Guardians of the Gray Tower 4
Guardian’s Faith
What does a man about to enter the priesthood do if he meets
someone who makes him question his calling?
Jai Weiling has come to Winterreach to spend his Time of Testing,
a period that prospective priests spend experiencing the worldly
pleasures they will forsake as priests of Salara.
Guardian Brax Lockeed is content with his life until his eyes meet
the green-eyed gaze of a stranger. He knows that he should keep
his hands off the young priest-to-be, especially since the Gray are
currently kept busy trying to locate the man who was behind the
assassination of their queen. But when Jai tells him that he wants
Brax to become his lover, he can’t resist.
Can their faith in one another save Emryn from a traitor? And will
Jai give up his dreams of the priesthood for a life with Brax?
Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Fantasy, Historical
Length: 24,654 words
GUARDIAN’S FAITH
Guardians of the Gray Tower 4
Britt Kenley
EROTIC ROMANCE
MANLOVE
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IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove
GUARDIAN’S FAITH
Copyright © 2012 by Britt Kenley
E-book ISBN: 978-1-61926-982-8
First E-book Publication: August 2012
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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GUARDIAN’S FAITH
Guardians of the Gray Tower 4
BRITT KENLEY
Copyright © 2012
Prologue
In a medieval world very similar to our own lies the rich and
prosperous kingdom of Emryn. Emryn is located in the FarNorth and
is ruled by King Kelan the Wise. Enemies of the kingdom are many,
but most threatening is the neighboring country of Angkesh, whose
queen will stop at nothing to wrest control of Emryn for herself. The
king and the rest of the royal family are guarded by an elite group of
soldiers known as the Guardians of the Gray Tower. Called simply
the Gray by the citizens of Emryn, it is their sworn duty to protect
with their last breath the kingdom of Emryn and its royal family.
Their strength is unyielding. Their loyalty is unquestioning. Their
dedication unswerving.
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Britt Kenley
Chapter One
Brax turned to his best friend and fellow Guardian Pike Yarrow as
he climbed the stairs behind him bitching and moaning. “Seven hells,
I told you we wouldn’t stay long, but I promised Javan that I would
stop in to meet his brother tonight. You know the only reason Rom
planned this little get-together was to introduce the boy around since
he’s going to be staying in Winterreach for the next month. The least
we can do is drop by for a few minutes to meet him and say hello.
Javan wants him to have some friends in the city.”
“He’s going to be a farking priest, Brax. I seriously doubt that
we’ll be hanging out in the same places. I’m pretty sure the brothels
and gambling dens are not high on the list of places a priest of Salara
likes to visit,” Pike complained. “And I told you that the game started
at second moonrise. We’re already running late. I’m feeling lucky
tonight. I just know I’m going to win back that money I lost to
Grayden last week.”
“By the Goddess, Pike, you’re an ass. I swear it. I’m pretty sure
they’ll still be playing three-card fist when we get there. Now come
on and quit whining. You’re beginning to sound like an old woman.”
They had finally arrived at the front door of the private house
where the party was being held. Lord Doran Sonclaire had offered his
townhome to Rom and Javan because their own apartments in the
Tower were too small to accommodate the large number of people
who had been invited. King Kelan would have let them use the
palace, where Javan’s brother Jai was currently staying, but it was in a
state of mourning over the loss of the queen, who had been poisoned
Guardian’s Faith
9
two weeks previously. Continuing his grumbling, though in a lower
tone of voice, Pike stopped behind Brax.
Brax knocked on the door, which immediately opened. A
uniformed servant took their names and, after checking them against a
list, escorted them down the hall and into a huge room that seemed to
be filled with people. He noticed the large number of red armbands
similar to his and Pike’s on many of those present, a show of
mourning for the death of Queen Lyra. Brax and Pike smiled as they
walked through the crowd, greeting friends and acquaintances while
searching for a particular face. “Tell me again why we need to meet
this little priest-to-be.”
Brax shook his head, heartily fed up with Pike’s complaints. “Oh,
for the love of Salara, you know why. Javan wants the Guardians to
look out for him. Apparently he’s never been out of Westmarch. He’s
the youngest child, and his parents kept him close to them because he
was sickly. I think he almost died when he was a babe or something.
And then when he expressed an interest in becoming a priest of
Salara, he was even more isolated. He went straight from his home to
the temple where he’s been in training and meditation for the past
several years.”
Pike expelled a muttered curse. “Seven hells, save me from priests
and drunks. So Javan wants us to babysit his brother because he’s too
dumb to get out of the snow, is that it? What does he think the boy is
going to do? Run wild now that he’s in the great big city?”
Brax rolled his eyes and shook his head, although he didn’t think
Pike was very far off the mark. The protective way Javan had spoken
of his younger brother had indicated that the boy was pretty young
and naïve. He had recently entered the thirty-day testing period before
taking his final vows. It was a time during which a young man was
encouraged to experience the world and all its temptations so that he
would know exactly what he was giving up when he entered the
priesthood. At the end of the testing period, called the Time of
Testing, the young man could give up his quest to enter the priesthood
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Britt Kenley
and choose a normal life, or dedicate himself to serving in one of the
many temples of Salara in the kingdom. If he chose the latter, he
would live a life of piety, poverty, and purity.
Personally, Brax had never had much time for the priests. Oh, he
prayed to Salara and made the ritual sacrifices and obeisances. He
went to the temples on all of the high holy days. But he had never
understood why anyone would desire to be a priest, to give up all of
the pleasures such as wine and physical love, in order to serve a cold
and distant Goddess.
Just then, he spotted his quarry. He pointed and grabbed Pike’s
arm. “I see Javan over there near the windows. Come on.” As they
made their way across the room, they saw several familiar faces. At
last they stopped in front of Javan, who was laughing at something
Edrick Valemont, new bondmate to Caid Sharsen, had just said to
him. Eyes brimming with mirth, he turned to greet the two
newcomers. “Brax. Pike. Good to see you two here. I wasn’t sure
you’d be able to make it. I heard there’s a high-stakes game of three-
card on over at Madame Lingo’s.”
Brax laughed and held up his hands. “Don’t remind him, please. I
had to promise we wouldn’t stay too long, Javan, so don’t hold it
against me if we disappear in the not-too-distant future.”
Pike just grunted.
Javan grinned. “Perfectly understandable.”
“Wish I could join you myself,” Edrick added in a soft voice. “I
haven’t had a chance for any real fun since the funeral.”
“How is the king doing?” Brax asked Javan, first cousin to King
Kelan.
Javan shook his head and gave a slight shrug. “He’s holding up, I
suppose, and trying to keep things as normal as possible for Aric.”
Aric was the king’s son and had been particularly close to his mother.
Her poisoning and death had been a shock to everyone.
Guardian’s Faith
11
Brax knew that Kelan and Aric had both taken the queen’s death
very hard. “Any leads yet on this Tobiah person who was behind the
plot to kill Queen Lyra?”
“Nothing. He seems to have disappeared into thin air.”
“Maybe Queen Kalandra spirited him away to safety with her
magical powers.” Edrick wiggled his brows.
“Don’t even joke about it, Edrick.” Javan scolded his friend.
Edrick just grinned unrepentantly. “Too many people actually believe
in the tales of Kalandra’s sorcery. If we don’t find the man, I’m sure
the tales will become even wilder.”
“We’ll find him.” Brax was determined to locate the man no
matter the cost.
“Have either of you seen Varian tonight?” Javan shot a concerned
glance at Brax, who shook his head.
“No.”
“I’m worried about him.” This came from Edrick.
Pike nodded. “He’s been acting weird since the queen’s
assassination.”
“I know. He blames himself.” Brax had seen him several times.
“He’s drinking a lot. Not on duty…yet. But that’s pretty much all he
does on his free time. I’m afraid he might even be smoking some
Darkleaf.”
If possible, Javan’s face took on an even more worried cast. “I
hope you’re wrong. We can’t afford to lose a valuable Guardian like
Varian. I hope he pulls it together.”
Pike nodded.
“Where are Rom and Caid?” Brax looked around for the two men,
knowing they were rarely far from their bondmates.
Javan shrugged. “I think we were boring them with palace gossip.
They were looking a little desperate, so we sent them off to get us
some drinks and refreshment.”
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Britt Kenley
Edrick nodded. “They looked pretty relieved, so I doubt they’ll be
back soon. They’re probably holed up somewhere smoking those
stinking cigars from Resek Caid loves so much.”
Brax grinned. “Since you’re the one who introduced him to them,
you have no room to complain.”
“That’s what I said.” Javan laughed.
“So where’s the priest-in-training?” Pike asked.
Javan looked around and frowned. “I’m not sure where he’s
disappeared to. Goddess knows, I’m having a hard time keeping up
with the boy.”
“Come, now, Javan, he’s hardly a boy. He’s twenty years old.”
Edrick shook his head.
“He may be twenty in years, but he’s about ten in experience.”
Javan’s eyes continued to scan the surrounding faces. “If that fool
gets himself in trouble his first night in Winterreach, I’ll never hear
the end of it. My mother made me swear to Salara that I would keep
him safe.”
“Oh, let the boy have a little fun. After all, that’s the whole point
of this testing period, right?” Brax was beginning to feel sorry for the
kid. If everyone was so overprotective of him, he probably needed to
let loose a bit.
Javan shrugged. “In theory, yes. But most of the people who go
through the testing period don’t really do anything different from their
usual routine. I have a feeling my brother is thinking of really pushing
the limits while he’s here.”
“He’ll be fine, Javan.” Edrick’s voice was amused but reassuring.
“Let the boy try his wings.”
“I can’t imagine what my father was thinking, sending him here
for the testing period. Surely it would have been better to have kept
him at home in Westmarch.”
“Perhaps he was thinking that the boy has been too sheltered to
make such an important decision without seeing a bit more of the
world than his home and the temple. I believe your father realizes that
Guardian’s Faith
13
he and your mother have not really allowed your brother the
opportunity to experience life. How can the boy possibly know if he
wants to dedicate his life to serving Salara and give up all the
trappings of a normal life if he’s never known anything else?”
Edrick’s voice was calm and reassuring.
“I know you’re right.” Javan said it grudgingly, and Brax had to
hide a smile at the sulky look on his face. “But still…”
“Still nothing.” Rom walked up and slid an arm around his
bondmate. “You’re worse than a mother hen. The boy will be fine.
Quit worrying so much. Here”—he pressed a glass into Javan’s
hand—“drink this and relax. Enjoy the party.”
Javan took a drink, and then said, “But I don’t know where he’s
gotten off to, Rom.”
Caid winked. “Maybe he’s in some dark corner with a merry
widow getting his first taste of carnal pleasure.”
Brax laughed out loud at the look on Javan’s face at that
comment.
“Goddess, you don’t really think that he—”
Rom shut Javan up by shoving a canapé into his open mouth. “I
don’t think it’s any of our business if he is. That’s the whole purpose
of this testing, right? For him to experience all of the many pleasures
that he will be giving up if he decides to take his vows.”
Javan gave Rom a glare as he chewed. Edrick spoke quickly,
obviously trying to soothe the troubled waters.
“Javan, you know you’re being ridiculous.” Another glare, this
time directed at the slender nobleman.
Brax nudged Pike. “I think we’ll leave you four to discuss this
further. Pike and I see some friends across the room. We’re just going
to say hello to them.” With alacrity, Brax and Pike said their good-
byes, moving quickly to where several of their friends were gathered.
They were greeted with smiles and nods of welcome as they joined
the group.
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“Hello, Brax. Surprised to see you and Pike here. Weren’t you
two going to join that game at Madame Lingo’s?” a fellow Guardian
named Quinlan asked.
He shrugged. “We’re heading over pretty soon. We had to stop by
to meet Javan’s brother first.”
They stood chatting with the others for several minutes. Brax
began tuning out the conversation, an itch between his shoulder
blades giving him the feeling he was being watched. His eyes slid
around the room, trying to locate the source of that penetrating gaze.
At last his attention was caught by a green-eyed stare several feet
away. He drew in a quick breath as he got a look at the man who was
studying him with an arrested expression on his face. He was
gorgeous!
Long, black hair, straight as a board, hung in a silken river to the
man’s waist. His face was delicate, as if carved from marble, the
cheekbones razor sharp. A shallow dimple shadowed his chin. His
lips were full, the top one a bit larger than the lower, giving the man
the look of someone expecting to be kissed at any moment. He wasn’t
very tall, and Brax knew that the man’s head would probably only
reach his shoulders. As he watched, the other man’s tongue darted out
to moisten his lips, and Brax felt his cock tighten at the unconsciously
provocative movement.
He heard Pike say something about leaving soon, but he was too
entranced with the object of his attention to pay much attention.
Instead he murmured, “You go on ahead. I think I’ll stay a while.”
Then he began to move toward the man, who blushed and quickly
turned away to disappear into the crowd.
* * * *
Jai’s heart was pounding in his chest like a drum as he pushed his
way through the crush of bodies. His face felt as though it were on
fire, and his mouth was dry with nerves...and something else. Spotting
Guardian’s Faith
15
a set of double doors, he eagerly pushed them open and stepped out
onto the deserted balcony. Immediately the rush of frigid air cooled
the heated flush on his face.
He wrapped his arms around himself to stave off the chill and
lifted his head to gaze at the stars that glistened above him. Both
moons were out, Dal soaring high overhead and Andor just peeking
above the rim of the surrounding buildings. He closed his eyes as the
memory of how he had felt when he’d met the gaze of the handsome
stranger rushed through him. He’d never experienced anything like it
before, but he knew enough to put a name to the feeling. Desire.
