Emerald- Good and Evil

by M. D. Grimm

  When I felt Morgorth growing closer to climax, I slowed and shifted, and after a few thrusts found that special spot inside him, the spot my fingers had found. He gasped, his eyes popping wide. I knew what he felt, since I’d felt it before. I pegged that spot again and again and his magick grew hotter, brighter, his eyes nearly a living flame. His arms and legs tightened around me, and he groaned my name when he came. Hot liquid squirted between us and the contractions of his inner muscles sent me to my own climax. I became blind as I felt myself explode.

  Once I came back to myself, I curled behind Morgorth, tucking his body protectively against mine. With the last of my strength, I pulled the blankets on top of us and snuggled close. A few moments of satisfied silence passed before he sighed.

  “How did I ever manage a single day without you?” he murmured.

  He’d asked that question before but now I had the answer. My eyes still closed, I smiled and kissed the back of his neck. “I don’t know. But be content knowing you won’t have to spend a single day without me from now on.”

  Morgorth chuckled and it was a delightful sound to hear. He grabbed my hand and tucked it under his chin. “My warrior.”

  “My mage.”

  Chapter Eight

  Morgorth

  I woke up refreshed and ready for the battle ahead of me. I would no longer be stampeded by those dark memories and my own hatred. No. I would meet my father head-on and I would win. The shock, I realized, had finally worn off. Oh, sure, I knew I would still have moments along the way, but now I was devoted to this mission. I was going to find the bastard, take the stone, and kill him. I was going to kill my father. It was the only way to stop him, to stop his dark plans. I would be doing the world a favor. Of course, that wasn’t the main reason I was going to kill him. I wanted to. As soon as I woke up that morning, I had a thirst for vengeance I couldn’t ignore. It would only be sated with his blood on my hands. He wanted to make me a monster. Well, I would show him the monster he had created firsthand.

  I poured water from the pitcher into the basin and wiped all evidence of last night away before dressing swiftly. Aishe, perhaps sensing my mood, dressed quickly as well after his own wash. But as we reached the door to our room, I grabbed the collar of his tunic and pulled him into a hard kiss. It was quick, and I pulled back before Aishe could take it deeper. He blinked those remarkable eyes at me in surprise and I smiled slightly.

  “Don’t ever change.”

  Aishe grinned. He lifted my hand and kissed the back of it. “I’ll be whatever you need me to be.”

  And that, right there, was why he had me wrapped around his little finger.

  We had a quick breakfast before saddling the horses and riding out of Illum. Despite Aishe’s infinite care last night, I was a little sore and couldn’t maintain a gallop for very long. I claimed my horse wasn’t used to being pushed so hard, but Aishe’s easy smile made me wonder if he suspected the real reason. I made sure my face revealed nothing.

  We were on the road, halfway to Olyvre’s house, when Aishe asked me about my plan.

  “My father has a plan.” I continuously observed our surroundings and kept my magick close to the surface. “It will be our job to disrupt it. He’s a bastard, Aishe, but he’s not stupid, nor is he a thug. Kayl was a thug who just wanted destruction. Lazur is a schemer. He’s patient and willing to get his hands dirty to reach his goal. But he’d rather use minions. I can’t guess his next move, and the fact I don’t know what stone of power he has makes him even more unpredictable.”

  “Then how are we to disrupt his plans if we don’t know what they are?”

  I glanced at him. “I don’t have any good answers, Aishe. But the faster we find him, the better. I’m going to search Olyvre’s house to see if Father left any hairs behind when we visited. If there isn’t, I’ll have to find something else to track him with.”

  “Is there anything else?”

  I sighed. “Yes, one thing. A bloodline spell. I am his son—damn it all—which means I can use my own hair or blood and attempt to link with his. He’s the source, essentially, like the trunk of a tree, and I’m one of the branches.”

  Aishe nodded. “If it can work, why do you sound so reluctant to use it?”

