Divided (63 page)

Still, it appeared that Calis wasn’t going to show up.  That
wasn’t a bad thing, though Taeru did feel a twinge of pain at the rejection. 
No,
this is good.  This saves me the trouble of being hanged in front of lots of
people. 
He tucked the amulet back into his pocket, standing, trying to
ignore the pain that had formed in his chest.

Then, though, there was a rustling that Taeru had to
recognize as an actual sound, and not just his imagination.  He flinched, all
of his fears coalesced before him, and he inhaled sharply.  Who was it?  Had
Calis actually sent someone?  His body began to tremble as all the thoughts
came rushing back to him.  What if Aela and Alyx were right?

Then, though, the shadow at the door stepped into the
light.  Tall, blond hair, and gentle blue-green eyes, that were mostly blue
currently, were staring into Taeru’s face.  Calis.  Calis had shown up, after
all.  There was relief and a sense of panic coming into Taeru’s body as a whole
new sensation.  He felt nauseous.  “Hey,” Calis whispered.  “I don’t think
anyone followed me.  I was trying to make sure.  I… sorry I took so long.  Are
you alright?”  Calis immediately sounded filled with concern.

Taeru shifted on his feet.  Now he had to work up the nerve
to say the words.  He had to work himself to damn himself.  He bit down on his
lip.  “Yes, I am,” he said warily.  “Thank you for meeting me.”

“I wish you hadn’t asked,” Calis said.  “I’m worried.”

“I need to tell you this,” Taeru explained weakly.  He
wished he hadn’t asked either, at this point.  Despite the strength of his
instinct, he wanted to run from the room.  He wanted to jump into Calis’s arms
and pretend to be Kilik for the rest of his life. 

For some strange reason, Calis smiled and tilted his head as
he observed Taeru with quiet contemplation.  “What?” Taeru could feel
nervousness taking control of his entire form.  He wasn’t sure how he was going
to get the words out.  How could he make the one person that he’d ever been in
love with hate him?  “What is it?” he asked anxiously.

“You,” Calis said amusedly.  “You’re unbelievably
attractive,” he said, as though this was that most obvious of statements. 
Despite the entire circumstance, Taeru felt a flush come over his cheeks.  How
was Calis thinking about that in this situation?  Oh right, because Taeru
hadn’t told him the problem yet. 

Taeru just shook his head, trying to remove the feelings
from his mind.  “No, not now.”  He held up his hand.  “I have to tell you
this.”

Calis took a few steps forward, and he placed a very chaste
kiss on Taeru’s lips.  Yet, even that simple kiss had Taeru’s head spinning
with desire and longing.  He had no idea how Calis managed to do that with a
single touch.  He wished he wouldn’t, though.  “I said not now,” Taeru repeated
warily.  Anything to keep from saying the words.

“Apologies,” Calis whispered, though he didn’t look
particularly sorry.  “Tell me, tell me so you can stop worrying.”  Calis
grabbed Taeru’s hands, not seeming to understand that touching should be off
limits, at the moment.

The way the light flickered off of Calis’s pale skin was
strangely mesmerizing.  Taeru realized, again, how very attractive Calis was. 
Odd, that Calis should mention Taeru’s looks, when he probably looked into a
mirror every sun.  Perhaps one just got used to their own looks, which would
account for why no one seemed to think they were overly attractive.  “Okay… I
will.  Before I do, I really do love you, Calis… above everything, I love you. 
I do.  I don’t care how your opinion of me changes.  That isn’t going to
change, no matter what.  I am very sorry for not telling you sooner.  I just
couldn’t… well…”

“I love you too,” Calis whispered, almost too soft to hear.

Taeru removed his hands from Calis’s, and he heard the
prince let out a frustrated sigh.  “We’ll see,” Taeru mumbled.  “I won’t blame
you if you don’t.”  Calis didn’t grab Taeru’s hands again, though, waiting
obediently.  Taeru, rather than worrying with speaking, reached into his
pocket.  Calis was too caught up in staring at Taeru’s face to notice the ring
that was already giving him away.  “I just ask that you be civil about it.  I
am not trying to hurt anyone.  Please, don’t call the guards… just…”

The silver amulet felt hot against his fingers.  The thing
that had provided such comfort a moment ago felt like it would destroy him. 
Putting his fingers around it felt like an impossible task, though he forced
his hand to grasp it.  Slowly, he grabbed one of Calis’s hands, turning it so
that the prince’s palm was up.  With a quick movement, he placed the amulet
into Calis’s hands and closed his eyes.  “What is this?” Calis asked.  He
pulled the amulet upwards, inspecting it with interest. 