As soon as he’d spotted the man standing with his friends, he’d
felt an uncomfortable hollowness in the pit of his stomach. He’d
wanted to run away as far and as fast as he could. At the same time,
he wanted to rush to the man and press himself against him. So this
was what his fellow novice priests had spoken of when they’d been
discussing the testing period. The temptations of the flesh. He hadn’t
really thought he would be tempted. But he was. Oh, yes. He was.
“I hope you weren’t running from me.” The deep voice behind
him startled him from his thoughts, and he turned quickly to meet the
gaze of the man he’d been watching earlier. His shoulder-length,
golden-blond hair was pulled back from his head and tied tightly with
a leather thong. The severe style set his features off in sharp relief.
His face wasn’t typically handsome, but it had a bold masculine
quality that mesmerized Jai. The man’s eyes were an icy blue that
seemed to see every thought that flickered through Jai’s mind.
“No, I…” Jai stopped. He didn’t want to lie. His conscience
wouldn’t let him. He decided to just ignore the question. “I just
needed some air.”
The man stepped forward, and Jai’s eyes slid over the body that
moved with such feline grace. He was big. Not just tall, but muscular
and overpowering. When the man’s hand reached out to slide over his
cheek, Jai felt the warmth from his palm like a burning brand. He
jerked back.
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Britt Kenley
The other man smiled. “You’re cold. Maybe you should have
stopped for a cloak before you rushed outside. Why don’t we go back
in and have a drink together? We can warm up and get better
acquainted.” His blue eyes held a wicked sparkle. Jai was pretty sure
he meant more than talking.
“No.” He shook his head. He felt overwhelmed by his attraction to
this strange man. His life had been so sheltered. He had been both
excited and afraid of the testing period, and now his feelings were
torn. He wanted to learn more about the world and its temptations, he
truly did, but he was afraid that if he opened that door, it would be
impossible to close it again.
“Are you sure?” The man stepped closer, so close that the heat
from his body penetrated Jai’s tunic. He shivered, and the man’s
hands came out to slide up and down his arms as though to warm him
from the cold weather, but he was causing another type of fire deep in
Jai’s loins.
The man smiled and pulled him closer. “You’re so cold. Let me
warm you.”
Jai gazed up at the man’s face and watched as it came closer and
closer, the icy blue eyes focused on Jai’s mouth as his tongue flicked
out to moisten his lips, a nervous habit he’d been trying to overcome
with no luck. The man’s eyes darkened, narrowed. He felt the
stranger’s warm breath on his lips just before his mouth was claimed.
Heat. That was all Jai could think. The man’s mouth was hot. He
stood frozen as the stranger’s arms enfolded him and his mouth
slanted over Jai’s. The other man’s lips moved against his, soft yet
knowing. Then he felt the man’s tongue sliding over his upper lip
before pressing teasingly against the crease. Jai gasped at the contact,
and the stranger took quick advantage, sending his tongue in to curl
against Jai’s own.
Tentatively Jai responded, his body relaxing against the hard
masculine figure and his own tongue moving in innocent mimicry. He
was no longer thinking of his fear, only his desire. The other man
Guardian’s Faith
17
groaned softly and lifted his head. Jai blinked up at him in wonder.
His hands went up to tug the stranger’s mouth back down to his own.
This time when the man’s tongue brushed over his lips, Jai parted his
lips eagerly. He felt the man’s hands shift, going down to cup his
buttocks and draw his body tightly against that solid male figure.
When he felt the prodding of the other man’s hardness against the
softness of his belly, he couldn’t conceal his shocked reaction.
He pulled back and looked up into the slumberous gaze.
“Why don’t we find somewhere more private?” The man’s voice
was gruff with what Jai realized was sexual arousal. The fear
returned. He panicked. Jerking free of the stranger’s grasp, he turned
and darted for the doors. Yanking them open with a quick tug, he
plunged into the crowd. Behind him he heard a muffled shout, but he
didn’t turn back.
Pushing and shoving people out of his way, he searched
frantically for his brother. He didn’t know why he was so frightened.
He only knew that he had never had such feelings before, and he
wasn’t sure he liked it. He just needed to find Javan. He would keep
him safe from the tempting stranger.
At last he spotted Javan standing with Rom and a few other men.
He almost sobbed out his relief. Darting a quick glance over his
shoulder, he spotted the stranger moving grim faced in his direction.
That gave him all the impetus he needed, and he burst through the
crowd to come to a halt in front of his brother.
Javan quirked an eyebrow at him, his gaze narrowing in concern.
Jai knew he needed to get his expression under control or Javan
would think the worst. He concentrated on slowing his breathing and
managed a small smile.
“There you are. I was beginning to worry that you’d disappeared,
and I was going to have to send out a search party for you. Are you all
right?” Jai smiled at him curiously.
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Britt Kenley
Jai was about to answer when he became aware of another figure
standing just behind him. Risking a glance over his shoulder, he
recognized the stranger from the balcony. The man looked annoyed.
He turned back to Javan and saw him give the stranger a
welcoming smile. “Ah, Brax. You’re still here. Have you met my
brother Jai? Jai, this is my good friend and Rom’s first lieutenant,
Brax Lockeed.”
Guardian’s Faith
19
Chapter Two
Brax sat on a barstool, his eyes focused on the amber liquid in the
glass that sat before him. Jagger, bartender and part owner of Madame
Lingo’s, had just finished topping off the drink.
“Are you going to study it or drink it?” he asked, a smirk on his
handsome face.
Brax shot him a sharp glance before picking up the drink and
tossing it back in one gulp. It burned like fire going down, but he kept
a straight face. A moment later he held out the glass. “Another.”
Jagger quirked an eyebrow but did as he was asked. “You’re in a
fine mood tonight. What burr is up your arse?”
Brax shrugged and took a moment to study the face of the man
before him. In the not-too-distant past, he and Jagger had been lovers.
It hadn’t lasted, but the two had remained on basically friendly terms
with one another. Jagger was almost as tall as he was, with flame-red
hair that was pulled back into a tight braid that fell halfway down his
back. He was a good-looking bastard. Brax took a sip of his drink and
asked, “Why didn’t we work out, Jag? We had a pretty good thing
going, didn’t we?”
The man’s teeth flashed as a huge smile lit his face. “It was good,
Brax, but you said you didn’t want to be tied down. And neither did I,
really. Remember? That was right before you met that sweet little
jeweler from Hevertown that you said could suck the bark off a tree.”
“Right. Right. He was sweet, wasn’t he?” Brax knew he was a
little drunk. He always got nostalgic when he was drunk.
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Britt Kenley
Jagger just shook his head and started wiping off the bar. “That’s
what you told me when I caught the two of you in the storeroom out
back.”
“Hmmm…” Brax pretended to be interested in his drink, guiltily
avoiding the knowing glare Jagger shot at him.
Then the bartender’s attention was caught by something behind
Brax. He smiled, an interested glint in his amber-colored eyes. “Well,
well, what have we here? Speaking of sweet, I think I’d like to eat
that one up like a honey-coated muffin.”
Absently, Brax tossed a glance over his shoulder and couldn’t
believe what he was seeing. What the farking hells was Javan’s
brother doing at Madame Lingo’s? With disbelief he watched as Jai
crossed the room toward an empty table, accompanied by a pair of
young men who looked almost as green and clueless as he did. All
three looked nervous as seven hells. “You have got to be kidding me,”
he muttered, tossing back the rest of his drink and rising to his feet as
the three sat down at the table they’d chosen, their eyes darting
around the room as if both fascinated and repulsed at the same time. It
didn’t escape Brax’s notice that the young men had attracted a great
deal of attention from the bar’s patrons.
Many of the male and female occupants of Madame Lingo’s were
shooting them lust-filled looks, and Brax knew if he didn’t do
something, the fools would probably end up at the bottom of a very
large pile. Farking hells! Ever since he’d found out just who Jai was,
he’d avoided the young man like the plague. The kiss they’d shared
had more than heated his blood, and if he had been anyone else, Brax
would have already had the boy on his back. There was just
something about Jai that pulled at him.
But for the last couple of days, he had consciously avoided
thinking about Jai. He’d pulled extra duties and had worked himself
into exhaustion in the training yard, but he had been unable to do
anything about the passionate visions that had filled his head each
night, dreams of himself and Jai, naked in his bed, their bodies
Guardian’s Faith
21
tangled in the sheets as they explored one another with heated delight.
He woke each morning, stiff and aching for relief, which he’d had to
take care of himself. Not that he exactly had any objections to taking
himself in hand, but he much preferred the feel of a warm mouth
closing around him or the tightness of a round ass.
That was one of the main reasons he was even here tonight. He’d
decided that he was just in need of a warm body. It had been a while
since he’d had a lover, and he’d come to the one place he knew he’d
have no problem finding someone to help him take care of his
problem. And now this. Salara must be laughing at him.
He watched as a tall blond man approached the table where Jai
and the others were sitting. The man leaned down and said something
in Jai’s ear that had the young man’s cheeks reddening in
embarrassment. Brax shook his head and muttered several choice
words under his breath as he moved forward.
“Guthrie.” He clapped his hand on the blond man’s shoulder. “I
see you’ve met my friends.”
The man turned, his face lit with surprise and wariness. “Brax. It’s
been a while. How are you?”
“Good. Can’t complain. You know how it is. And you? Not
getting yourself into trouble, are you?”
Guthrie coughed. “Er…trying not to. So these young men are with
you?”
He smiled, but he knew that the other man saw the glint of
warning in his eyes when he backed up a pace. “Yes. I was just
having a drink at the bar and waiting for them to arrive.” He reached
out to pull out the only remaining chair at the table. “I promised to
show them around since they’re new in town. This is Jai Weiling,
Javan’s brother, and his friends.” He almost smiled when Guthrie’s
face paled at that news. Brax signaled a waiter, who quickly appeared.
“He asked me to keep an eye on him. Keep him out of trouble, you
know?”
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“Of course.” The other man smiled weakly. “Well, I’ll just leave
you to order your drinks, then. Enjoy yourselves.” He beat a hasty
retreat.
Brax turned to Jai. “What in farking hells are you doing here?
Does Javan know where you are?”
Jai’s eyes, which had widened in relief when Brax had
approached, now narrowed defensively. “I’m here to have fun with
my friends. That’s what we do during the Time of Testing, you know?
And Javan has no say in where I go or what I do. He’s my brother, not
my keeper.”
Brax rolled his eyes. “Goddess save me from young fools. Do you
have any idea of the kind of trouble you three could get yourself into
in a place like this? The men and women here would find you all a
tasty treat. And they wouldn’t be gentle about it, either. Salara save
me, you all look like virgins fresh off the farm.”
“We’re not stupid, you know.” One of the other boys spoke. “We
asked around and were told that this would be a good spot to
experience some of the more sinful vices. Although this place does
make me very nervous.”
“Sinful vices?” Brax echoed, unable to believe his ears. “You’ll
experience more than sinful vices here if you’re not careful.” Where
did they get these ideas, he wondered. He could just imagine Javan’s
reaction if he knew where Jai was at this moment.
“But we’re supposed to experience the temptations of the flesh
during our testing time, so that we will be sure we wish to enter the
priesthood and devote our lives to the Goddess,” the second boy
added and then cast a nervous look around. “Although I have to
admit, I agree with Renny. I’m not really comfortable here. I don’t
like the way those men and women stared at us when we walked in.
Like we were slabs of meat in the marketplace.”
“Exactly,” Renny said. “Maybe we should try somewhere less…”
He seemed to struggle for the right word but finally gave up. “Just
less.”
Guardian’s Faith
23
“But, Renny…” Jai started to speak.
Brax nodded. “That sounds like an excellent plan. Why don’t you
three toddle back to your rooms. Then tomorrow you can ask Javan
for some advice on where to go.”
The two other young men nodded and stood, but Jai shook his
head. “No. I like it here. I’m not leaving.” He turned to the waiter
who continued to hover nearby. “Bring me a glass of that.” He
pointed to a drink a man at a nearby table was sipping.
The waiter nodded and left.
“Well, I’m not staying, Jai. What about you, Phelan?” Renny said.
“Me, either. I wasn’t sure this was a good idea to begin with,” the
other boy added.
“Go, then. I’ll see you in the morning.” Jai’s bottom lip stuck out
in a sulky pout.
The two young men cast uncertain glances at Jai and Brax.
“I’ll make sure he stays out of trouble and gets back safely. Go on
home,” Brax reassured them. Finally, with a last look at Jai, they left.
* * * *
Jai was angry and embarrassed. This whole outing had been his
idea. He and the others had decided that they were going to use the
Time of Testing to really discover all the things they’d never had the
opportunity to before. Jai hadn’t wanted to tell the others, but he’d
been having some doubts about taking his vows for the priesthood. He
wasn’t sure if it was just a case of last-minute nerves or if he truly
didn’t have the calling. He needed to find out once and for all, and
this trip to Winterreach had been the perfect opportunity.
After his panicked reaction to Brax’s kiss, he’d wanted to kick
himself. Brax had unknowingly been offering him the very thing he
was here to seek, and he’d run off like a child frightened by a loud
noise. When he’d lain in bed that night and recalled the way Brax’s
kiss had made him feel, he’d gotten warm and his cock hard with just
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the memory. He’d cursed himself for not staying to find out what
other feelings Brax might make him feel. He’d hoped to see the man
again, but he’d had no such luck. And Javan was treating him like he
was still a teenager, making him account for every movement.
