Loyalty and War

by Devon Vesper

  “Yes, sir.”

  When Valis ended the scry, he found Tavros in the doorway with a soft smile on his face. “Come on, love. We need baths and they’re waiting for us upstairs. We have another bonus to add when selling this place. It has running, heated water.”

  “How long have you been standing there?” Valis narrowed his eyes at him in suspicion. But the allure of a hot bath was winning out against his mild irritation.

  “Long enough,” Tavros said with a playful grin. “Now, let’s go.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The next evening, Valis settled in as he had just gotten back from successfully selling the Braywar estate to a rich family in the town where he procured the maps. He stood in the bedroom he and Tavros had chosen the night before. He stared at his reflection in the bureau’s attached mirror, staring at his gold irises with a sense of both wonder and a mild dose of fear. He touched the skin beneath his eyes as if he would find something different than his own skin.

  Gold eyes. It seemed impossible. It didn’t seem permanent as the gold was starting to fade to blue, but it had worried Thyran. Should he be worried, too?

  “It suits you,” Tavros said. “And I doubt it’s permanent. Quit worrying and let’s go. We still have shit to do, and you’re being vain.”

  “I’m not being vain,” Valis groused. “I’m a bit enthralled, yes, but not vain. And it looks like the gold is receding, so I’m just checking the progress.”

  Tavros hugged him from behind and kissed the back of his neck. “I know. I was joking, love. But we do need to leave.”

  “Did you take your medicine?” Valis turned away from the mirror and kissed Tavros softly.

  “I don’t think I need to anymore,” Tavros said quietly. “Don’t be angry.”

  Valis settled his hands on Tavros’s hips and pulled until they were flush against each other. “I’m not angry. I don’t think you need it, either. I was just about to suggest saving the rest in case any of us gets sick again.”

  “Well,” Tavros began sarcastically, “hopefully none of us is going to take a bath in frozen slush again.” Then he sobered and whispered, “I want to keep enough of a stash to give your father when we rescue him. I already asked Dawn if it would work for his symptoms, and she said it wouldn’t hurt him if it doesn’t, that it would give him a nutritional boost.”

  “Thank you…” Valis hugged Tavros tight and kissed his chin. “Thank you for thinking of him.

  “You’re my husband,” Tavros said. “Your worries and heartache, just like your joy, are mine to bear, as well.” Then Tavros sighed as he rested his forehead against Valis’. It was one of Valis’s favorite things, and he loved that Tavros did it so often just to please him. To give Tavros a small reward, he tilted his head and kissed the tip of his husband’s nose. Tavros chuckled and nuzzled into Valis’s neck. He trailed kisses and nips along the flesh there until he reached Valis’s ear and lightly bit down. His voice was full of gravel and lust when he whispered against the shell of Valis’s ear, “Maybe we can stay just a few more minutes. I want to thoroughly enjoy having a bed.”

  Valis grinned. “You want a repeat of Venoz City?”

  His husband shook his head and growled into his ear. “I distinctly remember someone promising to reverse our positions. I’ve been daydreaming about that since you said it, and I fully intend to collect on that promise.”

  “Do you think we have time?” Valis pulled his pocket watch out and checked the time. “It’s getting late.”

  “Just another reason to stay until dawn,” Tavros murmured against Valis’s neck.

  Valis tilted his head, giving Tavros more access to his neck. His voice came out a little breathier than he had intended. “I think I can deal with that.”

  They held each other for a long moment. Valis was reluctant to let go. They had so little time to just be and to enjoy each other’s warmth. Stolen moments to have sex didn’t cover the lost intimacy of just cuddling in a warm bed for hours, talking about nothing, or resting in silence while Tavros combed his fingers through Valis’s hair.

  Neither of them wanted to leave, so Valis took his time and pulled Tavros’s shirt off. “Let me take care of you.”

  Tavros trembled as Valis ran his fingertips along Tavros’s chest and ribs. He gently placed his hand over the hand-shaped scar on Tavros’s muscular, defined belly. That was the first time Valis almost lost his husband. He remembered each time vividly, and with this last time, Valis wanted to be sure that it never happened again. But he knew fate wasn’t always on his side.

