by Quil Carter
Malagant, who had been trying to heal a burn he had received from Ben, looked up. “Should I just throw that fake book away then?”
Teal bristled at this. He had only learned this morning about Anagin’s conclusion about the fake Anean Prophecies he and Ben had retrieved from Lelan. If Ben had still been missing he would’ve had a breakdown, but considering recent events he had handled it better than Malagant had thought he would. No matter how reality-shattering the news was, Ben was alive and right up the stairs. And, really, in that moment that was all Teal needed to hear.
“No, wait for Kelakheva to come and take a look at them.”
“And then what?” Malagant pressed. “What happens if he doesn’t come? What happens when Ben’s mind comes back and he’s strong enough for us to leave? We still have to go to Garas, that was clear to–”
“I already said my piece on that,” Anagin cut him off. “One thing at a time, boy. Stop trying to plan out your entire life and getting twenty steps ahead of yourself. Wait and be patient. Erick is already sitting on the throne and he can’t find us or the jewel here. So just be content you’re warm in your home with your two companions and leave it at that.”
Malagant fell silent for a moment, before his mouth twisted and pursed to the side. “I know,” he said to everyone’s surprise. “I’ll be patient. It’s just… you know how hard it is. I want to plan ahead. I want to know what all of our steps are. I have to make sure I keep everyone safe.”
“And I have to make sure I keep my family safe,” Anagin said. He started tapping his chin with his finger again. “If Ben is right outside that gate…” He sighed. “A few more days of being inside of his mind and I think I will try and kill that beast. Ben is aware enough and he seems like the type that may help me do it. If I can kill the beast, Ben will have free reign of his mind… I think.”
Teal buried his face into his hands and groaned, obviously not liking the ‘I think’ part of Anagin’s theory. “Will killing this beast really help him?” Teal looked up with a scowl.
“The beast is what’s causing the problem. If I didn’t trap him he would’ve never let me near Ben’s mind,” Anagin responded. “The human had been chased up a tree when I first came here. Though he didn’t seem worried, just perched up there smoking those cigarettes. He’s so dimwitted he doesn’t care that there is some abomination only several feet away wanting to rip his limbs off.” Then Anagin slowly rose to his feet. “I’ll try and speak to him tomorrow. I believe he’s starting to trust me. Perhaps he has some insight on the creature of flies so determined to tear me apart. Don’t stay up too late.”
“We won’t, Dad,” Malagant said, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he continued to heal his small burn.
Teal sighed after Anagin had gone to bed. He was slumped in the grey overstuffed chair with his tea held on top of his stomach. “What if he never gets his mind back, Malagant?” he said in a meek voice. “When he’s present and here, I feel like I could take over Elron, then he goes back to being this insane elf trying to light the world on fire. I just… not even Anagin knows what’s going on.”
“That is a bit unsettling,” Josiah agreed. He had Ben’s new jerkin on his lap which he was now mending. Since Ben’s was in a poor state Josiah had gone out that morning to purchase him a new one for his travels but it was in need of alterations. “But Dad loves riddles and he’s good at them too. Rest well, Teal, Ben will be just fine.”
Josiah gave Teal a beaming smile and laughed when Teal only frowned back. “I barely remember Cruz, but I do remember the scowls he gave and I would bet the warmth of the sun you look like him right now.”
Oddly, Teal only scowled further. “I don’t want to look like him, or be him. I hate Cruz for what he did to Anagin.” Teal looked up the stairs and sighed. “He gave up his life for the prophecies and his happiness… he gave so much and… Cruz couldn’t even stay faithful.” As Malagant and Josiah both looked at Teal with subtle curious looks Teal looked up at the stairs where the bedrooms were. “He deserves so much more than what he has and yet the one thing he wanted… and deserved…”
“Dad… Dad made peace with that long ago,” Malagant said, but his tone suggested that he didn’t trust his own words. “He’s…” Malagant was going to say happy but he stopped himself. Teal knew Anagin enough by now to know that was a lie. “He’ll find someone one day…”
“He doesn’t want anyone else, Malagant,” Josiah said in a dropped tone. “At least once a year Uncle Tauden comes to visit us and at least once a year I see the look of sadness in Uncle Tauden’s eyes when he leaves. Dad doesn’t want anyone; he’s too used to being miserable.”
