Songs of the Earth (9 page)

"Very thorough."
"Very pissed off," I countered. "Do you still want to have children with me?"
"Oh, Tristan." He kissed my eyelids, making me hum. "Of course I still want to have children with you. If we begin while your lineage is still relatively unknown, and we're able to get a good infrastructure in place before the child is born, we can then expose the assassins. At that time, we should be able to keep you and the child relatively safe."
I held my breath.
"I don't see why we can't start soon. We'll have to do a lot of planning and start taking precautions immediately."
I carefully scooted up Ushna's body. I loved feeling his muscles contract as I rubbed against him. I wanted to look him in the eye without tilting my head.
"You know," I said, "Gregori's father, Kassian, was there when I was born. Maybe he knows why MacCuill came here, though I have my own ideas why he tried to take you. He might give us some information on the Magi Order. Are there factions? Who supports Kevah?"
"Maybe it would be best if Gregori were to talk to his father on your behalf," Ushna replied. "We might draw attention if we approach Kassian. Neither one of us has spoken to him in a while. We don't have a valid reason to approach him."
Ushna slid his nose over my mouth, across my cheek to my ear where the warm air of his breath caused goose flesh down my spine. His large hands skimmed my ribs down to the hem of my shirt. Lifting it slightly, Ushna ran his fingertips over my skin above the waistband of my jeans. My skin pebbled and another shiver worked its way up my spine. I went in for a taste of his lips. I couldn't stop the moan as his tongue touched mine in a slow languid kiss that stole my breath as it stoked my desire.
"I heard," Ushna whispered hoarsely when I pulled away for breath, "that making babies is a lotta work. Maybe… maybe we should get some practice in, you know, to make sure we get it right. I heard if you have baby-making down to an art, you have smarter babies." He couldn't keep the teasing light out of his eyes or the smile from his lips at his small joke.
Damn if I didn't love this man with everything in me. "Okay." I was ducking in for another kiss when a knock came at the door. I groaned and pressed my nose into Ushna's neck.
"Tristan? Ushna?" Gregori called from the other side of the door before he opened it and stuck his head in the office. "Good! You haven't started anything yet." I scowled at Gregori, which only made him laugh.
"An envelope was delivered for you guys. I'd have left it but she said you needed to see it right away. I really don't want to get on the bad side of a Goddess who continually manifests in this world."
I barely held in my snort. Reluctantly, Ushna maneuvered us into a sitting position. He was in the corner, one leg stretched out along the back, and one set on the floor so I could sit between his legs, leaning back against his chest.
Gregori walked over and gave the envelope to Ushna. Shuffling from one foot to the other he said, "I was thinking about what I could do to help with security."
"I thought your magic wasn't combat related," Ushna said.
"The Magi don't normally practice warfare. In the past, destruction magic was strictly sanctioned by the king. Offenders are reported to the council now. The discipline is studied by a few but not used. Most only have a primary affinity with Earth, but as Lycan's, we all do. I also have an affinity for the Earth but I'm proficient in all secondary disciplines, though my ability with those is weaker. I'm the only Magi in the last five hundred years to practice all four disciplines. Unfortunately, that also makes me the most sought after."
I felt as if I was playing catch-up all of the time. I hadn't really had a moment to sit down with my friend. Gregori's posture was slumped, and he had dark circles under his eyes, his beautiful red hair was limp and lanky, and his clothes were rumpled. He normally affected an air of carelessness, but those of us in his inner circle knew differently.
"Gregori," I said, "you do know none of this is your fault?"
Gregori refused to meet my eyes. He continued to stare at his feet, unwilling to contradict me although I know he wanted to. Why was it no one argued with me now? Gregori took blame on himself for things he had no control over. For all of his appearance, he was a gentle soul burdened by a strong empathic nature.
"Come here." I patted the space next to me. Reluctantly, with heavy steps, Gregori made his way across the room and perched on the edge of the couch, ready to take off at a moment's notice. I gently coaxed him to lean back against me. I could feel the tension radiating from him and rubbed my hands up and down his arms, putting my chin on his shoulder.
"You, my friend, aren't the cause of my problems."
Gregori gave a wounded sound and tried to pull away from me.