  “You look so pensive,” Tavros whispered. “What is going through that beautiful mind of yours.”

  Valis smiled softly. “Just thinking about how much I adore you and want to keep you safe.”

  “We’ll keep each other safe,” Tavros promised. “No more thoughts of that, okay?”

  Valis nodded and sealed the promise with a kiss that curled Valis’s toes and instantly woke his dick up. He wound his arms about Tavros’s waist and backed him up toward the bed. He murmured against his husband’s lips, “Pants off. Lay back on the bed, legs hanging off at the knee.”

  His lover obeyed quickly in a scramble of limbs. Valis couldn’t blame him. Valis, though, took his clothes off slowly, reveling in the sensual way his clean clothes rubbed against his sensitive nipples and over his achingly hard cock.

  When he looked at Tavros again, his husband rested back on his elbows as he watched Valis strip with a hungry look that bordered on desperation.

  “Fuck. Valis… lubricant is in my pack again.”

  “Getting it,” Valis murmured. “Get your knees to your chest. I want to see you.”

  The moment Tavros obeyed, Valis had to palm his own dick and turn away. He went to retrieve the lubrication with shaking hands and trembling legs, but soon had slick fingers toying with Tavros’s ass as he kissed and nipped down the length of Tavros’s inner thigh. The noises his husband made, raw and needy, lit a fire inside Valis that he didn’t get to enjoy often. Usually, it was Valis who needed to be taken care of, but when he had the mental and emotional strength to take care of Tavros, it felt holy in a way that little else did. The only other thing that evoked such holy feelings was when he stared into the Light of Phaerith in Avristin’s temple. To carry that light around with him in the form of his husband, Valis knew he was the luckiest man in the world.

  Now he just had to make his lover sing. Tavros writhed on the bed. His thighs trembled with each nip, kiss, and lick that Valis bestowed upon his skin. When Valis finally leaned in and nuzzled the rigid length of Tavros’s leaking cock, his husband let out a groan that made Valis’s dick twitch. “Look at you,” Valis said, his voice deeper with need, but he held back. “Spread out before me like a feast and so beautiful. Gods, Tav, you’re so beautiful when you’re writhing for me.”

  Tavros ground his ass up against Valis’s invading fingers. “Please… gods… fuck me!”

  Valis didn’t have the strength to tease him for much longer, but he couldn’t resist sucking first one musky, furry ball into his mouth, laving it with his tongue before letting it fall from his mouth with a slurp so he could suck on the other.

  “Fuck… you’re killing me, Valis…”

  Valis only chuckled as he lifted his husband’s balls and licked his taint while his fingers plunged into his ass to attack the spot inside Tavros that made him shout and curse while his dick visibly throbbed. Valis gave it a tug before licking a broad stripe from the seam of Tavros’s balls to the head of his cock. He tongued and nipped at Tavros’s foreskin, pulling gently with his lips before pulling it back to tongue his frenulum.

  Tavros let out a keening sound that Valis loved. It meant he had surrendered. And with that sound, Valis straightened up, pulled his fingers out of Tavros’s hole, hastily lubed his cock, and eased deep into Tavros’s tight heat just the way Tavros liked it. Slow and steady. A slow grind when he seated himself fully. Once he bottomed out, Tavros arched his back w
ith a long moan.

  “Gods, that feels good.” Tavros gyrated his hips just the way he knew Valis liked, he played with his own nipples, pinching the tight buds as he rocked back and forth on the bed, fucking himself on Valis’s cock so he didn’t have to do any of the work.

  Valis rolled his hips one more time before taking Tavros’s erection in hand and giving him a few firm tugs. Not enough to send him over the edge, but just enough to keep him hard as Valis took over, fucking into him hard and deep, angling his thrusts just right to make his husband shout and shake, to make his back arch off the bed, to make him writhe.

  And gods, he was beautiful. His flaws—the scars, the slightly crooked teeth—were all part of his beauty. The way his tongue kept peeking out to wet his lips, the way he gripped the bedding in tight fists, it all painted a perfect picture that Valis intended to cherish.

