A Price Paid Ch. 11

The party of four left before dawn. Arik wanted to be gone before the owner rose, just to have been as unobtrusive as possible given the circumstances, though it occurred to him that he may have already been awake and just waited for them to be gone for the same reasons he essentially left them the house when they arrived. He was careful to take only what was agreed to and, even so, he left four gold coins on the kitchen as an added show of gratitude.

Strannix couldn't have cared less beyond the ongoing vexation of watching what he had expected to be the fortune he took with him under the control of others, but he had made his own uneasy peace with it. Nax and Sylanna conveyed his disdain for their own reasons, which he read easily and, despite his good night's sleep, tired him. "He's my client, it comes from my share. You're just so very greedy."

Nax noted the humor, "I'm not greedy. I just want to be sure your generosity isn't actually my generosity," he clarified as he took his supplies to his horse.

"Like I said, greedy."

"Let's just get on with this, children."

Nax called out to her, "Of course you're not afraid of losing your money."

"Of course I'm not. Because others are afraid of me. Once people are afraid of you, they assume others will be, too, and they'll pay a premium for that, whether you have to make the people they want you to deal with afraid or not. So you can be as spineless as you want in your actual job, you just have to make sure your testicles have descended when you speak to those who want to hire you."

Arik was at something of a loss. "'Descended testicles', but we are the children?"

"Can we all just get on with this," Strannix snapped. He would be happy once he was away from here, but would be satisfied enough to just be on the way to away from here.

She was happy to be quiet, but happier now just to annoy someone she didn't like more than she already disliked most. She huffed, "Well that's just rude."

Nax agreed. He enjoyed her sense of humor once she got going, she just didn't do it enough, in his opinion. "Isn't he though?" Strannix glared at him, but he was experiencing one of those rare moments for him where he felt like he didn't have to care. "What does that look mean, that you're not going to pay me? I already have your money. Relax."

Strannix allowed himself to calm with the traveling, as the chatter dropped and, as he saw it, so did the cavalier attitude. They might have spoken here and there, but it was almost never all of them at once. One of the trio would be quiet, clearly in concentration, keeping watch in whatever way the mages did. They did seem to work well together and, watching them work, he had to admit to the smallest part of himself that perhaps they were correct and he had acted impetuously. He had to have patience in this.

He couldn't have amassed his wealth and power over his life without it, and he'd had that in most circumstances, but that was always tested when someone stole directly from him, whether it be a rival, or some poor souls trying to steal from one of his couriers, to someone skimming a gold here and there from the barrels of spirits he shipped. They dared him to respond. They called him a weak fool by doing it and they dared him to respond.

It was enough that Dina had left, but he would have found her in short order. But the witch snatched her away. She took the closest possession to him and just walked away, and he may have acted precipitously in response. She was smarter about her initial response than he had been, striking hard against what gave him his power and reach to begin with. But she had underestimated him. His reach extended far beyond her grasp. And he had slipped away even before his plan was executed. She didn't have him and she wouldn't.

He would be far more careful this time. He would build his revenge as he built his businesses: piece by piece and well-planned step by step. He had made his point in that moment of rage and spent enough of it to allow his mind to rule over his heart now. It would take years. He would have to avoid her eyes and ears, which might add years more, but it could be done, and, honestly, part of him thrilled at it. In some ways it would be like battling himself. Rarely had he come across anyone at or near his level. Animals were to be guarded against and not to be underestimated, but most of his adversaries were that.

She had proven herself to be a peer, so destroying her would be all the sweeter in the end. He would take from her everything that mattered to her. Slowly, his guard fell as he grew confidence in his bodyguards to actually guard him and began thinking about exactly how to build again. They did not stop to eat, simply taking in some soft bread and dried meat as they went. Strannix was fine with that, too. His future was at hand and he wanted to reach it as quickly as he could.

