by T. A. Miles
So, as long as the beast was pretending to be Bael, it was best to pretend that it actually was Bael. Korsten spent his journey to the armory thinking of what he could possibly have to say to Bael at a time such as this, something urgent enough to draw him away from his duties without arousing any suspicions. Not surprising he got to the armory and had no idea what to say. He simply stood in the doorway, looking at the man, hoping that he didn’t seem apprehensive while his heart slipped into a quicker rhythm.
The arms master brought his gaze up from the weapons rack he seemed to be in the process of inspecting, even as soldiers ransacked it, and smiled immediately. “Master Korsten! Looking for a true blade now that the fight’s actually come?”
Thinking of Hedren … seeing red … so much red … Korsten managed only to shake his head. Say something. He’s going to guess what’s on your mind. You can’t perform the spell here, like this. Not with so many people around who could be hurt by the demon once it’s out.
Bael’s smile faded and he started coming forward. Korsten tensed, especially as the man arrived very near to him and placed a hand on his arm. “What’s come over you? You look ill.”
Korsten’s blood went cold. He almost began to tremble, but he somehow willed himself not to. “I … I’m fine. I’ll be all right. I just … I learned that Trev … has gone missing.”
Bael frowned, then glanced about the armory as if to visually confirm that. “I was sure that I just saw the lad.”
“I thought you might know where he is,” Korsten continued. “I know things are hectic now, but could you spare a few moments to help me….”
For no apparent reason, Korsten’s heart began to beat faster. He could hear the accelerated rhythm resounding off the walls of his skull. It formed a muted ringing in his ears that made it difficult to hear his own voice. He felt warm under his skin, unpleasantly so, as if his blood had begun to boil in his veins.
Beside him, Bael was talking, responding to his request by summoning a nearby soldier. “Ecland, Master Korsten needs assistance in something. Come and provide it, will you?”
No, Korsten was thinking as his stomach began to overturn. Not you. Damn you, Bael, don’t make this hard. And then he began to feel truly sick. For an instant he thought that he might vomit, but he managed to hold his stomach down. Covering his mouth, he backed up from the two men attempting to help him. “I’ll be fine,” he choked. “Too much stress, I suspect, and too little sleep.” An idea formed and he went with it. “I won’t be needed immediately. I think I’d better have a quick lie down, escape all of this chaos for a moment, before it gets worse. Excuse me, gentlemen. Please.”
Korsten left, and he knew as soon as his blood began to quiet and his heart rate to slow a bit that something had changed in him. Perhaps it was knowledge he’d been waiting for; knowledge that he was in the presence of one of the Vadryn before Allurance would come to full term, enabling him to sense the foulness hidden within human flesh. Allurance had attained Ambience. He was sure of it. The feeling that had come over him reminded him strongly of the times his other gifts had Resonated and also of Emergence … the moment Renmyr tried to…. Ren, it’s you. My memories of you, my feelings for you, and the pain you dealt me; they’re the catalysts to each transition. I don’t believe I ever would have suffered Emergence if not for you and your actions that day. Training at the Seminary I wanted Resonance, because I wanted to save you. I was driven by my suffering and my love for you. And now, being in this situation reminds me of Haddowyn. The pain is tremendous, but the magic inside me rebels, insisting that I become stronger.
Korsten allowed those thoughts to carry him up to his room and to occupy him while he waited. Several minutes after he’d seated himself on the edge of his bed, he heard footsteps in the hall. He decided to lay down and pretend at least that he was resting. Truthfully, he could not quite relax. His heart was still beating faster than normal and his blood raced, flushing his skin a soft pink, he imagined. He didn’t quite feel like himself, but he knew why. He knew when the door opened that he was in the company of yet another demon. He was alone with it.
Just lie still, he told himself. This one honestly believes that it’s fooled you with its disguise. Don’t scare it away.
Korsten listened to footsteps coming in and wondered if he should ask for something, so that the individual would have to come nearer. Too near to get away when he cast the Release spell and near enough that he could strike down the demon before it jumped back into its host. There was a pitcher of water on the table in the corner, near the window. Perfect.