  “With Kayl, since I used one of his hairs, I could link to him with no real effort since it’s source to source. Yet since I will be using my own hair, it won’t be a direct link to my father, more like the branch connecting with the trunk. I’m searching out like blood, and the fact we aren’t close emotionally means I’ll have to use more energy in the spell than I want to. He’ll feel the spell trying to link with him, and depending on what stone he has, it could amplify his sense of my spell.” I scowled, frustrated.

  Aishe eyed me. “Have you considered that might be what he wants?”

  “Yes.” I met his eyes. “And that unnerves me, Aishe. It would mean he’s learned too much about magick and its uses and limitations. It appears he hasn’t been idle since I escaped. I don’t want to believe he knows what I know about magick, about tracking, using energy from other sources”—I looked ahead of us—“but it would be foolish and suicidal to underestimate him.”

  We were quiet for a moment before Aishe said, “We don’t have a choice, do we?”

  “No.”

  Silence followed, both of us lost in our own thoughts. But then Aishe spoke. “Kayl and your father...they aren’t so very different. Both wanted to rule the world, but first they meant to destroy it.”

  “You can lump Drasyln in there as well.”

  Aishe tilted his head, looking at me. “You’ve spoken of your disdain for those who wish to rule the world, and those who wish to destroy it. Now I see why you have such disdain. Either one reminds you of your father. Is that why you never thought of world domination during your...dark years?”

  I considered Aishe’s question seriously and was surprised by my own answer. “No. I mean, partly, I guess. You want to know the reason I never thought of world domination or destruction, even in my darkest moments? I mean, before my promise to Uzzie.”

  Aishe nodded.

  “The Mother.” It was as simple as that.

  “The Mother?”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I’m pissed at her for a lot of things, and I’ve cursed her, spit on her, have for years now. But she was there when I needed someone. She was there to give me hope, to give me love, for the first time in my life, even before I found my magick. She was the first. I still remember that night with clarity.” I smiled. “This is her world, Aishe, and her magick’s inside me. I never hated the world, I hated the pain.” I looked over to see surprise in his eyes. I smirked. “We have a complicated relationship, her and I. But I can’t really stay angry with her since she brought you into my life.”

  Aishe blinked, pink rising faintly in his cheeks. “Do I truly balance out all the pain you have suffered?”

  I didn’t hesitate. “Damn right, you do.”

  Aishe seemed to have lost the ability to speak. I reached over and took his hand, and we rode the rest of the way in silence.

  We reached Olyvre’s house without incident, and I noticed seelas working in the large fields surrounding his cottage. It was hard to think of Olyvre as a boss but, then again, I only had a handful of scattered memories of this particular brother. But they were all good. As we tied our horses to the posts along the porch, I noticed some of the workers gave us suspicious, frowning looks. If they were this protective of Olyvre, then he must be a good boss. That comforted me for some reason.

  We walked up to the front door, and I was about to knock when the door opened. Little Lyli came out with a tray laden with a pitcher and several tankards. Her little face was set in a determined look, her eyes fixed on the tray.

  “Now be careful, Lyli. Don’t spill any—Morgorth!” Olyvre stood on the threshold, holding the door.

  “Papa, I won’t spill. Promise.” Lyli didn’t even acknowledge us as she set off down the porch steps, as caref
ully as you please, and walked around the house toward the workers.

  “I didn’t think I’d see you again so early.”

  I shrugged. “I need something else from you.”

  He looked surprised. “Oh? What?”

  “When Father came, where exactly did he stand or sit in your house?”

  Olyvre tilted his head with a puzzled expression but stepped back so we could enter. “He was on the porch and in the parlor. That’s it.”

  I nodded and got to work. I sent my magick out, trying to detect even the smallest strand of hair. I knelt, moved furniture, even had my face close enough to touch the floor. I knew I looked silly but dignity didn’t matter right then.

  “What is he looking for?” Olyvre asked softly.

  “A strand of your father’s hair,” Aishe answered with equal softness. “He can track your father if he finds one.”

  “Oh.”

  Time passed but no luck. I stood up, scowled. “Nothing. Absolutely fucking nothing.”

