The Echolone Mine (85 page)

“He took
Elianas through, drugged him on the other side, and set foot to a
path that took him swiftly from my reach. When I got to him he had
Elianas staked naked on a sacrificial platform, and men ready to
rape him.”

“No.”

Caballa
swallowed.

Torrullin went
on. “I dispatched them, only to learn Tymall intended to scar
Elianas in a manner that could not be healed, and was made helpless
with Warlock staff to stand and watch as he pulled his breeches
down to personally sodomise him.”

“He can’t! You
lie! He cannot function …”

“Nemisin
healed him. Tymall could and he intended to. I stopped it. Digilan
began to sunder. To cut out unnecessary detail, I will keep it
simple from here. He tried repeatedly. In the end we were frozen, a
facet that could not last, but would be long enough for Tymall to
complete his mission of degradation. We broke free. Digilan was
unleashed and Tymall was killed.”

Tianoman
gripped him by his tunic. “What? How was he killed?”

“It does not
matter. It is over. I am sorry. You lost a father this day, as I
lost a son.”

“You don’t
seem to care!”

“I cannot
afford to grieve now.”

Tianoman
straightened and released Torrullin. “How did he die?”

“I broke his
neck,” Elianas said.

Torrullin
swung around. “For Aaru’s sake.”

A dark,
unreadable stare. “Let us not lie now.” He faced Tianoman. “He
froze me and was about to degrade me. I broke his neck. I killed
him.”

Tianoman
stared at Elianas, and slapped him hard. Elianas’ head snapped
sideways and he flinched. Tianoman slapped him again and lifted his
hand to do so again as anger and grief overcame him.

Torrullin
caught his wrist. “You were not there. You would have done the
same.”

“He killed my
father.”

“Your father
lives on in your heart. He killed the Warlock and he killed a
rapist, and much worse.”

“You let it
happen!”

“Maybe.”

“How can you
say that?”

“Maybe I let
it happen, yes, because I wanted badly to kill him myself.”

“He is your
son!”

“I do not
think he ever really was my son.”

Tianoman
slapped him. “Leave me alone.” A moment after, he vanished.

“Caballa, go
after him.”

“My Lord
…”

“Not now. He
needs you.”

“What about
you?”

A direct
stare. “I need Elianas.”

She licked her
lips, nodded, and was gone.

Torrullin
turned. “Now.”

“Then it is
now,” Elianas said.

The plain,
scene of battle, was empty.

“
What are
you most afraid of, Elianas?”

“
That I will
not be able to make you whole after you shatter …”

Avaelyn

T
hey transported directly into the bedchamber and by
the time they arrived were at each other’s clothes, desperate in
haste and need.

This time
there was no argument, no second guessing and no disparity. Skin
cleaved to skin and hearts knocked together. Fingers plunged into
hair and mouths collided. Nails raked on skin and dug in. Teeth
sank down. Fingers fumbled at buttons and desire soared and soaked
and sought release.

The river of
light erupted and agony ensued, and they bridged it, fuelled by the
naked pain. In silence they sweated desperately through and then
yanked breeches clear and tumbled onto the bed.

Trezond
clattered down, boots flew off, fingers tore loincloths aside and
mouths devoured.

Elianas
flipped Torrullin over … and halted all movement.

A weight
settled onto the bed beside them.

Torrullin
jerked around.

Dilated pupils
became pinpricks.

“I simply
cannot allow you two to become one. One of you, perhaps even both
of you, will possess too much power in the aftermath.”

Nemisin.

Golden hair
flowing over his shoulders, dark clothing in the style of the day,
and a self-satisfied smile on his face.

Elianas leaned
back on his knees, his face a mask.

Torrullin sat
up. “You fuck.”

A grin.
“Actually, it seems you were about to engage in that.”

Torrullin
stared at him, and then reached for Elianas. “Ignore him.”

He pulled the
man closer, and Elianas surrendered as Torrullin’s fingers dug into
his shoulders and his mouth descended to bite painfully into his
collarbone. He pulled that head back and found his mouth. Desire
flared up anew, stronger, even more desperate.