He and the others had finally had enough and decided to escape
for a few hours and do a little exploring on their own. They’d asked
around and learned that Madame Lingo’s was one of the Guardians’
favorite places to indulge themselves, so they’d made plans to slip
away from Javan’s eagle eye.
Though he’d never admit it to Brax, who sat studying him with an
unreadable expression on his face, it had been a bit unnerving to walk
into this place and see all the men and women focus in on them as
they’d crossed to a table. His eyes had darted around the room, and
he’d been amazed at some of the things he’d seen. There were men
and women in various stages of disarray, some obviously drunk,
kissing and fondling one another in a manner that had both shocked
and aroused him.
When the man, Guthrie, had approached and whispered that
wicked suggestion in his ear, he’d not known what to do. It had been
with relief that he’d heard Brax’s voice and seen the large warrior
standing by their table. After Brax had sent Guthrie on his way, he’d
been grateful. But then Brax had spoken to him like he was a child,
like Javan did, and he’d overreacted…again.
The waiter had returned with his drink. Brax ordered one for
himself, and then watched Jai curiously as he lifted the glass to his
mouth. He sniffed delicately and almost choked from the sharp smell
of the liquor. He saw Brax’s mouth curve into a mocking grin, almost
as if the man were daring him to drink it. Jai lifted his chin and glared
at Brax before raising the drink to his mouth and taking a large
swallow.
He couldn’t breathe. Goddess’s truth, he was dying because he
couldn’t get a clear breath. And his chest was on fire. He felt Brax’s
large hand pounding on his back, and finally he could breathe again.
Guardian’s Faith
25
He looked at the other man through watery eyes and saw the
amusement written clearly on his features.
“First drink of whiskey?” Brax asked, though he clearly knew the
answer. Jai just nodded and tried another, much smaller sip. The
whiskey slid like fiery liquid down his throat, but at least it didn’t take
his breath this time.
The waiter arrived with Brax’s drink, and he lifted it in a toast.
“Here’s to your testing time.” After he took a drink himself, his gaze
narrowed on Jai. “I assume that’s what all this”—he gestured around
the room—“is about. Part of your testing period, right?”
Jai nodded. “That is why I’m here in Winterreach.”
“Why didn’t you get Javan and Rom to bring you? It’s dangerous
for you and your friends to come some place like this unaccompanied.
The wrong person could take it as an invitation and take advantage of
your ignorance. I wasn’t exaggerating earlier just to frighten you, you
know.”
Jai laughed. “Javan? He wants me to stay in my rooms and read
good books. He will hardly let me step outside. It’s making me
crazy.”
Brax nodded. “I see. So you and your friends decided to take
matters into your own hands?”
“Exactly. I want to experience everything during my Time of
Testing. I’ve never been to the city. Never gotten a chance to indulge
myself. I’d never even been kissed—until—I need to find out if I’m
really meant for the priesthood.”
Jai saw a look of guarded interest in Brax’s eyes. “What do you
mean by everything?”
Jai looked around the room as he spoke. “I want to get stinking,
falling-down drunk. I want to gamble at cards and dice. And I want
to…” He couldn’t finish that sentence with the feel of Brax’s eyes on
him.
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He felt the other man’s body as he leaned closer to whisper in
Jai’s ear. “And you want to make love. Isn’t that right? To experience
the pleasures of the flesh?”
Jai turned and stared into Brax’s blue eyes, so close to his own.
The banked fires that he thought he’d seen there earlier were full-
blown flames now, sending shivers of delighted anticipation down his
spine. He nodded. “Yes. I want to make love.”
He felt Brax’s hands reach up to stroke a strand of hair behind his
ear. “Then why did you run from me the other night?”
He shrugged. “Honestly? The way you made me feel frightened
me. I’d never felt anything like it before. But I won’t run again.”
Brax nodded. “Javan will kill me if I do what I want to do with
you. You know that. Don’t you, Jai?”
Jai licked his lips with his usual nervous habit and saw Brax’s
eyes focus in on that small movement. “Javan is my brother, not my
keeper. It’s none of his business what I do or with whom I do it.”
“You’re not going to run away this time? I have to tell you, it’s
hells on my ego.” Brax smiled.
“I’m not going to run anywhere. I want this. I really do, Brax.”
Brax’s eyes studied his face carefully. “With just any man, Jai?
Are you just looking for a warm body to spend the night with so that
you can check sex off your list of, what was it, sinful vices?”
He shook his head, needing for Brax to believe him. “No. I
haven’t been able to get you out of my mind since the other night. I
looked for you, hoping that we might meet again.”
“I stayed away on purpose, Jai. I’m not sure that our being
together is a good idea. I want you very much, but perhaps you should
experiment with someone closer to your own age. Someone a
bit…softer. I’m a soldier. A warrior. I don’t know much about how to
be gentle and sweet. I’m afraid the things I will want from you will
frighten you. Hells, they frighten me.”
Jai forced himself to reach past his foolish fears and trepidations
and be completely honest with Brax. “I may be a virgin, Brax, but I’m
Guardian’s Faith
27
not some timid little mouse, despite the way I reacted the other night.
I don’t want to be treated like a glass doll that you’re afraid to touch. I
want to experience it all. And I want that with you. If you want me,
that is.”
Jai felt Brax take his hand and lift it, pressing it into his lap where
he felt the hardened length of Brax’s erection burn against his palm.
“Does that feel like I don’t want you, Jai?”
Jai shook his head and let his fingers explore the pulsing heat of
Brax’s cock through the fabric of his breeches. Then Brax pulled his
hand away. “Enough. Come.” He stood and pulled Jai to his feet.
Jai swallowed his nerves and followed Brax. But he didn’t turn to
the stairs that Jai imagined led to the private rooms. Instead he led
him through a wide doorway and into a room filled with tables of men
playing cards and tossing dice. Some of them shouted and cursed
while others cheered and laughed.
He was puzzled. “Where are we going, Brax?”
Brax tossed a grin over his shoulder. “You wanted to gamble,
right?”
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Chapter Three
As he watched Jai toss the set of dice onto the table, he allowed a
small smile to curve his lips. He was a fool. He hadn’t been lying
when he’d told Jai that Javan would kill him when he found out about
them. Somehow, though, Brax wasn’t really that concerned about
Javan’s reaction any more. After all, Jai was an adult. He was twenty
years old. And while that wasn’t a great age, if it was old enough to
decide if he wanted to dedicate the rest of his life to the priesthood, it
was certainly old enough to decide who to take as a lover.
Brax himself was thirty. He could barely remember what it was
like to be twenty years old, but he did know that by that age he’d
already taken several lovers. Certainly Jai wasn’t very worldly, but he
definitely knew what he wanted. And Brax found himself unable to
deny his own desire for Jai. Javan would just have to deal with the
situation. Of course, if he didn’t find out about it, that would be all
right as well. Perhaps that would be for the best, after all. What he
didn’t know, he couldn’t kill Brax over.
A large cheer caught his attention, and he saw Jai being slapped
on the back by the man standing beside him. A pile of coins were
pushed in front of Jai, who wore a smile a mile wide. Suddenly he
didn’t want to wait another moment to feel the other man’s mouth
beneath his own. Stepping away from Jai, he crossed the room to
where one of the house workers stood. Money changed hands, and the
man passed him a key to one of the private rooms upstairs. Then he
crossed back to where Jai stood. He put his hand on the man’s
shoulder and leaned down to whisper into his ear. “Had enough?
Because I’d really like to be alone with you right now.”
Guardian’s Faith
29
Jai turned and met his gaze. He must have seen the desire on
Brax’s face because his eyes widened, and a light flush dusted his
cheeks. He nodded, and Brax reached out to scoop up his winnings.
They departed amid cries of disappointment and good-hearted joking.
He took Jai’s hand in his and led him to the stairway. When they
reached the top, he searched and quickly found the right room. Once
they’d entered, he turned to lock the door, tossing the key on a small
table. Then he turned to look at Jai, who was nervously exploring the
small quarters. The other man wouldn’t meet his gaze, and Brax
suppressed a small smile of understanding as Jai’s gaze became
focused on the bed with wide-eyed trepidation.
He crossed over to stand behind the younger man, his hands
reaching around his waist to pull him back against him and his mouth
nuzzling against his ear. “Changed your mind?”
Goddess, he hoped Jai hadn’t, but he would understand if that was
the case. He wanted Jai with a fierce need, but he would never force
the other man. He let out a breath of relief as he felt Jai shake his head
in denial. “No. I haven’t changed my mind.” Jai’s voice was a
whisper, soft but resolute.
“Good. Now, why don’t we get more comfortable?” He turned an
unresisting Jai to face him and began slowly and methodically
removing the other man’s clothing. As each piece was discarded, he
felt Jai’s nervous energy increasing. The young man trembled each
time Brax’s hand stroked across his flesh. Soon Jai was completely
nude. He stood, shivering in arousal, as Brax stepped back to allow
his eyes to roam over the slender form. Goddess, the man was
beautiful. His body was slender and delicate, his skin pale and
smooth. Dark nipples rose into tight peaks that drew Brax’s eye. His
mouth watered at the thought of exploring them with his lips and
tongue. His eyes moved lower, over quivering stomach muscles, to
focus on the hard rod that stood out in obvious, delicious arousal,
thrusting toward Brax as if begging for the touch of his hands, his
mouth. Brax felt his own cock pulse with need.
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He reined in his desire. He didn’t want to scare Jai. He knew that
he would have to take things slowly, or Jai would panic and run like
he had before. Taking a deep, calming breath, he lifted his hand and
used one finger to trace a path from Jai’s collarbone down over one
taut peak, and then lower to rub delicately against the tempting curve
of his hip. He heard Jai’s harsh gasp of arousal. It was hard, so hard,
not to continue exploring the tender body trembling before him, but
he forced himself to step back.
Slowly he began to remove his own clothing. Then he was naked,
too, and Jai’s eyes seemed to devour him as they moved over his
muscular form and down to the large erection that rose like a sword
from its nest of curls.
He watched as the boy licked his lips and lifted his gaze to meet
Brax’s. He lifted his arms and, after a brief hesitation, Jai stepped into
them, his body leaning into Brax with lissome grace. Brax allowed his
arms to close around Jai, his hands moving over the bare skin of Jai’s
back, relishing the soft, smooth feel of the other man’s warmth. They
stood there for several seconds. Brax knew that Jai needed the time to
adjust to the sensation of skin on skin. He could feel the hardness of
Jai’s cock nestled against his thigh. His own rod was prodding into
Jai’s soft belly.
When he felt Jai’s body relax even more, he used his hand to tilt
the other man’s face up. As their eyes met, Brax lowered his head. He
saw Jai’s eyes drift closed as his mouth covered the other man’s lips
in a tender but possessive kiss. Jai’s lips opened to the gentle
persuasion of Brax’s. It was all he could do to keep from plunging his
tongue into the other man’s mouth in a tumultuous taking. He made
himself keep the kiss soft, using his lips and tongue to explore the
cavern of Jai’s mouth.
He slid his tongue against Jai’s and felt the other man’s response.
He tightened his arms, pulling him even closer, so that their bodies
were so entwined, a piece of parchment wouldn’t fit between them.
His hands moved up and down, stroking over Jai’s hips and squeezing
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31
his buttocks softly. He heard the other man’s moan and lifted his
head. He saw with satisfaction the plumped fullness of Jai’s mouth,
his lips moist from Brax’s kiss. When Jai’s eyes blinked open, they
were full of need and desire that stirred Brax’s own arousal even
higher.
With a gentle nudge, he pushed Jai toward the bed and followed
him down, covering the slender body. “Am I too heavy for you?” he
asked, his voice a rumbling murmur.
Jai’s hands went to his hips as Brax began to lift them, afraid he
was crushing the younger man. “No. No, you feel good.” He heard the
raw hunger in Jai’s voice and, unable to resist, bent to once more take
his lips with his own. This time the kiss was not gentle. This time he
released the hot, aching desire that he’d held back, his mouth moving
to claim Jai’s as its own. He plundered that tender mouth, his tongue
thrusting inside in a rhythmic motion that foreshadowed their coming
together. Jai arched up, his hips thrusting against the hardness of
Brax’s body, grinding himself against him in a blatant plead for more.
Brax released Jai’s mouth and began to scatter hard, biting kisses
across his neck and chest. He took one hard nipple into his mouth and
sucked, reveling in the muffled sounds that came from deep in Jai’s
throat. He moved lower, his tongue leaving a wet trail across Jai’s
pale abdomen. It delved into the shallow indent of the young man’s
navel to explore the intriguing spot briefly before continuing on its
path. When he reached the hardened shaft, he paused for a moment to
look up at the aroused face of his soon-to-be lover.
Jai’s eyes were closed, his teeth clamped down on his lower lip in
an obvious attempt to stifle the moans that were caught in the back of
his throat.
“Jai,” Brax’s hoarse whisper echoed in the still room. The other
man’s eyes blinked open. “Don’t try to hide from me. Let me hear
your pleasure.” When he saw Jai release his lip and nod, he smiled
and turned his attention back to the beautiful stalk of flesh before him.
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When his mouth closed over the mushroom-shaped head, he heard
Jai’s loud groan of need. Inside, he smiled.
* * * *
Jai was stunned at the feelings that were turning his body into a
quivering, burning mass of pleasure. He’d tried to keep a measure of
control, but Brax had made that impossible. He could hear his own
pants and moans, felt his body twisting and turning, demanding more,
and he could do nothing to stop it. He wasn’t even sure that he wanted
to stop it. When Brax’s mouth had covered his cock, he felt as if the
top of his head had blown off.