“Tauden?” Teal’s brow knitted as he turned the name over in his mind. He had sworn he’d heard it before.
Then his eyes widened. “That’s who Korivander offered him to marry after the war? Tes’s brother?”
Josiah and Malagant both nodded in unison. “His husband died five years ago at the hands of bandits,” Josiah explained. “Uncle Tauden came to Anagin in deep mourning and Dad and him went to Lelan Island to find the bandits who did it and kill them. I really thought they would be chaylen partners once they returned three months later but… it seemed only one-sided.” Then Josiah frowned. “I remember Mum yelling at Dad when I was little ‘Tauden loved you, but you loved revenge more’. I feel badly for the both of them.”
“Dad’s a stubborn ass,” Malagant grumbled. “If he wasn’t so keen on being miserable and made an effort to love someone else besides that ginger-haired shek…” Malagant’s eyes widened and he looked at Teal. “I’m… sorry…”
“Ginger-haired, shek eating, chayle-betraying, selfish fucking twat,” Teal finished, an edge to his voice that could slice granite. He rose. “I’m going to lie down beside Ben and try and get some sleep.”
Josiah and Malagant both watched Teal walk up the stairs and when they both heard the storage room door close they exchanged glances.
“He seems so disenchanted,” Josiah murmured. “His mind is just a storm, isn’t it?”
Malagant sighed and nodded. “He’s gone through a lot this past month and his realizations about what a shek eater Cruz was isn’t helping. It seems like he really likes Dad and looks up to him which is… okay I suppose.”
Josiah chuckled, his needle going through the thick leather of Ben’s new black jerkin. “I think it’s the healthiest thing for him right now. Dad will keep him grounded.”
Malagant continued to watch the top of the stairs where they had last seen Teal. “I hope that’s what happens. I just… I know Dad, and…” He paused and his hands tensed around his wine goblet. “… and I know Teal.”
Cruz’s eyes narrowed suspiciously at Anagin. “We’re not doing that again… the first time was a mistake and I refuse to make that mistake again.”
Anagin tried to hide the smirk. “You give me such an evil glare like I was the one who jumped on you. You were begging me.”
“I begged no one.”
Anagin smiled and tried to brush a strand of red hair from Cruz’s face, and when Cruz jerked his head away he laughed. “Your mind begged me. I could feel it inside of you. You know I am a seer, Commander.” He grinned and winked; he could see Cruz’s eyebrow twitch at this. “I knew you wanted me, and I knew what you wanted me to do to you.”
“You’re lucky we didn’t get caught,” Cruz hissed between clenched teeth. “I’d say you used your stupid mage tricks on me and have you hanged.”
The commander started walking back towards the camp, his shoulders tight and his fists balled. He certainly did seem upset, and for some reason this just made Anagin’s smile widen. Perhaps it was just the afterglow still remaining in him from the previous night, and the feelings that only seemed to strengthen inside.
He’d… he’d slept with Commander Cruz Fennic.
He did.
Anagin!
“Okay, come on, wait up,” Anagin said picking up his pace. His lips d
isappeared into his mouth. “You… you really regret it?”
“Yes, and we’ll never speak of it again!” Cruz snapped, his green eyes flashing dangerously. He stopped and pointed a finger right at Anagin’s face. “It was a mistake and you were a mistake, and…”
Anagin raised a hand and brought it to the side of Cruz’s face. He drew Cruz to him and kissed him passionately.
Cruz didn’t even attempt to pull away; on the contrary as soon as his lips met Anagin’s they softened and opened for Anagin’s own. They took each other in like old friends who had finally found each other after a long absence.
