The Necromancer’s Light by Tavia Lark
❧
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Shae
The last few days to Lanwatch pass in a blur of heat and tender touches. They don’t go further than using each other’s hands again, and while Shae would like to do more, he’s overwhelmed enough with what he has.
In some ways, the paladin’s presence feels the same as ever. Warm, reassuring, companionable. Funny. But knowing his desire is returned, knowing that Arthur’s smile and the way he occasionally touches Shae’s arm aren’t just because he’s doing a job? Whenever he looks at Arthur and finds Arthur looking at him too, he can’t help smiling like a lovestruck fool.
“You’re cheerful today,” Arthur says, grinning right back. “Any good news to share?”
Shae tries to compose his expression, and fails spectacularly. “Oh, you know. It’s just such lovely weather.”
Arthur reaches out and takes his hand, lacing their fingers together. He doesn’t flinch when he touches silver, and Shae’s palm throbs with the contact. “You’re right,” he murmurs, pulling Shae’s hand up. “The weather’s gorgeous.”
Shae nearly combusts, all his blood rushing to his flushed face and his very interested cock, as Arthur kisses his knuckles.
They round the next corner together and come face to face with a bristling array of swords.
Shae nearly topples as Arthur shoves him back, and he can’t see much besides Arthur’s broad back. His heart flies into his throat, and he grabs for his knife.
A musical female voice rings out, “Halt there, travelers!”
The tension visibly eases from Arthur’s shoulders, and his hand leaves his sword hilt. “I didn’t know Riverswords were turning to robbery these days. Times must be hard.”
“Weapons down, darlings,” the same woman says. “Back off and keep watch.”
Shae steps around Arthur’s bulk. Seven men and women in well-worn leathers are sheathing their swords. Here and there is a flash of Riverswords blue—a scarf, an armband, a hat. One woman crosses her arms at the front of the pack, and the others step back to do her bidding, watching the road and the trees surrounding them.
“Apologies,” the woman says, though she doesn’t sound very sorry. She’s nearly as tall as Arthur, and though she’s far leaner, her bare arms are carved with muscle. Her black hair hangs in waves to her chiseled jaw, a wide streak to the left of her face colored brilliant Riverswords blue. “My little dears are jumpy right now. I’m Georgia Oakven. And you are?”
Shae’s steadying heart rate picks up again at the name. The first name sounds Charaini enough, but the last name? Either the woman herself or her bloodline are from Lyrisenia. Probably not uncommon, this close to the border, but Shae feels an unfamiliar pang of kinship.
Arthur reaches his hand out. “Arthur Davorin, of the Radiant Order, and this is—”
“Shaesarenna Nightven,” Shae says, before Arthur can speak for him. “Call me Shae. Why are your people jumpy?”
Georgia ignores Arthur’s hand until he drops it, turning her attention to Shae instead. She looks Shae up and down with palpable interest in his rings. Not the usual disgust. “A necromancer and a paladin, huh.” She gestures to Arthur as she answers Shae. “We’re hunting vaidkos like we were hired to, no thanks to their little order stampeding through the forest.”
“There are other paladins around?” Shae asks. He glances at Arthur, who looks unsurprised, even though the nearest Varan church should be halfway across Charain. “Why are they here?”
“You aren’t with them? They’re hunting some petty thief. Near turned over every rock in Lanwatch looking for him before they pranced off.”
“Do you know who they’re looking for?” Arthur asks, frowning. There’s a tension in his voice Shae can’t quite place.
Georgia shrugs. “No clue. My darlings and I have our hands full hunting vaidkos.” She nods at Shae. “Are you looking for work, necromancer? We could use some of your blood witchery if you’re available.”
A skinny, silver-haired man steps up to Georgia’s shoulder. He glares daggers at Shae. “Captain, I’m not sure about—”
“Tell me later, dear,” she says without turning around. “Are you looking for work?”
Shae stares. He’s worked with Riverswords in the past, and not all of them stole his boots or left him asleep and alone in the middle of the forest. Most of them took his coin and accompanied him from one town to the next and then left, as quick as they could. He hires them, not the other way around. Mercenaries never seek him out for his expertise.
That’s the purview of desperate people haunted by spirits that won’t let go. People he can help. And people he can’t—the grieving parents wanting their children back. Widows and widowers wanting their spouses. Heartsick children who want their parents, or somebody, anybody.