He didn't even mind camping as the sun set, even though he generally avoided it when possible. The night was clear and he could see each one of a million points of light. The fire was roaring because if there was one thing a mage could be depended upon to do was make fire, and, while it was still cold, the wind had stilled, so to be wrapped in a bed roll was reasonably comfortable. He didn't mind the chatter there either because it told him they were awake and doing what they had been paid richly to do. Their voices allowed him to sleep.

"You can stand first watch again."

"Seriously? I stood first watch last night."

"And you can do it again, it'll toughen you up."

He almost asked the man if he wanted to see how tough he was before he decided that was just a little too juvenile. "I did it first last night, I'm not doing it first again. There's no reason other than you want to prove you're running things."

"But perhaps he's just tormenting you for fun," Sylanna offered. "I'll take first watch."

Arik laughed as he rolled over and prepared to rest. He wouldn't actually sleep because, even if he wasn't on watch, he was still on a guarding and escort job. He slipped into a light, dozing sleep and let the night unfold as it would.

Nax watched Sylanna for a time. She sat on her knees, cloaks wrapped tightly around her against the chill. Her eyes were closed and when he focused he could see the lines of force she sent forth in every direction like tripwires. He liked looking at her. He could focus on the magic around her that masked her if he chose, but he never did. He liked looking at her as she chose to be seen by the masses. She was on the opposite side of the fire as he and the play of light gave her an otherworldly appearance, as though she were wrapped in power.

She was one of those that he thought a mage should be. She was comfortable with herself. It was there in the way she spoke and moved. Even in those ways she exuded skill and that wasn't even considering what he felt watching her weave her magic. Watching her create the pollen was like a master class in what a mage could do in the world. It took all his concentration and focus to see her bend and shape the world to her will for even a moment, but she could work seemingly effortlessly and without distraction.

He lost track of himself and time as he watched her energy and her beauty as it was accented by the fire light until the heat of embarrassment flooded his cheeks as he realized he had been staring at her and that she had responded by grinning at him, her eyes reflecting the flames, and if he looked deeply enough he could see a play of color within that suggested something of the unearthly color beneath her magic. He didn't look away, preferring to follow that flutter of color. He followed it when it moved slowly, and chased it when it darted.

The light settled into a rhythm and his mind slowly began to settle, too. He was certain that if he looked harder he could see what was beneath and her eyes almost seemed to reward him for doing so. Three flashes of the firelight in her eyes just before a hint of green that seemed to create its own light and held him.

Three flickers, then a flash.

Three flickers, then a flash.

He counted the seconds until it happened again.

Three flickers, then a flash.

Three seconds.

Three flickers, then a flash.

Three seconds.

The time between the light in her eyes lengthened so slowly he barely noticed it until his chest rose and fell to three flickers, then a flash.

His lungs filled to their limit, then there would be three flickers, then a flash.

Then, by the next set of three flickers, then a flash, he was ready to fill his lungs once again.

Nax's life had been distilled down to this simple rhythm of breath and light.

It was no great magic to carry her whispers to his ear. "I have noticed you looking at me. You look at me every time we meet. You wish to know me."

Breath and light.

"To learn from me."

Breath and light.

"To be my friend."

Breath and light.

"To fuck me."

Breath and light.

"Breath and light is the path to your dreams. Your breath propels you on the path, and the light is within your reach only so long as you stay on the path. Each breath brings you closer to the light."

"In, and closer to the light. Out, and closer to the light. In. Out."

"Your breath brings you closer to my light. Your breath brings you closer to me."

"In. Closer. Out. Closer. My light is still there. My light awaits you."

She rose slowly while he stared straight ahead, eyes unblinking, breath holding the pattern with clockwork precision. "My light awaits you."

"In."

She settled back upon her knees behind him. Now able to bring her lips to his ear, he trembled involuntarily as the words now came with her warm breath that cut through the cold. "Out."

He was so young and so impressionable. Even his bravado was largely unpracticed and closer to the puffing of a teenager than an adult trying for a moment to save face or cover weakness. Any other time, she would have relished his slack expression and vacant stare for its own sake as a testament to her power, but now it was only a testament to that of the masters that owned her. She knew now she was safe in making that known. "I had no light until They gave it to me. They gave me light, life, and a soul."

