by Serena Yates
Kaythan's mouth dropped open.
Elryk was not at all what Kaythan had expected. His superiors had warned him about the potent wizard, who'd been branded an outlaw of the worst kind, headstrong and evil. He'd mentally prepared himself for any and all tricks the ‘traitor’ was going to throw at him.
The wizard in front of him fit the physical description he'd been given down to the last gorgeous molecule of his perfect body. Kaythan swallowed. Crap. He was going to have to be careful about betraying the undeniable attraction he felt. The pictures had been one thing, but the wizard's physical presence was ten times more powerful. It was too early to risk telling the wizard what was actually going on. He couldn't reveal his plans before he got them both to safety. Nobody in power could know about his real reason for taking this assignment until it was too late for them to do anything about it.
What surprised him, beyond the fact that the wizard had come here of his own free will, was the lack of aggression in his body language. Elryk's whole attitude radiated a quiet peacefulness that touched Kaythan's warrior heart. It didn't fit the image of a cruel outlaw that was the currently accepted truth on Tah'Nut. Not that he could show it. Their actions were being chronicled, so he was being watched and evaluated just as much as Elryk.
He closed his mouth and hardened his gaze. He had a role to play if he wanted to get them out of here alive. He walked up to the wizard, his heavy steps making Elryk wince. But the wizard stood his ground. His chin stayed up and his dark eyes were undeterred.
"So, wizard, you've come to turn yourself in?” Kaythan's voice sounded gruff even to his own ears.
"Why else would I be here?” Elryk shook his head and sneered. “I'm curious, is this the level of intelligence I can expect during the upcoming interrogations?"
"Not good enough for you?” Good, there was at least some fight left in him. They would need that if his plan was going to work.
"Hardly a challenge.” Elryk shrugged. “Not that I expected anyone of any intellectual ability to be part of this operation."
"Is that so?” Kaythan raised his eyebrows, presenting the right effect for the visual chronicling equipment. “You do realise that showing this sort of disrespect of the Law Forces will get you into trouble? Even a citizen of hitherto unblemished reputation can't get away with criticism like that."
"You don't say!” Elryk laughed. “I see that nothing has changed. Looks like the Xoh'kas have still got everyone, including the Law Forces, under their thumbs."
"Now, now, there's no need to insult us.” Kaythan had difficulty keeping a smile off his face. The wizard's reputation for impertinence towards authority was clearly not undeserved. “You're in enough trouble as it is."
"Would not insulting you reduce my predicament?” Elryk snorted. “Don't get me wrong, it's not that I care. I'd just like to know."
"Based on your file, I'd wager that nothing short of a miracle could reduce your ‘predicament.'” He grinned, making sure he seemed appropriately disdainful. “However, there's still plenty of potential for making it worse."
"Really?” Elryk crossed his muscular arms across his broad chest. “Do tell me what could possibly be worse than the painful Ray'loyst procedure which wipes people's personality?"
"You don't want to know.” He shuddered, careful to keep a neutral facial expression.
He'd seen some of the torture inflicted before the deletion of a prisoner's mind. Since the prisoners never remembered any of it after receiving the new ‘programming,’ some of the guards took that as licence to ‘experiment’ on the prisoners before they destroyed their memories and personalities. Nobody was ever the wiser because there were never any witnesses left to talk about what had really happened.
"Probably not.” Elryk nodded, agreeing with him for once. “So, to get back to why I'm here. Aren't you going to arrest me and put me into restraints or something?"
Oh, the wizard had no idea. Just thinking of him naked, all tied up, powerless to prevent anything that Kaythan was going to do to him, made him rock hard in his uniform pants. Double crap! He couldn't stand here sporting an erection. He was supposed to arrest the wizard and get him back to Tah'Nut. Even if it was for the benefit of his own agenda, he had a plan to follow and a job to do here.