Then Brax had started the suckling. Never had Jai had imagined
such incredible pleasure. So this was what the poets spoke of. This
was why duels were fought. Why countries were conquered. This
sweet agony. This torturous ecstasy.
He squeezed his eyes shut, his hands moving down unconsciously
to clasp around Brax’s head, pushing his erection deeper into the
heated depths of his lover’s mouth. He felt Brax hum deep in his
throat, and the pleasure of the vibration made his climax strike with
incredible speed. He cried out, sending his seed spurting into Brax’s
mouth. After he was finished, he relaxed back into the bedsheets,
stunned at his own reactions.
He felt rather than saw Brax move up the bed to cuddle him close,
the other man’s penis still hard, prodding against his hip. Brax’s hand
brushed over his forehead, moving his damp hair from off of his face
and pulling the long strands from beneath him to spread them out over
the pillow. Then he bent down and kissed Jai tenderly on the lips, and
Jai could taste himself on his lover’s lips.
He blinked up at the man who stared down at him with incredible
gentleness for such a tough warrior. “Thank you, Brax. That was
amazing.”
Guardian’s Faith
33
He heard the question in Brax’s voice when he whispered, “You
seem surprised by the experience.”
Jai’s face flushed, and he licked his lip. “I was. It was a new
experience for me. Completely new.”
Brax raised himself to stare down at Jai. “You’ve never had a
climax before?”
Jai shook his head.
“Not even by your own hand. When you were a teenager?”
He shook his head again, peeking up at Brax, whose eyes had
widened in amazement.
“I never thought…that is, I knew you were inexperienced, but I
was sure you’d at least…well…seven hells.” Brax sputtered to a stop,
and then a grin creased his face. “Well, I’m glad it wasn’t a
disappointment to you.”
Jai managed an embarrassed chuckle. “Definitely not.” Then he
looked off to the side, avoiding Brax’s gaze as he spoke again. “I
know I’m hopelessly naïve. I hope that I’m not too much of a
disappointment to you. I have no idea how to act or what to do.”
Brax’s hand came to nudge against his chin, turning Jai’s face
back to meet his gaze, now serious and soft. “You could never
disappoint me. Though I’m surprised, I find it very…pleasing that I’m
the first man to ever give you an orgasm. To ever take you in his
mouth. Tonight there will be lots of firsts. We’re just getting started,
Jai.” He moved against Jai, rubbing his still-erect cock against him
and reminding him that Brax hadn’t come.
He flushed again, this time with guilt. “I’m so sorry, Brax. I
completely forgot that you hadn’t…that you didn’t…I’m such a fool.
You haven’t taken your own pleasure.”
Brax chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’ll get there. I don’t mind going
slowly. And hearing you come. Tasting you. Watching you. All of
those things give me pleasure, too, you know.”
Jai nodded, hearing the sincerity in Brax’s voice.
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“But I wouldn’t complain if you decided you’d like to touch me,
too.” With that, Brax rolled over onto his back, offering his body to
Jai. Jai quivered with eagerness.
Sitting up, he let his eyes run over the exciting, masculine figure
before him. He couldn’t wait to explore Brax. Tentatively he reached
out, his hand stroking lightly across the hair-roughened chest to find
and prod against the masculine nipples buried in the slight thatch of
curls. Brax wasn’t hairless like he and most of the other priest
novices. Nor was he covered in burly hair like some of the peasant
farmers he’d seen working in the fields without their shirts.
Instead, he had a light sprinkling of hair in the upper part of his
chest that tapered to a narrow trickle as it crossed his abdomen and
finally ended in the cluster of curls that surrounded his rampant
erection. Jai’s finger followed that trail until he curled his hand
around Brax’s cock, holding it tightly.
“Yes. Goddess, that feels good.” Brax’s hand came up to encircle
his, directing him in how to stroke his cock. Jai caught on quickly,
and Brax released him to lay back on the bed, his moans and words of
encouragement whispered with hot demand. “Kiss it, Jai.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips against the head, letting his
tongue dart out to taste the pre-cum that had beaded on the slit. He
drew it in, relishing the salty sweetness. He proceeded to kiss his way
down the length of the shaft and back up again. When he took the
head into his mouth, he felt Brax arch up against him and heard the
strangled moan from the other man.
Then Brax pulled him off and up to kiss him again with a hot,
hungry need that was undeniable. When their lips parted, Brax gasped
out, “Farking hells, I can’t take any more of that, Jai. I need to fuck
you.”
Jai trembled, both with need and a twinge of fear, but he nodded
his head in agreement. Brax sat up, his hands reaching out to turn Jai
over and pull him up so that his knees were under him and his ass was
Guardian’s Faith
35
lifted into the air. He used his own knees to prod Jai’s legs apart.
“Stay like that.”
Brax leaned over to the table beside the bed and picked up one of
the bottles that rested there. Then he was back, kneeling between Jai’s
spread thighs. A few moments later, Jai felt a warm, slippery liquid
slide down his buttocks, and then Brax’s fingers were there, spreading
the moisture around his anal star and pressing inside. He tensed up,
uncertain about the new sensations he was experiencing.
“Shh. It’s okay. I’ll take care of you. I promise. Just relax.” Brax’s
voice was tight with desire.
He nodded and tried to do as Brax had asked, consciously relaxing
his sphincter muscles and allowing Brax’s large finger to penetrate
into the tight channel. He felt the pressure as Brax pressed farther in,
and then another finger joined the first. It pinched a little but wasn’t
too bad. Brax paused. “Okay, Jai?”
Jai managed a nod. Then he felt the fingers moving, sliding in and
out, twisting and turning, and he knew that Brax was spreading him,
opening him so he would be ready for the larger penetration of the
man’s cock. When Jai remembered the size of that rod, he trembled.
How would he ever take all of that into his body? Would it hurt? How
could that possibly be pleasurable?
Then Brax was moving again, setting the bottle down on the
tabletop. Moments later, Jai felt something pressing against his hole,
something a lot larger than Brax’s fingers. He helplessly tensed again.
Brax just petted him, murmuring words of encouragement, and
continued to press in. It started to hurt. “Push down.” Jai heard the
whispered command, and he mindlessly did as Brax commanded,
anything to stop the pain. With a pop, he felt the head of Brax’s penis
slide past the rim and into his anal tunnel. It still hurt, but now
accompanying the pain was a dark and wicked pleasure. As Brax
thrust farther and farther inside, the pain and pleasure began to blend
together in a spiraling arc of need and anticipation. Then Brax was all
the way in, his balls wedged against the mounds of Jai’s ass.
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“Okay?” Brax’s voice was a distant buzz. He managed a nod,
though it felt as if his breath was frozen in his chest. Then Brax began
to move, and his thoughts ruptured. Over and over, their two bodies
moved against one another. Higher and higher Jai climbed, mindless
now with the pleasure, his own cock hard once more, aching for a
second release.
When he heard Brax shout out and felt the hot spurt of his cum hit
the walls of his channel, he came again, giving his seed to the sheets
beneath him. Then both men collapsed to the bed in exhausted
satisfaction.
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37
Chapter Four
“Where are we going?” Brax heard Jai’s eager question as their
horses trotted side by side down the narrow lane on the outskirts of
Winterreach. Brax cast the other man a mysterious smile and didn’t
answer. He heard Jai’s harumph of irritation, but Brax knew that he
was secretly thrilled by the mysterious nature of their outing. He’d
come to know his lover well. They’d been seeing each other for over
three weeks now, and Brax couldn’t believe how happy he’d been in
that time. The only thing marring their time together was the fact that
they were having to keep it hidden from Javan and the rest of Brax’s
friends. Javan was still being pretty unreasonable about giving Jai a
little freedom, so they were sneaking around and lying in order to
spend some time together. Brax didn’t like it, but Jai was adamant
that they keep things quiet.
They were currently on their way to an out-of-the-way gambling
den that Brax had visited once or twice. It was a short distance from
town, and Brax knew that the Guardians rarely ventured this far. He
felt pretty confident that no one would recognize them. He’d left his
gray Guardian’s cloak at home and instead had chosen one of a
nondescript brown. Jai, too, was dressed in a manner designed not to
attract attention.
Most of the time they’d spent together had been in private rooms
Brax had rented since they couldn’t be together in Jai’s apartments at
the palace or in the Tower. But Jai had enjoyed the little bit of
gambling he’d done at Madame Lingo’s their first night together, and
Brax wanted to let him try his hand at some other games of chance.
He thought about his own motivations. He was getting too attached to
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Jai. His emotions had become involved, so instead of a short, hot
affair, he was very much afraid he was falling in love with the young
man. He recognized it, but he couldn’t seem to do anything about it.
He knew he was in danger of getting hurt if Jai decided to take his
final vows at the end of the Time of Testing.
He slid a surreptitious glance toward his lover, wondering if he
was feeling anything at all for Brax or if it was all just fun and games,
and that, in the end, he would enter the priesthood with nothing more
than fond memories of this time they had spent together.
Jai caught his gaze and smiled. He leaned over and dropped a
quick kiss on Brax’s cheek. Jai amazed him. Despite the fact that he’d
been a virgin when they’d first become lovers, Jai had eagerly applied
himself to the art of lovemaking. He seemed to thrive on the affection
and attention that Brax gave him, and he himself was not shy about
returning that affection. That gave Brax hope. Hope that Jai was
feeling at least some of the emotions that were turning Brax inside
out.
“Come on, Brax. Just a hint.” Jai’s wheedling tone caused Brax’s
lips to curve upward.
“Be patient. We’re almost there.”
In another few minutes they were pulling their horses to a stop in
front of their destination. He saw the look of curiosity on Jai’s face as
he took in the structure before them. It looked like nothing more than
a wayside tavern, typical of the road, where a traveler could stop to
rest and refresh him or herself with a glass of ale and a bite of some
hearty meal. Ignoring the questioning glance the other man sent him,
Brax eased out of the saddle and nodded to the stableboy who ran
over. After he and Jai had turned their mounts into the care of the boy,
they made their way across the yard to the front door.
They stepped inside. It was a typical tavern room, with a long bar
stretched across one wall and a few tables scattered around. Brax took
Jai’s hand and guided him through the room and down a short
hallway. A set of double doors appeared, and Brax reached down and
Guardian’s Faith
39
pushed it open. Then he moved aside as Jai got his first look at the
inside of the establishment. Brax kept his eyes fixed on his lover’s
face. He wasn’t disappointed at the giant grin and expression of
excitement that covered Jai’s face.
Brax leaned over to whisper, “Welcome to Mal’s.”
“Oh, thank you, Brax. Thank you so much. I’ve been wanting to
try some more games.”
“I know.” Brax was pleased that he had brought Jai here. He knew
the young man would have a good time. They stood there a bit, letting
Jai take in the room.
Several tables were set up along one wall where men were playing
cards. There was also a section for dice, as well as many other games
of chance. Jai would get to try his luck at any number of activities.
“Come on,” he urged, tugging Jai forward. “Let’s go find
something that interests you.”
For the next couple of hours, they moved from game to game,
Brax mostly observing as he let Jai have his fun. Brax was surprised
and a little concerned when he spotted Varian in a corner playing
double-handed roo with a rough-looking man. He worried that Varian
would spot him and Jai, but he quickly realized the man was too
drunk to even notice them.
Brax saw that Jai attracted a lot of attention just because of his
good looks and his exuberant play, but no one bothered him. Brax
made sure of that. Even though he was not wearing his Guardian’s
cloak, he was still an intimidating figure, hovering protectively over
his lover. He made it clear, through his occasional touches and
whispers to Jai, that he considered the young man his personal
property. Whenever anyone got too close or too flirtatious, Brax
would shoot them a warning glare. They all got the message. So even
though eyes still lingered on the silken fall of black hair down Jai’s
back and on the smooth satin of his skin, no one accosted him or even
hinted at a desire for more intimate contact.
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As the hour grew later, Brax began to stir restlessly. They would
leave soon, he decided. They still had the ride back to town to make,
and Brax had other plans for the two of them later in the private
rooms he’d reserved at an exclusive inn on the way back in to
Winterreach. It was a cozy, romantic spot, and Brax couldn’t wait to
get there with Jai to spend some time with just the two of them. He
was taking the last sip of his drink, and was about to tap Jai’s shoulder
to suggest it was time to go, when he heard a name that riveted his
attention.
“Farking hells, Tobiah. You’ve got to be the luckiest bastard in
five provinces.” Brax heard the shouted accusation over the din of the
crowd. He froze. Tobiah? By the Goddess’s golden shield, wasn’t that
the name of the traitor who’d conspired to murder the queen? Hardly
daring to breathe, Brax let his eyes swing around to try to locate the
source of the shout. There. A table off to the left. But there were too
many people for him to get a clear view. With a quiet whisper to Jai
to let him know he’d be right back, he rose to his feet and casually
strolled in the direction of the man he needed to see. He tried to
remember the description of the man that Caid had given them. The
man was tall and bearded with dark heavy brows and a crooked nose,
if he recalled correctly.
He casually worked his way around so that he could observe the
men at the table as they continued to play cards. Instantly his gaze
was riveted by one man who matched the description he’d been given
except that he had no beard. Brax reasoned that a careful man would
do something to alter his appearance if there was a chance someone
was looking for him. He moved closer, trying to hear the conversation
that they were having.