  Valis let out a deep groan and leaned in, hooking one hand under Tavros’s shoulder to keep him in place and clutching a fistful of hair with the other. He maneuvered Tavros’s face until their lips met in a soul-wrenching kiss that made the butterflies in Valis’s stomach take flight and made tears burn his eyes as tongues did a slow dance and hands roamed over skin.

  They rode the slow rhythm of Valis’s thrusts for what seemed like an eternity before Tavros whimpered and dragged his fingernails down Valis’s back. “I need it. Valis… fuck me. Make me come. Please.”

  Valis stole one more kiss before pulling back, pressing a kiss to his throat, and kneeling upright. That first thrust was like magic, and Valis set a bed-shaking, wall-knocking rhythm that had Tavros shouting his name. He came, shooting his seed up to his chin and all over his belly and chest. Valis fucked him through it until Tavros’s body twitched as he relaxed into Valis’s final thrusts.

  Valis came with a grunt and stayed in that position for a long time while he panted and regained his wits. As he pulled out, he shivered. “I wonder if the entire army heard you screaming…”

  Tavros pulled a pillow over his face. “Fuck.”

  “Yes. We did.”

  Valis laughed as he got a pillow to the face for his joke.

  “Let’s get cleaned up,” Valis said as he tenderly stroked his husband’s cheek and jaw.

  It always happened when they made love instead of going through a furious fuck. The tenderness that stayed with them hours after sex was part of what made Valis fall in love with his husband all over again every time they took the time to slow down and enjoy the ride. Tavros loved it, too, so Valis was all too happy to show his affection. When Tavros closed his eyes and hummed, Valis said softly, “Let’s get cleaned and dressed, my husband. I want to eat, then get a scrying session in before it gets too late and fatigue sets in.”

  Valis took his time wiping himself down at the wash basin in their room, then helping Tavros get cleaned up, as well. He completely forgot that there were other people in the building until Jedai pounded on the door and called out, “Are you rabbits done fucking yet? Tav’s not screaming anymore. Did you kill him?”

  Tavros laughed so hard he doubled over and it made Valis laugh, too. He threw the door open, still naked, and raised a brow at the blushing redhead. “I never hear either of you, so I must be the one doing it right. Do you need pointers, Jedai?”

  “Fuck you,” Jedai said through a laugh. “We’re quiet because we’re respectful of other people’s ears. No one wants to hear you.”

  Valis just shrugged. “Not even sorry. But I’ll be sure to gag him next time.”

  Jedai rolled his eyes and shoved Valis’s shoulder with another huffed laugh. “You’re an ass. Get dressed, will you? I’d rather not look at anyone’s dick but my mate’s, thanks.”

  “What’s wrong, Jedai?” Tavros asked. He handed Valis a pair of his pants and watched Valis dress in that proprietary way that made Valis feel like he was floating.

  When he and Tavros were both decent, Jedai finally stopped blushing and folded his arms over his broad chest. “The buyer brought the gold and the supplies you requested. They gold caches are already loaded onto the wagons, and the supplies are being prepared. Having a meal that is not stew will be a welcome change. Everyone says thanks.”

  “And the problem?” Valis prompted. “Or did you just come up here to tell us about the delivery? Because that news could have been made through the door so Tavros and I could—”

  Jedai snorted. “Not another word, you shit. I don’t want nightmares.”

  Then he glanced to the side and back at Valis. “Can you scry after my sister, man? I miss her.”

  Valis’s heart melted and he stepped aside to let Jedai in. His friend thanked him and gave him the saddest expression. “Will I be able to hear her? See her?”

  “I can hear and see over Valis’s shoulder,” Tavros said as he pushed a bowl of water in front of Valis. “But I’m not a layman, so we’ll have to see. Won’t hurt to try.”

  “Our luck, she’ll phase here and give us all heart failure,” Valis muttered. He checked to make sure it held enough water for scrying as he continued, “I’d never been that scared except when Tav got hit in the throat and died on us.”

