Jeffrey and him, alone in an unfamiliar room. They had their arms around each other, locked at the lips, hands roaming freely. The bliss of being in Jeffrey's arms, being loved by him. It felt real and tangible, Jeffrey's hands moving over his skin, teasing him and setting his nerves on fire in all the right ways.
***
Akoni stirred hours later and sat up with a start. Darkness surrounded him, the moon providing just enough light to allow him to recognise the island.
"I'd really rather you didn't make a habit of passing out, you know?"
Akoni turned to face Jeffrey and gave him an apologetic look. "I'm in full agreement. Where's Tiana?"
"She left with my mother hours ago. You and Tiana were at it all day. She only came out after the sun set behind the mountains, bringing the news you had passed out again. I brought you outside. The cave seemed too gloomy. They didn't want to hang around waiting for you to wake. Are you okay?"
"I don't honestly know right now." Akoni's forehead creased, and he rubbed at his temple with two fingers.
"Are you hurt or in pain?"
"No, it's not that."
"Then what is it? What happened?"
"Tiana managed to teach me to actually manifest magic. Then I think the goddess showed up, and I don't remember anything after that."
"She mentioned that. They were both pleased by it, I think."
"I guess I should be honoured..." Akoni scratched the back of his head almost absently. Something about the experience was odd, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He'd had visions--had he blacked out from them? Why had Tiana left him?
"Does it change anything? Your new magic?" Jeffrey asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
Akoni cocked his head to the side. He moved closer, wrapping his arms around Jeffrey and leaning in to peck his lips. "Not for you and me. I'm still going to be a royal ass who needs you close all the time."
Jeffrey returned the embrace and kissed Akoni hard.
They were both a little breathless when they pulled apart. Akoni rested his forehead against Jeffrey's, breathing deeply, smelling earth and water and Jeffrey's scent. It eased some of the tension inside him. His stomach growled from hunger.
"You've not eaten in ages. My mother left some food." Jeffrey reached for a bag lying nearby and drew it close.
"Why don't we go back to the temple?"
"Well, you probably should eat before attempting something like rowing a boat across a lake. But, in fact, Tiana and my mother took it. To stop you asking, there's a way back to the temple through the cave. They said it's part of the ritual for you to go back that way. Believe me, I argued, but they were insistent."
Resigned to this new development, Akoni took the bag from Jeffrey. There were dried fruits, bread, and cheese. Since he was starving, he dug in without much thought. A cave. Why hadn't they come that way? If it was part of the ritual, did that mean he'd have to do magic of some kind? He was glad Jeffrey had stayed on the island yet confused what that meant, too. So many questions and so few answers.
And there was still the matter of the visions he'd had, the strange feeling within him since the goddess's visit. Had she done something to his magic? To him?
Chapter 25
Akoni was falling. Darkness surrounded him.
He landed with a splash, water pulling him down. He couldn't breathe, but water had helped him heal so many times, and he'd grown up swimming in the ocean or in pools. He had no fear of water. But here, this, it was different. He shouldn't be here.
He opened his eyes, and a light reflected off the surface above him. Kicking his legs and moving his arms, he swam towards it. He broke the surface and gulped in air. A wave crashed down over him, and he swallowed water. He spluttered and coughed. Another wave, but this time he was more prepared. He fought to stay above the surface. More waves came, large and small. The swell brought him towards land, washing him up on a beach.
On his hands and knees, he crawled away from the water, breathing hard. He looked up. There was a person not far; crouched low, arms slung around their knees. A thunderous roar split the air.
Soldiers running, two armies facing each other, swords drawn. Legion. All of them wore legion armour, their shields depicting the royal crest--both sides.
He'd commanded these men in the past. He glanced at his clothes, rough leather and cotton designed for long a journey on foot. No sword. Nothing to identify him as noble, never mind royal.
The soldiers were charging towards each other, their swords raised and the cowering figure between them. Akoni reacted without thought; he sprinted towards the person. The armies were too close; he would not be able to get them to safety.
