“How serious is this… captain, is it?” the cavalry officer asked Kendras.
“As serious as death.” Kendras took the helmet off. “Just call me officer.”
The man lifted an eyebrow, then looked at his colleagues. “It is an order from the king.”
“Vistar of Dalman will be the legal heir of the Lady and Lord Protector of Dalman. All three are tired of the war.” Kendras wished they’d ask the messenger, but for whatever reason, he stood here to vouch for it. “Next will be the priests. Adrastes’s patience has run out with human sacrifice and the murder of every new king’s family. The An Grekaran family died at the hands of hired assassins on order of the high priest. Adrastes is a man who was born to privilege, but made his own way as a common soldier. He is less willing to spill the blood of a good soldier for a bad reason even than the temple guards are willing to spill his.”
“Damn right,” said the supply general, who looked after the wounded and dead.
“So this fellow is genuine, is he?” The cavalry officer blew out his cheeks. “Show of hands, who prefers standing with an untested king over that bastard high priest?”
Three hands rose.
“Very well,” the cavalry officer said and nodded to Kendras. “Tomorrow we will return to Dalman. King Vistar can bring his new… father into the city to convince us he’s genuine. We will hold Dalman if the priests decide they’ll attempt any mischief. Not that I think they have the stones to do it.”
Kendras straightened. “I don’t doubt that they will follow the summons.”
“Saves us going to war with each other,” the cavalry officer said, indicating his colleagues. Kendras knew that wasn’t a joke.
“No message in writing,” the infantry general said. “Give the message in your words only… officer.”
Kendras saluted and put the helmet back on. “We will see you in Dalman.”
Chapter 26
“I THINK I’ll adopt him formally in Dalman,” Adrastes said when Kendras had reported.
The other Scorpions had come along, and Kendras was aware that they stood behind and around him rather than around Adrastes. He didn’t quite know how it had all happened, but he’d accepted it for what it was. It was very hard to say “no,” now. “We’ll stand by you,” Kendras said.
Adrastes glanced up and flashed a smile. “It will be good to have the Scorpions guard me.”
Kendras pressed his lips together, then nodded to himself. “Adrastes of Fetin,” he said and noticed the sudden tension in his chest and in Adrastes’s shoulders. He pulled his dagger, weighed the blade for a moment.
“Give me your hand.”
Adrastes lifted both, palms toward the ground.
“I have to trust that I will not lose my soul now.” Kendras gave a wink, but he felt nervous for other reasons. The gods had nothing to do with it.
“Adrastes, I release you to life.” The dagger moved across the black flesh, tracing a red line across both of Adrastes’s hands. Blood welled up immediately and dripped to the ground. “We sever all bonds with this dagger cut. You are free to live and follow your own will now. We will remember you.”
Adrastes pulled his hands back and balled them into fists, but hid the pain well. Kendras wanted to take them and reassure himself that the cuts weren’t too deep, but hardened himself against that notion.
He pushed the dagger into its sheath and saluted Adrastes when he realized that Adrastes wouldn’t say anything in return. “Lord Protector. By your leave.”
“Of course, officer.”
Kendras nodded to the others, who left first, and felt Adrastes’s hand on his armor. “Come to me tonight.”
The desire punched him in the gut. He nodded mutely, then walked off.
Now that Adrastes was released, what else could there be between them? The connection, the comradeship, was gone. He’d leave the man to politics—to bringing back the glory of Shara, uniting the cities by guile and force. As he’d already done with a marriage and promised adoption.
He could easily picture the traditional rite, probably in the throne hall. Adrastes would wear a cloak, and after the promises were made and repeated, he’d envelop Vistar in the cloak, holding him close for a while. He’d then symbolically feed and dress Vistar—upon which Vistar would promise to be an obedient son. That oath made Adrastes king by custom.
Kendras trained with the others, using the games that they always played with the new recruits. Forcing them to fight and defend more than just themselves, but the comrade as well. He’d take Kiran up the mountain as soon as possible and complete the rite. What he needed to know was written in the book, and besides, he remembered the rite as if it had been yesterday. Now his task was to find enough men who never stopped fighting.
He returned to Adrastes’s quarters with a heavy heart and waited inside for the man to return from his obligations. He sat down, poured himself wine and pulled the memory closer where it sat on the table. His now to guard. Ever since he’d found it, but he had been too blind to see it.
He opened the last page and wrote the names of the fallen, which made his hand cramp up. He recorded that Adrastes of Fetin had been released to life, and Kiran of the Flames had been betrothed. He left it open to dry the thick ink and sat back with a sigh.
“It gets easier,” Adrastes said from behind him.
“How long were you here?”
“I didn’t want to disturb you. Sometimes, that book’s all that will keep you sane.”
Kendras shook his head. “Yes. Maybe.” He turned when he felt bandaged hands against the sides of his neck. “What now? You’re free.”
“Free to unite the known world under my banner.” Adrastes laughed. “That should be interesting.”
“What about the Scorpions? We’re not enough to help you much with this.”
“Do you want to?”
Kendras breathed deeply. “How much good are we?”
“Don’t give up on me now.” Adrastes moved closer and placed his arms around Kendras. He leaned back, reveling in the other man’s strength and closeness. He never knew who gave whom strength. Maybe they just shared what they had.
“You’re a Scorpion, Kendras, but that’s not all there is. There is no choice involved. My sister has the Flames, and there is the palace guard in Dalman. But I will need men I can trust. You could be the captain of my guard. Rebuild your strength… and then go wherever it pleases you.”
Captain of the guard of Dalman. He remembered Old Smoke choking to death on his poisoned wine and held the memory for a long while. He found that if that would be his fate, he didn’t mind.
“Captain of the guard?”
“Officer of the Scorpions.” Adrastes leaned closer and breathed into Kendras’s ear. “I could never resist the officer of the Scorpions.”
Kendras swallowed hard. “Why?”
“Because.” Adrastes released him and sat down on the table before him. “Only the officer has the courage to tell me the truth. Only he will never betray me for his own gain. He would die for me.”
“I would.” Kendras released the tension in a hissed breath. “Gladly.”
“Men like you make empires possible, Kendras. We’ll build something much larger than the Scorpions, I promise you that. And you, my lover, at my side, guarding my path. Because it’ll be a very dark night before the new day breaks.”
Kendras knew he was ready for it. Adrastes could achieve anything. And if Adrastes needed him for it—gods below, if he wanted for him to have part of it—he couldn’t refuse. Didn’t want to.
“Seems the future emperor of Shara has a taste for Scorpions.” He shrugged and decided that he could think those heavy thoughts when he was alone… or later, and let Adrastes kill his doubts.
“You think I can lie with Scorpions, then?”
Kendras grinned. “We should test that.”
About the Author
ALEKSANDR VOINOV is an emigrant German author living near London where he makes his living as an editor
at an investment bank, freelance editor, and creative writing teacher. He has published five novels and many short stories in his native language. His genres range from horror, science fiction, cyberpunk, and fantasy to contemporary, thriller, and historical erotic gay novels.
In his spare time, he goes weightlifting, explores historical sites, or meets other writers. He single-handedly sustains three London bookstores with his ever-changing research projects and interests. His current interests include bonsais, tailored suits, chess competitions, World War II, Afghan history, Roman emperors, and Russian oligarchs. He loves traveling, action movies, and spy novels and ponders taking up boxing.
Visit Aleksandr’s web site at http://www.aleksandrvoinov.com and his blog at http://www.aleksandrvoinov.blogspot.com.
Also from ALEKSANDR VOINOV
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Fantasy Romance from DREAMSPINNER PRESS
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Aleksandr Voinov, Scorpion
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