But he forgot all about that when he saw the amulet dangling at
the end of a chain the man wore around his neck. It was the symbol of
the leatherworking trade. That was him. It had to be. The Tobiah who
was wanted on suspicion of conspiring to kill the queen was a
leatherworker. He had to get help, and fast, before the man got away.
Guardian’s Faith
41
He thought briefly about asking Varian for assistance in capturing
the traitor, but he knew that would be a waste of time. The man was
drunk and useless. Quickly his mind came up with a plan. He headed
toward the table where Jai was still gambling.
* * * *
Jai was getting tired. The night had been fun, but it was late, and
he was ready to go home. He looked around for Brax and immediately
spotted him headed in Jai’s direction. Jai started to smile until he saw
the expression on Brax’s face. It was filled with grim determination.
As soon as Brax reached the table, he grabbed Jai’s arm. “Gather your
things. We’re going.”
Jai didn’t argue. He turned around and grabbed his winnings,
shoving them into the pocket of his vest. Then, with Brax’s hand
wrapped firmly around his upper arm, they hurried to the cloakroom.
When Brax asked for only Jai’s cloak, Jai started to protest. Brax shot
him a look that silenced him. What in seven hells had happened?
Once Jai was ready, Brax walked him out the door into the cold
night. Jai saw Brax’s eyes dart around before he pulled Jai off to a
deserted corner of the yard.
“What is going on, Jai? You’re frightening me.” Jai wasn’t lying.
The expression in Brax’s eyes was enough to stop the blood in his
veins. The man looked positively murderous.
Brax’s eyes bore into his. “Listen to me and do exactly as I say. I
don’t have time to answer your questions right now. This is vitally
important, Jai. Do you understand?”
Jai nodded, apprehension filling him. “I understand.”
“Get your horse and go back to Winterreach as fast as you can.
Find Rom and Javan. Tell them I found Tobiah. He’s here at Mal’s.
They need to hurry. If he leaves before they get here, tell them that I
plan to follow him and find out where he is staying. I’ll meet them
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back here the earliest I can.” Brax’s hands came up to grasp his
shoulders. “Can you do that, Jai?”
“Yes, of course. But I don’t want to leave you. Are you in
danger?”
He saw a brief smile flit across Brax’s face. “No. I’ll be fine. I’m
more worried about you. Do you remember the way back to
Winterreach? To the palace?”
“Yes. I can find my way back. It was a pretty straightforward trip,
Brax. Are you sure you won’t need me?”
Brax shook his head. “You’ll help me most by sending back Rom
and Javan. It’s late, so they’ll most likely be at the Tower. Probably in
bed. But if you can’t find them, get Caid or one of the other
Guardians you’ve met before. All right?”
“Yes.”
Brax called the stableboy and ordered Jai’s horse be saddled and
brought around. As they stood waiting, Jai wrapped his arm around
Brax’s waist and hugged him tight. “Promise me you won’t do
anything until help arrives. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to
you, Brax.”
He felt Brax’s arms encircle his shoulders. “Have you forgotten
who and what I am, Jai? I’m a Guardian of the Gray Tower. I’m
trained for more dangerous challenges than this. I’ll be fine. I
promise.”
The boy arrived with the horse, and Brax dropped a hard kiss on
Jai’s lips before he helped him up into the saddle.
“Ride fast. Stay safe.” Brax gave his leg a quick squeeze before he
stood back.
Jai nodded and then kneed his horse into action. After he’d
maneuvered out of the small yard, he cast one quick glance back to
see Brax lift a hand in farewell. Then he was gone back inside the
building.
The trip back to Winterreach was a blur of thick woods and
pounding hoofbeats. He’d never ridden as hard or fast as he was now.
Guardian’s Faith
43
Pushing his horse to its maximum speed, he leaned low over its neck
and murmured words of encouragement in the mare’s ear. It seemed
to take forever, but at last the tall towers of Winterreach appeared. He
was forced to slow down as he entered the city, and he wound his way
impatiently through the twisting, turning streets until he arrived at last
at the Gray Tower.
He threw his reins to the boy who rushed from the stables and
then darted into the building. His eyes scanned the Great Hall but saw
only a few men sitting around, drinking and talking. Darting through
the room, he raced up the stairway and down the hall until he arrived
at the door to Rom and Javan’s apartments.
Out of breath but determined, he pounded on the door. When he
received no immediate response, he pounded again. At last he heard a
muffled, “Hold on, I’m coming,” from somewhere inside. Moments
later the door was thrown open, and a rumpled and bare-chested Rom
stood there, a look of annoyance on his face.
“What in the farking hells—Jai?” His expression changed from
annoyance to concern. “What is it? Has something happened?”
Wearing only a silk robe, Javan appeared behind Rom, his eyes
widening as he took in Jai’s disheveled appearance. “Jai? Are you all
right?”
Before even of them could say anything else, he brushed past
them and into the apartments. “You have to come with me. To Mal’s.
Brax sent me to get you. Tobiah is there.”
Rom stepped toward him and grabbed his arms. “Tobiah? At
Mal’s?”
Jai nodded. “He said to hurry. That if Tobiah left, he would follow
him to find his house.”
Rom’s face was grim. “Let me get dressed. Javan, you, too.”
Javan nodded, tossing a dark look in Jai’s direction before
following his bondmate back into their bedchamber. Jai paced
impatiently as he waited for them. When they appeared a short time
later, he turned to the door. “Let’s go.”
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He felt a hand on his shoulder.
“Just wait one second.” Javan’s voice was hard. “You’re staying
here.”
Jai swung around to face his brother. “No. I’m going, too.”
“No, you’re not. It’s too dangerous.”
“I’m not staying here. If you don’t let me come with you, I’ll
follow behind.” Jai crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin
in an attempt to show Javan he was serious.
Javan took a step forward. “I forbid—”
Rom interrupted. “We don’t have time for this arguing. Jai comes
with us, Javan. He might have more information we need.” Rom’s
gaze swung to where Jai stood. “But Jai, you will do exactly as you
are told. Do you understand me? Exactly. This isn’t a pleasure trip.”
Jai nodded. “I will. I swear. Now, let’s go.”
The return trip to Mal’s seemed to take even longer than the trip to
Winterreach had. Jai worried the whole time that Brax was in trouble
with no one to help him. What if that Tobiah person saw Brax
watching him? Was he dangerous? What if he attacked Brax? Oh, he
knew good and well that Brax was a warrior, but even warriors could
be killed if they were stabbed in the back or taken by surprise.
At last they arrived at Mal’s. They dismounted hurriedly, tying
their horses to a nearby rail, and rushed inside. The room was
crowded, so they split up to look for any sign of Brax. Jai searched
the room frantically. Each second that passed increased his worry. He
heard his name and turned to see Rom gesturing for him. Quickly he
moved toward his brother’s bondmate.
“Any luck?” he asked Rom.
But the man just shook his head. “No. But Javan found another
Guardian here. Varian. Come on. We’re going to try to talk to him.”
As they moved through the crowd, Jai asked, “Try?”
Rom tossed him a look over his shoulder. “The fool is drunk.”
“Brax didn’t mention another Guardian being here,” Jai told Rom.
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45
They stopped at a table in a back corner of the room. Jai saw that
Javan was pushing a cup of red tea toward the man seated opposite
him. The man, Varian, reached out a trembling hand and lifted the cup
to his lips. After taking a deep drink, he looked up at Rom with blurry
eyes. Jai could see the shame on Varian’s face.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know anything.” Varian’s voice was a low
tremble. “I didn’t even know Brax was here. He didn’t speak to me at
all.”
Rom made an exclamation of disgust. “I’m not surprised. Varian,
sober up and get back to the Tower. I want to see you first thing in the
morning.”
Shamefacedly, the other man nodded his head.
Javan stood. “I guess all we can do is wait here for Brax to
return.”
“I agree.”
Jai glared at his brother and his brother’s bondmate. “I refuse to
sit here doing nothing. I’m going to find Brax.” He didn’t wait for
either man to react. Turning, he pushed his way through the crowd
and out the front door. Javan and Rom were hot on his heels.
“Wait, Jai. You’re being ridiculous.” He heard Javan’s voice
behind him. He ignored it, running into the stable and calling for the
stableboy.
The boy darted out.
“Boy, did you see a man wearing a brown cloak leave not too long
ago? He was riding a black gelding with a white blaze across its
forehead.”
The boy nodded. “Yes, sir. He left about fifteen minutes past. He
took the south road following that other fellow.”’
“Do you know where that other fellow lives?”
The boy nodded. “He comes here a lot. Stays at an old farm two
or three miles down the road. You can’t miss it. It has a big old larkin
tree near the road where you turn.”
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“Thanks.” Jai tossed the boy a coin and then turned to run to his
horse. Javan stepped in front of him. “I don’t know what the farking
hells is going on with you and Brax or why you were out here with
him, but you’re not going to chase off like some wild man after him.”
“Get out of my way, Javan. The only way you’re going to stop me
is to tie me up.” He couldn’t get past the feeling that Brax was in
trouble. He had to find him.
“Javan, calm down.” Rom’s voice was a deep rumble beside them.
When Javan turned to Rom, Jai pushed past him and was on his
horse and heading down the road before his brother could stop him.
He just prayed to Salara that Brax was still okay.
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47
Chapter Five
Brax dodged the blow and spun around, kicking out his leg and
catching the man in the thigh. It was only a glancing blow, but it drew
a cry of pain from his opponent. Brax grinned. It had been too long
since he’d had a decent hand-to-hand opponent. He saw the other man
begin to circle to his left, so he moved, keeping the man in his sights.
He’d been following the man he thought was Tobiah since he’d
left Mal’s. The road was not busy, which had made it difficult to
avoid notice. He’d hung back as far as he could, but apparently the
other man had spotted him because when Brax had ridden around a
blind curve, the other man’s horse had bounded out from the side of
the road and knocked Brax from his saddle. His horse had reared, and
Brax had come very close to being trampled by his own mount. His
quick roll to the side had probably saved his life, but the moment he’d
gained his feet, he’d been attacked again. They’d been fighting for
about fifteen minutes now, with neither man gaining the upper hand.
Suddenly Tobiah moved in, going low and plowing into his
stomach, and they fell, rolling back and forth on the ground until he
used his larger size to toss the man off him. He got to his feet as fast
as he could, but he wasn’t fast enough. The other man was up, too,
and rushing him. They exchanged a series of blows. He ducked in
time to avoid a sharp left jab and rammed his shoulder into the other
man’s abdomen.
He heard the man let out a harsh, wheezing gasp, but it was
overshadowed by the sound of pounding hoofbeats drawing closer.
He managed to glance up just in time to see three horses race around
the corner and draw to a halt. He recognized Rom’s stallion and
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managed to flash a grin at the man sitting atop it before he got a fist
against the side of his jaw hard enough to make him see stars.
He shook off the blow and lit into the other man, landing several
punches to his torso. The man fell back, struggling for breath, his
hands on his knees. He looked about ready to collapse.
“Need any help?” The question came from behind him. He
recognized Rom’s amused tone.
“No, thanks. I’m just getting warmed up. Besides, I wouldn’t want
you to break a nail.”
He heard Rom’s husky chuckle joined by Javan’s hearty laughter.
He smiled and moved toward his winded opponent. He was about to
close in to finish the man off, when he caught the flash of a blade out
of the corner of his eye. He drew back quickly but still felt the sharp
sting of the knife as it sliced through his forearm. “Farking hells.” He
couldn’t believe he’d fallen for that old trick. “Okay. That’s it.”
He reached out and grabbed the man’s arm that held the knife, his
fingers pressing hard on sensitive nerve endings until the other man
cried out and dropped the blade. After that, it only took a few well-
landed punches to the jaw before the man toppled like a tree, landing
in an unconscious heap on the ground at Brax’s feet.
Brax prodded the other man with the toe of one boot, making sure
that the man was truly out of it and not just trying to pull another
trick. Once he was satisfied that the man wasn’t faking it, he took a
step back to draw in several deep breaths. Behind him, he heard
someone dismount and hurried footsteps coming closer.
“Goddess, you’re bleeding. Oh, Brax, here, let me see.”
Brax spun around, shocked to see Jai standing beside him, his
features pale with concern.
“What in seven hells are you doing here? I told you to wait at
Mal’s for me if I wasn’t there when you arrived.”
He shot an angry glare at Rom. “How could you let this boy come
into such a dangerous situation?”
Guardian’s Faith
49
Rom shrugged, but his eyes were lit with an inner glee that Brax
was too mad to analyze. “Didn’t look all that dangerous to me.”
“You didn’t know that when you set out. For the Goddess’s sake,
you could have been riding into an ambush. The boy—”
“I’m not a boy, Brax. At least you haven’t been treating me like
one for the past three weeks.” Jai’s hurt feelings were apparent in his
voice as he interrupted Brax’s angry tirade.
Brax couldn’t believe how furious he was feeling. Just the thought
that Jai might have gotten hurt or worse was enough to make his
blood run cold. He couldn’t stop himself from snapping back, “Well,
you sure as farking hells weren’t acting like a man when you barged
in here like some green infant. Just what were you going to do if I was
in trouble?”
“I’d do whatever I had to, you great fool!” Jai was shouting at him
now, but even in his anger, Brax could see the tears beginning to well
in the other man’s eyes. Still it didn’t stop Brax from shouting back.
“Farking lot of good that would do. Then I’d have to not only try
to defend myself but to save you as well.”
“Oh.” Jai’s face had turned an interesting shade of red.
“You…you stubborn son of a Nilerian ass.” He turned and stomped
back to his horse.
