The Crystal Key: An LGBTQ+ Fantasy Series (The Crystalline Chronicles Book 3)

by Blake R. Wolfe

  Lex tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. “Gods, I’m so tired of walking! Can’t we take horses?”

  “It took me a considerable amount of bargaining to even get Maribel on the boat because Dusk refuses to leave without her.” Tara crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. “The guild isn’t providing this ship, Diana is buying us passage on it. We’ll have to play by the captain's rules once we’re aboard.”

  “Are they trustworthy?” Dusk asked seriously. “Do they have any Circle connections?”

  “Apparently Diana has known the captain for many years and has worked with the guild for just as long. She said he’s a bit… eccentric, but he’s never hurt her, the guild, or gone back on his word. I think we can trust him.”

  “What do you mean, eccentric?” Lex glanced over to Tara.

  “Your guess is as good as mine. Although I’m sure he’s not as weird as you two morons. And if he is, I’ll just drown myself and you can travel with him.”

  “Do you think the fish want to deal with you anymore than we do?” Dusk cocked an eyebrow at Tara.

  She turned to him, an impressed look on her face, but quickly pushed it away. “Whatever you two need to do, get it done in the next couple of days. But,” she leaned in again, “neither of you are to leave the guild sanctum, got it? We don’t know if any Circle members have come to town. Diana has the island and the monastery ruins under surveillance, but that doesn’t mean we’re safe. If you need something from the outside, write it down and I’ll make sure you get it. Okay?”

  Lex and Dusk both nodded with straight faces.

  “Alright. I’m going to go talk to Diana. You two sit here and be assholes like you usually are.”

  “Yes, captain,” Lex sneered.

  “Yes sir ma’am sir,” Dusk added in with a smirk.

  Tara scoffed as she walked away. “If both of you survive this trip it’ll be a fucking miracle!”

  The pair waited for Tara to be out of earshot before they turned to one another, both opening their mouths to speak. There was a jumble of noise before they both began to laugh at their eagerness.

  “You go first,” Dusk waved, still smiling.

  “I’m tired of being underground. Want to sneak out?”

  “You read my mind.”

  “Greasy food at a weird tavern?”

  “Absolutely.”

  ◆◆◆

  Getting out of the guild was easy enough. After being there for a few days, Dusk knew his way around and Lex had been there long enough to learn a few of the secret passages. Dusk had learned that the main domed sanctum was directly below the temple that stood on the opposite side of the street from where Maribel was kept. In fact, one of the guild members had explained that all the graves above were actually empty to make room for the dome. When it had been built over a hundred years ago, the bodies had been removed and cremated. Lex seemed to think it was a strange and disrespectful thing to do, but to Dusk, it made logical sense. When men died at the mine nobody went through the trouble to burn or bury them. Instead they were taken to the nearby woods to be eaten by the local wildlife. Either way, they were dead, so Dusk couldn’t see how or why it mattered. At least the animals got a free meal out of the deal.

  After gathering their warmer clothing, they made their way to a back passage that the rest of the guild members hardly used. At the end of the long hallway was a false wall that only opened when a torch sconce was pulled downward. Lex mentioned he’d seen someone else do it before, but hid out of the way before they noticed him. The door led to a small staircase that spiralled upwards. At the top of the stairs was a stone tile about the width of a man’s shoulders. With a push Lex was able to lift it up and slide it across the floor. He glanced around briefly before pulling himself and Dusk out of the hole. Once he slid it back into place it was impossible to tell there was anything there and they found themselves standing in a large storage room full of crates and barrels. With only a couple doors and hallways to go, Lex led the way to the main sanctuary of the temple. There were two acolytes milling about the place and a few people praying in the pews, but nobody looked up at them.