Nemisin might
as well have been a decoration.

“Sorry, boys,
but this will not do.”

They ignored
him, falling back. Torrullin shifted and rolled Elianas under him,
facing him. Elianas’ hands moved over his back and cupped his rear
and he arched as he pulled the man down against him.

“Gods,”
Torrullin breathed, pupils dilating almost to black. “Do not stop.
Whatever happens.”

Elianas
exhaled sharply, and moved his hips. Light pulsed between them,
keeping the beat of hearts, hurting, fuelling. Torrullin gripped
his wrists and pressed them down above his head, sliding his body
over the dark man, lust trawling through every nerve. Elianas
groaned, wrapped a leg around to urge him closer, mouths connected,
stealing breath …

… they flew
across the chamber in separate directions.

In the space
between the golden Valleur Throne perched.

Nemisin sat on
it.

“Do you dare
assail me while I sit on this node of power?”

They picked
themselves up, faces stiff.

“Whatever
happens, you said,” Elianas said.

“And I hold to
that.” He stalked behind the Throne, pushed Elianas against the
wall and leaned in.

Skin slid
against skin.

“Clearly
murder and mayhem has fuelled desire,” came the murmur from the
golden seat. “You two require death to feel alive. That is
twisted.”

“He makes me
want more,” Elianas groaned.

“Take
more.”

Elianas
arched, and then slid to his knees to …

Again they
flew in opposite directions.

Torrullin got
up swearing and strode to the Throne. “Get out!”

Nemisin stared
up unruffled. “You have a great body, Lord Sorcerer. Pity about the
technique.”

Elianas was
there. “What do you want?”

“The truth? I
have always wanted
you
, dear boy. I might even get a thrill
in playing the voyeur, but there is this little niggle of the soul
goddess. I know you see her, and I know you experience the torture.
One might say pain is very desirable to you both.”

Torrullin
groaned as a new wave of lust swept through him.

Elianas
gripped him and threw him onto the bed, clambering over him.
Fingers plunged into dark hair, bodies arched, mouths devoured.

Nemisin sighed
theatrically and lifted a finger that dragged him off. Elianas
snarled and loosed a pulse of pure energy, and a shield erupted
around the Throne. The pulse rebounded, and Elianas ducked. It
slammed destructively into the wall behind the bed.

Torrullin bent
the mind and will of Elixir and came up empty. The Throne thwarted
every attempt.

Nemisin
laughed in delight. “Well, there you proved my point. Do what you
will, for I am quite safe. Go where you will, for I am able to find
you.”

Torrullin
swore.

Nemisin eyed
them, his gaze raking both sweaty bodies. “Tell you what, continue.
No line is crossed if you play with each other. A good climax will
do you good right now.”

Torrullin came
closer. “Get out.”

“I shall do
that and I shall stay away as long as you do not go too far. When
you are done playing we can talk. I shall be in the atrium - so
peaceful.”

He vanished
with the Throne.

Torrullin
moved back to face Elianas. Then he said, “Fuck it,” and reached
out.

Elianas’ eyes
dilated anew.

Tristan
appeared.

Elianas swore,
while both hands urged Torrullin closer. “Now it’s Tristan.”

“Let him
bloody watch,” came the muffled reply as that mouth travelled over
Elianas’ skin.

Those hands
tightened.

“Cassy
escaped,” Tristan said, averting his eyes. “I need your help.”

“No,”
Torrullin said. He inserted a hand under Elianas and lifted
him.

“Cassy is
right here, and she has come to see her father.”

Elianas froze.
“For fuck’s sake, Cassy.”

“Elianas,
sweetheart, finally giving in to the Lord Sorcerer, are we?”

Elianas pulled
Torrullin’s head up. “I cannot, not with Cassy. It is like having
Lowen here.”

A smile.
“Lowen would gladly partake.”

A breath. “And
I would flop down.”

“No, you would
not.”

“That is an
argument for another day, and it will never happen.”

Torrullin
sighed and slowly slid off. “Gods, I think there is a universal
conspiracy against us.”

Elianas sat
up, and glared at Cassy. “What are you doing here?”