  “So, that means you can’t track him?” Olyvre asked.

  I turned to him. “No, I can. But the alternative is riskier.” I met Aishe’s eyes. “We don’t have a choice.”

  “What if he wants you to find him? What if it’s a trap?”

  I eyed my brother. “It most likely is. He wanted me here, which means he wants something from me. Most likely he wants to kill me for defying him all those years ago.”

  Olyvre paled. I found that interesting. Was he concerned about me?

  “You don’t have to do this,” Olyvre said softly, an edge to his tone.

  “Yes, I do. Think about it, Olyvre. This was always going to be between him and me in the end.”

  Olyvre stared at me, his eyes dark, his face too pale. “You want this to happen, don’t you? You want to duel with him, to...to kill him.”

  I said nothing. It was answer enough.

  Olyvre clenched his fists. “I did not help you escape all those years ago for you to end up dead now.”

  I jerked slightly in surprise. His tone was angry, his teeth clenched.

  “Hasn’t that monster destroyed enough of this family?” Olyvre continued. “Hasn’t he broken and twisted us enough? Why must you once again play into his hands and give him what he wants? Why don’t you defy him and leave? Ignore him? I know mages have a council or a justice system of some sort. Why not contact them, let them handle him? Why must it be you?”

  He was pleading with me. He was worried about me. I didn’t know how to swallow that. His voice had quavered at the end, his eyes wet. Aishe stepped away from us and stood in front of the window, giving us as much privacy as could be had. He wasn’t going to help me. I was on my own to handle a brother, someone who shared blood with me, who apparently cared about my welfare. It was completely unexpected.

  I swallowed hard, cleared my throat. “Ollie.”

  Olyvre lifted his chin and blinked rapidly. I was sure no one had called him that since childhood. I suddenly remembered only our mother, and sometimes me when I was inclined to speak, would call him that. It was interesting to learn what I’d forgotten and what I started to remember.

  “It has to be me, Ollie. It was always going to be me. He tried to break me, to make me into a weapon of destruction. He nearly succeeded. He took our innocence, all of us.” I took a deep breath. “I won’t lie, this is mostly about revenge. Justice is cold and practical. Vengeance is hot and bloody. He broke our mother, he twisted our brothers, he terrorized us, and he tried to make me his weapon against Karishian. His crimes are legion, and I know we aren’t the only ones he’s damaged. I am going to stop him. I’m the only one who can, or who has a right to.”

  For a moment, Olyvre didn’t look like he would back down. Then he seemed to deflate and moved slowly, like an old man, over to a chair. He sank down into it and covered his face with his hand. “I always admired you, Morgorth.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  Olyvre smiled bitterly, his eyes still covered. “You always defied him, even as a baby. You were scared, but you fought. I watched our mother break under his brutality. I saw our brothers twisted under his tutelage. I feared I would be next. But then... I watched you. You never broke. You survived. You escaped. That moment I saw you near the door, ready to flee, was the moment I realized everything could be different. Maybe not better, but Mother help me, different.”

  He cleared his throat. “I saw it as a chance for all of us. And I couldn’t stand it anymore. I couldn’t stand the torment he put you through. It made me sick. So, without knowing what the consequences would be, and not caring, I shoved you outside, locked the door, and ran to my room. I hid under the covers, not sleeping the entire night. He never found out, Morgorth. At least, not until now.”

  “What?”

  Olyvre lowered his hand, met my eyes. “Why do you think he had me write you that letter? He calculated I was the only brother you could remotely care about. And he was right.”

  I cursed. “Watch Lyli like a hawk, Ollie. He threatened her specifically. If he thinks he can use her again, he won’t hesitate to take her.”

  “I know.” He suddenly looked so much older than he had a day ago.

  Silence fell. Then I noticed Olyvre glance at Aishe a time or two. I frowned. He looked back at me. “Can you defeat him, Morgorth? If he wins he won’t spare anyone.”

  “I can. I will.” My tone brooked no argument.