No…
Cruz slid a hand to Anagin’s shoulder and pressed down on it, telling Anagin he wanted him to lay down. Anagin pulled away and looked at him in shock, his mouth going dry and his groin starting to warm and tighten with the anticipation as to what Cruz was wanting him to do.
No…
That’s… that’s not what happened at all.
Cruz stalked back to camp…
Anagin laid down on the ground, his heart pounding inside of his chest sending ripples and jolts of lightning through his body, and when Cruz got on top of him and straddled him, the breath left his throat.
No, it didn’t, because this never happened… we got back to the camp only to find that while we were having sex the night previous –
All night.
– the camp had been massacred by a demenos. The camp that Commander Cruz and Syr Anagin were supposed to have been protecting. There was no second time the next day, we didn’t sleep together again until we had fled to Evercove.
Anagin gasped and groaned as Cruz leaned down and kissed his neck, and when he grabbed Cruz’s backside he heard a high-pitched moan.
Wait…
A wash of cold dread swept through Anagin and with a burst of willpower he pulled himself out of this strange dream. When he opened his eyes to what he knew was his bedroom, he was stunned and confused to find that someone was on top of him – Someone was kissing his neck and running a hand dangerously close to where it didn’t belong.
It was…
“Teal?” Anagin said surprised. “What in Shol–” Teal’s lips pressed against Anagin’s and to his absolute shock the boy grinded his hard groin against his.
“What the hell is wrong with you, boy!” Anagin quickly pushed Teal off of him and reached over to remove the cover off of the luma lamp. He looked to see Teal, completely naked and aroused, staring at him with a wicked grin.
No, it wasn’t Teal.
“Throateater?” Anagin narrowed his eyes. “You better be planning on blocking that from his memories. You’ve fucked up that boy enough as it…”
“Come here, Lord Avahlis,” Throateater growled. Then down on all fours he crawled onto Anagin and grinned. “Or do you not want my help?”
“Help?” Anagin glared at him. “You’re nothing but blood inside of his body; you’re not even a real demenos. What help can you offer me?”
Throateater flicked his hair out of his face and straddled Anagin, one leg on either side of Anagin’s hips, bearing his hard penis without shame; typical of a demenos but it was a strange and odd thing seeing it from the meek and polite boy who was currently living in his house.
“You’re going about rescuing that human the wrong way,” Throateater said playfully. His hand traced down to the shaft and he twirled his index finger on the pink exposed head. “Wouldn’t you like to know what I found out sneaking around his mind?”
“Tell me,” Anagin said with a threat clear in his tone, “and stop trying to seduce me, you lunatic. The boy is pure…” Then he paused and thought of not only Malagant but the former human as well. “Or perhaps not.” Prophecy walkers got close and most often spent the rest of their lives together as partners. It wasn’t a stretch if barriers had been broken, though they’d only been companions for several months.
“Oh, he’s pure… little thing just got his first kiss last month and he gave his second kiss to your son not too long ago,” Throateater said. The demenos inside of Teal leaned down and kissed Anagin’s lips. “And he just got his third from you.” The demenos let out a purr and grabbed Anagin’s hand, then rested it on Teal’s penis. “This is the closest you’ll ever get to fucking Cruz again. Take me and I’ll tell you how to rescue Ben.”
Suddenly there was a flash of light and a yelp. Throateater was thrown backwards off of Anagin. He shot to the other side of the room but before he could hit the wooden dresser in front of him he stopped and hovered in midair.
Anagin slowly rose; his hand outstretched towards the demenos. He glared at the creature with eyes that seemed fed directly from the sun and took a slow step towards him.
“You will not use the boy’s body to entice me, smoke breather,” Anagin said in a low growl. “Nor will you use Cruz’s memory to manipulate me.”
Throateater bared his teeth at him, his arms frozen to his side and his neck stretched back. As Anagin walked closer to him he could hear that the demenos was growling at him.
“Tell me what you know, or I will purge you from the boy’s body for good,” Anagin warned, the tone of his voice the only declaration needed to show the demenos that he made no false threats.