"In."

"Out."

Given his more limited involvement, his punishment was decided to be more merciful than hers or Arik's. He would be taken because he must, but he wouldn't suffer unless he resisted. Sylanna was glad he didn't seem to have much interest in resistance or the ability to execute it. They didn't want him made to suffer unnecessarily, so neither did she.

"In."

"Out."

Her slender fingers went up the back of his head and pressed themselves and her palm to his skull. "My light surrounds you now. You see it and that is all you see."

"In."

"Out."

"My light hungers for you. It needs you. It needs to consume you. You need it to consume you. You need to help it consume you."

Sylanna's other hand slid beneath the blanket and to his pants, loosening his belt. "It needs to consume you. You need it to consume you. You need to help it consume you."

She pulled the front of his pants free, nestling the fabric under his heavy balls. "My light needs to consume you. You need it to consume you. You need to help it consume you."

"In."

"Out."

Under the most brief ministrations of her hand his cock went from limp to iron as he continued to stare slack-jawed into the fire.

"My light needs to consume you. You need it to consume you. You need to help it consume you."

"Back."

"And forth."

"Let it consume you. Help it consume you."

"Back."

"And forth."

His higher brain was consumed by light, and even his animal mind was dozing lazily, focused now on the pleasure on his cock, noting the shift in feeling as it heard words. Most of the words were too heavy to be allowed to lay on that part of his mind. This part was for simple thoughts and simple needs.

"Back"

"And forth."

His animal mind didn't even see the words, seeing them instead as bits of instinct connected by familiar and pleasurable sensation. Back and forth was for fucking. His cock felt good. He must be fucking. That part of his mind, lazy and simple bit that it was wasn't too lazy to do one of the most simple things it could when that thing was a good thing like eating, drinking, or fucking.

The animal Nax fucked, back and forth into that strong hand with the firm but gentle grip. The animal Nax could not say that it was happening that way or would have understood it, but as his hips pulled back, that tingling pleasure fed the tingling at the back of his skull and the pressure that was there seemed to penetrate deeper into his skull. Animal Nax was still sleepy, but not quite as lazy. Fuck and feel good.

Animal Nax fucked hard while the man was limp, save the frantic sawing of his hips. The man's eyes were vacant, and his mouth wide open, still breathing to the rhythm he had been taught.

Animal Nax kept fucking as the fingers sank into the man's skull. Animal Nax heard words, but they were all to complicated to grasp now.

Animal Nax came as those fingers sank into his brain, its cock bucking so hard that what it was fucking gripped tighter as though it feared that the animal would break free.

The animal did not wish to break free.

The animal only wished to keep fucking. What was being done to the man didn't matter.

* * *

"Five minutes," Bryana told those with her as they hovered on horseback just outside the small port town that was Volis. It wasn't nearly falling apart like some of the smallest ones north that were in their death spiral because they were no longer able to keep up with the needs of larger ships in greater numbers, nor was it one of the bustling cities unto themselves that the larger ports were. But they were all much the same: ships, docks, and people scrambling there with people in town trying to get their goods, or themselves, where they needed to be. Volis was an ideal place for mages in these parts. It was large enough to get lost in, and large enough for one to find a mage fairly readily, if they needed one.

Neral looked on. It was going to be a long five minutes. All she wanted was to get to him and take a pound of his flesh; more of there was enough left after everyone else had theirs. And not just for Khylen, though that would be reason enough for her to kill him. It was for all the families of the southern quarter, most of whom had little to begin with, and had less now because of the arrogance of this creature. She remembered their pain as they bore their wounds, some simply laying in the street with nothing to do but hope help reached them in time. She remembered the wracking sobs of the loved ones around those who had run out of time to hope and the eyes of those that looked to her and she saw 'why?' in their eyes.