"Why, are you going to try and run away after turning yourself in?” He pulled the magic-suppressant handcuffs from his belt and opened them.
"Maybe not right now.” Elryk shrugged and held out his hands. “But I might change my mind."
He ignored that last remark as he cuffed the wizard, making sure the device adjusted itself properly and didn't cut off the circulation. The words made him wonder whether the wizard was planning something other than giving up and turning himself in. It almost sounded as if he wasn't quite ready to truly surrender.
"Believe me, you can change your mind all you want, wizard.” He made sure the sneer was captured by the chronicling device in the corner. “There will be no escaping justice this time."
At least not in the way Elryk was possibly imagining it. He'd given as good as he got verbally, but a few brave words weren't going to convince Kaythan that the wizard would actually stand up and fight for what he believed in. His biggest worry was that Elryk would cave in, just like three years ago when he'd fled rather than confront his enemies.
"Well, stop your childish posturing, then, commander, and let's get moving.” Elryk grinned back, clearly unrepentant. “I'm sure your superiors are getting impatient."
Kaythan gritted his teeth with the effort not to tell his ‘prisoner’ the truth of what he thought about his superiors. He couldn't risk giving his plan away too soon. He left written instructions for his second in command before turning back to the ominously quiet wizard. Silently, he took the man's arm and started marching them towards the portal.
He'd have to get him out of here, take him to a location where they could talk without being overheard, and find out how prepared he was to stand up for what was right. Kaythan's plan for stopping the magic thieves and getting rid of the illegally ruling Xoh'kas would only work with the help of the most powerful lightning wizard currently alive. Now that he had that wizard under his control, he'd need to make sure the other man understood what was at stake.
The magic thieves needed to be stopped, that much was certain. By siphoning off the magic, they were able to spread magic abilities to more people. Many thought that was a good thing. But other than free magic, it also meant more and more unqualified people used it, including the elusive magic thieves who didn't care about the damage they did to the balance of the magical realm.
Kaythan couldn't stand the fact that those thieving vermin were only tracked down and punished when they stole from someone important to the Xoh'kas. Most people accepted that their Ruling Assembly had only ‘limited resources’ to pursue the thieves and that it was better to ‘focus on the big offenders,’ who stole magic in a major way. You couldn't really control something as intangible as magic anyway, or so the majority believed.
That sure as hell didn't make it right to let them go on unhindered, though.
"You found him, sir?” The young guard was wide-eyed as his hand inched towards the sword at his belt.
The second guard was a little older but looked no less shocked. His hand had reached his sword a lot faster, though.
"Indeed.” Kaythan glanced at both guards. “There is no need for weapons. As you can see, the criminal has been secured."
Elryk snorted and Kaythan had a hard time suppressing his amusement. The wizard obviously didn't know what was good for him. Anyone other than Kaythan would have punished him for the lack of respect. Kaythan let it slide.
The guards couldn't withdraw their hands from their weapons fast enough. Being slow to follow orders was not a trait for a survivor.
"I'll be escorting the prisoner through the gateway myself to avoid any further delays.” Not to mention a chance for anyone to interfere and take over from him. “I expect you to notify offi
cer Ten'lasam immediately. He is to take over command until I return. There are instructions in my office."
Kaythan waited long enough to see the two men nod before he stepped up to the portal, Elryk in tow.
"Ready?” He looked at the wizard.
Elryk looked even paler than usual but he nodded, his eyes huge as he stared at the gateway without so much as a blink.
"Are you okay?” He was risking exposure by showing this much concern, but something looked really off.
"Sure.” Elryk nodded mechanically, still fixated on the colourful surface of the pulsating gateway energies.
He didn't have a choice. Even though he couldn't quite believe that Elryk even knew what he was talking about, he was going to have to take the wizard's word for it.
Taking a deep breath and clearing his mind of as many extraneous thoughts as possible, he took one last look at Elryk before grabbing the man's arm and stepping into the gateway with him. The trip was only going to take a few seconds. Surely nothing could go wrong in such a short time?