  Olyvre smiled slightly. “You know,” he said so softly I barely heard him. “Despite the rumors I’ve heard about you, and what Father said you would become...you were always the best of us.”

  Flabbergasted would probably be as close to what I felt about his sentiment. I could only stare and gape. He smiled fully then, seeming to delight in my astonishment. A moment passed before he pushed himself to his feet, nodded to Aishe who had turned around by then, and made his way outside.

  I was frozen, rooted to the spot. His words made absolutely no sense.

  “Morgorth?” Aishe touched my arm.

  I managed to close my mouth with a snap and looked at Aishe. “Did my brother just have a mental lapse into insanity?”

  Aishe looked like he was struggling not to laugh. “No, my love. Olyvre is quite sane. And I happen to think he’s right.”

  Great, now I was gaping again. “Shit, the insanity’s catching. Let’s go before I get it.”

  A laugh burst out of Aishe as we left the house.

  Chapter Nine

  Aishe

  I watched Morgorth wrap a strand of his hair around a crystal before infusing it with energy. The magick glowed white, and his eyes flared amber as he performed the spell. Then the light faded as his magick settled back into his core. He wrapped the cord tied to the crystal around his hand. He nudged his horse forward and I followed close beside him.

  “There are other limitations to this,” Morgorth said after a moment. “It won’t take me directly to him. Where he is currently, I mean. We’ll be going the roundabout way. We first have to journey to where he’s been recently, and eventually we’ll find him.”

  “That could take days!”

  Morgorth chuckled. “Most likely.”

  I grumbled.

  “It won’t be very awful, Aishe.” He nudged my shoulder with his hand. “We had nowhere to start before, now we do. Otherwise, we could have tramped all over the entire countryside and would’ve probably never seen any evidence of him.”

  I eyed him. “You think much of his skill, don’t you?”

  “I don’t underestimate him.”

  “Perhaps you overestimate him.”

  Morgorth frowned at me. “I have to be careful, Aishe. As I’ve said, I don’t know what stone of power he has. If he has a major stone, our troubles just got much worse.” He paused before a light came into his eyes. “Although, if he senses me tracking him, maybe he’ll show himself. Maybe he’ll strike outright. I’d rather an open battle than guerilla tactics.”

  It was my turn to frown.
“I don’t know that word. What is ‘guerilla’?”

  He waved that away. I assumed it was a word he’d learned from a strange world called Earth. He sometimes used other words from such a world, and it was where he got the word “fuck,” which I enjoyed using as well. “Never mind. Doesn’t matter. We’re going to confront him one way or another, I’d just as soon have it done and over with as quickly as possible.”

  His horse began to trot and I urged my horse to match. “If he does have a major stone,” I said, “wouldn’t it be wiser to ask for help? Surely Master Ulezander—”

  “No.” His tone was hard and unwavering. “The bastard is mine.” Morgorth’s eyes turned amber, and I felt the heated energy pulsing around him. “His demise will be at my hand. There is no other outcome.” He burned me with his gaze. “You, of all people, should understand that.”

  I swallowed hard and grabbed his hand despite the heat and his glowing skin. His grip was hard and tight, almost painful.

  “I do understand. And I am with you, all the way.” I understood his thirst for vengeance. I had my own hunger not even a year ago. I killed Kayl, the sorcerer who had massacred my tribe. Only after that could I allow myself to grieve for my family. Only after could I start to heal. I was worried, scared even, for Morgorth and for myself. I’d seen what Kayl could do with a major stone of power, and he’d only been a thug, to use Morgorth’s own word. But Morgorth said his father was a schemer. As Morgorth had said, the very fact the council was unaware of his father’s possession of a stone meant he was intentionally hiding, biding his time. But for what?

  By the Mother and Hunter, what did he want from Morgorth? I knew Morgorth was strong, skilled, determined. But would he truly be able to confront his father and not allow old fears to distract him? Would he actually slay the monster? Morgorth let go of my hand and though the glowing in his eyes and skin faded slightly, I knew he kept his magick at the surface, ready for any attack.