“My father is
here. What happened to the wall?”

“Nemisin is
here
?” Tristan demanded.

“Ah, well,
there it goes,” Torrullin muttered, looking down.

Elianas
laughed.

As they
dressed, Tristan and Cassy wandered around, studiously not looking.
When every temptation was covered, Torrullin snapped, “Give us one
minute alone, will you?”

They were
given that minute.

“This is the
last day, Elianas.”

“Then I shall
wait until the next day.”

“Will there be
a next day?”

Elianas
approached and kissed him. “Always.”

Unreadable
eyes. “We will regret not finishing this now.”

“Undoubtedly.”

“Wish and
will.”

“There is
that.”

“It is but a
hair’s breadth now.”

“I know. I
feel the pieces.”

“What are you
most afraid of?” Torrullin whispered.

Elianas closed
in again and breathed against his mouth. “Not finding the next
day.”

Torrullin
gripped him close. “Nemesis, I love you.”

Elianas
inhaled hard. “Dear god, Torrullin, I am undone.”

Torrullin
stepped away. “Do not forget anything. Promise me.”

“I swear
it.”

“One day soon
I shall be there for you as you have been for me.”

“That was this
day. I am unharmed because you were there. I shall never
forget.”

A moment more,
and then they stalked out to meet with new doom.

Wise souls
gather … how terrible they can be in their resolve.

Nemisin

Avaelyn

T
orrullin entered the atrium first.

Sunlight shone
off the ocean, lighting the transparent space in bright glows.
Nemisin admired the plants.

“They are
healthy. I do not know them, but they are lovely.” He looked over
his shoulder. “Ah, Cassy.”

“Father.”

“Is that the
Throne
?” Tristan gasped.

“Another
Valla, I see. One of yours, Torrullin?”

“Tristan
Skyler Valla,” Tristan said. “How did the Throne get here?”

“I am the
first Vallorin, I died Vallorin; it knows me. All I had to do was
ask.” Nemisin said, delighted with the reception.

Tristan
pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Definitely
one of yours,” Nemisin murmured. “You do that all the time,
Torrullin.”

“Say your
piece,” Torrullin snapped.

“You have to
vanish.”

“And you will
assume my place.”

“Naturally.
But I shall be greater. I shall be a benevolent father to the
Valleur nation. You, I believe, are so contradictory they do not
know whether to trust you or not.”

“We shall
see.”

“Cassy,
darling, tell him what we planned.”

Elianas turned
his head to her. “You knew?”

She shrugged.
“I was angry then.”

“You could
have warned us.”

She shifted
her gaze to Torrullin briefly. “The jury is still out on him. Why
would I speak warning?”

“Have you any
idea what your father will do?”

“Hopefully
send Lord Sorcerer into obscurity.”

Elianas
growled.

She pointed a
finger. “Elianas, he is not a saint and will never be. Stop
defending him. He is guilty of …”

“So am I,”
Elianas snapped.

“I doubt you
can match him.”

Elianas strode
forward. “You have no clue …”

“Do not give
him the satisfaction,” Torrullin said, indicating Nemisin.

Elianas backed
off.

“What about
Tian?” Tristan demanded. “He is Vallorin. You cannot steal his
Throne.”

“It is not
his,” Nemisin murmured.

“It is mine,”
Torrullin said.

Nemisin
smiled. “Really? Then how do you explain your inability to remove
me from it earlier?”

“My head was
somewhere else. Do not challenge me, Nemisin.”

“Your head was
on
someone
else.”

“You must pay
for that alone,” Cassy said. “You corrupted Elianas.”

Torrullin
threw his hands in the air. “My son thought Elianas corrupted me,
and you see it the other way. We cannot win.”

“He killed a
man for daring, Torrullin, and now he accepts it as his due. That
is corruption. He was a father and a husband once, but that does
not count, I suppose.”

“Cassy, hold
your tongue,” Elianas said.

“Why? I held
my tongue and look where it got me.” She sighed. “What we said on
Echolone holds, if you want it to, and I prefer a truce between us,
but it does not extend to him.”

“I hold to
nothing if any here take him on.”