Brax gradually became conscious of the interested expression on
Rom’s face and the growing anger on Javan’s. His own face flushed
as he realized just what he had revealed to the other men with his
outburst. To cover his embarrassment, he glared at Jai. “You have
some serious explaining to do when we get back to Winterreach.”
“He’s not the only one who will be making explanations.” Brax’s
mouth went dry, and his gaze swung around to meet Javan’s furious
stare. “I’m going to be wanting some explanations myself.” Brax saw
Javan’s eyes move to where his brother sat stiffly on his horse, and
then back to Brax. “From both of you.”
Brax heard Rom’s strangled laugh before the man got down from
his horse to help Brax tie up the prisoner. He was still unconscious
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when they tossed him over the back of his horse. Then Brax mounted
his own horse, falling into line behind the other men as they moved
off in the direction of Winterreach. Rom fell back, pulling alongside
Brax. They rode without talking for several minutes. He could feel
Rom’s eyes on him several times, but the man didn’t say anything.
Finally Rom broke the silence.
“You and Jai, huh?”
Brax just shot him a speaking glance and said nothing.
“Very interesting.” Rom chuckled as if he found the whole thing
incredibly funny.
Brax frowned. “Is Javan going to kill me?”
“I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised. If Jai doesn’t do it first.”
* * * *
Jai was on the verge of tears but determined not to give in to them.
Goddess, to think he’d been starting to believe he was falling in love
with Brax. At least now he knew better. What an obnoxious oaf! He
rode silently, his back stiff with outrage and embarrassment. He knew
that Javan kept sending him little looks, but he was glad when his
brother just kept his mouth shut. He knew that situation wouldn’t last
long, but he just couldn’t handle a cross-examination right now.
The whole ride back, he kept going over and over in his mind the
scene back in the forest, and the more he thought about it, the less
hurt he felt. Instead, he was mad. In fact, he was verging on furious.
How dare Brax yell at him like he was a child? He was an adult. Fully
grown. When he got Brax alone with him, he was going to give him a
piece of his mind. He’d let Brax know just how wrong he had been.
At last they arrived back in the capital city. Rom and Brax parted
from Jai and Javan in order to take their prisoner to the cell where he
would be kept and held for interrogation. They also needed to find
Caid for a positive identification of the man they believed to be
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51
behind, not only the queen’s assassination, but also the brainwashing
of Nysan Markelich and Vivie Palmor.
Javan and Jai went to Jai’s rooms in the palace. Javan still hadn’t
said anything to him, but Jai could tell just from his brother’s body
language that he wouldn’t be quiet for much longer. And he was right.
The minute they entered the apartments and took off their cloaks,
Javan started.
“Do you want to tell me what in Salara’s name you were doing at
a gambling den out in the middle of nowhere with Brax Lockeed?”
Jai crossed over and poured himself a drink of Isterian brandy,
tossing it back so that it sent a burn of liquid fire down his throat.
Then he turned to confront his brother. “It’s not really any of your
business, Javan. I’m not a child. Despite what you and Brax seem to
think, I’m an adult. Quite capable of making my own decisions.”
Javan’s face turned red, Jai noticed with interest. He didn’t think
he’d ever seen his brother’s face look quite like that before. Of
course, he’d never really stood up to him in quite that way before,
either.
“How dare you talk to me like that? Don’t you know that it’s my
duty to watch out for you? You’re my younger brother. It’s a
responsibility that I take very seriously. This city can be dangerous.
You have no idea because you’ve spent your whole life in a small
town or a temple. You’re naïve. Innocent. It’s not a bad thing, but you
just don’t know how to protect yourself.”
“Really? You honestly think that I’m that ignorant? That I can’t
keep myself out of trouble?”
“Well? Look at what happened tonight. I think that proves my
point better than anything else. You should never have been at that
dive in the first place, and Brax is going to hear from me about that.
You almost ended up right in the middle of a fight, which could have
turned deadly very easily.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I was never in any danger. And so what if I
was? It was my own choice. You do dangerous things all the time.”
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“For the Goddess’s sake, Jai. You’re about to take your final vows
to become a priest of Salara. Why are you acting so crazy?”
“That’s the whole point of the Time of Testing, Jai. To act a little
crazy. Do some wild things.”
Javan stomped his foot. “And what the hell were you even doing
with Brax? Why would he agree to take you to such a place?”
Jai blushed, and Javan’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. The longer
he stared, the more Jai blushed. Finally the truth dawned. Jai could
see it in Javan’s eyes when he finally figured out what had really been
going on between him and Brax.
“Seven hells!” Javan’s hands tightened into fists. “There is no
farking way. Jai, tell me what I’m thinking isn’t true.” He took a step
toward Jai and then stopped. “You…and Brax?”
Jai lifted his chin belligerently and met his brother’s gaze head-on.
“And what if it is? What business is it of yours whom I take as a
lover?”
Javan sank down into a nearby chair. “Oh, good Goddess. So it’s
true. You and Brax are…involved.”
Jai slumped down onto the couch opposite his brother and gazed
at him glumly. “We were. After tonight, who knows? He didn’t
exactly welcome me with open arms when he saw me there in the
forest, did he?”
Javan looked pleased. “Maybe that’s for the best, Jai.”
Jai felt tears well up in his eyes. “I’m not sure anymore. I don’t
know. It started out as just fun and games, you know? The Time of
Testing. But I think, somehow, it turned into something more. At least
for me. For Brax? I’m not so sure. You were there. You heard him.”
Javan smiled grimly. “Yeah. I heard him. I’m only just now
realizing exactly what it was that I heard.”
“What?”
Javan shook his head and sighed, leaning forward to prop his
elbows on his knees. “I owe you an apology. I have treated you like a
child, haven’t I? It’s just so hard for me to realize that you’ve grown
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53
up. I guess I’ve been thinking of you as my baby brother for so long
that I didn’t notice that you weren’t a baby anymore.”
Jai managed a small smile. “Yes. I know.”
Javan rose from his chair and walked over to sit down beside Jai.
He put his arm around Jai’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I’ve been acting like
such an ass, Jai. I promise it won’t happen again. At least, I’ll try to
be more reasonable. No guarantees, though. You’re still my younger
brother. That’s not ever going to change.”
“I appreciate it, Javan. I really do.”
For the first time, Jai felt like he and Javan were on equal ground.
It was a good feeling, but it couldn’t erase the memory of how Brax
had acted earlier, and how hurt and angry he had felt. Still felt.
“I’m sorry about Brax, but I think you might have misunderstood
what happened.”
“Misunderstood? I don’t think so. It’s obvious he didn’t want me
there. He was so angry, Javan. Furious. ”
“I know.” Javan slanted him a sideways glance. “You need to
think about why he would be so upset about your being there.”
“I don’t need to think about it. It’s obvious. He said it himself. He
thinks I’m a child, just like you did.”
Javan shrugged. “Maybe. But maybe it was something else.”
Jai expelled a loud breath of irritation. “If you have something to
say to me, Javan, just say it, for the Goddess’s sake.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a loud pounding on the
door. Then Jai heard Brax’s voice. “Jai? Let me in. Right now.”
Jai stood up and strode to the door, flinging it wide open. “You
don’t have to shout, Brax. I’m not deaf. Come in.”
Jai watched Brax’s eyes narrow as he spotted Javan, who was just
rising from his place on the sofa.
“Would you mind leaving? I’d like to talk to Jai alone,” Brax told
Javan.
Jai frowned. “He doesn’t have to leave if he doesn’t want to.
These are my apartments, Brax, not yours.”
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Javan coughed. “I think I will go, Jai. I’m sure Rom will be
wondering where I am.” He turned to Brax. “I take it you got the
prisoner settled?”
Brax nodded. “We’ll question him tomorrow after we’ve had a
chance to talk things over with Kelan. We did get Caid to come down
and identify him for us, though.”
“Then he’s definitely our man?”
“There’s no question.”
“Good.” Javan reached for the cloak he’d hung on a peg near the
door. “I’m going home. It’s late, and I could use some sleep. I’m too
old for all of this excitement.” Jai watched his brother move to the
door. With his hand on the knob, he turned to Brax. “If you hurt my
brother, you’ll answer to me. Do you hear me?”
Brax gave a short nod of acknowledgment. With that, Javan left
the apartments, closing the door firmly behind him.
Jai turned his back on Brax to pour himself another drink that he
didn’t really want. He just needed something to do with his hands.
“What do you want, Brax? I think you made it perfectly obvious to
everyone tonight just how you feel about me.”
He heard Brax give a heavy sigh just before he felt the other
man’s body press against his back. A hand reached around and took
the glass from Jai’s hand to set it down on the table. Then Brax spun
him around so they were face-to-face, and Jai finally saw the stark
fear on the other man’s face. “Farking hell, Jai, don’t you know how I
felt when I saw you there? When I knew how close you’d come to
riding into a possibly lethal situation?” He closed his arms around
Jai’s rigid body and pulled him tightly against his own, dropping his
head down on Jai’s slender shoulder. “What if Tobiah had landed a
lucky blow and knocked me out? What if you’d been alone? I
couldn’t bear the thought that you might have gotten hurt or worse.
Salara’s bones, Jai, I don’t think I could stand it if anything had
happened to you. I was so scared when I realized you’d come with
Rom and Javan I couldn’t think straight. I lashed out at you, but it was
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only out of my fear. I know I hurt you, and I’m sorry. I never meant
to. I…I care about you. Deeply. Forgive me?”
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Chapter Six
Brax felt it the moment Jai’s body relaxed into his arms, and he
knew that his lover had forgiven him for acting like such a fool. He’d
been out of his mind with terror when he’d seen Jai on that road. His
heart had almost stopped, and he had been unable to control his
furious tirade. It had been that or throw Jai to the ground and fuck him
until they both felt better. And he was pretty sure that Javan would
have been very unhappy if he had chosen that alternative. Not that
Javan was happy anyway, though he hadn’t seemed quite as upset as
Brax had figured he would be.
Now, standing here with Jai safe and sound in his arms, he
realized what he should have known before. He didn’t just care for
Jai. He was in love with him, in love with a man on the verge of
entering the priesthood and taking a lifelong vow of celibacy. If that
wasn’t a kick in the ass, he didn’t know what was. But he wasn’t
going to think about that. He was going to take every moment he
could get with Jai and squeeze every drop of happiness out of it that
he could. He would need those memories if Jai did indeed decide to
take his final vows.
He felt Jai stir against him, and he brought his hands up to bury
them in the long, dark hair that tumbled across Jai’s shoulders. Lord,
he did love that silky mass. Jai tilted his head up, meeting his eyes,
and Brax couldn’t resist the invitation he saw there. Bending, he
dropped several light kisses on Jai’s cheeks, over his nose, on each
eye, until he finally covered Jai’s mouth, his lips soft and gentle. He
needed to show Jai how much he cherished him. His mouth moved
over Jai’s, his tongue stroking over his lips in a delicate tasting before
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57
parting them and delving inside the warm, moist interior of his lover’s
mouth.
Keeping the kiss slow and tender, he curled his tongue against
Jai’s, gently sliding against the sensitive tissue. He could feel Jai
trembling against him, and he moved closer, his leg moving between
Jai’s thighs and rubbing against the other man’s hardening cock.
Gradually the tenor of the kiss changed, need and passion rising like
sap in a bracca tree.
His mouth grew rougher, taking Jai’s over and over again with a
hunger he’d never before experienced. He needed to claim Jai so
completely that the other man would be in no doubt of his feelings.
He lifted his mouth and gazed down into the face of the man he loved
and knew that he had never seen anything so beautiful before in his
life. Jai’s eyes were closed, a faint-blue tracery of veins pulsing under
his lids, and his mouth was swollen and damp from Brax’s kisses.
“You are perfection,” he whispered. He saw Jai’s eyes flutter
open, the pupils dilated so much that there was only a thin ring of
green visible. Jai’s hand lifted from where it had rested on his waist to
trace a line down his jaw.
“Not me. You.” The hand continued to move across his lips, his
nose, his forehead, and then down to explore the whorls of his ear.
When Brax couldn’t bear the arousing caresses a moment longer, he
bent to take Jai’s mouth once again. Jai’s lips parted eagerly at the
prodding of his tongue, and his mouth was just as hungry, just as
needy as Brax’s. He began removing Jai’s clothing, loosening the ties
on his tunic before pulling it off and dropping it to the ground. Jai was
not to be outdone, his eager hands slipping Brax’s own shirt from his
shoulders and then exploring the sculpted muscles of his chest, all
while their mouths continued to eat at one another with carnal
intensity.
Brax felt Jai’s small hand rubbing against the bulge of his
erection, his fingers molding around his cock and then moving to
unfasten his breeches and slide inside. Maneuvering with difficulty in
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the confined space, Jai still managed to wrap his hand around Brax’s
shaft and tug on it until Brax groaned. He backed up and pulled Jai’s
hands off him. “Not too fast. I don’t want this to end too soon, and if
you keep doing what you’re doing, I’m going to come.” Jai smiled,
obviously pleased that he was able to take Brax so close to the edge,
and Brax grinned ruefully.
“Let’s go to the bedroom,” Jai murmured.
“Lead the way.” Brax followed the smaller man down the hallway
and into a sumptuously appointed bedroom. Jai began pulling the
bedcovers down. This was the first time Brax had been in Jai’s
apartments because of their need for secrecy, and he couldn’t disguise
his amazement at the elaborate decor. He shook his head at the plush
velvet bed covering and the decadence of silken sheets as Jai
dispensed with the rest of his clothing and climbed onto the bed.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered as he eyed the canopy that rose above
where his lover reclined. He heard Jai give a husky chuckle.