Korsten almost made his request when the bedroom door drew shut. He might have looked to see if his quarry had abandoned him, but he could still feel it near. And now he wasn’t so certain who was the quarry. Something felt … wrong. He decided to turn his head after all.
Ecland stared back at him for a moment, looking as if he might retreat, like a child who’d been scolded. He didn’t, though, perhaps because Korsten didn’t scold him, not even as the younger man dared a small, mischievous smile, one that somehow didn’t repel. In fact, it appeared handsome on the soldier’s squared jaw, beneath a straight nose. His blue eyes gleamed attractively beneath his softly sculpted brow. Now that Korsten was actually looking at him, he could see plainly that he was looking at a very handsome young man. Perhaps not as young as he looked … and not a demon.
“How long did it take you to figure me out?” Ecland asked, still smiling, confident in both tone and manner. He reached idly back to bolt the door, then came closer to the bed, sauntering as a low bred, unranked soldier would not have. “When did you see through my mask? I was sure your sneaky partner would be the one to realize exactly what I was, but I suppose he gave his attention too much to other concerns.”
Korsten said nothing. Ecland shrugged , then came the rest of the way to the bed. He sat down, looking back at Korsten. “Oh, don’t be angry. After all, I haven’t actually betrayed you. You weren’t even at the Seminary when I decided to leave it. Nor was Merran.” And then he chuckled. “I’ll admit that I was worried for a moment when I heard that Ashwin was sending a pair of mages to us. I thought he might send someone older, but this is probably the last thing he was expecting … a mage giving a helping hand to both Morenne and the Vadryn. Here, of all places.”
“Why?” Korsten finally asked, and it was the only word he could form for the moment.
“No special reason,” Ecland replied. He leaned further onto the bed, over Korsten, laying his hand upon Korsten’s chest. He did so casually, seeking no permission, as if they’d been intimate before. “You’ve attained Ambience of some kind. Allurance, isn’t it? I can feel it.” He laughed softly. “I can see it. You look very tempting wearing red beneath your whites.”
Korsten found the sense to be offended and moved to get up. Ecland grabbed his shirt with both hands, as if he would roughly assist in pulling Korsten up, but then he straddled Korsten and was kissing him, passionately. Korsten didn’t fight him.
“You’ve come here to ruin my fun,” Ecland eventually said, stealing quick tastes of Korsten’s mouth as he did so. “I think I’ll give you something else to do. Have you ever wondered what would happen if two mages with Allurance as their Ambience were to get into bed together?”
Korsten didn’t have to wonder. He was beginning to find out as Ecland’s kisses kept coming and he kept letting them come. His heart was rattling again and his blood heating. Desire was rising in him and he could tell by the soft sounds Ecland was making in the back of his throat that his state of wanting was just as strong, growing stronger.
“People will die for your games,” Korsten told him, sighing helplessly while Ecland spread open his jerkin and tongued his burning skin from naval to throat, slowly. Korsten lifted his arms around him, very quickly wanting to draw this man into him, completely. It had nothing to do with thought or emotion of any kind. It was purely phy
sical, a yearning for contact like none he had ever felt before. It was a need like having to draw air into the lungs, yet he knew that no amount of it would sate him and he would asphyxiate after all.
“People will die,” Ecland replied, sitting up long enough to strip out of his tunic. “It’s what they do. Who cares about the method? War, decrepitude, plague, demons … what difference does it make?” He grinned devishly, unlacing Korsten’s breeches. “Excuse me, love, while I hasten things along. I prefer sex to seduction, you see. Actually, I usually prefer women to men, but … details … As long as there’s someplace to—”
Korsten swatted Ecland’s unlacing hand away. He was surprised at how much effort the simple act required of him, how he didn’t want the other man to stop.
Ecland hovered over him, not in the least discouraged. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those people who likes to get it gentle. I was hoping to experience something more … invigorating.”