I moved quickly, hooking my legs around his, immobilizing him as I anchored him to me. "No, you will listen to me. My troubles are my own. You heard Nathan tell me my life, who I am, is a lie. You heard how the assassins made me an orphan. We were brought up to believe the royal line died out three hundred years ago and yet here I am."
"I brought Caspian here," Gregori snapped. "He tried to take Ushna, about killed him, and would've killed you. That's my fault. If I hadn't fought the Magi and simply conformed…"
"Then you wouldn't be the man I know you to be," I said calmly into his ear.
Gregori pushed at my arms in a panic, trying to get up. He trembled with suppressed emotion in my secure embrace. "No," slipped from his lips, barely audible in its agonized release.
I held on to him until he tired, until he realized I wasn't going to let him go. Ushna began stroking Gregori's hair. With a silent sob, Gregori relaxed in my arms and laid his head on my shoulder. Ushna wiped away Gregori's tears.
"Hear my words, Gregori," I said with the voice of authority I rarely used. "It's not your fault Caspian ended up here. I believe their goal was to take Ushna from me and you were the bonus. A strong ward was placed on me, one that would kill me if I was touched by the power of the Goddess. Only a Magi could do that. My family was hunted by a secret group for three hundred years. Because I'm gay, I wasn't a threat because I wouldn't have children. Because I didn't show signs of my royal line, I was left alone until Ushna went Lupe and obeyed my command. This was reported to the council and whoever is leading this secret group, whether they are a part of the council or a spy, couldn't take the chance I'd bond with Ushna or gain the power of the royal line. They would've known Ushna was the only one keeping me alive after the Breaking and thought if they took him from me I'd fade. But they were too late. I'd gained the power of my ancestors and Ushna became my consort before they sent Caspian to take him away. This is what I believe."
"Why would it matter if you bonded with Ushna?"
I looked at Ushna, silently asking him if I should tell Gregori all. He gave a small nod. "Because we can have children. The royal line won't stop with me. Whoever this secret group is knew that, yet the knowledge of it had been lost to the rest of us until recently."
"You're shittin' me!" Gregori craned his head to look at me.
Both Ushna and I laughed. "Afraid not." I released Gregori. "None of this is your fault and I'm not going to let you take responsibility for the actions of others. Ushna and I've been talking about your father. I need to know where his allegiance lies. Would you be willing to speak to him?" I didn't like placing Gregori between us and his father but there was no other way of getting the information without revealing ourselves prematurely to my enemy in the Magi Order.
Gregori's silver-grey eyes hardened. "I'll find out what my father knows."
There appeared to be some strain in Gregori's relationship with his father and I tried to recall what I remembered of the man, which was precious little. He'd never been around when we were younger, allowing Gregori to stay with me or Ushna. After puberty, when Gregori's potential became clear, Kassian promptly pulled Gregori into training for the Order. That's when Gregori's rebellion had started in earnest. I'd make sure to step in if it looked like Kassian was doing something to harm Gregori.
"Why not just kill you? Why take Ushna away?" Gregori asked.
"I haven't, to their knowledge, exhibited signs of the royal line. It could've been a fluke when Ushna listened to me while he was Lupe. Elder Koller believed Ushna viewed me as a mate and that's why he came away when I called. The easiest solution would be to take Ushna away. He's my anchor. With him gone, I'd fade and die."
Gregori took my hand in his. "Was your hold to this world so tenuous?"
"It was until a couple of months ago. By the time Caspian invaded my home, I was healed enough I'd have pursued if they took you and Ushna. I'm not as fragile as they perceive me to be." Ushna kissed the side of my neck. It was time for a change in topic. "What did you want to do with security?"
Gregori's face lit up with excitement. "The Magi have four disciplines; Earth, Air, Water, and Fire."
"Gregori," I said, "you're going to have to break this down because I don't know anything about magic. I never expected to be anything more than a warrior and it has been pointed out, repeatedly, I ignored all my other studies because of it."
"Okay." Gregori ran his hand through his lank hair. "As I said before, all Lycans have a natural affinity to Earth. That relationship is what makes it possible for us to manipulate certain elements of it. This also means the Magi have a natural ability for certain spells and enchantments that revolve around it.
