“I love it when you’re angry—you talk less and less sense.” Emerald took a long drink.
Aeron grumbled to himself and did the same. He took a swig from his tankard and choked almost immediately, spitting his mouthful back in. “The hell’s this?” he demanded.
“Found it in the cellar.”
“It tastes like fermented rat-balls.”
“I found it in the cellar.” Emerald repeated and Aeron glanced suspiciously into the drink, shrugged and took another gulp.
“I’m tongueless anyhow,” he reasoned. “Or will be.”
“The baby talks a lot for being tongueless,” Emerald said sweetly. Aeron sneered in response.
“Baby’s pocketless and glazed eyed for Cal, who’s fire-eatin’ Lemra like there’s no authority to sharp. He’s pissin’ a brawl and I’m festerin’ here like a sodomite in a woman’s bath.”
“Aw, sweetness—aren’t you such a victim.” Emerald battered her eyelashes and Aeron downed his drink, returning to the matter at hand.
“So Markus has actually agreed to let ’ti Aurora tap dance herself to a whore-ary?”
“She decided, actually. Said she wanted to go to Harmatia and hear what the Puppet King had to offer. It’s been tense ’tween Kathra and Bethean. Should Harmatia align with us, it could make for a pretty treaty.”
“Or a drawbridge to hell.”
“More likely. She said she’d go though, so she’s gone.” Emerald seemed to sober, “I can’t see that Aurora’ll be much taken with the Puppet-King. But if she is, and this turns sour,” Emerald flicked his nose, “it’ll be your fault.”
Aeron snatched her hand and pulled her arm taut, threatening to break her fingers. She didn’t flinch. “How’s it my fault?”
“Because you clearly can’t get a job done.”
“It was your mothers that salivated Sverrin DuBlanche back to life, not my game. Torin gave me my orders, and I stabbed him dead. Dead’s where he should’ve stayed.” Aeron’s eyes burnt their reaper-black.
“I was talkin’ about Rufus Merle.” Emerald snatched her hand back. “You’ve finally stopped pissin’ blood and pel-thrustin’ everythin’ like a dog in heat. Don’t you think it’s time you get to the Neve?”
Aeron’s mouth twitched. “Pel-thrustin’?” he raised an eyebrow, drawing another smile out of Emerald. “That’s Lemra’n slang, my dove.”
“Clearly you’ve been here too long, my bed-wettin’ falcon.”
Aeron stood. It had taken some days to regain his ability to walk, but his strength was almost all returned to him now. The journey to the Neve would be a long one, but with this new development, Aeron could no longer delay it.
“Looks like the hunt continues.” He reached out and touched one of the flowers Emerald had set in the middle of the table. At his touch, it withered and died, the life seeping into his fingers like a sip of sweet wine. Aeron flexed his hand. “I knew this was goin’ to end in blood.”
“He’s quite resilient, for a human,” Korrick observed softly. A few strides from them the children were training, Joshua battling Kael and one of his other class-mates simultaneously. “I did not expect him back on his feet so quickly.”
“He’s determined and strong-willed,” Rufus said with pride, though his chest was still flittering with worry. It had only been a few days since Joshua’s visions of Sigel’eg had ended, and already the Prince was insisting he return to his training. Korrick had agreed, but was surveying Joshua carefully, looking out for any more signs of trouble. Rufus had come to understand over the last week that, as stern and brisk as Korrick was, he truly cared for the welfare of his students.
“Kael,” Korrick shouted, his hands clasped behind his back, “raise your guard or lose your life.”
From the duel, Kael obeyed, moving in to strike Joshua. He parried expertly.
“Your Prince learns quickly,” Korrick said. “He is already besting my kin. In another few weeks he may be outmatching the whole class.”
“He has more of an incentive than they do, and experience that they lack.” Rufus ran his hand up through his hair. “He also finds you to be an excellent instructor.”
Korrick wasn’t taken by the praise. “Do not think to give me false acclaim—Kael, I said bring that guard up!—I am well aware of how your Prince feels about me.”