The tiny form stayed on the ground, making themselves as small as they could. A child.
Akoni ran harder and reached them moments before the armies engaged. He stood above the child with his hands stretched out either side, prayers on his lips.
The soldiers clashed, metal striking metal.
Akoni and the child remained untouched, the soldiers moving aside as if to avoid them. Akoni dropped to his knees.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Darkness crowded in, and once more, Akoni was falling.
A wet splash, and Akoni was underwater. He fought his way to the surface.
There were no waves this time, and he treaded water, looking around. No land, just sea and clear-blue sky.
Until clouds rolled in, dark and ominous. In the distance, lightning struck.
"I am not afraid of you!" Akoni called out.
A wave came and pushed him beneath the water once more. He rolled again and again, losing direction. He tried to find a source of light, but the clouds must have covered the sky, leaving him disoriented. He stilled, forcing himself to stay calm. Tiana's lessons had been brief, but nonetheless, he'd learned a lot. He focused his attention, trusting he could find his way back.
His lungs burned, and he had to fight the urge to breathe, but beneath his instincts was something, a small sense of right. He followed it, his body moving as if it knew what to do when his mind didn't. He broke the surface and gasped, air filling his seared lungs.
Another wave came and carried him to land again.
Once more he crawled away from the water on his hands and knees, his chest heaving with the need for air, his limbs trembling from the effort of fighting the water.
The roar of the ocean faded, replaced by a thumping.
Akoni lifted his head, trepidation filling him.
Two armies facing each other, people stuck between them. Not only one this time, several.
He heaved himself to his feet and shouted at them to run. Either they didn't hear or they ignored him, but no one moved. He ran with what energy remained. He reached the first group and grabbed the arms of two women, forcing them to come along. They tried to resist, but he tightened his hold on their wrists. He ran past a man, screaming at him to follow. There was no time to check if he did. The last group, a woman with two children.
He reached them and told them to get closer, then he thought of Jeffrey and stretched out his arms again. There was doubt in his mind this time, but he forced it aside. The goddess had chosen him. He had to try if nothing else; he would die here trying to protect these people he didn't know. Jeffrey would understand.
The thunder reached a crescendo, and he closed his eyes, focusing his attention on his magic.
Hands touched him, and a whisper reached his ears. He opened his eyes. Soldiers were fighting around them, but they were alive. All of them. The man had followed, the women, the children. Everyone was safe inside a circle that the soldiers weren't entering.
Akoni sank to his knees in gratitude, his palms flat on the ground while his body shook.
They touched him, whispering thanks.
The darkness came again. Akoni tried to take a deep breath, but there was no air.
Once more, he landed in an ocean.
He fought his way to the surface like he had done before.
It was harder now. There was no light showing the way, only dark blue all around. But he knew with certainty where the surface was, as if he carried a compass within him that gave him direction.
He broke the surface, coughing, gasping. "Please, let me breathe. Just a few moments," he begged.
Rain pelted down on him, stinging his skin. It didn't matter; his lungs heaved, his body cried out. The use of magic took its toll.
He'd been on the island, wandering the caves with Jeffrey. Where had he gone? Was this a test? Of course it was. What else could it be?
Water. Air. Tempesta's realms. These were her tests.
Would Gaia also test him? Could he endure their trials? Did he even have a choice?
Another wave came, washing him up on shore again. He lay in the sand, unable to move. He struggled for breath; his limbs ached, his head hurt. He couldn't move his body, the use of too much magic too quickly, weakening him.
He was amazed he'd even been able to do what he did. It would have been impossible a few days earlier. But the lack of practise or experience also meant he didn't know his limits or the price the magic would take.
Another wave crashed down on him, pulling the sand out from underneath him and dragging him partially back to the ocean. With trembling limbs, he dragged himself away from the swell. Sand changed to grass beneath his hands, and he collapsed again, his eyes closed. There was no roar or thumping this time, only the crash of the waves.
