by Jaime Marks
Byryn nodded with a sigh. “I’m gonna go spend a few minutes with Kylion and Staryana before we leave. We’ll probably be in her quarters.”
“I’ll find you when it’s time.”
Byryn nodded turning to go.
“And Byryn?”
“Yeah?”
Marcus rested a hand on his shoulder. “You are my friend, and more. You are part of this family. I trust you with not only my life, but also my mate’s and my bonded daughter’s. Please never forget that and understand that you have my full respect. Of any here, I trust you most with my secrets.”
Byryn swallowed the thump his words caused in his throat choosing to alleviate the weight of the moment with a snicker. “Thanks, but um, Marcus? You might want to make sure the others don’t hear you calling her your mate, ya know, considering how much you continue to insist that you haven’t mated.”
Marcus gave him a gentle shove. “Get going before I decide you should sleep down the hall in the guard’s quarters.”
Byryn chuckled and went back down to Kylion’s room. “How are my two favorite people?”
He leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss, “I’ve missed you today, Brightness.”
“Me too.” She smiled. “We just got done with Kylion’s homework.”
Kylion jumped up and latched on wrapping his arms around his neck, but he noticed it wasn’t nearly as tight as usual. “Hi, Da-, erm Byryn.”
He’d claimed his four year old brother Kylion as his son about a month ago but the boy still had a hard time calling him Dad. Considering the bastard their sire had been, Byryn didn’t push the issue. “How was school today, spider monkey?”
He smiled and tussled his hair trying to shake off the annoying, nagging feeling he sometimes got that he needed to check him for injuries. It was an old habit. Every time he’d come back from his duties at the end of the day he used to tend to any wounds he would endure from Trevyn’s punishments. It had taken days to force himself to stop looking for the boys tells, searching for injury.
“Good. I wrote some of my letters.” Kylion offered with a smile but it almost felt forced.
Byryn shook off old fears and motioned to the desk. “Did you now. Will you show me?”
He nodded and Byryn set him down allowing him to drag him over. Standing behind him he watched as he painstakingly drew out the first three letters of his name in clumsy block styled writing.
Staryana came over and slipped her arms around him. “Do you have to go tonight?”
“Unfortunately, but I’ll sneak in to see you when we get back.” He whispered as he turned and pulled her to him, kissing her softly. “Once everyone settles for the night. I want to stay with you tonight. I miss sleeping with you in my arms.”
“It’s been a while since you snuck in to see me. You’re not afraid you’re going to dishonor my virtue tonight?” She teased.
“Always, but I think we both need the time alone.” He smiled coyly.
Turning back to Kylion he looked over his work, “Nice job, little one.” He studied him closely, something was wrong. Maybe it was just paranoia but he just couldn’t shake it and he wasn’t about to ignore it. “What’s up, you look like you’ve got something to say?”
He was looking up at him with those same scared, sad eyes he used to give him when he was afraid Trevyn would beat him. Byryn swallowed the knot that suddenly formed in his throat and picked him up carrying him to the bed. Kylion winced ever so slightly. He almost didn’t notice. In fact, he likely would have dismissed it if he didn’t know the boy so well. The impulse to tear his shirt off and see what the kid was hiding was tempting but Kylion needed to know he could come to him. He needed to know he could trust both he and Staryana when he was afraid.
“What’s on your mind, little one?” He prompted keeping his tone soft.
“I don’t know if I should say.” He wouldn’t meet Byryn in the eyes.
“Hey, Kylion, you’ve always told me what’s up and I’ve always taken care of it and kept you safe, right? Tell me about it and we’ll take care of it together.” He assured him.
Tears rolled down his face. “I, he, he said he would h-, hurt me again.”
Rage flowed into Byryn’s veins and he had to bite back his temper. He may be Gray but that meant he had to keep his Darkness in check, not that he no longer had the capacity for it. “Kylion, if it was within my power, did I ever let Trevyn hurt you?”