Korsten closed his eyes, struggling to catch his breath. Ecland took that for invitation and had to be batted away a second time. While he groaned complaint, Korsten willed himself to calm down, and said, “I’m not doing anything with you.”
“Don’t try to pretend that you don’t want it,” Ecland replied, still sitting on Korsten. “And don’t you even dream of telling me that you don’t like getting it from other men. I’ve known too many like you, lovely. Now, shut up and let’s get this done. It’s beginning to hurt.”
Korsten would have wept in the past, to be talked to like this and treated with such a complete lack of respect. He couldn’t cry right now, however. He ached just as much as Ecland claimed to and was even tempted to obey the other mage. Just now Korsten wanted to be taken, however roughly his would-be partner intended to do it. He didn’t care about the pain that would be involved. He wanted the same thing Ecland wanted at the moment; sex. Seducing Ecland wasn’t his intention, but he had just achieved Ambience and was somewhat out of control immediately afterward. Seduction was Ecland’s agenda, however, and he had obviously been practicing magic much longer than Korsten. He was a rogue mage, older than Merran, possibly as old as Ashwin, who had turned away from the Seminary … to embrace what? What was he trying to accomplish?
Ecland leaned closer, smiling a little differently now, eyes glazed with desire. “Are you one of those people who has difficulty consorting with an enemy? Would you feel less guilt if I used force?” He brought his left hand toward Korsten’s face, as if to gently stroke. Korsten knew better, and blocked him. He held the other mage’s fingers in his hand, aware that the slightest movement could be the working of a spell against him. Ecland laughed, but he didn’t sound as amused as before. “You won’t be the first I’ve had to bully. Is that really how you want it?”
Korsten wanted it. How wouldn’t have mattered, except that he couldn’t allow this. He couldn’t allow this situation to get out of control. Bael still had to be stopped. Merran was counting on Korsten to stop him. Of course, he hadn’t anticipated this, but now was Korsten’s time to resolve a matter on his own. No one was going to help him now. And Ecland wasn’t going to let him live once he’d had his way. Korsten couldn’t afford to believe that he would.
Staring up into the other man’s impassioned gaze, Korsten realized that he wasn’t a victim yet. You have him, just as much as he has you. Until this finishes, we’re both standing on the same ground, regardless of his age and experience as a mage.
Finally, Korsten brought the hand he’d been holding to his mouth, and kissed the warm palm. After a moment, he sat up a little, shrugging gracefully out of his jerkin, rolling Ecland onto his back. Korsten began kissing him before he could protest. Slowly, expertly, he set about tasting Ecland’s skin, one burning inch at a time. Ecland began to tremble beneath Korsten’s ministrations and Korsten was soon working his way back up Ecland’s fit body, ignoring his bereft whimper as he avoided what Ecland really wanted in those moments. Korsten knew that he would hate himself for this later, but he knew that he needed to take control here, else be controlled himself and eventually killed. Ecland would go after Merran next, perhaps killing him as well. Bael would continue feeding off the young soldiers until all of them were dead or too weak to be useful, or until the tainted men began to feed as well, causing a riot at the outpost that would bring it down before Morenne had the chance. One of Edrinor’s last pillars of support would fall. They will have failed their country and their people … Ashwin … Ren…. Korsten kept at the body beneath him, pinning it with his touch and his charm. He maneuvered so that his legs and feet held Ecland’s lower half down. He let his hands and mouth occupy the upper, squeezing and caressing bare flesh, going slow but not stopping. Ecland eventually lifted his hands to Korsten’s waist, prepared to switch their positions again and to finally take his opponent in this game of seduction. Korsten made his kisses suddenly more eager, harder as he moved along Ecland’s chest, toward his neck. Korsten licked Ecland’s throat, sliding his right hand over the other mage’s left breast. And then he kissed him full on the mouth, deeply enough to make him forget what his own hand was doing. I’m sorry, Ecland.