“It took me a while to get used to it, too. My room at the temple
has a single bed and a small chest to signify the poverty of a life of
service. Even my room at my father’s house is not this outrageous.”
Brax grunted, forgetting all about the room as he took in the more
exquisite sight of Jai stretched out in all his breathtaking beauty.
“Come.” Jai lifted his hand and beckoned Brax closer. “Ignore the
room. Concentrate on me instead. You still need to make it up to me
for acting so mean in the woods.”
Not wanting to waste another moment, Brax pushed his breeches
to the floor and kicked them away. Then he was sliding into the bed
beside Jai, relishing the luxuriously wicked feel of the silken sheets
against his heated flesh. Jai must have seen the expression of
surprised pleasure on his face because he grinned. “Nice, huh? It feels
delicious, doesn’t it?”
“Not as delicious as you.” Brax bent his head and began to nibble
a path down Jai’s neck.
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Brax heard Jai’s purr of appreciation as he bit down, sucking the
small bit of skin until he was sure that he’d marked his lover. He felt a
sense of satisfaction at the idea that Jai would carry the proof of their
lovemaking on his skin. He let his mouth trail more kisses down Jai’s
chest and abdomen. He bypassed Jai’s erection, continuing past to
drop teasingly light kisses down his leg all the way to his toes. Jai
groaned in protest. “Farking hells, Brax. I need you. I need your
mouth on me.”
“My mouth is on you, Jai,” Brax whispered against the sensitive
skin of his lover’s ankle.
“Not there.” Brax heard the muffled humor mixed with need in
Jai’s voice. “You know where I need to feel your mouth, Brax. On my
cock.”
“I’ll get there. I promise. Be patient. Then he moved to Jai’s other
leg. Once he’d traced a moist trail up that limb, he rose, flipping Jai
over onto his belly.
“Brax. In the name of Salara, please—”
“Oh, I will please you, Jai. I promise you that.” Then he began the
same torturous pleasure on Jai’s back, tasting and touching every inch
of skin until he owned it all and Jai was writhing in arousal and need.
He parted Jai’s buttocks and looked at the dark rose that led to
paradise. “There’s no part of you I don’t know, Jai. No piece of you
that doesn’t belong to me now.”
Then he bent and let his tongue trace a path across that dark
crevice, relishing the panting pleas that tumbled from his lover’s
mouth. Then he rose, pulling Jai up so that they were both kneeling on
the bed, legs spread, with Jai’s back pressed against Brax’s chest.
“You’re killing me, Brax.” Jai’s whisper was soft and low but
filled with an aching desire.
Brax bent his head to bury it in Jai’s hair, inhaling the sweet scent
that belonged only to his lover. Cinnamon and musk. It was a scent he
had become addicted to.
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“I don’t want to kill you, Jai. I just want to love you.” Without
giving the other man a chance to respond, he reached around and
wrapped his fist tightly around Jai’s erection, at the same moment
biting down on the tender flesh where Jai’s neck met his shoulder. Jai
groaned.
* * * *
Jai couldn’t think. All he could do was feel. Brax’s hand moved
on his cock, slowly stroking up and down. His lips traveled up to Jai’s
earlobe.
“I adore the way you feel in my hand, Jai. Your cock is as
beautiful as the rest of you.”
Jai took an unsteady breath. “Brax, I can’t take much more.”
“I know. You won’t have to. I promise.” Brax’s voice rumbled in
his ear. The other man stroked the underside of his cock, and his balls
drew up tightly. He knew it wouldn’t be long before he climaxed.
Brax must have realized it as well because his hand tightened on Jai’s
cock, and his other hand reached between Jai’s legs to stroke over the
sensitive skin just behind his balls. That was it. Jai felt like he was on
fire. He let out a loud moan and came, shooting his cum in a short arc
onto the blankets. Brax continued to milk him for several seconds,
until there was nothing left. Jai fell forward onto the bed, a limp
mound of flesh.
“Thank you,” he managed to stutter as he felt Brax move to cover
him. His cock was a hard brand against Jai’s back.
“Oh, we’re not done yet,” Brax purred wickedly in his ear.
Then he felt the warm drizzle of lube on his ass, seeping into the
crack and dripping on down between his thighs. Brax began
smoothing the slippery liquid across his ass cheeks, rubbing it in until
his skin was completely covered. Brax’s finger worked into the
crevice of Jai’s ass, stroking over the anal star and pushing slightly
inside. Jai moved his legs wider, giving Brax more room to work. He
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felt the man’s finger moving farther in, sliding easily past the
sphincter muscle to imbed itself deeply in Jai’s anal channel.
Jai squirmed at the sensation, and Brax added a second finger,
pressing deep. Then he began stroking in and out of Jai’s ass, twisting
and turning the two digits with each new thrust. Jai pressed back
against the movement, and Brax must have taken that as a signal,
because he immediately withdrew his fingers and replaced them with
his cock. Jai felt the pressure against his opening as Brax began to
push slowly inside until he was completely buried deeply in Jai’s ass.
He lay there motionless for several moments, and Jai turned his head
slightly so that he could see Brax’s face.
His lover’s eyes were closed, and on his face was such a look of
extreme pleasure that Jai wanted to pull his mouth down and kiss him.
He couldn’t manage it from the position he was in, but he needed for
Brax to be aware of what he was feeling. He whispered his lover’s
name. Brax’s eyes opened and met Jai’s. “I love you.”
Jai saw Brax’s eyes widen, and then the other man drew his cock
out until it was barely wedged into Jai’s body. Slowly he thrust
forward again. He repeated the action over and over, never altering
his speed. Jai felt each inch of his lover’s cock as it moved in and out
of his body. Brax’s breathing was heavy in his ear.
Gradually, Brax’s pace sped up, and Jai could hear the grunts and
moans from his lover as he moved closer and closer to climax.
Suddenly Brax paused in his thrusts, his hands reaching down to grip
Jai’s hips and pull him up so that his ass was lifted into the air but his
head and shoulders were still flat on the bed. Then he started thrusting
again, and the new position changed the angle of the entry of Brax’s
cock in a very delicious way.
“Farking hell, that feels good, Jai,” Brax gasped out between
thrusts.
Jai could only nod in agreement as he pushed back into each deep
stroke. Faster and faster Brax moved, and Jai welcomed the sensation
of fullness, knowing that both he and Brax would reach climax soon.
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Brax’s hands tightened on his hips, and then he stopped, grinding his
hips against Jai’s ass. Jai felt the warm spurts of cum as Brax filled
him with his release. Jai came again as well, a short, hard orgasm that
managed to squeeze a few last drops of cum from him.
Then Brax collapsed on top of him, pressing them both into the
mattress. It should have been uncomfortable, being squashed by such
a large, muscular body. Instead, Jai relished the sensation of being
surrounded, of being overwhelmed by the feel and smell of his lover.
He loved the fact that he could feel Brax’s heart hammering against
his back and hear the man’s unsteady breaths in his ear.
His own cum coated his stomach in a sticky mess while his back
was damp with the sweat from his and Brax’s bodies. It was
disgusting and nasty, and he loved it. He managed a grin at the
thought.
All too soon, he felt Brax’s cock pull from his body and Brax roll
to one side, drawing Jai with him so that they lay spooned together in
the damp and tangled sheets. Brax brushed Jai’s hair out of the way,
and his mouth deposited a damp kiss on Jai’s shoulder.
Jai reached back to encircle Brax’s neck, and then he turned his
head to cover his lover’s lips with a deep, tender kiss. They lay there
for a long time, neither one speaking. Finally he heard Brax whisper,
“I need you to promise me something, Jai.”
“What?”
“Promise me that you won’t ever put yourself in danger like you
did tonight.”
Jai paused a moment before answering. “I don’t know if I can
make that promise to you, Brax.” Jai felt Brax stiffen on the bed at his
refusal.
“I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you. It would kill me,
Jai.” Jai could hear the honest emotion that filled his lover’s voice.
Jai felt his heart bloom with warmth. Brax cared. Oh, he might not
have said the words that Jai longed for. He might never say them. But
he cared. Jai knew he’d taken a chance when he’d told Brax how he
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felt, that he loved him. It was always dangerous when the heart was at
risk. Now he knew that he’d done the right thing in telling Brax about
the depth of his feelings. Brax loved him, too. He just knew it.
Whether or not the man would ever admit it to himself or to Jai was
another matter.
Even though he knew that Brax did have feelings for him, he
wasn’t sure exactly what that meant to the other man. Did he want to
have a permanent relationship with Jai? Or did he not feel
comfortable revealing that much of himself to Jai because he believed
Jai would be taking his final vows soon and wouldn’t be around very
long? Jai’s heart stuttered at that thought. He had a lot of thinking to
do. His Time of Testing would be ending soon, and he had a very
important decision to make. Should he take his vows and look back
on this experience with Brax as a sweet memory, or should he take
the risk of having his heart broken and leave the priesthood with no
guarantee that Brax would even want him?
His parents would be so disappointed. So would Javan. He felt a
little odd about it himself. He’d dreamed for so long of taking the red
robes as a priest of Salara. Was it foolish to throw all that away for
someone he’d known such a brief amount of time? He didn’t know.
He just didn’t know what the correct choice would be. Goddess, but
he was confused.
Right now, however, he had a different problem. “I can’t promise
to stay completely safe, Brax, but I will promise not to take any
unneeded chances. Will that do?”
He heard Brax’s sigh somewhere above his head. “I guess it will
have to for now. Have you had any hand-to-hand training at all?”
Jai smiled to himself as he followed Brax’s train of thought.
Typical warrior. “No. There wasn’t much need for that in the temple.”
“Well, get ready, then. Because in the very near future, you and I
are going to hit the training yard for some lessons in self-defense.”
“Do you really think that’s necessary?”
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“Yes.” The answer was abrupt and left no room for debate. Jai
decided it wasn’t an issue worth arguing about.
“Okay. If you think it’s important. I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful
teacher.”
Another sigh came from above him. “Probably not. I don’t think
I’ll have the patience I’ll need to train you. Goddess knows, you have
little enough self-preservation instincts. Maybe it would be a good
idea to ask Rom or Caid. Hell, maybe Lael would be the best choice.
Or Pike. Or…”
“You’re being ridiculous, Brax. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“It’s just that I want you to be trained by the best. That way,
you’ll be prepared if you get caught up in a dangerous situation.”
“Brax, I think you’re worrying about nothing. It’s not like I’m a
Guardian or anything. I rarely have to worry about anything worse
than settling a squabble between some of my fellow students. They
don’t usually draw knives or throw punches.”
“The capital can be a dangerous place.” The other man’s voice
was insistent.
Jai rolled his eyes, glad Brax couldn’t see him. “By the Goddess,
just shut up and go to sleep. You can worry about my safety
tomorrow.”
“When I close my eyes, I can still see you running across that
clearing. What if Tobiah had gotten up? What if he’d grabbed you?”
“You’re being ridiculous. Nothing is going to happen to me.
Nothing at all.”
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Chapter Seven
The next day, Brax met with Kelan, Javan, Rom, and a few others
to discuss the issue of Tobiah. The king was very pleased that they’d
managed to capture the traitor responsible for the death of his wife.
He was also eager to learn as much as he could from the man,
especially the identity of the nobleman who purportedly had financed
the operation.
“I wish the man dead for what he did to my wife, but I know the
information he has could be very valuable. I’m willing to offer to
spare his life, though he’ll spend the rest of it in prison, if he will
agree to give up the identity of this nobleman. Just the thought that
one of the men who is in and out of the palace on a daily basis could
be a traitor turns my stomach. Until I know who this man is, I will not
be able to trust anyone.” It was obvious Kelan was resolved on the
matter.
Brax heard Rom speak up and turned to look at him. “I agree,
Sire. We need to know who the power brokers are in this war of
traitors. If we can identify this man, we can remove a vital link in
Kalandra’s arsenal of weapons.”
“I wish to question the prisoner, Your Majesty,” Brax spoke up.
He saw the other men exchange glances, but his focus was on his
king.
Kelan considered the matter for a few moments. “I think that
would work. What do you think, Rom?”
Rom nodded. “He’s familiar with Brax as the man who brought
him down. I think that would be an excellent choice. I believe Caid
should be part of the interrogation as well.”
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Brax saw Caid’s mouth curl up in a grin of anticipation. “It would
be my pleasure, Majesty,” Caid said to the king.
Kelan sent an inquiring glance toward Rom, but it was Javan who
answered the king’s unspoken question. “Right now, Tobiah is pretty
confident that we’ll release him soon. He believes all we have is his
first name. Since he was brought in, he has constantly protested his
innocence and ignorance as to why he is being detained. When he was
asked why he attacked Brax, he said he was afraid that Brax intended
to rob him.”
Brax let out an exclamation of disbelief. “What rubbish!”
“I agree,” Rom said. “He believes the only witnesses to his crime
are Nysan and Vivie. He seems pretty confident that they won’t
identify him. I believe he’s justified in that confidence. When we took
them to the cell to look in at Tobiah, they both seemed confused and
were unable to positively identify the man.”
“They’re so brainwashed or mesmerized or whatever that they
don’t know what’s going on,” Javan added.
“What Tobiah is unaware of is the fact that Caid can identify him
as the man who attacked him years ago. A man who was a traitor to
Emryn. And that Caid also saw him in the marketplace with Vivie. I
think when he sees Caid and realizes that he’s well and truly caught,
he’ll spill everything he knows.”
