by Nichols, TJ
Chapter Twenty-One
Saka couldn’t walk through the village without people watching his every step. Usi’s poison had worked, even though she hadn’t won, and the trust people had in him was shaken. There was no magic he could work to counteract that.
Angus walked with him, but was wise enough not to speak about the shift in mood where they could so easily be overheard. That Saka even had Angus at his side and in his tent was cause for grumbling.
The tribe wondered if he was weak, or if he favored the human the way Usi claimed. Humans had caused the damage to their home, and maybe it was time for blood. He heard the whispers even though he’d tried not to listen.
Wek, and Tapo, the new second mage, had been told that their trainees must do some public rebalancing, some part of their training that could be observed without it being a formal ritual. They needed to be united against the violence that Usi wanted to see. If the opinion of the tribe swayed too much, Miniti would remove him without a second thought. She wasn’t rash, but she was smart, and she didn’t want to see her tribe divide into hostile factions over how humans should be treated. Neither did he.
They made it back to Saka’s tent, and Saka made a circle so they could speak.
“Your talk with Miniti?” Every time Angus arrived in Demonside, he had to see Miniti first, alone.
“Went okay.” Angus frowned. “The college brought a small pack of scarlips across, and the underground went to intercept. But not to return them. They kept them.” Angus closed his eyes and drew in a breath. “Jim’s dead. I couldn’t save him.”
Saka put his arms around Angus. “Healing is not easy. Harder when it is not wanted. We laid him out like a mage. He didn’t die alone.” Saka was surprised to feel the opening in the void and then shocked to see Jim tumble through, bleeding and partially paralyzed from the scarlips’ sting. All he and Wek had been able to do was hold his hand and ease his suffering until he gave his soul to Demonside.
They had a short debate about whether he should get a cairn or be laid out like a mage. In the end they decided to make a big deal about a trainee choosing to die there and rebalance. Thus he was laid out on the sand, away from the tents, so the animals of Demonside could use his body.
“I should’ve been able to save him.” Angus’s body didn’t melt toward his. It remained rigid, filled with anger and hurt. “I was a fool to trust the underground. There has to be another way.”
“I am looking for those other demons—Becha, Lox, and a few others I can trust—we are making a network of telestones, and I reach out every evening and go farther across the sand than I ever thought possible.”
“But not far enough.”
Saka shook his head. Maybe the other demons were so far away that they couldn’t be reached. But he had started the process, and he had to keep going. He wasn’t ready to give up on something so important. “For the moment the underground is all we have.”
“No. They just want to take the college’s power for themselves.”
“They don’t need to destroy two worlds to have power. Helping them tear down the college is still our best option.”
Angus grimaced and broke Saka’s embrace. He took a few steps away and kept his gaze on the floor. “You should know I took the two telestones I made with me. I gave one to Terrance.”
Saka pressed his lips together. He didn’t go through Angus’s things while he was away, so he hadn’t noticed the stones were gone. Miniti would be furious if she found out what Angus had done. He should’ve asked first, though Saka would’ve said no. Not because he was jealous, but because he didn’t want to accidentally hand demon technology to the enemy. “Those stones shouldn’t have crossed the void.”
Angus went on as though Saka hadn’t spoken. “We got them to work in my room, despite the magical dampeners. No nosebleeds.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “What if the college has made a giant telestone to store the magic stolen from here?”
“You can’t store magic over there.”
Angus touched the scar that Saka had carved into his chest. One day Angus would have enough control over magic to erase Saka’s name and his claim on him. “It can be stored, just not for long. It needs an anchor to keep it from dissipating. I know that because I can gather and hold on to magic by using this scar. The telestone will probably empty faster over there, but we’re going to put them in areas where magic naturally gathers, to see if that will help keep them charged. We’ll keep them safe and hidden too. But what if the reason the college keeps bringing the demons through is to top up their magical battery? They must be constantly trying to stop the magic from leaching out. The minute they use it as a weapon, the magic will be available for everyone to use again.”
Saka rocked back on his heels. His tail curled around his thigh as he considered what Angus had suggested. That he and Terrance had gotten the telestones to work across the void was amazing. That the college was using something similar to lock up all magic was something he hadn’t thought possible. “What they see as power is a weakness they are trying to hide. They cannot keep it charged no matter how many demons they kill.”
“And if it doesn’t exist? Maybe the idea of it has power. After all they don’t need all magic. They just need most. Enough that other countries will bow to them because they want the cold to end.”
And then Vinland would dole out just enough magic to keep everyone happy but not enough that they could ever rise up. In the meantime Demonside would be destroyed. “When they run out of demons, they will all be wizards.”
“I don’t think they even care about that. Demons are a means to an end. It’s not yet Solstice and the snow is knee-deep. There’ll be no crops this year. People are going to die. They already are dying because of the cold. Other countries won’t trade with Vinland and countries that don’t use magic are talking about military strikes. There’s going to be a war. If they targeted the college’s magical store, that would actually be a good thing. Then the magic would be free to be rebalanced.”
