by Jaime Marks
He grunted. “It seems one of your brother’s has collected him. If he does awaken it will be of our line.”
“Perfect,” he groaned pinching his brow. “We need to find them. They likely tried to stabilize him before moving him so we have a little time, but it won’t be long. The guards from last night said they expected him to succumb to the awakening before noon.”
Demytria sighed, “Their hiding in the woods. It’s their only option really.”
Byryn nodded. “They’ve been here for days. I’m sure they’ve scouted thoroughly. They’ll head for areas with the fewest patrols to avoid detection. They’re trying to bide their time so they can obtain Bryce and Felycia, maybe some of the others, without issue.”
“We need a plan. If they have stabilized the boy and he is this close they cannot risk forcing his awakening. They will allow it to proceed naturally,” Cymeryn reasoned. “Vilyn and Scratryn know they will kill him otherwise. Let us meet for meal with the others and we will try to narrow the search area. We know they cannot risk hiding where there are heavy patrols. We will examine the grid, form a search.”
Byryn sighed. “I have a couple things I need to do first but I’ll be there.”
His Grandsire studied him. “How are you handling all this?”
He shrugged. “This week has been hell if you want to know the truth but it’s also been…amazing. I have Staryana, Kyle, and Astryn, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world, but it would be nice to catch a break.”
He nodded. “Wytheryn?”
“Actually…” He hesitated. “It’s hard to explain. I don’t know if it’s the bond from that damned ritual, but…once we sat down and sorted out a few things it was…comfortable. It’s not ideal…” He rubbed his head trying to sort out his feelings, “but I’m not as upset about it as I was.” He figured it was best to keep the rest to himself.
Cymeryn measured him a moment. “You are, of course, familiar with certain…relationship dynamics that occur on Earth dealing with submission?”
Byryn swallowed hard. This was something they’d never openly discussed and he wasn’t really sure where his Grandsire was going with it now. “I am.”
Demytria laughed, “Relax Byryn, I can see the pulse at your temple throbbing from here.”
“Aunt Demytria, no offense, but it’s not exactly a conversation I enjoy having with my Grandsire who happens to be my Fae in Law, let alone my aunt,” he scoffed.
Cymeryn chuckled, “Yes, I suppose the fact that you’re mated to mine bonded daughter would give you pause, but I trust you with her, Byryn. I know you would never harm, her even if she tends to be somewhat masochistic.”
He choked on air as he swallowed hard and coughed as they both laughed.
“Easy, I was merely going to suggest that if you take out the sexual aspects of those relationships it might help you relate to Wytheryn on some level,” he offered.
Byryn regained his composure and nodded. “I’d already considered that. I ended up promising him a list of daily duties and habits, so to speak, because he couldn’t understand his purpose once I explained a few things.”
“Why? What did he think you expected from him?” Demytria questioned.
Byryn looked to Cymeryn to see how he wanted him to handle this, but he nodded. “He...uh…He expected me to use him as my slave…to, uh…sate my desires,” he finished, unsure how to politely communicate what Wytheryn expected to happen to him at their hands. “When I told him it would never happen and that I would never touch Narysia either, it confused the hell out of him. He needs to know he can please me in some way, otherwise it sends him in a tailspin,” he admitted.
Demytria gaped at him. “I understand why he expected you to use him, but why Narysia?”
“In the boy’s mind Byryn is now his owner,” Cymeryn interjected. “He has claimed Narysia as his mate. As he relates it, this means she is his, and since he is Byryn’s, that makes her Byryn’s as well.”
“I told him he’s never to allow another to touch her.” He shrugged. “I’m not utilizing my hold over him, but I’m not sure it matters. He seems to take any command I give him as if his life hinges on following it.”
“What other commands have you given him?” Demytria scowled crossing her arms.
It gave him pause. What exactly did she think he would do? “I told him he’s expected to tell me if something I say or do upsets him so I can learn what he needs and I can teach him how to better please me. If I make it just about his needs it doesn’t hold the same weight for some reason.”
