  "Lucania," Crow said as he approached otherwise silently, "I would like to speak with you when you have a moment."

  Kaidos saw that the elf's eyes were downcast. "Thank you, Crow," Kaidos said, "for all of your help. We wouldn't have made it without you."

  Crow raised his dark gaze and gave a curt nod to him before looking down once more.

  "Sure, little scout. I'll be right there," Barlan told the elf.

  Crow faded into the darkness near the forest and Barlan sighed, looking back at Kaidos. "We'll talk later."

  "Thanks, Barlan." Kaidos offered his hand and Barlan squeezed it gently in his meaty fist. He rose up, his huge body like some naked warrior-god's, and turned to follow Crow.

  Kaidos watched him go, then sighed, laying back down and closing his eyes. He heard Engel's boots crunch along the dried leaves and dirt before stopping near his head.

  "Better now, Vailinn?" Engel said from above him.

  Kaidos cracked open one eye, the Guard captain was standing over him with his hands on his hips, looking down.

  "I got a little out of control." Kaidos tried to smile, but he was too exhausted, his words were already starting to slur.

  "You did." Engel agreed. "Get some sleep."

  Kaidos gave a small nod of his head and watched Engel until he'd gotten into his bedroll. Once he was tucked in, Kaidos let out a long, shuddering breath and turned his face to the sky once more. He felt hollowed out, empty. Every hour that he was away from Veyl was an hour that felt stolen, and he hadn't had nearly enough to begin with. Kaidos blinked as tears blurred his vision.

  Crow's white bird flew over and landed on his pack beside him, cocking its head as if waiting for him to say something.

  "I don't know if you're a messenger of some god, or just a weird white bird…" Kaidos' voice came out as a dry whisper. "If you are a god…please," he begged softly, "let him be all right."

  *~*~*

  Barlan could feel the tension rolling off of Crow when he met him inside the tree line. He'd remembered to grab a blanket on the way and he clutched it loosely around his hips with one hand.

  Crow's ebony eyes drifted down then back up to Barlan's face before he glanced away.

  "Are you all right?" Barlan asked, surprised at how difficult it had been to find his voice. He wanted to gather Crow into his arms. He wanted to hold him and let him cry away all of the pain that his memories caused him, but in the end, all he could do was stand silently and wait for Crow to speak.

  "I'm…no," Crow shook his head, "I won't lie. Seeing Klimri…" He paced a few steps then shrugged his shoulders, coming to a halt. "He let us go. That is the most important thing."

  "Is it?" Barlan asked. He was beginning to feel too warm, and he made fists of his hands as the bones of his fingertips itched, trying to become claws. "That was him, wasn't it? The man who betrayed you…"

  "He did not betray me," Crow's voice remained steady, "he simply chose what he felt was best for him. I do not blame him for that."

  Barlan's chest was tight and his stomach churned with acid as he struggled to keep from venting his full frustration at Crow. "But you should!" he threw up his arms and began to pace.

  Crow watched him for several moments before speaking, his features just as impassive as always. "Why are you troubled, Lucania?"

  "Because! Because he—he hurt you! He let you go and then has the gall to tell you he loves you! Had I known who he was earlier I would have struck him and made him bleed his apology!" Barlan was dimly aware that he was a lot more upset about the exchange than Crow appeared to be, but he couldn't help himself. It felt to him as if someone had injured his own cub.

  A small tic graced the corner of Crow's mouth and he stepped forward, taking one of Barlan's clenched fists between his two hands. "Lucania, I find your concern flattering."

  All at once the anger bled from Barlan making him feel slightly dizzy. "You do?"

  Crow brought up the knuckles of Barlan's hand and pressed them to his cheek. The elf's skin was smooth, his skin cool from the crispness of the fall evening, but warmed under his contact.

  "I am glad that you were with me."

  Barlan held back the heat he felt expanding in his chest, but it continued elsewhere. When Crow's eyes went momentarily wide and then shot away, Barlan remembered that he'd dropped the blanket.

  "Sorry," He reluctantly took his hand back from Crow's gentle fingers and wrestled his blanket back in place, covering the erection that was making Crow blush
.

  "I find your responses to me…confusing, but complimentary."

  Barlan huffed. "I cannot believe that man chose a wife over you, little scout. Were it me…" Barlan stopped, swallowing hard as he met Crow's eyes. "Were it me," he said now, his voice going lower, "nothing—no threat or promise—could make me turn my back on you."

  Crow's eyes picked up the firelight through the trees and shone like black gems for a moment. He opened his mouth as though making to speak, but then looked down once more, and pinched his lips together, offering a slight nod. "Thank you, Lucania," he said softly and moved past him, "I believe it is time that we got some sleep."

  CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

  Weaving the Spell

  Aegeus woke with his body aching. It was easy to see why. As usually happened when Finn shared his bed, the boy had managed to sprawl across it in such a way that Aegeus was forced to twist himself up to accommodate him. What was worse was that Finn always seemed to find a way to pin Aegeus in place to keep him from crawling out of the bed in an effort to find some comfort elsewhere.

  A knocking sounded at the chamber door and Aegeus cursed softly. Finn had one knobby knee pressing against Aegeus' spine and his long hair was pinned beneath the boy's elbow. Finn mumbled incoherently in his sleep as Aegeus' small struggles jostled him.

  "It's okay, Finn, go back to sleep," Aegeus soothed.

  Finn opened one eye then sighed as Aegeus pulled free. The boy then rolled over and curled up into a ball.

  Aegeus leaned over and pressed a kiss to his temple, tucking the blankets back in around him.

  More knocking at the door—louder this time.

  "Yes, yes, I've heard you!" Aegeus snapped as he dropped the curtain between the sleeping area and his main working area and hurried to the door.

  He opened it a crack, glaring up at the guard who lowered his gaze in surprise.

  "Expecting someone more formidable were you?" Aegeus raised an eyebrow, "I assure you, I'm quite dangerous when my sleep is interrupted. Now what do you want?"

  The guard was a younger man—probably only eighteen at the most. He looked like he'd just started shaving and did so in the dark because there were random patches of whiskers speckling his blotchy face.