Then, in a moment of clarity, Calis’s blue-green eyes
widened in shock.  He let out a startled gasp, and then he regained his ability
to speak.  “This is—the Lassau crest!  Why do you have this?”  His head snapped
towards Taeru.  The eyes weren’t necessarily accusing, though they were
worried.  Then, they dropped to the ring, and they widened further.

Taeru could feel his heart beating against his chest again. 
The tempo was odd, off beat, as though the rhythm had been obscured—forever
ruined by the pain of losing the one person he loved.  Maybe it had been.  He
just closed his eyes, and he tried to will away what was about to happen. 

Calis took an angry step toward him, and suddenly the hands
were on his shoulders.  Taeru cringed away from the prince.  He was sure that
Calis was going to hit him, scream at him, do anything that might cause Taeru
harm.  Still, he couldn’t bring himself to fight back—not yet, not ever.  “I’m
sorry,” he whimpered.

“You’re sorry?” Calis asked, and his voice sounded confused. 
This was the first time Taeru had ever seen Calis entirely at a loss.  This was
painful.  “What?  What are you talking about?  Why do you have this?  That? 
Both of these?”

Warily, Taeru brought his own eyes up to meet the flickering
blue-green ones.  Calis was experiencing all sorts of emotions, and so his eyes
seemed to be fluctuating.  A swirl of colors that Taeru could admire, even
given the absurdity of it all.  They gave Taeru something pleasant to think
about.  “Answer me, Kilik!  Why do you have them?” Calis snapped.

“My name… isn’t Kilik,” Taeru said.  Somehow, the words came
out much more fluidly than how he’d anticipated.  The pain that he’d expected
came with them, though, and he cringed backwards once again.

The silence was deafening.  Taeru thought that if Calis
didn’t speak up, that if Calis didn’t strike him, that he might just die right
where he stood.  He needed Calis’s hand to be on him, whether in violence or in
reassurance, because he needed the contact.  Calis wouldn’t reassure him,
though, Taeru knew, not this time.  This was it. 

“You’re… the middle Lassau?  Taeru,” Calis choked.  “Taeru
Lassau?”

Hearing Calis say his name, even given the present
circumstance, sent chills down Taeru’s spine.  He wasn’t sure how many times
he’d wished that Calis would speak it, that Calis would be in love with Taeru
Lassau—and not Kilik.  Meeting Calis’s eyes, Taeru nodded his head.  “Yes, I
am.  I’m… so sorry.”

Calis’s mouth was open.  His eyes weren’t angry, per say. 
They were shocked, and they were searching Taeru’s face.  He kept maneuvering
his jaw, trying feverishly to manage some sort of words.  What was he
thinking?  Taeru felt panicked. 

“Taeru.”  Calis spoke it again.  His mouth moved a little more,
eyes dancing with uncertainty for another moment.  Then, before he had a chance
to say anything else, there was a loud collision.

There was someone else at the door.  The torch illuminated
only part of the figure, but Taeru knew the build.  Tareth Tsrali.  He could
feel his heart beginning to race.  No, Tareth couldn’t be here—no, no, no.  Had
Calis brought him here?  “Well, well, brother… this is more than I could have
hoped for.  Much obliged for the effort.”

A strangled sound removed itself from Taeru’s throat.  This
couldn’t be happening.  His head jerked about frantically, desperately seeking
an exit that didn’t seem to exist.  Calis moved towards him, and Taeru
flinched, sure that Calis was intending to grab him.  To his surprise, though,
Calis moved defensively in front of him.  “What are you doing here, Tareth?” he
snarled.

“I’m helping you, brother,” Tareth purred.  “Let me have the
traitor, and I will try and see if Father will not show you mercy.” 

There was a flash as Calis drew his sword, narrowing his
eyes.  “You will not touch him,” Calis growled.  The sound was so visceral,
protective, and not anything that Taeru had expected after his revelation. 
What was Calis doing?  “Stay away from him!”

Tareth drew his own blade, and his eyes became slits.  He
seemed pleased and concerned at the same time.  “I have guards, Calis.”

“I will not let you do this.  Not to him.”

“Taeru Lassau?  Are you protecting a Lassau, brother?  That
is treason.”

“You’ll have to beat me before you can arrest me,” Calis
snapped back.  This was unexpected.  Taeru could still feel panic rising in his
stomach, though.