  Dusk wondered what kind of temple they were in. Up until that point he’d never seen anything but dragon statues in the old places of the world he’d visited. He’d heard of the gods, but only as an expression people used. The temple around him showcased beautifully carved statues of two men, two women, and two androgynous figures. Each stood close enough to one another that their outstretched arms met, their fingers lacing together with the fingertips facing skyward creating a half circle of statues. They were all beautiful, strong, and larger than life. Dusk found himself pausing to stare up at them.

  “Lex,” he said softly, not wanting to speak too loud to interrupt the others in the temple. “Who are they?”

  “Oh, those?” Lex replied, gesturing up to the statues. “The gods apparently, if you put stock in such things, although I don’t. People say they created the world, the heavens, and every star in the sky, but I have a hard time believing it.”

  “What are their names?”

  “They’ve been forgotten to time, so people just call them by what they stand for.” He pointed each one out as he spoke. “Life, Death, Light, Dark, Order, and Chaos. They represent the six aspects that rule all life in the world.”

  “Wow,” Dusk breathed. “They’re so beautiful. Do… do you think they have a book about them?”

  “I’m sure they do, but I don’t think they sell them. Books are a rare commodity these days.” Lex stared at Dusk for a long moment. “I didn’t take you as the religious type.”

  “I… I’m not. I’ve just never seen anything like this.” Dusk paused. “I read a lot of history when I was at the monastery, but it was all just dry facts. This… this seems more interesting and unknown.”

  “Maybe we’ll find something about it on our travels, but we should probably get out of here before we’re caught.”

  “Oh… okay.”

  Lex allowed him to stare for a moment longer. “Why don’t we go get that food, huh?”

  Dusk was still gazing up at the towering statue of the androgynous god Lex had pointed out to be Order. Next to them with their fingers laced together was the woman he’d labelled as Chaos. Dusk wondered which of the pair was influencing his life more. Was everything that had happened to him an accident or was he on a path that had already been determined? He wasn’t sure, but something about the pair of them holding hands struck him as odd, but also comforting. He wondered if they were less separate and maybe worked together, giving order to the chaos of the world.

  “Dusk?”

  “Yes! Food. Let’s do that. Sorry.”

  Lex chuckled and wrapped his arm around Dusk’s shoulders, pulling him away from the statues. Casually the pair of them walked to the arched front doors and out into the streets. With their hoods pulled up they wound their way through the roads, heading towards the center of town where they could find food and drink for the night. Darkness was coming on quickly as the overcast skies blocked any hint of a sunset. It didn’t take them long to find a small cozy tavern that wasn’t too packed with people. The man of the house greeted them as they walked in and for the next hour they were fed simple food and kept each other company. For a moment the pair forgot that they were on a crazy journey to escape Ditania, the Circle, and that war was looming on the horizon. They forgot they were being chased by magical maniacs and surrounded by refugees. Instead they lost themselves in the comforts of life just long enough to relax.

  The lady of the house, when they’d finished their meal, politely asked them to free up the table for other customers, as there were plenty more waiting. Obliging her, the pair took one last drink at the bar before bundling up and going back out onto the muddy streets as a gentle snow began to fall. A few lanterns had been lit, giving the fresh snow a warm orange glow. Dusk could feel the warmth of ale in his belly helping to drive away the cold. They decided to wander about
for a bit, knowing full well that once they got back Tara would have them locked up until the ship was ready. Making the most of it, they set out in no particular direction, just walking down the streets and talking about nothing important. Dusk was still fascinated by the street vendors who braved the snow to hawk wares to whoever would take them. The alleys and roads were filled with people who had nowhere to go and there were tents set up between buildings to house those who could find no other place to stay. Dusk felt awful for the people fleeing from the war, but he understood that he wasn’t in any position to help them. He kept his eyes open for anyone that might be following them, but the crowds made it almost impossible to keep track.

  After a long while, Dusk and Lex rounded a corner to find themselves standing in front of a brightly lit building with noise and light pouring out of every opening. A familiar sign swung from the roof labelling it The Lusty Armadillo. Dusk immediately felt his heart jump to his throat and the blood pounding in his ears. Lex noticed the pained look on his face.