She saw the resignation in the eyes of those fishing through the aftermath to find out what they had to rebuild with. And it wasn't within some outlying village, it was in the heart of Erette. Someone had stabbed Erette in the heart and then tried to slither away onto a boat as dusk approached. She wore her sword, but no marks of her rank or station, though the queen was aware of where she was and what would happen, and gave it her blessing. He would be brought back for trial and hang anyway, and him dying far away, and without one would save the nobles potential public embarrassment. Even having associated with the man was now toxic, even if the hands of any particular noble were, if not perfectly clean, not nearly as dirty as they could have been.

And Evaline made her own feelings on the matter clear when, in private, she took Neral's hands in hers and told her, "Anyone that would harm my family deserves to die. Someone harmed my family, so what must be done will be done. Go do it with my blessing as your queen and your friend." In spite of all those truths she carried with her, she was here first as a mother seeking retribution. "Not a minute more."

"I take it you still insist on coming with me as well, Denna."

"I do, Mistress," Vale said.

"That's the way to speak to her, young lady," Deres said. "Tell her exactly how it's going to be and stick to it until she yields."

Bryana turned and gave him a glare that would have withered a lesser man, "You give my subordinates advice that you lack the will to follow yourself?"

He sighed. "Just because I personally have given up on the approach doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see if someone else can make it work."

"Mistress, I realize that you still want to protect me from certain," she groped for a way to continue without wounding, "harsh realities, but I know what we are here for. I know what the end of this is. And I wish to see it through."

"I simply do not wish..."

"For me to see you exact vengeance because it would put before me the person that you were in a way I have never seen before? I still would not be seeing that, Mistress. From all you have trusted me to know, your cruelty was sometimes for its own sake. I don't pretend to understand how someone can behave that way. I know that I couldn't."

"But this isn't cruelty for its own sake, this is a punishment earned." Her eyes grew distant as her mind traveled and her voice reflected what she endured. "I was on that floor afraid to open my eyes, concentrating on not making a sound when even shallow breaths felt like they were piercing my chest because I was afraid if they heard me the people he sent would kill the guild's client and would finish the job and end me, too. I remember her face so swollen and bloodied that it looked like just so much bloated meat, already knowing that I didn't look any better myself. He sent the men that did that. He is responsible."

"I could cause a man harm that harmed me. I could make a man like Strannix suffer." Her voice became hard and sorrowful. "And, at the risk of you looking poorly upon me for the admission, I want to make him suffer for it."

"If I needed another reason to go with you, it is simply that the prey is not to be trusted to not have more tricks to play, and those within might have their own agendas. I will not allow my guild mistress to face either possibility alone."

Bryana looked into the eyes of young Vale. She is already better than I ever was and is probably already better than I ever will be. "Thank you."

The younger woman saw the depth of sincerity in the other's eyes in those words and she dipped her head in order to look away. "You are welcome, Mistress."

Now was the time to act.

* * *

"Because the captain isn't ready to go, so you have to wait. And he won't have you wait on the dock getting in his way, so you have to wait somewhere else. And here is at least as good a place as anywhere else."

"Agreed," Nax chimed. "The alcohol isn't particularly watered down, it's warm, and," he looked around at the barmaids who were hearty, but not fat in the wrong places, "the view is good."

"Must you?"

He looked to an exasperated Sylanna. "I must." He took a long drink and swept the room with his gaze once again. "Besides, I'm just looking. Would you have me cut my eyes out?"

"Enough," Arik said before Sylanna could answer, having some idea of what the answer would be.

Strannix wanted to be free of them and free of this place and being on the boat now marking time would have at least given him some sense of accomplishment. He could tell himself that he'd made it. But instead he was still in Erette listening to these people go back and forth. The only things that had made it tolerable was the knowledge that they were marking time just as he was, they simply had the virtue of being able to do so with peers. That and they had gotten him to where he needed to be, and he was at least able to fill his belly in this place knowing it would be some time before he would have a good meal.