"Thank you," he whispered, in case this momentary lull was an answer to his plea for air.
That was when it started again, the roar of hundreds of feet hitting the ground. Akoni groaned even as he hauled himself to his feet. They were there again, the two armies charging each other. But this time there were no civilians. He stood between the two armies.
What could he possibly do to stop them?
If forming a small barrier to protect the civilians had wrecked him, calling on magic to stop this...would it kill him? Would it be worth it?
Jeffrey had risked himself numerous times to protect soldiers. And he'd been one of them, not their commander or king. Taking a deep breath, Akoni braced himself. It wasn't clothes that made a king. He straightened out his spine, drawing up to his full height.
"As your king, I command you stand down," he called at full volume.
Laughter filled the air.
A shiver ran down Akoni's spine, and he turned around with a sick sensation in the pit of his stomach. He came face to face with his father, his hair black as it had been in younger years, his face less lined, his eyes dark and cruel, his lips formed into a sneer.
"Akoni. You are not ready to be king."
"You're not really here. You're dead."
"Do I look dead to you? Come here, boy."
Akoni jumped out of reach of his father's grasp.
"Do not try me, boy. It's time to test your magic." Luciano drew a dagger from his belt. A dagger with a blue blade that shimmered in the sunlight.
Cold dread filled Akoni. There was little he was afraid of, but the pain this blade had caused him was burned into his mind. Thirteen years old. The blade had cut more than his skin. Nothing had hurt him like that blade had done. He took another step back.
"See, this is why you will not be king, Akoni. Now come here."
"No!" Akoni cried. "I will never let you hurt anyone again. Not me, not anyone else." He reached for his sword and found only air. He wasn't wearing his normal attire, had no weapons to speak of. That wasn't right, though. Because he had magic now. It stirred within him, dancing as if eager at the chance to be unleashed. He concentrated on the sensation, the swirling beneath his skin. His magic strained and writhed, wanting to be released.
"Yes, that's it. Use your anger and channel it. Make me proud."
The words startled Akoni and broke his concentration. He staggered backwards.
"You stupid fool. Use the gift you were given!"
"No! No, that's not the way. It's not right! It's not for killing! I won't let you manipulate me. You never understood. You let it corrupt you, but I won't. It's a gift to help us protect our people, not harm them." Akoni threw his hands out, and the same barrier he had used as protection formed around his father, trapping him inside. "I won't let you harm anyone again, but there are other ways. You will stay confined for the time being."
Luciano roared and banged his fists against the invisible barrier. No sound got through to Akoni.
"This was never what I wanted, Father. You must know that."
Blackness enveloped Akoni, and he was falling again.
This time he landed hard on a stone surface, knocking the breath out of him. He groaned and sat up with difficulty. Rough stone walls, a glowing fungus the only light source. He was back in the caves. No sign of Jeffrey.
"Jeffrey?" Akoni called.
An echo was his only response.
Getting to his feet, Akoni stretched, assessing the damage to his body. His lungs no longer burned. His limbs were still a little sore but not trembling anymore. He took a few cautious steps and studied his surroundings. What direction should he go in?
"Jeffrey? Where are you?"
"Taking my leave. I've had it with your royal crap."
Akoni's heart skipped a beat as the words cut him open. Despite the echo twisting the voice, it was unmistakably Jeffrey.
"No, Jeffrey. No!" Don't leave me. Please, don't leave me. Without thought, Akoni ran, instinct dictating the direction. "Please wait, Jeffrey."
"You're a mess, and I'm sick of holding your hand."
"Jeffrey--"
"You will never be a good king."
Akoni halted, anger flooding him. How dare he? He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "Jeffrey!"
"You're a coward!"
It was Jeffrey's voice but not his words. He wouldn't. Not after the progress they'd made. "If you think I'm a coward, come out and show yourself. Tell me to my face you're leaving."