His tongue was in the other man’s mouth, a very dangerous place for it to be, so he slipped out and in the same instant shot silver out of his hand. Sudden, hard, and sharp, the magic substance stored beneath Korsten’s skin penetrated Ecland’s flesh, broke through his ribcage, and pierced his heart.
Ecland gasped and his eyes shot wide. One hand jolted up and latched onto Korsten’s arm, squeezing hard enough to hurt, but Korsten didn’t react. He stared down into Ecland’s blue eyes with remorse, watching the light fade. Warmth pooled beneath his hand, gliding through his fingers, toward the mattress. A tear escaped Korsten and splashed onto Ecland’s cheek.
The other mage’s features relaxed just then and he even smiled a little, blue eyes lidding slowly. “Aren’t you beautiful?” he said very quietly. And then he closed his eyes. His hand slipped away from Korsten’s arm and dropped onto the bed.
Korsten stared down at him for a long time, frozen in the cold reality of his deed. His heart seemed to stop working. It was several minutes before he finally lifted himself off the man and the bed, pulling half the bedding over Ecland’s body with one hand. After he’d finished he lowered onto the floor beside the bed, holding his bloodied hand away from himself as if it were a severed stump. He didn’t know for certain when the scarlet dragonfly arrived, but it made him weep to see her flit away from Ecland’s covered body and fly from the room.
Korsten didn’t know how long he’d wasted in his grief and shock after Ecland’s death. Surely no more than a half an hour. He spent some of that time cleaning up a bit and redressing, crying throughout. He’ d never killed a man before. He would never have dreamed that he would take a life under the circumstances he recently had. The event would haunt his nightmares for some time.
Calm again, for now, Korsten emerged from his room into an empty passageway. He stood in momentary silence, eyes closed, before casting a Binding on the door and walking away. His path was brief. Several paces from the first intersection in the hall, he was stopped by a presence. Now that he’d felt the demon, in spite of Ecland’s distraction, he scarcely had to concentrate to pick up its signature.
“Bael,” Korsten said quietly, almost tiredly. He felt numb after what had happened in his bedroom. If he dared to feel otherwise, he would have felt sickened with himself and saddened still by the death that resulted of his and Ecland’s unexpected confrontation. He didn’t want to kill Bael. He could save him. I will save him.
The arms master came around the corner, leaned into the wall with his arms folded across his chest, and smiled at Korsten. “Yes, I’m here,” he said in his typically cheerful tone. “I suppose I should have left by now, knowing what you know, my lad, but you and Ecland did generate a fair cloud of magic during your little roll together. I could smell it over the constant stench of the armory a
nd the stables … and hundreds of bodies sweating with fear. You’re very well-endowed for one so young … magically speaking, of course.”
Korsten’s emotions were still not functioning normally. He could only stare with vague despondence at the arms master. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded muffled and the words felt heavy issuing off his tongue. “Did you know about Ecland?”
Bael raised his brow and shook his head just slightly, still smiling. “No, actually. It’s rather amusing to think about the way he hid himself. But, maybe it’s not so difficult to understand, since I was never attracted to him as I was to the others. Your life energy doesn’t interest me either, if you’d like to know. I can sense your magic when you use it, but otherwise you seem somehow lacking. Ecland was the same way.” Bael lifted his face, sniffing the air. “I can smell his blood now. Not as sweet as others, but tempting all the same. I don’t suppose you’ll allow me to….” He laughed a little while Korsten just stared at him. “No. I didn’t think so.”
“Leave that body,” Korsten advised, a frown forming on his lips now.
Bael sighed, keeping his voice pleasant. “You know, I don’t consider myself an enemy to mages simply on principle. I’m not really interested in all of this warring everyone seems so caught up in. I don’t even like to kill my donors when I don’t have to. Oh, don’t look at me like that. Why do you think I haven’t simply taken everyone here? An isolated place like this … it would be no trouble at all. I like it here. It’s as simple as that.”
“You can’t stay,” Korsten told the demon. “Those young men you’ve been feeding from are dying. Some of them are already dead. You have to leave.”