“I’m not available,” he says. “But if there’s a vaidkos outbreak around here, it may be related to something we’ve been running across.”
She raises an eyebrow, somehow making the gesture look effortless. “Oh?”
“They’re eating souls,” Shae says. “So, stake out any local graveyards and abandoned churches. They’re teleporting in, but I don’t know if they can teleport out. Either way, they’ll be tough to track, so you’ll have better luck going to their feeding grounds.”
Arthur adds, “We also ran across a possessed corpse a day south of here. Be on your guard.”
“Moon Mother’s tits,” Georgia swears. Then her scowl breaks into a grin, fierce and bright. “Hey Reed, think we can wrangle hazard pay out of the Lanwatch council if we find a demon too?”
The silver-haired man replies, “They’re cheapskates, but give me an hour with them.”
“Good man.” She runs her hand through her hair, messing it up even more. “Well, Shae, Arthur, thanks for the information. Guess we’re off to a graveyard next.”
“Light guide you,” Arthur says, and they move on.
Shae follows Arthur and Duchess past the mercenaries. Most of them clearly aren’t as recklessly accepting as their captain, and he catches a few warding gestures and averted eyes. A chill sinks through his stomach, despite the heat of Arthur’s presence beside him.
These past couple of weeks with Arthur, he’s barely interacted with other people. When they stop in towns and villages, Arthur handles the social aspects. Shae hadn’t realized what a relief it was until the weight of distrust and suspicion settled over his shoulders again.
“You all right?” Arthur says quietly, when they’re well out of the Riverswords’ earshot.
I’m never all right,Shae wants to say. Instead he answers shortly, “I’m fine.”
He’s not sure if he’s grateful or resentful that Arthur doesn’t press further.
It’s stupid to be upset about the way people look at him. He should be used to it by now. Besides, he only has to deal with it for a little longer. He just needs to get through the final leg of this journey, and everything will be over. Everything will be better.
The road evens out, better maintained the closer they get to Lanwatch. Crossroads with weather-worn signs leading to other outposts become more frequent, and they even start to come across other travelers. All of them armed, merchants and hunters alike, and none of them alone. Clearly the locals are well aware of the vaidkos problem.
Arthur stops Duchess on the side of the road every time a cart approaches, waiting for it to pass. Shae thinks he’s just being polite the first few times, until he notices how intently Arthur is examining each passing traveler.
“What are you looking for?” he asks as a cart of merchants rumbles past them. The cart turns at the crossroads, heading west, its occupants staring at Arthur and Shae alike.
Arthur’s perfectly stubbled face holds a more distant expression than Shae is used to. “I’m seeing if I recognize anyone. Oakven said there were order members in the area.”
“They should stand out like a sore thumb though, wouldn’t they?” Shae gestures to Arthur’s tunic, bright white and emblazoned with the golden sun. Even travel-stained and mended, the garment is recognizable. “You lot aren’t exactly subtle.”
Arthur laughs at that. The sound is a welcome brightness. “You’re right about that.” He tugs Duchess away from inspecting the foliage at the edge of the road and starts moving again.
“Do you guys usually patrol so far north?” Shae asks. “I don’t think any paladin order had a presence here last time I passed through.”
“We don’t,” Arthur says. “I think this is the same group that rode through Hannick. The shopkeeper there told me they were riding through fast.”
Shae frowns, suddenly unsettled. “I don’t think you told me about that.” The words come out sulkier than he wanted them to.
After feeling so in-tune with Arthur, it’s strange to remember the man still has his own life and priorities outside Shae. It shouldn’t be strange, though. Arthur’s been in the Radiant Order for seven years now, while he’s been Shae’s bodyguard for a couple of weeks. Whatever relationship they have together now, Shae doesn’t come first.
“I thought I had,” Arthur says with a shrug. Then he grins at Shae, a wicked gleam in his green eyes. “Maybe I was distracted by something.”
That smile is deadly to Shae’s composure. Against his will, his lips twitch in an answering grin. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Then I’ll have to show you.”
Arthur leans down for a kiss. His hand slides to Shae’s waist, holding him steady as he steals Shae’s breath. Shae closes his eyes, trying to burn his worries away in the heat. The sensation of stubble scratching his cheek, another man’s pulse quickening under his fingers.
It even almost works.