“Because you’re his Master and his world revolves solely around you and what you allow,” Kyle replied forming beside him. “It doesn’t matter how you view it, that’s what he knows. I’ve spoken to Wycelion. You need to make sure Wytheryn doesn’t refer to himself as your slave to the others. I know you explained things to him and told him not to refer to you as Master, but, yeah.”
Byryn scrubbed his face with a groan, “Do I need to talk to Wyce? He was probably livid.”
“He was, but he understands it better now. Claims he kind of pushed the issue because he was pressuring him about what happened last night and what the concession was Dad wanted from him.” He shrugged. “Wycelion was just doing what we’ve trained him to do. Wytheryn was acting different, guarded and unsure of himself. He probably isn’t sure what he’s supposed to be doing. He doesn’t have a mission or purpose he’s accustomed to and until you get him settled he’ll flounder a bit. I explained things to Wyce and stopped by with the seamstress so that both Wytheryn and Narysia have appropriate robes. Wytheryn was refusing to wear anything but Earth attire before and Narysia’s robes need to reflect Wytheryn’s station whether he realizes what that is or not. They’ll be ready when you go to get them for meal.”
Byryn nodded. “Thanks. He accepted it from you?”
“Of course. He can sense you through me and he knows we speak for one another, though his response to me seems to confuse him. I’ve noticed he’s extremely observant and intelligent, Byryn.” Kyle smirked a moment. “Actually, he reminds me a lot of you.”
He ignored that. It was true. He could see it himself, but it still bothered him a bit, especially considering he hadn’t given it enough consideration when he’d originally met him. “I still need to talk to the girls.”
“They’ll be fine, gemyn. They know your mind and both of them trust you. It’s you their worried about with the constant stress,” he admitted. “Once we handle these Shade and get Wytheryn more settled we need to take some time to…”
“No.” Cymeryn cut him off. “We’ll reduce your duties and give you privacy in your suite, but you are both still on restriction after your last bright idea,” he levelled. “I granted you a brief reprieve last eve, Kyle, because I knew you were overwhelmed, but you will remain in the realm, on Palace grounds, aside from tracking the Shade and attending the ceremony this eve.”
Byryn tried not to roll his eyes. They’d saved ten unawakened included Cal, Kyle’s youngest brother, because of that bright idea, as his Grandsire put it. He understood their issues but their asses were covered the entire time and it was something that needed to be tested. If they were pissed off now they were really gonna flip out when they moved to test the other things they were concerned about.
Kyle sighed beside him, echoing his opinions but thinking better than to voice them. If either Marcus or Cymeryn suspected they were up to something they’d never have any privacy. The truth was they were running out of time and needed to figure out what the hell Lazurys was up to.
Demytria watched them closely before turning to him. “I’m sorry, Byryn. I’ll admit that when Wyce came to me this morning I overacted. It was hard not to remember how Trevyn used to operate, and there was a time that you followed closely in his footsteps.”
Byryn gaped at her and felt Kyle’s hand on his shoulder in response to the myriad of emotions that simultaneously rolled through him. He knew Trevyn used to bind some of the Brood
Elders to him in order to retain control after their awakening. It was one of the reasons he’d been so resistant to claiming Wytheryn in that way. The fact that Demytria would relate the two situations was unsettling, painful, and infuriating.
“I have to go. I’ll see you both at meal,” he replied, hearing her call him, but he misted to his suite knowing Kyle would follow regardless.
He’d been compared to Trevyn many times over the years. The Shade had molded him in his image to the best of his ability. He’d gifted him slaves to use to slake his lust, taught him how to control them with pain and pleasure, how to best fill his own needs both to suit the control he needed and to sate his body. He’d taught him discipline and shown him how to best wield that level of power over his brothers, even his Elders. He even looked like him to some extent.