The scratchy tingling along his skin as the energies enveloped him was what he expected. So was the low rolling thunder in his ears and the scent of burnt hair.
What wasn't normal was the jolt that went through Elryk as he collapsed. The wizard went limp immediately, and Kaythan barely managed to catch him before he fell and hurt himself.
What the fuck was going on here?
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Chapter Two
* * * *
Elryk came to very slowly. Reality seemed to be fuzzy around the edges. His head hurt so badly he wanted to scream. It was dark but he couldn't open his eyes. As far as he could tell he lay on his back on some soft surface. Wasn't he going to be taken somewhere? He was sure he wasn't supposed to be lying in what felt like a bed. Why couldn't he remember any details? And why was the pulsing behind his temples matched by an equally painful ache between his legs?
What the hell was going on?
"You're okay."
The sudden appearance of a voice made him panic. Who was that? Where was he? What had happened?
"Don't worry, you're safe here. Just breathe for a while and give your body time to recover."
That was easy for him to say, whoever he was. Elryk was ready to jump out of his skin as the headache got worse, now accompanied by a tingling itch at the back of his neck. Shit, but that didn't feel right.
"You had a nasty shock when we used the gateway to travel back to Tah'Nut. You lost consciousness for a few seconds after we entered. I don't know what caused you to collapse, but I suspect it has something to do with your magic.” The voice sounded familiar.
It even made him feel safe. How was that possible? It had gone straight to his groin, and had made the ache between his legs even worse than it had been when he'd first woke up. It pulsed every time the man spoke. How ridiculous was that?
His sense of smell was next to return. The musky scent that assaulted his brain was overwhelming. It was strong, male, with an underlying note of sandalwood and leather. He took a deep breath and the scent seemed to travel straight to the itchy place at the back of his neck, stabbing into it to make the pain flare up. Next, it made his cock throb in response, increasing the pressure in his balls. How was it possible for him to be this aroused from hearing a voice and smelling another man, as familiar as he seemed to be?
Worse than the arousal was the pain it seemed to cause. It was quickly becoming close to unbearable. He moaned.
"Ah, your voice is back.” The man chuckled. “That's a good sign."
"What—where...” Elryk swallowed past the pain in his parched throat, still trying to open his eyes. He'd had it with the darkness and the not knowing who the hell was talking to him.
"Easy.” The man slid a straw between his dehydrated lips. “Have some water. Your throat probably hurts because you've been unconscious for quite a while. Drinking this will help relieve the discomfort."
Elryk sipped the ice-cold liquid gratefully, wishing it would reduce the pain in his head, neck and groin as well. But of course, it didn't, being just water. He tried to open his eyes. When he succeeded, the bright light almost blinded him.
He was in a large, well-lit room, sunlight streaming in from floor to ceiling windows on his left. The walls and ceiling were painted a light blue, with one wooden door looking as if it lead to a bathroom, the other to a hallway. Only trees were visible outside. He could hear birdsong that was uninterrupted by traffic noise. It didn't look or sound as if he was in the capital city Tah'Algor. Wasn't that where he was supposed to be?
The man sitting to his right, one deliciously muscled thigh on the bed, looked at him with a hesitant smile. Rugged looking, with a square jaw and a straight nose, his face exuded strength. His eyes were the deep blue of the ocean right before a storm and his full lips were as red as ripe cranberries. Short, dark-brown hair and skin the colour of golden olives made Elryk's mouth water. He'd be at least six-feet-five when standing, and the man's broad shoulders and muscular, well-trained body made the ache between his legs flare up.
"Kaythan.” Elryk's memory came back in a rush, making his head hurt even more.
Shit. This was the man who'd taken him prisoner so he could return him to the Xoh'kas. But why hadn't he done that yet?