“No,” he pouted, “but you weren’t always there and, and you leave, Byryn. Sometimes you leave.” His voice was strained and he stuttered slightly as he cried. He wouldn’t sob. It was rare for him to even show tears. He’d been taught to hide such emotions. Whatever happened, it was bad.
Byryn had to squeeze his eyes shut and take a deep breath before he met his gaze. If anyone had hurt his son it would take everything he had not to tear them apart with his bare hands. “I know I’m not always here little one, but I have the means to keep you safe now. Grandpa Grifyn and Grandma Trina, Uncle Kato and Aunt Demytria, Praetor Marcus and Queen Reyana, Starry and especially me, Kylion. None of us would let anything happen to you. If someone hurt you, I need you to tell me so we can protect you. We’re your family Kylion and I know you don’t understand what that means yet, but all you need to know is that we love you and we will keep you safe.”
“You’ll be mad.” His response was barely a whisper.
“Not at you, Kylion.” He promised. “If you did something wrong we’ll work on fixing it together because you’re still learning, little one. You’re going to make mistakes but I would never be mad at you for something someone else did.”
“I got bored in class so I went for a wawk.” He grew silent as he stared at the floor.
“What happened on your walk, little one?” Byryn prompted wiping away some of his tears. “Tell me so I can help you.”
“I ran into one of the boys. He was mad.” Tears ran down his cheeks and now sobs wretched through him.
His hands balled into fists as he attempted to contain his rage. In all the time he’d been training and caring for the kid he’d never seen him this shaken and he’d be damned if it went unanswered. Someone was going to feel his fury before this night was through.
“Kylion, show me.” He demanded unable to keep the command from his voice. He’d heard enough and his patience had run out. He didn’t want to risk taking this out on Kylion, but whoever had laid hands on him had hell to pay.
His son looked up at him, tears streamed down his face as he slid off Byryn’s lap. He turned facing his back to Byryn. With shaky little hands he lifted his shirt slightly. At first all Byryn saw were the remnants of Trevyn’s beatings but a bright red mark caught his eye and he reached out lifting the shirt to reveal the angry raised marks and gashes that could only be caused by a whipping. Staryana gasped loudly, her hand going to her mouth. He had a long sleeve shirt on and Byryn carefully took his wrist sliding up the sleeve to reveal rope burn. Someone had bound and whipped his son.
“Who, Kylion? Tell me who and I can promise you he will never hurt you again.” He ground out using every ounce of control he had to fake the calm serenity he presented.
The boy was sobbing loudly, his voice hitching between words. He never sobbed. He had to be in either excruciating pain or extremely scared. Trevyn had never even whipped him this badly and whoever had was going to find out just how ruthless Byryn could be. “He- said- ya-you- hurt Fe-Felycia and w-when I s-said he l-lied…”
“Who Kylion? You don’t have to tell me why. It doesn’t matter. You didn’t do anything that would deserve this. I need you to tell me who.” He pulled the boy to him, holding him by the shoulders careful not to touch his back. He caressed his arms reassuringly trying to comfort him.
“D-Drac-cyn.”
Chapter 7
Byryn gently handed Kylion to Staryana, his rage barely restrained. “Get him a Healer and stay with him.” She went to grab hold of him but he turned to her leveling her in a commanding
gaze that froze her mid movement. It was something he never used on her but he wouldn’t have her getting in the way or putting herself at risk while he dealt with this shit. “I mean it, Staryana. Stay here with our son.”
“Byryn, what are you going to do?” She asked, tears in her eyes.
He stood and walked rapidly from the room, heading down the hall, vaguely hearing Staryana call Marcus and Grifyn as he rounded the corner. Jogging down the steps, he rounded the hall to the corridor that housed the older male young of the Shade. He could hear people somewhere behind him calling his name but he could give two shits who wanted his attention as long as they stayed out of his way.
He burst into Dracyn’s room. The son of a bitch was laying back against the wall, his hands behind his head, with a smug smile on his face. “Been expecting you, Byryn.”
He didn’t speak. He went to the bed and grabbed the boy throwing him out into the hall. Byryn stalked over to him, picking him up by the throat and slammed him into the wall well aware that a small crowd had gathered.