  “Hey, let’s get out of here. You don’t need to be back here.”

  Dusk didn’t answer, but began to push his way forward towards the open door of the brothel. After a moment he heard Lex’s steps jogging to catch up with him. Dusk led the way up the snow-covered steps and into the familiar tavern. There were more people than he’d seen last time, each at a table with a companion at their side. Food and drink was plentiful, although less diverse than it had been before, probably because of the shortages the town was facing. Dusk saw the door and staircases leading to the bathhouse and upper rooms respectively. He took a few steps in before he noticed a unique character at the bar glaring at him with his piercing green eyes. One of his feline ears twitched in irritation as he turned away towards the bar.

  “Dusk…” Lex began.

  But Dusk was already pounding across the wooden floor straight for the familiar Rhyka. When he reached the bar he stepped up beside him, keeping his hood up and resting his elbows on the well-shined surface.

  “You’re Cyrilo, right?” Dusk asked quietly.

  “Yeah. What the fuck do you want?” the man replied with a thick accent unknown to Dusk, his elongated canines showing as he spoke. “I know who you are and I don’t want to talk to you.”

  “I need to talk to you about Eiran.”

  The clawed hand that shot out and gripped his upper arm as fast as lightning. Even under the speckled fur Dusk could see the muscles rippling as Cyrilo squeezed, digging his claws in painfully. Both of his ears laid flat against his head and his tail had grown to twice its size as the fur stood on end.

  “Don’t you dare say his name. Not ever again.”

  “I need to explain—”

  “Explain?! What’s there to explain? He’s dead because of you. You killed him.”

  Dusk felt like someone had rammed a knife through his heart. His gaze dropped to the floor and he no longer felt the pain in his arm where a bruise was already forming from Cyrilo’s death grip.

  “Hey, Cyrilo, let him go,” Lex said gently beside him. “We’re not here to hurt anyone.”

  His grip relaxed slightly, but he didn’t let go.

  “Can we talk somewhere private? I’ll pay you for your time of course.”

  Cyrilo looked to Lex, his green eyes burrowing into him. “Ten minutes. That’s all.” With a scoff he let go of Dusk’s arm and turned back to the bar, shooting the rest of his drink. He lifted an arm to brush the droplets of alcohol off his whiskers before turning back to them. “Follow me.”

  Seven

  “Make it quick,” Cyrilo commanded, slamming the door behind them and crossing his arms.

  He was wearing the same sheer garb he’d had on the first night they came to the brothel, but he didn’t seem to care how exposed he was. In fact he somehow seemed more frightening in his confidence and anger.

  “Aren’t you cold?” Dusk asked, still looking at the floor.

  “I said make it quick,” he hissed, glaring down at Dusk. “Or are you like everyone else in this place who can’t think past the tip of their dick?”

  “Cyrilo, calm down,” Lex cooed, holding up his hands.

  “Fuck you!” Cyrilo marched across the room, putting his finger in Lex’s face. “Eiran is dead because of you assholes! You lot wandered in one night and the next morning you suddenly disappear and leave your courtesan dead in his bed! What did you do? Huh? Kill him for fun? Get some sick twist out of being a murderer? Go on! Kill me if that’s what you like to do! Just fucking try, I dare you.”

  Lex took a step back as Cyrilo lurched towards him.

  “That’s not what happened,” Dusk cried, lifting his head to look at Cyrilo. “Eiran… he didn’t deserve what happened.”

  “No he sure as fuck didn’t.”

  “The man that came here with me, the older one, Yarick. He poisoned our wine and had me kidnapped. He told me Eiran had just died, but it wasn’t until later I found out… Yarick killed him to cover it all up.” Dusk felt the tears already running down his cheeks. He stepped forward, reaching out towards Cyrilo. “He was so good to me and it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t come here, he’d still be alive. If… if I could trade my life for his, I would do it right now. He deserved to live more than I do.”