  To Valis’s surprise, Aenali didn’t phase to them but stayed for a while past her bedtime to talk to her brother while Valis worked to keep the scry open on his end. And when they said goodbye and Jedai left, Valis scried after Kerac.

  Then, when there was nothing else left to do, Valis settled into work.

  Tavros sat next to him, giving him silent support as Valis took the piece of paper he’d transcribed the location of the enemy monastery, and memorized the directions. After a few moments, he set the paper on Tavros’s lap and stared into the bowl of water he had confiscated from the kitchen so he could scry more easily than with the smaller pocket watch. There was no way he could help Jedai with a scry from just the pocket watch, and the bowl felt familiar in a way that made him think of home.

  The clouds swirled across the surface of the water, signifying that Valis had cloudy thoughts. The moment he cleared his mind and had his focus clearly set, the clouds swirled away, leaving a mountain in view. He tilted his head and murmured to Tavros, “I’m seeing a mountain.”

  Tavros nodded. “The entire eastern side of the country of Endyer, as well as the countries above and below it are filled with a mountain range. Can you tell where it is?”

  It took Valis a few moments. The images were unclear until he took to an aerial view. “The directions say Endyer, southern end of the country on the southern corner, just east of the country of Throdyn.”

  “Then why is it showing you a mountain instead of the monastery?” Tavros asked. “It makes no sense.”

  It makes perfect sense if you do not want to be found, Roba said. This is how they kept infiltrating other countries and getting so close to Avristin without being noticed.

  The invisibility spell?

  Roba made an affirmative noise. Yes. It always surprised me that the Aesriphos never learned that particularly useful trick. But they always were ones for honor and sacrifice over practicality and safety.

  Do you think they could use that invisibility spell to hide an entire monastery on a very visible mountain?

  I do not know, my son, Roba said. I am sorry, but I would tell you if I knew. I hope you know that.

  I do, Dad. It’s okay.

  Valis frowned as he relayed his father’s words to Tavros. He moved the scry around the mountain, but it always came back to that mountain view. Then, as if on cue, he saw a sheet of rock move when it looked like it had been an unmovable part of the mountainside. It shook, then slid away. Five men exited, all in farmer’s attire. In unison, the five all split up and went different directions as if being seen together was forbidden.

  Then the sheet of rock moved back into position, covering the exit and fitting seamlessly against the mountain with no trace that it had ever moved. It fit so well, that now that it had stopped moving, Valis almost couldn’t tell where it was anymore except for by memory a
lone.

  “It’s underground,” Valis whispered in awe. “The monastery is under the mountain.” He gaped at the scrying bowl for a long moment before regaining some of his wits. “Either that, or it’s inside the mountain. It could go either way.”

  “Well, shit.” Tavros sat back in his chair and stared at the bowl as if it had offended him somehow. “How the fuck did they do that?”

  “No idea,” Valis said on a sigh. “But I have to get more information. The location doesn’t do us much good except to get to that movable mountainside wall.”

  Tavros nodded. “I’ll get out of your hair and get us a sandwich while you scry for details.”

  When Tavros left, Valis went back to scrying. But something nagged at his mind.

  Dad, do you think they have a way to travel underground to these places, Valis asked, or do you think they just keep up an invisibility spell until they’re in safety?

  Roba went quiet for a long moment, and Valis started to fear his father wouldn’t answer. Then, Roba let out a ghostly sigh and hummed to himself. I’m unsure, actually. Based on what I’ve experienced, it has always been invisibility spells. So, I’m going with that, but I wouldn’t rule anything out. Not when it comes to Qos’s Sovereign Priest. Never underestimate them, my son. Never.

  I promise.

  With his father’s love creating a warm weight in Valis’s mind, he refocused on his scry and delved into the mountain. What he found after passing through endless, well-worn tunnels took his breath away.

  It wasn’t just a monastery.

  It was Avristin.

  To be continued in Incursion…

  Incursion

  Chapter One

  “I suppose you’re too riled up to do anything but constantly move.” Tavros gave Valis an exasperated look. “You’re fidgeting, and have been ever since your scry.”