“You will pay for laying your hands on my son.” He growled.
“Is that all it took to bring out the Darkness in you, Byryn? What are you going to do to me, tell the Praetor? We both know Redemption has made you weak.” Dracyn choked out with a sneer. “Too weak to protect those you shelter.”
Byryn grabbed him by the hair and pulled him down the hall as he flailed behind him. “Did it make you feel strong, Dracyn? Whipping a four year old boy? You’re about to find out exactly how he felt. Then we will see who is weak.”
He drug him down the front stairs stopping at the hidden enclave to grab a whip from the weapons cache. Tossing him down the stairs leading to the courtyard, he stalked him like a predator stalks its prey. There’d be no mercy for the bastard, not after what he did to Kylion.
Kato caught up to him, coming up beside him. “Byryn! Son, I do not know what has happened but we should wait for Marcus and your Father before you do something rash.”
Byryn didn’t respond as he pushed through the Fae. When he got to the bottom of the steps he hauled back and kicked Dracyn in ribs. Kato’s arms wrapped around his chest from behind as he attempted to pull him back.
“Calm down, Byryn.” He grunted as he drug his weight forward.
“Let him go, Kato.” Marcus’ voice echoed with command as he came rapidly down the steps. “He is within his rights and it is the responsibility of his rank to manage this.”
Dracyn lay laughing on the ground. “So pathetic, you need permission?”
Kato released him reluctantly and stepped out of the way.
Byryn ignored his comments and picked him up by the throat tossing him back from the stairs. “Get. Up.”
“All this for that sniveling little whelp?” Dracyn smirked. “Imagine what you would do if I took your mate.”
He lashed out with the whip cracking it so hard that it tore his clothes. He whipped him again and again circling him. When he was done blood ran down his chest and back soaking the shredded fabric of his robes.
“That, was for my son.” Byryn spat and stormed over to him pulling the whip tightly between his hands. He choked him from behind as he pulled him to his feet. “If you ever come near the Princess Staryana, my betrothed, when I’m done with you, you will beg me to kill you; because when I’m done. I give you to them.” He nodded in Marcus, Kato and Grifyn’s direction. “And trust me when I say there won’t be much left for them to exact vengeance on. Do you know the punishments I used to dole out, Dracyn? How depraved and brutal they were notorious to be? They will be a slap on the wrist to what you will endure should you ever cross me again.”
He dropped the boy to the ground in a broken heap, gasping for air, and met Marcus in the eyes. He gave him a nod. His anger wasn’t nearly sated, but at least he had regained control. He watched as Marcus turned to face the crowd that had gathered of mostly unawakened and Guardians. There were a few Fae but they stood stoically as if waiting for Marcus to address them before they made their judgment.
“We are a very fair community. We set reasonable regulations that are meant to protect the safety of all. When they are broken, the punishment will fit the crime. Let this serve as a lesson. Our young, our family and mates are off limits. If you attack the ones we love you will reap the penance tenfold.”
Felycia rushed forward. “Byryn? Byryn what did he do to Kylion, is he ok?”
Byryn was still trying to breathe, trying to get himself under control as he paced. Grifyn met his eyes before approaching Felycia. “Dracyn whipped Kylion. He’ll be alright, but he has a couple bruised ribs and some welts.”
Byryn hauled off and kicked Dracyn in the ribs again at that news. He was lucky that Staryana appeared at the head of the stairs with her Mother or he might have continued.
He walked right to her meeting her halfway down the stairs. “I don’t want you here Brightness, you should be with Kylion.” He ground his teeth forcing himself not to openly chastise her for not following his command. It was difficult but he needed to remember she didn’t know that side of him. She wasn’t a slave and she never would be. She was his equal.
“He’s with Trina, resting. I came to check on you.”
“Oh Staaar?” Dracyn called through his coughs. “I can feel it in you. I bet I could bring it out of you.” He spat blood. “Yeah, I bet you’d enjoy it too.”