It was a wild idea, possibly with deadly consequences. As much as Saka wanted the magic rebalanced, destroying a device used to store magic was not the way to do it. “Bring your telestone. Let me show you what happens when one is destroyed.”
Angus paled, and his freckles looked dark against his skin. “This is not going to be good.”
“No it is not. You best hope Terrance is careful with the telestone you gave him.” It wasn’t that Angus had given Terrance a stone, it was that he’d gone behind Saka’s back to do it that hurt.
“You didn’t warn me that telestones were dangerous.”
“I didn’t think you would sneak one across the void. I thought you would speak to me first. Tell me about your planned experiment.” Angus hadn’t trusted him. So few did. Perhaps it was him at fault.
“I thought you’d be weird because it was Terrance. And I thought you’d say no.” Angus glanced at his toes. “The underground is keeping us apart, and I wanted to be able to talk to him.”
He would’ve said no, but he could understand Angus’s reasons. “And if the stone fell into the wrong hands? If you had been discovered? You want to keep him safe?”
Angus looked up, his face hard and unreadable. “Of course I want him to be safe. But I need to be able to talk with him freely, not with the underground determining when and where. He wants to be free of all of this. He no longer wants to play rugby, which was the whole reason he was at college on a scholarship. He never wanted to be a warlock.”
“Sounds like someone else I know.”
Angus blinked as though he realized the truth in that statement for the first time. “And yet we both are.”
“Being a warlock doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Demons and humans have worked magic together for eons. It is only because of the college you see it as a bad thing. But even then, not all college warlocks are bad people.”
“They let this happen without saying a word. They had a choice.”
&n
bsp; Saka’s lips turned up at the corners, but it wasn’t really a smile. “We all have choices. Sometimes doing nothing is all that can be done.” He paused. “Usi is no longer my second. You will hear talk about what happened. How I am weak for not keeping her for three days as punishment.”
He hadn’t wanted her anywhere near his tent. Tapo had fulfilled that part of the tradition. His first job as second.
“This experiment won’t last the year.” Angus’s words were soft.
“No.” There was nothing else to be said. They were fighting a losing battle, and their allies had turned their backs.
They ate with other demons and acted as though everything was fine despite the tension. If Miniti didn’t do something to heal the fractures, soon the tribe would splinter—though the blame for the damage lay with Usi and her ambition. She’d voted for the human trial, but changed her mind before it had enough time to work.
Saka had shared with no one the turmoil within the underground.
Usi also ate with the tribe. She wasn’t hiding or healing the scars, and she acted as though she didn’t care about the loss of status. No one spoke about it. Maybe they didn’t want a human to overhear demon problems.
The other two human trainees were absent. Saka could only hope that Tapo and Wek would take their responsibilities seriously. He had no idea how close they were to Usi or how easily they would be swayed by her talk. For all Saka knew, she was rallying support among the other mages who wanted immediate action.
As pleasant as it was to sit under the stars after a good meal, they had already watched the sun set and the moon rise. The sky was dark, and he had work to do.
Saka put his hand on Angus’s thigh.
Angus glanced at him and nodded. While no one had treated him any differently, attitudes had changed. Did they all think Angus was a college spy?
Saka stood and gave his thanks for the meal. He didn’t wait, but he hadn’t gone far before Angus caught up with him. “Miniti will be expecting to see some rebalancing tonight.”
“The void won’t be opened for another nine days.” Once there would’ve been fear in Angus’s voice. Now it held an edge.
“I know.” Saka was well aware that there were nine days to go and that, if Angus let too much of the magic out, his eyes would go pale again. How long until he was drained completely after that happened? He needed to teach Angus how to survive. He wanted to be able to lie with Angus without worrying about killing him with each caress. “You need to work on holding back and controlling the flow of magic.”
A groan slipped past Angus’s lips.
Saka smiled. Angus groaned now, but later they would be sounds of pleasure. “It could save your life.”
Self-healing was something else Angus would need to learn to survive. And water raising. He had to be able to use the magic around him, not what was within him. Demonside would suck him dry long before lack of water and injury could claim him.
Saka held open the flap of his tent, and Angus followed him in. Angus went around and lowered the other flaps, cutting off the breeze, but giving them privacy.
There were some who had watched them in the field before they took their pleasure alone. While Saka didn’t begrudge them their curiosity, he didn’t need to satisfy their every desire.
Had that night in the field pushed Usi to the edge? She hated that Saka was happy and teaching and head mage. And in love. She must have seen Angus and him. While Angus was away, Saka had thought a lot about what Guda had said. Love didn’t have to be a weakness. He still valued her words above others. But he didn’t know how to put those words into actions that wouldn’t appear that he was betraying his tribe.
Angus pulled off his shirt. He was still pale, but not like he had been. Demonside had dusted him in gold and copper freckles. It had carved muscles in his limbs and chest.
“Shall I continue?” Angus had one hand on the fastening of his pants.
“No.” Was Angus ready? Saka had to push. If he didn’t, Angus would never survive what was coming. “You are in charge tonight. You control the magic, your rebalancing.”
Angus swallowed, and his eyes widened. “I don’t know. What if I screw it up?”