His body felt as though it had been seized by unseen hands,
they were currently squeezing him—and he was sure that they would eventually
crush him.  Trembling, he let his eyes scan the room again.  He had to get out
of here—after all, this would definitely hinder any decision to stop the war. 
This would actually... this could cause one.  A spasm ran through him as he
backed towards the wall.  What had he done?

The two brothers stood facing one another.  Despite the
situation, Calis didn’t seem very willing to turn Taeru over.  On top of
everything else, it would appear that Taeru had done more than put Cathalar and
Telandus on a slippery slope to war—he had also put Calis in more danger than
he ever could have imagined.  His fists clenched.

Suddenly, Calis’s body was a blur of motion. With a quick
thrust of his sword, Tareth was staggering backwards.  A solid fist to his jaw
threw the younger Tsrali to the ground with little resistance.  Taeru’s eyes
widened, though Calis turned to him with a burning expression.  “Run!” he
hissed.

For a moment, Taeru remained where he was, or his mind
did—his body started moving on instinct.  “What about you?” he asked weakly.  His
heart would not let him leave knowing that he may have caused harm to Calis. 
Despite trying to reassure himself that Lavus would not kill his own son, he
could still make out the faint bruise of Lavus’s hand on Calis’s cheek, and he
knew the Telandan prince was in danger.

“Just go!” Calis’s voice was hoarse.  “I can defend
myself!”  With a movement of his sword, Calis alerted Taeru to the fact that if
Taeru remained—and Calis kept up with his persistence at defending Taeru—then
their presence together would only make things harder for Calis. 

Without another question, Taeru’s body pushed forward,
springing out the door and away from Tareth.  His feet moved more quickly than
usual, even faster than they did when he’d run from the public as the Phantom
Blade.  “Let him get away, and I will have all of you hanged!” Tareth’s voice
pierced the air with terrifying force.

Taeru could hear the sounds of fighting, but he didn’t pause
to look back.  The last thing he needed was his curiosity getting him killed. 
Soon, he heard footsteps behind him—running toward him.  He hoisted himself up
onto a rooftop as soon as he could, and his body reacted with fluidity.  Once
he reached the top, he kept moving, running along the rooftops for quicker
access through Dark District.  “The roof!” one of the men shouted below.

These men were not what he usually dealt with in Dark
District—these were soldiers, trained to fight and to track.  Taeru kept
running, though, not having time to worry about what was going to become of
him.  His feet moved rhythmically against the surfaces, and the jumps were
quick and simple.  Finally, though, there was a whoosh of air, and he stopped,
just as an arrow sailed through the air before him.  A whimper escaped his lips
before he began running again. 
Don’t stay still. 

The arrows came more frequently, then, as though the archers
had only just managed to notch their arrows.  They didn’t have perfect aim, and
Taeru was far too quick for them to hit by any sheer luck.  Inevitably, though,
his stamina began to deplete, and he was running out of rooftops.  He’d have to
circle back, though there would surely be people waiting for him if he did. 
There was no way he could reach the wall of the city from any of Dark District
roofs.  Maybe the Shining District wall.

He twisted his body, changing directions to head toward that
wall.  Calis crossed his mind briefly, and panic threatened to consume him.  Inevitably,
as Taeru’s pace had slowed with the passage of time, an arrow caught the back
of his calf.  He let out a sharp cry and staggered along the length of the
rooftop.  He worked to right himself, managing just before he fell to the
ground.  Then, as expected, the stillness of his form allowed another of the
arrows to hit his shoulder.

Whimpering, his body writhed—trying to escape pain that was
attached to it, and he felt the surface beneath his feet vanish.  Gravity
shifted, and he could feel the way the world spun around him for a few short
seconds before his arm and side were crushed by an only partially expected
force.  The ground.  Dark District buildings were low, though the blow
accompanied with the arrows created a dizzy sensation.

Still, knowing that he was in danger, Taeru worked to
reclaim his feet.  He could hear the footsteps approaching him, and he managed
to right himself once again.  Staring forward, he staggered only once more
before setting his pace, moving towards one of the alleyways.  He cleared the
wall before him, ending up in another alley and continuing.  His leg and
shoulder burned with agony that he tried to ignore.  After a few more
movements, though, Taeru realized why the footsteps had sounded so completely
quicker than his own.  A large, pale brown horse stood before him, with a man
in a full suit of armor atop it.  Taeru stumbled, managing to move back as the
man swung his sword.  Looking east and west, Taeru realized that more horses
were crowding him.