“Get him out of here, Marcus. I’m Gray not Light…my control has its limits. I’ll either kill him or mutilate him if he pushes me further.” Byryn gritted out as Staryana caught his arm preventing him from going after the boy once more.
“Does he fuck you Star? Does he do you just as hard as he used to do his whores?” Dracyn laughed as his mouth ran with blood and he tried to pull himself from the ground collapsing again. “As he did his sister?”
Byryn turned, but Grifyn stepped in front of him holding him back.
Marcus had made his way across the courtyard. “If you speak to her again, boy, it won’t be Byryn you have to deal with.”
The boy laughed and spat at Marcus. “I just want to know if he thinks she’s as good as his sis…”
Marcus cut him off with an uppercut to the jaw and another to the ribs. He watched Dracyn collapse. “Iyrus, Hyracen take him to the entryway and leave him to fend for himself. You were given many chances Dracyn, let’s see if you fare better under the Shade.”
Marcus backed away as the Guardians lifted the boy and began to drag him away.
“Did he tell you Star? How he held her down as they ravaged her body? Did he tell you how…”
Byryn couldn’t take any more of his taunts. He threw an orb of essence and hit him in the chest. Dracyn screamed out in bloodcurdling agony falling unconscious to the floor between the two Guardians, his burnt flesh smoking. All aside from Marcus, Reyana, Staryana and Felycia gaped at him. No one had ever seen him wield his essence with such force. He suspected Felycia wasn’t surprised he would harm someone that badly and the others likely knew what he was capable of. He breathed deeply glancing around. He’d silenced him, but the damage was done. The words couldn’t be unheard any more than his brutality could be unwitnessed.
Iyrus checked his pulse nodding to Marcus. “He’ll live.”
“Get him out of here. The Shade will likely collect him when they sense him. His actions have warranted the punishment he received.” Marcus ordered and they drug him towards the hidden entries that led off the plateau.
Byryn stood frozen on the stairs. He glanced down to where Felycia stood likewise frozen. She was even paler than normal but he couldn’t comfort her. There was nothing he could say to her and it was best to leave her be. He turned, not meeting anyone in the eyes and walked up the steps into the Palace. There would be plenty of time to deal with the fallout later. Right now he needed to check on his son.
“Byryn, wait.”
He waited as Staryana came up to him, but he didn’t look at her. How could he?
“Byryn,
look at me.”
“I need time, Staryana.” He explained softly. “I love you, but I have to gain control of my rage.”
“Byryn?” Felycia’s voice was timid and unsure.
Byryn shook his head, his eyes squeezed shut. He couldn’t deny her. He’d done so much wrong to her. He couldn’t deny her now. He took a deep breath and turned to face her but couldn’t meet her eyes.
“I want to see Kylion.” She whispered.
“I would never deny you that privilege Felycia, but he should rest tonight. Will you wait ‘til tomorrow, please?”
“I won’t bother him, Byryn. I just need to see with my own eyes that he’s alright.” She pleaded which was a rare show of weakness for her.
He felt Staryana’s hand on his shoulder. Her essence flowed through him, calming him. How could she stand to touch him? He didn’t deserve her. He never had. He reached up and squeezed her hand and nodded to Felycia, “If you need to see him, then I won’t deny you.”
Making his way silently to Kylion’s room, Byryn tried to shake the guilt for not protecting him better. He lay sleeping on his stomach his ribs wrapped, the gashes on his back bandaged. Trina rose from her chair and came over to them.
“The Healer couldn’t use her Light to heal him because she was concerned about mixing essences and she said his was not prominent enough to make any true difference regardless. Star and I were able to ease him some. The Healer also applied some salves and we have some human pain killers on hand due to all the unawakened we have here. Kylion will be fine in a few days and we’ll be able to keep him comfortable until then.”
“Thank you, Tri-, Mom.” He corrected himself offering her an apologetic but weak smile. “Thanks for seeing to him.”
He went to the bed and brushed the hair from Kylion’s forehead. “Sleep well, little one. I promise you, no one will ever hurt you again.” He brushed a gentle kiss on his forehead.