“Oh, he doesn’t like you—I’m not sure anyone in the Neve actually does,” Rufus agreed. “But Joshua respects you, and he wants your approval.”
Korrick didn’t move, but Rufus saw a spark of amusement in his stern green eyes. “And what is it you want, Magi?”
“For him never to have to use these skills,” Rufus admitted wistfully, giving Joshua a half-wave. The boy reciprocated it before returning quickly to his fight, his face pinched with concentration. Rufus marvelled at how, already, he could see an element of Fae in the way Joshua fought. The Prince would one day become a very formidable foe. “I will leave you to it, Lord Korrick.”
“Magi,” Korrick called after him as Rufus walked away, “you have been our guest some time now, but do not grow comfortable yet. You are still the enemy of many and you should not be walking these grounds unattended.”
“I’ll go straight to the library,” Rufus promised.
“I doubt that.” Korrick gestured sharply at his students. “Kael—if you cannot wield your sword properly, then I will take it from you. Raise your guard!”
Rufus, mildly perplexed, left the training grounds and wandered back toward the castle. It occurred to him how alone he was, and he realised that he hadn’t seen his subconscious since he’d told Fae about his ordeals. The bad dreams had also stopped again, and though Rufus didn’t dare hope this mental silence was permanent, he enjoyed it while it lasted.
Turning up along the path, Rufus hummed softly, cheerful in the fine weather. As he came toward the courtyard, however, he spotted something in one of the banks below. Immediately he faltered.
Reilly Mac Gearailt was stood barely twenty strides down from him, entwined with one of the fair-haired wanderers, kissing her with abandon.
Rufus couldn’t move. He felt as if someone was squeezing his throat. His surprise quickly turning to anger. Fae had shared very little about her relationship with Reilly, but something about her conduct toward him had set Rufus’s teeth on edge.
Looking down at Reilly now, it was all Rufus could do to contain himself. It was none of his business if Reilly was having an affair, but to do it so brazenly, without any consideration, was an affront to Fae. And that was unforgivable.
Rufus found himself skidding down the bank, his face red. “What in Athea’s name are you doing?”
Reilly broke the kiss, and looked leisurely over his shoulder. He’d known Rufus was there all along, but had continued the display regardless. On instinct, Rufus began to gather magic to him.
“This is none of your concern, Magi,” Reilly dismissed.
“Have you no shame? No sense of propriety?” Rufus opened and closed his hands, trying to even the anger that boiled through him. His skin was growing hotter each minute. “You would do this, out in the open? You would demean your wife in her own home?”
“My dear,” Reilly addressed the beautiful wanderer who still had her arms draped around his neck, her body pressed against his, “perhaps you should be on your way. I must clearly educate this human.”
The wanderer flicked her eyes over to Rufus, smiled inanely and then sidled gracefully away, skipping up the bank toward the house. Reilly advanced on Rufus with a smile that only enraged him more.
“I think,” Reilly said slowly, “you ought to remember your place.”
“And I think you ought to remember yours. These are Lord Kathel and Lady Saraid’s lands, and I doubt they would think much of your actions.”
“Perhaps not,” Reilly shrugged, “but they would forgive a man for straying. It’s not my fault my wife cannot satisfy me.”
“You sicken me,” Rufus spat. “You think you can
treat her like this? Belittle her, shame her, ostracise her from her own family?”
“What are you going to do?” Reilly was unperturbed by Rufus’s words. “She is my wife and I can do with her as I please, be that play false, or send her away, or strike her when she does not obey me.”
It was too much. Rufus lost himself to his rage. In an instant he recalled Fae’s broken cheekbone, and he knew precisely what had happened.
He threw the first, clumsy punch before he knew it. Reilly could have easily parried, but instead he allowed Rufus’s hand to connect with his cheek. It was like punching a tree, and had about the same result.
Reilly, eyebrows raised, planted his hand firmly into Rufus’s chest and threw him back with enough force to make his ribs rattle. The Magi hit into the ground with yelp of pain.
“Are you trying to kill me, Magi?” Reilly shouted.