“Then we try again another time. I do not expect you to wait until the stars have spun across the sky. Just try. Maybe it will help you gain control of how much you release if you are the one who has to think about what is happening.”
“And you’re just going to go along with it?”
“I have rediscovered the joy of not being in control.” Saka drew back the bedsheet. “Although I will ask that you do not let the magic dissipate.”
“Right. So I need to think about directing the magic into the orbs at the same time as doing the rest.” Angus’s forehead furrowed as he thought about what he needed to do.
“And holding the circle.” Saka wasn’t going to help him. “You have done it before on your own.”
“But I also have to control how much magic leaks out of me and think about you.”
“Yes.” Saka nodded. “I never said it was simple.”
“You made it look easy.” His teeth raked over his lip in a way that was most tempting. Angus’s lips were soft, the lower lip plump for biting.
Saka clasped Angus’s hand. “It is not. It takes time to learn and longer to do well. You need to start. Sex magic is your strength.”
The frown hadn’t left his forehead.
“I will go and make myself ready.” Saka gestured to the bed. “You can gather your thoughts.”
“I don’t think that’s going to help.”
“You know what to do.” Saka placed his hand over Angus’s heart. It beat fast beneath his palm. While Angus thought about what needed to happen, Saka was already anticipating it. It had been a long time since someone else had been in charge. Mages looked to him and while there was satisfaction in pushing someone to their limit and watching the magic build, there was a different pleasure in being the one who was pushed. Lust swam through his blood like a dangerous creature looking to feed.
Angus kissed him and swept his tongue across Saka’s lip. But when Saka opened his mouth, Angus drew back. There was a glint in his eyes, and Saka realized it had begun.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Saka walked away and let the delicate cloth unravel to block the bed from view. Angus released a sigh but knew he didn’t have long to get himself together. He had no idea how do to this. He liked it when Saka was in control. Heat raced through him at the memories, but he was never going to be able to pull off anything like what Saka did.
But just thinking about having Saka at his mercy made him hard.
He’d failed horribly the first time he ever tried sex magic with Jim. He winced as he remembered again that Jim was dead. But that was a scab he could pick at later. He needed to think about what Saka did to him and why it worked.
The first time Angus had been with Saka, Saka hadn’t even come, and he’d been fully dressed. The whole aim had been to make Angus come and rebalance. That was still going to have to happen, but he needed to control how much. There were so many things to think about, but that was a good thing. They were distractions from what his body would want the moment he got naked.
So he wouldn’t take his pants off.
The tension eased a little. And while it wasn’t a plan, it was a start, and that was better than nothing. But he hadn’t asked what Saka planned to do with the magic stored in the orbs. Maybe nothing.
Was there anything he wanted to do with the magic once it was gathered and controllable? He ran his hand over his stomach. His scar was still visible—a jagged line that hinted at how close he’d come to losing his life at his father’s hand. Removing that would be a fitting use for the gathered magic.
He rolled his shoulders and crossed the floor of the tent. Then he paused for a moment before he swept aside the cloth.
Saka lay on the bed, naked and looking perfectly relaxed. He must have done it so many times that it meant noth
ing. It was all about the magic. Angus would have to separate lust from magic when he was with Saka.
A small smile formed as Angus looked at Saka. The lines were blurred. They weren’t just warlock and mage, bound together by magic. But Angus needed to make this about magic, not love or lust.
Saka watched him and slid his tail over the bed as though inviting Angus to join him.
Angus brought up the circle. It shimmered brightly and blue. That was the easy part. He glanced up at the orbs strung from the ceiling. If he could get them to glow even slightly, he’d call his attempt a success.
How did he start? When he’d been alone, it hadn’t mattered if he failed. Now Saka would judge his every move.
Angus swallowed his nerves. He needed to move and not make it awkward. With measured steps Angus walked to the bed and knelt on the edge. It would be so much easier if Saka weren’t watching him. He glanced around and saw the oil and a clean cloth near the bed. Saka had gotten organized while Angus was wondering what to do.
Angus reached out, snagged the cloth with his fingertips, and turned it into a blindfold. Saka’s lips twitched into something resembling a small smile, and he lifted his head without being asked. While there wasn’t enough cloth to tie it closed, when Saka rested his head again, the blindfold was in place.
Angus was free to do what he wanted.
He ran his fingertips up Saka’s chest, over the scar he’d made after Guda’s death, and up his throat to end on his lips. Then he kissed him slowly. And as much as he wanted to sink into the kiss, he held back and then broke away. He thought he heard Saka’s breath catch as though he wanted more.
Angus swung his leg over and straddled Saka. There was no doubting Saka’s desire. He was thick and hard, and Angus took a moment to rub against him, which did nothing to calm the heat in his blood.
Keep my pants on.
It was a reminder and nothing more, because he wouldn’t need to take his pants off if he was creative.
He kissed and used his nails on Saka’s skin, and he monitored the feel of the magic, the way it moved and swelled and the way Saka responded to each touch. He liked gentle scratches—what would’ve left a mark on Angus’s body left no trace on Saka’s much tougher skin. He also liked the little bites.