"All Lycan Magi are strong in the Earth discipline, the First Control. The secondary disciplines are Air, Fire, and Water. They only have one secondary discipline each, and that discipline is weak and limited compared to the Earth discipline. Magi cannot work many secondary spells because they draw more energy, magic, from us than primary spells.
"I'm unique to the Magi because I can work all three secondary disciplines. I see and understand Auras, which is Air. I'm one of the better Healers, which is Water. I can work with Heat, which is Fire.
"I refuse to practice offensive magic. My choice has always caused me problems with some of the Magi." Gregori smiled and looked at his hands. "The thought of harming another makes my stomach roll. I'd be terrible in battle because I'd hesitate to strike someone. I'm good at defense, but I'd rather do something good with my magic."
Ushna took Gregori's hand. "Have you been pressured into hurting others with your magic?"
Gregori became very still. "There's a group within the Magi who have approached me several times over the last ten years or so. They've been progressively more aggressive the last two years. They're very powerful, and I've done everything I can to stay away from them, but it doesn't matter where I go. They always find me."
"Have you told your father?" I asked. I wasn't surprised Gregori would refuse to hurt someone. It wasn't in his character. What concerned me was Magi who did and they seemed to be recruiting.
"I did, and he took to me Elder Koller. The Elder is the one who arranged for me to come here to you. My father is influential within the Magi, but he cannot take on the Triad."
I may not know much but I did know the Triad was the three most powerful Magis.
"How did Caspian end up coming with you?" When I'd talked to Janus after Ushna went Lupe in Seattle, he'd told me he would send Gregori to help with Ushna. There was speculation as to whether Ushna would change again and if I would be able to successfully control him if he did. Janus had given us ninety days to make sure Ushna was safe enough to be in the human population. Our tribe had only two people and neither would leak Gregori's whereabouts to the Magi. It would've been some three months later before the councilmen came out to review Ushna's condition, effectively hiding Gregori from the Triad.
"Caspian was waiting on my doorstep the morning I left. He said the elder was sending him with me as an advisor."
"Did you tell anybody you were coming here?" Ushna asked.
"No, Father and I were told not to. I was pretty sure the elder hadn't sent Caspian, but there was no way for me to contact the elder without tipping him off. The most I believed he would do was try and pressure me into Kevah's service, not place you or Tristan in danger. But now that the Triad is weak, I'll have time to put up a defense."
"What do you mean the Triad is weak?" I asked.
Gregori sat up and pulled away. He stared at me with a look of incredulity. Ushna had the same expression on his face.
"What?" I barked.
"Tristan," Gregori said, "Caspian was a member of the Triad."
Well, shit.
"Excuse me?"
"You didn't know who Caspian was?"
I smiled wickedly at Gregori. "No, I didn't, but it wouldn't change anything I did or said that day." I didn't add that I now felt a dark satisfaction as well.
"You're crazy, Tristan!" A look of horror flashed over Gregori's face. "You challenged the Triad and you didn't know who you were confronting?"
I let the smile drop and gave both Ushna and Gregori a sober, earnest look. "Understand this. I'll never allow anyone, regardless of who they are, to take what is mine. He came into my territory and my home uninvited and tried to take the two of you. If I'd known he'd shoot Ushna, I would've killed him the moment he walked in my door. If I am to be king, people need to find out now I'm not a pushover. I'll respond to threats quickly and decisively. I won't spend my life defending myself from my own people."
"Aren't you afraid the Triad will send someone to kill you?" Gregori asked.
"Are all the Magi like the Triad?" I countered.
"Well no, but there are those who would follow the Triad's orders without question."
"This is not three hundred years ago when we fought hand to hand combat with magic giving us the upper hand. We don't have to get close to neutralize someone. Any Magi who won't pledge themselves to me will be neutralized by a sniper before they can get near."
"Well, we'll have to get those snipers first," Ushna said, pulling me back into his arms. "We have to set up a defense and recruit more warriors before you get your gunmen."
"I can help set up a parameter defense that won't harm anyone but will catch those who come into the territory." A light ignited in Gregori's eyes.
"How would you do that?" Ushna asked.
"I'll set up traps that, when tripped, will release an entanglement spell. I will place markers so our men will know where they are."