  As Dusk went silent, Lex filled in the silence. “We were all told he was found dead and we didn’t know what had truly happened. Yarick tricked all of us, including Dusk. He betrayed our trust and even tried to sell Dusk to a bunch of maniacs. You have to believe us, we never meant for Eiran or anyone to be hurt.” Lex paused for a moment. “You and I spent the night together, didn’t we? If we’d all been trying to hurt people, don’t you think I would have tried too? You woke up in your bed just like I did with not a scratch on you. We aren’t thrill-seeking psychopaths. This was the mad plan of a man following orders for a group of lunatics.”

  Cyrilo stood there, his ears still flat against his head, but in his eyes was something else. Dusk recognized it as a deep-seated melancholy similar to what he kept buried inside him. “You know, Eiran and I had been involved for a long time. He was taking clients to save up money so that we could buy a place for us and my freedom. Three nights before you arrived he’d finally saved up enough money to realize that dream.” He stopped, his voice choking up at the end of his sentence. “And I told him we couldn’t be together because of this stupid fucking country. A Rhyka and a human is fine in a brothel, but in the streets we’d be ridiculed, or worse, hunted by people who think it’s blasphemy to be in such a union. I told him to find someone else and pushed him away, knowing I’d never see him again. And the worst part is, he didn’t even flinch. He just kept trying to convince me because he knew I wanted it too. He knew, despite everything I said to try to drive him away, I was just scared.” Cyrilo turned to Dusk, tears soaking into his fur. “Now I’ll never get to tell him I’m sorry.”

  Without a second thought, Dusk stepped forward and threw his arms around Cyrilo, pulling him close. Dusk felt the Rhyka’s body stiffen, but after a moment he relaxed and leaned into it. They stayed there for a long moment, neither of them saying anything. Dusk could feel his body shaking lightly, trying to hold back the outburst that he seemed to have needed for some time.

  “I know what you saw in him,” Dusk whispered, the dark fur tickling his face. “There aren’t many people in the world that are kind or compassionate. I’ve come to realize that in my small amount of time away from the mines. I would never hurt someone so good.”

  Cyrilo pulled back, his hands on Dusk’s shoulders. He glanced down at the scars on his wrists and the fading mark around his neck. “I… I didn’t know.” He reached up and wiped his cheeks. “I was captured on the southern continent and sold to the brothel owner a couple years ago. Eiran was working here by choice… I found out a couple days after his death that he purchased my contract the morning before he died. He had planned to give it to me the next day. I found the letter on his dresser. And now… even with my freedom, I h
ave no reason to leave.”

  Dusk tipped Cyrilo’s chin up with a finger, looking him in the eye. “He wouldn’t want you staying here. He gave you a gift most die dreaming of. Don’t waste it. Believe me… nobody is going to come save you or give you a second chance. You have to cut the rope and run. Be a man of action.”

  Dusk froze in place, realizing he’d just repeated what Tiernan had told him from the other side of the mirror. He felt his stomach lurch, but he kept his eyes locked on Cyrilo, determined to help him if he could.

  “I have nowhere to go and this,” he gestured to the room, “is all I know how to do.”

  “Come with us,” Lex chimed in, stepping forward, surprising Dusk. “At the very least we can get you into a different line of work or take you somewhere else to start a new life. We’re going to Inahan and there are a bunch of Rhyka there already. At least you wouldn’t be shunned just for being who you are anymore.”

  “I couldn’t ask you to do that and… I don’t know if I’m ready to face the world alone.”

  “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” Dusk said gently, giving his shoulders a squeeze. “Only you can make that choice.” He paused for a moment. “And I am truly sorry for your loss. I barely knew him, but I miss him more than you know.”

  Cyrilo stepped back, taking a seat in a stuffed chair near the fireplace. He turned his head away, staring into the flames, not speaking a word. Dusk watched as his tail flicked back and forth slowly. He was a million miles away, lost in his own thoughts. It was a look Dusk knew well.