Laughter echoed in the caves. "You think I'll let you drag me back by force again? No. This time I will disappear, and even your vast resources will not find me."
"There is nowhere you can go that I won't find you." Akoni listened to the silence. Somewhere water dripped and splashed. He touched a hand to his chest, his heart thumping hard. Trust yourself, Tiana had told him. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then another and another.
Movement. Rustling of cloth.
On silent feet, Akoni sneaked along the darkened cave. He stopped a few times to listen, adjusting his direction when needed. Several turns later, he found a faint shadow cast by the strange fungal light. He slowed and approached with caution. Jeffrey had his back to him, and Akoni pounced, shoving him to the ground and pinning him there.
"What the--?"
"You are not getting away from me again. Not without some serious talking at least." Akoni grabbed both Jeffrey's wrists and dragged them down, holding them at his lower back. "Hold still," Akoni snapped, pressing Jeffrey hard into the ground.
Jeffrey groaned and went slack. "It's true then. All this time, everything you said... I knew it was too good to be true. But that's okay. I deserve this."
Akoni froze at the words. This did not make sense. The things Jeffrey had said earlier... But then, they were on sacred grounds. Was this Gaia's test? Akoni's insides constricted, making it hard to breathe. "I heard your voice. You said...you said you were leaving again."
"Leaving? No, you've driven that desire out of me. I won't resist arrest, I told you that once already."
"Why would I arrest you?"
"Because I'm a murderer. I'm not denying it."
"Jeffrey... Tell me what you heard?"
Jeffrey tried to angle his head to look at Akoni, but the awkward way he lay with his hands pinned meant he couldn't.
Akoni loosened his hold a little, enough for their gazes to meet.
"I don't understand."
"I said something, didn't I? You heard me talking. Tell me what I said."
&n
bsp; "But..." Jeffrey exhaled sharply. "You said you made a mistake. That I was a criminal and would be punished."
"By the storms." Akoni groaned. "I heard you tell me you were leaving. That I was a coward and would be a terrible king."
"I swear to you, Akoni, I did not say that. I don't know what's going on but I'm not planning on leaving."
Akoni let go of Jeffrey and withdrew. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
Jeffrey got to his knees and hugged Akoni. "I'm so confused about what's going on. But I'm here. I'm not going anywhere unless you want me to."
"I should have known. They are testing me. Us. My fear of you leaving... Your fear of being charged as a murderer... They told us what we are most afraid to hear."
"The goddesses?"
Akoni nodded.
"Then you're not arresting me?"
Akoni gave a weak smile and shook his head. "You're not leaving?"
"As I said, you've driven that desire out of me. You're stuck with me."
"Will you promise me something?"
Jeffrey raised an eyebrow.
"You've been honest with me in the past. Telling me when I was...not behaving as I should. Always tell me when I'm messing up. Especially if I'm doing something that's driving you away. Don't leave without a word again. Talk to me. Give me a chance to fix it rather than disappearing."
Jeffrey reached out to touch Akoni's face with gentle fingers. "While you were working with Tiana, I had a long chat with my mother. I didn't realise how much I'd missed her and needed her. Talking with her made me realise a lot of things. I'm not going to run away from you again, I can promise that. You're still an idiot sometimes, but I have my flaws, too. I may have been too hard on you since coming back. I guess we both have our reasons for the things we do. Talking to each other sounds like a really good plan."
Akoni smiled and leaned in to kiss Jeffrey.
They stayed kneeling on the hard ground for a long time. Wrapped in Jeffrey's arms, Akoni relaxed, the fatigue and tension he'd been carrying through his trials leaving him at last. His magic still stirred within him, but it was different. After his ascension had begun, it had been demanding, almost like it was whispering to him. Now it was calmer, somehow satisfied. Like it'd be there if he needed it, but it wouldn't insist on being noticed or used.
Ties of Magic (Curse of the Crown Book 2) Page 25