Rufus blinked, his eyes watering. “You bastard…” he wheezed, just as a set of identical Cat Sidhe appeared at the top of the knoll.
“Commander Mac Gearailt, we heard a commotion,” the first said.
Is everything alright?” The second narrowed his eyes. Rufus recognised them as Fae’s twin brothers—Arton and Eadoin.
“The Magi attacked me,” Reilly sneered, and both twins looked down at Rufus with terrifying eyes, drawing their weapons.
Etheus blind me. This was a trap. Rufus groaned, trying to roll to his feet. Reilly had purposefully goaded him into attacking. Rufus’s protection as a guest was forfeited if he turned on his hosts, and Reilly was going to make the most of that pathetic punch.
Korrick knew about this. He must have. Damn it, how can I be so stupid?
Rufus managed to scrabble upright, his ribs screaming in protest. Boyd was going to be very unhappy with him. “It’s not what it seems,” Rufus said, but both Arton and Eadoin descended down the bank, their swords out. Rufus raised his hands in surrender, but at the sight of it, the twins jumped back, as if they expected Rufus to throw out a wall of flame. “No, no!” Rufus said quickly, “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m unarmed, see?”
“A Magi is never unarmed.” Reilly kept his voice low, but Rufus could see the smugness in his eyes.
“Please.” Rufus looked between the twins. He had no desire to hurt either of them. “Please, you must understand, it was only a punch. He was kissing another woman!”
But the twins wouldn’t be so easily deterred form their commander, their eyes never leaving Rufus.
“I was defending your sister’s honour.”
“Our sister has no honour,” Arton growled.
“She brought a Magi into our home,” Eadoin said.
“She loves you. She loves all of you.” Rufus tried to push himself back. “Damn you, can’t you see you’re being manipulated?” Rufus pointed at Reilly. “He’s using you to punish Fae. He’s twisting your minds. I’m not the villain here!”
“I was suspicious of your intentions when you arrived,” Reilly snarled, “but to honour my lord, I tolerated your presence. And in exchange, you throw about slander and attack me unprovoked.”
“You’re inexcusable,” Rufus spat. “You’d have me defend myself against Fae’s brothers? That’s your hope, isn’t it? That I’ll fight them, and hurt them—even kill them, all so you can be right in your judgement. All so you can shame Fae and segregate her even more from those she loves. I won’t do it!”
“Stand, Magi.” Arton thrust his sword toward Rufus, and it took all of Rufus’s self-control not to retaliate. His nerves jumped down his body, magic sweeping through his blood.
“You will fight us.” Eadoin’s sword joined his brother’s.
“No.” Rufus closed his eyes. “If you think I’ve done wrong, then kill me. I refuse to raise a hand to either of you.”
“Stand, Magi!”
“No.”
“Stand!”
“NO!” Rufus twisted his hands into the grass, shaking. He’d faced death many times, but this was different.
He’d only just been with Joshua. What would the boy think when he returned from his training, looked down into the bank and saw Rufus, murdered? Rufus opened his eyes, looking pleadingly between the two brothers. They were angry and confused, but there was no pity for Rufus to exploit.
“Then you will die,” both twins said in terrifying unison, and in an instant, Rufus knew he had to defend himself.
Unwilling to play into Reilly’s hands, Rufus focused his attention on the swords. He extended his senses, trying to reach into the metal and break it down into useless pieces, as he’d so often done with the exploding apples.
But as his senses found their targets, rather than break the bonds that held the swords together, Rufus felt the sensation deepen. He was conscious of his mind gripping the swords, like a million tiny hands reaching inside of them. And as he jerked his senses, trying to snap the blades into pieces, he instead carried them up and out of the twins’ hands, as if he’d somehow reached and grabbed them for himself.
The swords flew up out of the Cat Sidhes’ reach and were tossed uselessly to the side. Arton and Eadoin both gaped, opening and closing their empty hands in surprise as Rufus blinked.
He’d just moved those swords with his mind—a level six technique.