Throateater’s eyes, shining from the luma lamp, flashed with mania. “You can’t get rid of me, Lord Avahlis. I’m not even real, remember? The elf you’re looking at…” Throateater laughed, though as he did a pressure point appeared on his neck, like invisible hands were clenching it, and he ended up gasping and choking. “The one you’re looking at, isn’t the real one at all.”
Anagin opened his mouth to issue more threats when he closed it. When the look of awe crossed Anagin’s face, Throateater laughed. “Does this information not warrant me one more kiss, my lord? One more little kiss.”
“You’ll have–”
The door suddenly swung open and the room flooded with bright light. “Dad?” Malagant said alarmed. “What the fuck are–”
“Silence!” Anagin snapped. He turned back to Throateater and this time no invisible hands grasped his neck, only Anagin’s. “Who’s the beast? Who’s the beast behind the wall?”
Throateater laughed. “One more kiss…?”
“Dad?” Josiah’s voice now joined the chorus of confusion that was centered around the partially ajar door. But even though he knew that this scene playing in front of his sons made no sense, and what he was about to do would most likely scar them, he cared not.
Anagin leaned in and kissed Throateater on the lips before pulling away, his lips curling when he saw the grin on the demenos’s face.
“The beast behind the wall is no beast at all,” Throateater hissed. Then, with a gasp and a shudder, Teal’s eyes rolled back into his head.
“What the fuck!” Malagant screamed. Before Anagin had time to explain anything, Malagant was viciously pulling the unconscious Teal from Anagin’s grasp. Malagant held the boy in his arms, his eyes wide and staring at him in horror. “What the fuck!” he said again.
“Keep your fucking skivs on, it was Throateater,” Anagin snapped. He grabbed his cane and limped out of his bedroom, past his shocked oldest son. “You know as well as I do demenos usually want only two things from you. They either want to fuck you, or fuck with you. This one wanted both.”
“You kissed Teal!”
“I gave Throateater what he wanted to help save Ben from a lifetime as a raving lunatic. If you’re so desperate for drama that that is who you want to believe I kissed, so be it,” Anagin said annoyed. “Put some clothes on the damn boy and put him to sleep. If you dare tell him what transpired I’ll lie to him and say I caught you two in bed when you were teenagers.”
Malagant and Josiah’s mouths fell open and at the same time they looked at each other and shuddered.
“I wasn’t going to tell him anything, you don’t need to threaten us,” Malagant said coolly, adjusting Teal as he held him. “Are you going to work on Ben now?”
“I am,�
� Anagin said, opening the door to the small storage room. “Josiah, help Malagant with Teal and then be my watcher, although I don’t suspect I’ll be long.”
55
The town was exactly how Tseer remembered it. It was a town where everyone sped from one place to the next like their errand was being delivered to Anea himself. No one on the street looked you in the eye and if you dared try to speak with them and had the appearance of being poorer than them you were verbally whipped for your troubles and, if they had them, roughed up by burly bodyguards.
But in reality these merchants, who wore rainbow spectrums of clothing to show their status, were but fleas on a diseased dog who fostered worse parasites. They were insects crawling in between open sores and like any plague-riddled animal they were not the real danger. The real danger lay inside the animal, out of sight and under the cover of darkness, even if that darkness was just a back alley shop’s awning hidden from the view of guards they hadn’t bought off.
This was Newvark. This was the most corrupted town in all of Alcove. It cradled inside of its thick walls a high rate of violence, rampant drug use, a brothel on every corner catering to your most depraved cardinal desire, a thriving black market, and a highborn lord too busy swimming in cash to care about any of it.
It had been one of Tseer’s favourite places to be. There was always a contract waiting for him and he had proxies everywhere who were willing to filter him clients in exchange for a percentage. If you needed something done and had the right connections, Tseer was at your service.
He had once had a reputation for being the best bounty hunter in Azoria, but that had all turned to dust the moment he took a contract for Marillion Valahir. In a single night all of it had been taken from him, and in a single morning what he had held most dear to him had been taken as well.