The similarities that Trevyn beat and bred into him were galling at times, but he wasn’t that Shade. He never would be. He wasn’t even that boy. He knew there was a Darkness in him, a power that he controlled, but that didn’t make him anything like Trevyn. He also held a Light that strengthened and ruled him.
“Stop, gemyn.” Kyle cupped his face as he appeared. “You are not Trevyn. You didn’t bind Wytheryn to control him. You did it to save him and help him move past his conditioning. I felt what you feel when you’re with him now. It’s compassion and caring. There’s no superiority or malice to it. Don’t let a single comment and fears that should be long dead cloud your judgment.”
“You’re one to talk,” he smirked, kissing him softly. “You aren’t Alayne either.”
“I know,” he grimaced. “I just…it’s hard to admit that I have this power sometimes. I know how power corrupted him. I don’t ever want to become that.”
Byryn brought his hands to Kyle’s hips, pulling him closer. “I’ll never let you slip into the Darkness, gemyn. Never,” he promised.
Swallowing hard he shook his head. “What if…what if Pravyous is right?”
His eyes narrowed. “Why would you believe anything Michael said? It’s a mind fuck, that’s all.”
Kyle pulled away and Byryn could sense his fear. “I don’t know. I thought I felt something last night, but I couldn’t identify it. Something I haven’t felt in either of us before. It was almost as if our actions drew attention, but it wasn’t Alayne I felt.”
He sighed and went to him, wrapping his arms around his waist as he rested his head on his shoulder. “Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it together. As long as we have each other, the four of us will be alright.”
It didn’t matter what the truth was, he’d do whatever was necessary to protect and care for those he loved. He’d never let it come to pass. He’d fight with everything they had, but even if their worst fears were true, he knew how to survive in that world. He’d do whatever was necessary to care for and protect all of them regardless of where their fate took them, and one day he’d find some way to be free from the dangers that seemed to constantly plague their lives.
Chapter 11
Wytheryn lay in bed holding her close. He knew they needed to get ready, but he was just too comfortable to want to move. This bed was amazing and Narysia? Holding her completed him in a way he couldn’t grasp. She lay nestled against his chest, tracing his ribs with her finger. He wanted to taste her so badly, but she had been through so much and there were all these rules he was unsure if he understood yet. Byryn had gone over some of them, but he wasn’t sure he knew how to follow them.
He brushed the hair from her face so he could see her beautiful, blue eyes. They reminded him of the ocean. He had only been there once, when Alayne had sent him to track down a human that had escaped Syneous before his awakening. He didn’t want to risk her interfering in his human life. She had been hiding out in a little shack on the west coast of Florida. The white sands and sparkling blue waters had spoken to him in a way nothing else ever had. He’d decided he’d gladly take his punishment for the delay that his swim had cost him in returning the girl to his Master.
Alayne had sensed him thoroughly upon his return, assuming that Wytheryn had taken his fill of the girl, but he would never disobey his Master in that way. He expected Alayne to be pleased that he had left her untouched and followed all his orders, instead he was beaten and tied down for the other slaves to use and enjoy for putting his desires above his Master’s order.
Wytheryn shook himself from the thoughts of that life as he looked down at her. She smiled warmly at him and he couldn’t help but return it. There were so many things that were uncertain in this life for them, but Byryn had sworn he would never touch either of them, nor would any other at his command. As much as it left him at a loss, it eased some fear he wasn’t really able to process.
His primary purpose had always been to please his Master with his body. Any other task was secondary and it had been an honor to be chosen as his Master’s favored. When he’d returned him to his brothers, it had literally hurt in his chest. He’d always thought he had pleased his Master greatly and taken pride in his service. Alayne had explained his reasoning and that he was not releasing him, but it still felt like he was somehow displeased. Before he had left his Master ordered him to provide whatever service the Brood asked of him as long as they worked to return his Master’s bride to him, preferably untouched by any of his brothers. He had not heard from him since that day. The only messages he had received were from Lazurys, though he knew they came through his bond to Alayne.