“He has disarmed you! He means to kill you!” Reilly shouted, but before anyone was given a chance to move, a sudden bolt of pure white light had appeared between Rufus and the twins. Arton and Eadoin were lifted up into the air by the shining force, and tossed to the side after their swords.
Rufus cried out, shielding his eyes from the dazzling newcomer, who shimmered like sunshine on a pool of water. Through the bright rays, Rufus could see hair as pale as ivory, and skin so fair it was almost translucent.
“What,” Fae’s voice rang out from the light and Rufus balked, “in the name of Danu, is the meaning of this?”
Her voice was terrible. It sounded alien, and echoed like a thousand beings before her. It was the voice of an immortal, and Rufus knew it, for he too had spoken like that once, when he’d become Athea. The power terrified him.
“Fae?” Reilly was as astounded as Rufus to see her, his own eyes shaded against the vibrant light. His amazement quickly turned to anger, the gaping mouth curling into a snarl. “You dare come between us? Your Magi attacked me.”
“If Rufus attacked you, you’d be on fire or worse.” Fae’s entire body shimmered, power pulsing around her. Rufus didn’t understand what was going on. He didn’t recognise anything of the woman in-front of him, and yet she was Fae in every way.
“He is a Magi, his nature is clear.” Reilly gritted his teeth.
“All you have proven in this farce is your own true nature,” Fae said. “Get out of my sight, Reilly, before you make an enemy of me.”
With a burst of black mist, Reilly changed. His cat form was larger than Fae’s, but somehow, he wasn’t nearly as imposing. “I am your commander!” he roared. “You think because you are a Chosen that elevates you above me?”
A Chosen, the words resonated through Rufus. Where had he heard them before?
“I think that the truth of what happened here is something you might heed.” Fae stood her ground. The light wrapped around her like hundreds of knives, slicing through the air. “I saw the entire exchange—saw you bait and provoke and the aforementioned ‘attack’ you are using to justify this. I suggest you retreat before I report your fraudulence and dishonesty to my parents. Commander you may be, but only by appointment. Think carefully before you let your dishonesty strip you of rank.”
Reilly grew quiet, his tail flicking. Rufus understood enough about Kathel and Saraid that such an incident, if reported truthfully, wouldn’t be welcomed. Reilly had been snagged in his own trap.
“He will betray you.” Reilly stood down, transforming back and stepping away. “Mark my words.”
“No quicker than you did,” Fae said.
Reilly snarled, and retreated, disappearing up the bank. Fae remained as she
was, and then the bright light slowly began to ebb away from her. Rufus recalled that he’d seen it before, blurred, and during a great confusion, the day Fae broke through the roof of the Korrigans’ nest and rescued them.
As the light disappeared, her hair returned to its natural gold, the hue of her skin growing darker until she was the woman he knew.
Fae didn’t stop. She strode across to her brothers and leant down, seizing them both by the ears as if they were children. They yelped as she knocked their heads lightly together.
“I hope the pair of you are suitably embarrassed with yourselves,” she said, speaking over them as they made to protest. “Silence!” her voice rang, and they grew meek, eyes wide. “You are a disappointment to our family—I have never been so ashamed to call you kindred.”
“You brought a Magi into our home—you are the disappointment!” Arton cried and Fae slapped him across the face.
“I said silence!” she bellowed. “You have sulked long enough. Father welcomed Rufus into the Neve. He’s a Delphi and my friend. Now, I love you both more than life, and I have given you time to adjust, but I am growing tired of your continued ignorance. The pair of you will grow up, or I will have Korrick put you into the same class as the children you are behaving as. Do you understand?”
Neither replied, and Fae bristled, straightening up.
“Do you understand?” she repeated and both nodded. Fae huffed, putting her hands on her hips. “Good. Then, if you’re done letting Reilly use you, I would like my brothers back now.”
Arton and Eadoin struggled to keep the dismay from their faces. Fae knelt down and took one in either arm, holding them both. They returned the embrace.
Blood of the Delphi (The Harmatia Cycle Book 2) Page 40