That wasn't his only problem, though. The Law Forces Commander had gotten to him from the very first moment they'd met, making him wish they weren't enemies. He'd felt an irrational longing to get to know this man, to be in the man's arms and kiss him, that had made his knees weak. He still felt that same longing now, only it was ten times worse.
"You remember my name.” The smile broke through and lit up Kaythan's face, making his eyes twinkle.
"Uhm, aren't you supposed to hand me over to the Xoh'kas?” Elryk frowned. “You did arrest me, didn't you? I think I remember you restraining me before you took me to the gateway."
"Do you want me to hand you over to those idiots?” Kaythan's eyebrows rose.
"Huh? Are you the same Law Forces Commander who put handcuffs on me and threatened me with ‘worse than torture'?” Elryk shook his head trying to clear it, wincing with the shooting pain that stabbed the back of his eyeballs. “Not that I'm complaining, but are you even allowed to think of them as idiots, never mind say something so traitorous out loud?"
"I'm not their puppet. I never was and never will be.” Kaythan flinched, anger briefly clouding his eyes.
"You could have fooled me!” He didn't know what to believe anymore. His current location definitely wasn't a prison, and there were no guards around, so maybe the man wasn't who he'd seemed? But who was he and what was his agenda? How did Elryk fit into any of this?
"Look, this may sound weird, but what I said and did in that office was all an act. I had to make it seem real until I could get you away from the chronicling equipment. If the Xoh'kas had suspected that I wasn't planning to turn you in, they might have stopped me.” Kaythan blushed but refused to look away.
"An act?” Now he'd heard it all. Yet it made hope surge in his heart and increased the pounding between his legs. “It was pretty damned convincing."
"I assure you, I only did it because I had no choice.” Kaythan swallowed. “I've been planning this for a long time, ever since I found out that you'd refused to become head of the Magic Council. Only someone against the absolute power of the Xoh'kas would refuse such a well-regarded position."
"Only someone willing to be a complete puppet would be stupid enough to accept.” He was going to speak his mind. He couldn't get into any more trouble with the Xoh'kas than he already was. So even if this was a trap to get him to reveal himself, he could only be ‘reprogrammed’ once.
"You're right.” Kaythan grinned. “But that act of refusal made me hope you might become an ally in my plan to defeat the thrice-damned magic thieves. Then, of course, before I was able to contact you, you decided to run and make things very difficult for me."
"I made things di
fficult for you?” The man was obviously deluded.
"Yes, by running away. So the magic thieves are still at large and the Xoh'kas rule unopposed.” Kaythan looked at him as if all of that was his fault.
"I agree that someone will need to take them out at some point. Both the Xoh'kas and the magic thieves are evils Tah'Nut can do without.” Elryk took a deep breath. His gut told him he could trust this man. “All I could do back then was refuse to become their puppet on the Magic Council. They would have breathed down my neck the entire time. Shit, they even took my lover hostage to make me do what they wanted."
"But they didn't succeed.” Kaythan's gaze was full of admiration.
It gave Elryk the courage to continue talking about the events that had led to his leaving Tah'Nut.
"No, I couldn't give in. Not with their plans for taking away even more rights from everyone than they already had. So I tried to negotiate with them, but they wouldn't even listen. When I kept refusing, they killed Zolak in cold blood. I'll never forgive myself for letting that happen.” Elryk closed his eyes for a moment. It still hurt that he'd failed his lover so badly. He should never have allowed them to kill him. Surely there was something he could have done to stop them.
"It wasn't your fault.” Kaythan's voice was soft.
"Yes, it was. I should have stopped them.” He didn't know how, but he should have tried harder.
"So why did you run?” There was no accusation in Kaythan's tone, just curiosity.
Elryk couldn't have endured this man's disdain.
"I was angry. I had to flee before the rage took over. I was very close to losing control over my magic. And I didn't want to kill innocent people by unleashing uncontrolled lightning magic on them.” He swallowed.