He’d been surprised none of his brother’s saw through his attitude and bravado. Crytos however, had seen him for the slave he truly was and seen fit to use him to his full potential, sometimes having Michael join them. It was weird to willingly allow any save his Master to use him in such a way, but Crytos reminded him of the orders that had been given to him in the Shade’s presence. It had been his place to see to any service the Brood and its Commander saw fit.
“You seem very distracted,” Narysia murmured, drawing his attention.
“I am,” he admitted trying to sort out how to explain everything she needed to know. “Narysia, there are things you do not know, and I’m not sure you can understand them, but I need to at least try to explain to you our position now.”
“Alright.” She sat up beside him. “I’ll listen and if there’s something I know, I’ll ask.”
He sighed but nodded. Sitting up pulled her against him, needing the contact as much as she did. It still amazed him that she didn’t shy away from him after what she’d been through. Though, unfortunately, she still seemed to flinch when any other went to touch her.
“Before I came here, I was in the service of the High Priest of Darkness Alayne since birth. I never once betrayed my Master, but it seems that no longer matters. I have fallen from his favor and that can be…dangerous,” he confessed.
He had seen the price other slaves had paid for betrayal. It was an often excruciating death, sometimes served in solitude as the Priest ravished their minds, others in savagely brutal depravity as he threw them to the wolves, watching as they were torn apart before they succumbed.
“Alayne had sent me to the Brood, my brethren in the Shade, and they had staked a claim in me as well, as I am of their line, their blood. When I came here, I was on a mission for both my Master and my brothers, but I failed and was captured. All that has occurred since has put me in a risky position which unfortunately endangers you. Because of this I had to make some choices, but they will impact us both as you are mine.”
She studied him with concern, but didn’t move away. “I trust you, Wytheryn.”
He smiled and kissed her head. “I know you do, but I also know you are somewhat naïve about my world.” He sighed, “I had to protect us from both Alayne and the Brood and there is really only one faction that can manage that. In making this decision I tried to take into account who you trust so you would not be uncomfortable. Narysia, you should know that I have given myself in service to my brother, Byryn. Prince Kyle conducted the ritual severing the ties of m
y past and forging the bond to my brother. He is my Master now.”
“Wait,” she hesitated gaping at him slightly. “When you say Master and service, you mean, you’re actually his…slave?”
“In essence…though I don’t know what he expects of me. He owns my service, but…he does not seem to want it and I’m not sure what that will mean.” Acknowledging that sent his head in a spiral of sorts again. It was disorienting not understanding his purpose.
“I’m not sure I understand. I mean, you’re his slave, but he doesn’t want you to be?” She asked in confusion.
“I…I do not know. I do not know how to please him if he does not want anything from me,” he groaned trying to reason it out. “He gives me this suite, allows me to have you, offers his compassion and praise, but takes nothing for himself. I do not understand.”
Narysia took his hand in hers. “Maybe that’s because you’re used to the world of the Shade and things don’t really work that way here. Seriously, I can’t even fathom Prince Byryn taking a slave.”
Wytheryn huffed, “He’s had slaves before as an unawakened. It is not…” He cursed biting his tongue. “I’m sorry…I…sometimes it is really hard to forget everything Alayne taught me about my brother. I need to break the habit of immediately thinking the worst of him. He is my Master now and he is owed my respect.”
“Wytheryn,” she began cautiously, “does the Prince know you call him your Master? I’m not sure how he’d feel about that.”
He smirked. “You know him pretty well don’t you?”
“Not that well.” She shrugged looking away and he could feel her uncertainty.
He took her by the chin, turning her back to him. “I’m not upset, Narysia. It pleases me that you are trying to help me understand my brother.” She smiled softly and he kissed her head. “You’re right. He doesn’t like it. He prefers I call him sir, or brother.”