“I think that’s an excellent plan,” Kelan nodded approvingly.
Jai, who had been sitting in a corner quietly observing the
proceedings, rose and crossed to where Brax stood. Brax was still
annoyed that the others had agreed to allow Jai to sit in on the
meeting, though he understood their reasoning. Jai had been an
eyewitness to the events in the forest, so he might have information or
observations to contribute to the discussion. So far, though, he had
remained on the sidelines.
Brax ignored Jai’s approach, turning once more to the king.
“When can we get started?”
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“This afternoon. I don’t want to give Tobiah time to come up with
some scheme or plan to outwit us. We need to do this while he’s still
stewing over his capture.”
Brax agreed. Jai spoke up for the first time. “I’d like to watch the
interrogation, Your Majesty.”
Brax stiffened, wanting to deny Jai’s request, but knowing that the
decision was ultimately that of the king. Jai was young and innocent.
Brax was afraid that he would be disgusted by the tone the
interrogation could take and maybe even disgusted by Brax himself.
But Kelan smiled and nodded his approval. “Of course. I see no
problem with that. In fact, the presence of a priest of Salara might
even encourage the man to speak more openly.”
“I’m not a priest yet, Sire,” Jai reminded the king.
“I know that, but Tobiah does not.” The king smiled.
No one else ventured any disagreement with the king’s decision,
so Brax was forced to let it go. The plans were finalized, and
everyone began to leave. Javan crossed to where Brax and Jai were
standing, the expression on his face a combination of curiosity and
concern. Brax drew himself up to meet the approaching man,
uncertain what to expect from Javan. Jai moved closer to his side.
Rom followed behind Javan, looking amused.
“Jai, I think that you should come and stay with Rom and me in
our apartments for the time being.”
Jai’s eyebrows shot up. “Stay with you? In those tiny apartments?
You have to be joking, Javan. I’m quite comfortable in my rooms at
the palace.”
Javan’s glance slid to Brax for a second before returning to Jai.
“Things are very confusing for you right now. I just think that you
need to be with your family while you’re going through the rest of the
Time of Testing. That way you won’t be influenced by outside
forces.”
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Rom coughed, though it sounded more like a laugh loosely
disguised as a cough to Brax. Everyone knew that the outside forces
Javan spoke of were Brax himself.
“It’s not necessary, Javan, though I appreciate your concern.”
Jai’s voice was firm.
Brax saw Javan’s lips tighten and his nostrils flare. “Fine.” Then
he looked at Brax. “Can I speak with you in private?”
Brax wasn’t surprised by Javan’s request. The night before, the
man had obviously been shocked at the discovery of his younger
brother’s relationship with Brax. However, he’d had a whole night to
think about the situation now, and he probably didn’t trust that his
brother wasn’t being taken advantage of by an older and more
experienced man. Even though they were friendly, Javan probably
knew that Brax rarely kept his lovers for any length of time. Brax
figured he was trying to keep Jai from being hurt. He thought it was
pretty ironic that Brax himself was probably the one who was going
to be the one who was left alone and in pain when Jai took his final
vows.
Jai reached out to halt Brax when he started to move toward
Javan. “No, Javan. You don’t need to speak to Brax, in private or
otherwise. You’ve told me that you realized that I’m no longer a
child, Javan. Trust me to handle my own affairs. Please.”
Brax saw Javan’s steely resolve dissolve at Jai’s plea. He could
tell the other man wanted to say more, but Rom reached out and laid a
hand on Javan’s shoulder to stop him. “Jai’s right, Javan. You should
well understand how he feels. You yourself would never put up with
anyone trying to tell you what to feel or who you should or should not
care about. Leave the two of them alone.” He softened his words with
a smile. “I, for one, am only grateful that I don’t have to share my
small quarters with someone else. It would definitely curtail our
bonding time.”
“All right.” Javan reached out and hugged his brother, squeezing
him tightly. Over Jai’s shoulder, Javan sent him a warning glare that
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was incredibly easy for Brax to read. It was the same warning he’d
received the night before. He nodded his understanding.
Javan released Jai, and he and Rom took their leave. When Caid
saw that he and Jai were alone, he strolled over. “Do you want to get
together and discuss our strategy for this interrogation? Make sure
we’re on the same page?”
Brax nodded. “Absolutely. We can’t afford to make any careless
mistakes. The information Tobiah has is too important to the
country.”
“Why don’t we go to my apartments? We can have our noon meal
there and then you two can talk things over,” Jai offered.
It was decided. The three men left together.
* * * *
Several hours later, Jai, along with Brax and Caid, walked down
the long corridor which led to Tobiah’s cell. Rom and Javan were
waiting at the cell door.
“You two ready for this?” Rom asked.
Brax nodded. “As we’ll ever be.”
“Have you decided how you want to handle things?” Javan looked
inquiringly at the two men who would be doing the interrogating.
Caid told him, “Brax is going in first to talk to Tobiah. See if he
can get him to say anything we can use. Then I’m going in as a
surprise. We thought it would be interesting to see how he reacts
when he sees me.”
Rom smiled. “Good plan.” He turned to Jai. “You can wait out
here with your brother and me. We’ll listen to the interrogation and
see if we can catch anything that Brax or Caid might miss.”
“We thought it might be useful to let Jai go in at the end as a sort
of spiritual advisor for Tobiah.”
“That’s why he’s in the robes?”
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Jai shrugged. “They’re not official priest’s robes. They’re the
robes I’ll wear at the end of the Time of Testing when I go to make
my formal declaration. But they’re similar enough that I don’t think
Tobiah will be able to tell the difference.” Jai was a little nervous
about the role Caid and Brax had come up with for him. He didn’t
want to mess things up.
Javan caught his eye and smiled approvingly. “I’m proud of you,
little brother.”
Jai felt his throat tighten with emotion at his brother’s statement.
He and Javan had always been close, and Javan’s approval meant a lot
to him. “I want to help any way I can. I know how important this is.”
“All right,” Rom said when everyone had finished talking. “Let’s
get started.”
Jai watched as Brax nodded to the guard and entered the cell.
There was a small barred window which allowed the men outside to
listen without being seen by the prisoner. Jai could hear Brax quite
easily.
“Hello, Tobiah. Did you have a good night?”
Jai almost smiled at the easy conversational tone that Brax used.
Tobiah was silent for a moment. Then he said, “You’re that crazy
bastard that was following me. I’ve already told you people that you
have mistaken me for someone else. When I saw you following me
from Mal’s, I thought you were a thief set to rob me of my winnings. I
didn’t know you were a Guardian, and I don’t know anything about
any conspiracy against the king.”
“We have witnesses.”
“Who?” Jai could hear the confidence in the prisoner’s voice.
Obviously the man knew that Nysan and Vivie would be worthless in
identifying him.
“That’s not important. I’m here to offer you a deal. The king is
willing to commute the death sentence for traitors to life
imprisonment if you will reveal the identity of the man who hired you
and supplied you with your resources.”
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71
“I tell you, I’m innocent. You can’t prove any differently.”
“Are you denying that you used mesmerism to force Nysan
Markelich to spy on the Guardians and the king?”
“I am.”
“What about Vivie Palmor? You’re telling me that you know
nothing of her plot to poison Queen Lyra? You’re completely
innocent?”
“Yes.”
“They told us your name.”
“There are many men named Tobiah in Emryn.” Jai could hear the
sneer in the prisoner’s voice.
“True. But not many who are leatherworkers. We learned that the
man who betrayed the kingdom worked in leather.” Brax paused for a
moment. “I see from the necklace you wear that you are in the
Leatherworkers’ Guild.”
“What? Why—yes. I am.” For the first time Jai heard uncertainty
enter the other man’s voice. It was very evident that Tobiah hadn’t
realized they’d learned so much about him. “That doesn’t mean
anything,” Tobiah blustered. “Many men are members of the guild.”
“True. But you can see how the pieces are beginning to fall into
place, don’t you? You would be smart to go ahead and tell us what we
want to know before you lose any bargaining power. If we discover
the identity of this man we seek before you help us, you will receive
no mercy from the king. You helped kill his wife, the mother of his
son. He will have no pity for your plight.”
The room was silent. Jai saw Rom and Javan exchange glances.
Javan smiled.
Finally Tobiah spoke. “I told you I’m innocent. You have no
proof otherwise.”
“Don’t we?” Jai heard footsteps approaching the door, and it was
pulled open. Brax nodded to Caid, who went to join Brax in the cell.
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The door clanged shut, and Jai heard Tobiah ask, “Who’s this?
Another Guardian? What, are you going to torture me now to get me
to say what you want? It won’t work.”
“I’m not here to torture you, Tobiah. Don’t you remember me?”
Caid’s voice was amused.
“Remember you?” Tobiah sounded confused and a little worried.
“Yes. You gave me this scar.”
Jai heard a quick indrawn breath.
“Oh, Goddess. It’s you.” For the first time, Jai could hear fear
enter into Tobiah’s voice.
“Yes. It’s me. I’m glad you remember me because I remember
you very well. Very well, indeed.” Caid’s voice was full of menace.
Even Jai felt a spurt of trepidation at the sound. He saw Rom smile.
“I’ve never forgotten your face, or the things that you and your
friends did to me. I’ve been waiting a long time to find you and make
you pay for your crimes.”
“Seven hells, this isn’t fair. I—I—you’re mistaken.” The
prisoner’s denials were becoming ridiculous. Even he must have
known that, because his voice became whiny and pleading instead of
bold and scoffing. “I’m innocent.”
“No.” Caid’s voice was cold. “I’m not mistaken. Not at all. The
beard confused me a bit at first, but not anymore. And now that
you’re clean shaven again, I have no doubt at all. You haven’t
changed much, Tobiah.”
“You can’t make me talk.” There were no more denials now, just
belligerence.
Caid’s voice grew even colder and quieter. Jai had to strain to hear
his next words. “Good. I don’t want you to talk. Once I’ve told the
king who you are and what you’ve done, he’ll withdraw any offer of
clemency. You’ll be sentenced to death by hanging. I want to see you
strung up by your neck. I want to watch your face grow pale and your
mouth gasp for air. I want to see your legs kick out in your death
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73
throes. The only thing I would like better would be if I could strangle
you with my bare hands.”
Jai swallowed. Caid could be a very scary fellow, and Jai believed
every word he spoke. It sounded like Tobiah did as well because he
quickly began blubbering. “Farking hell. No. No. I’ll talk. I’ll tell you
whatever you want to know.”
“I figured you would.” Jai heard the disgust as Caid spoke again.
“You’re a coward, Tobiah. A sniveling, cowardly traitor. Life in
prison is too good for you.” With those final words, Caid exited the
room.
His eyes met Rom’s. Jai saw Rom nod in approval. Then Caid
left. Brax stepped out of the room and gestured for Jai to go in the
cell. When he walked inside, his gaze went immediately to the
prisoner who sat on a rough mattress on the floor, his hands bound
together by a length of chain. The man’s eyes widened when he took
in Jai’s red robes.
“A priest? Why do you have a priest?” He sounded nervous.
Brax shrugged. “We figured you’d be less likely to lie to us with a
priest of Salara in the room. You’ve already lost all hope with the
king, surely you don’t want to lose hope with the Goddess.”
The man nodded slowly. “All right. What do you want to know?”
“Give me the name of the man who financed your mission.”
“Which man do you mean?”
“Don’t play games with me, Tobiah. I mean the member of the
aristocracy who has betrayed his king and country and conspired with
Queen Kalandra of Angkesh.”
“I want to make a deal.”
“You’ve already been offered a deal.”
“I want more. Surely the information is important enough for me
to get more in exchange for it than life imprisonment.” He lifted his
hand to rub over his mouth in a nervous gesture.
Jai saw Brax shake his head. “You’re wasting your breath.”
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“I don’t think so.” The man coughed, and then his face grew red.
“I don’t feel well.”
“What kind of ploy is this, Tobiah? Whatever you’re trying to do,
it won’t work. Now tell me the name.”
As Jai watched, Tobiah coughed again, and a pale foamy
substance beaded on his lips. Jai tossed a concerned glance at Brax
who looked alarmed. Then Tobiah’s hand lifted to his chest. His eyes
widened, and he seemed to be having difficulty catching his breath.
His face turned red, and his eyes looked as though they would bulge
out of his head. “I don’t feel well,” he managed to say, and then he
fell to the side, unconscious.
Brax gave a shout for assistance, and Jai rushed forward to help
the man who had slumped into a limp mound.
“No, Jai. Don’t—” Brax’s voice rang out sharply behind him, but
it was too late.
Tobiah sprang up in a quick move, catching Jai in a tight grip and
wrapping the chains that bound his hands around Jai’s throat in a
strangling hold.
Rom and Javan had rushed into the room, and now Jai saw the
three men stop dead, their eyes widening in horror at the horrible turn
of events. Gasping for breath, Jai met Brax’s terrified gaze.
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75
Chapter Eight
Brax couldn’t believe what had just happened. He felt completely
helpless as his worst fear came true.
“I want everyone out except you.” Tobiah nodded toward Brax as
he shouted his order.
“Calm down.” Rom’s voice was level and calm behind him.
“We’re going.”
Brax glanced over his shoulder as the other men left the room.
Then his gaze swung back to Tobiah. “What now?”
Tobiah’s eyes met his, and the other man began to speak in a soft,
whispery voice. “We all need to take a deep breath and calm down.
Do it with me. Slowly in and out.” As he continued speaking quietly,
the other man’s chest rose and fell slowly several times, and Brax
began to mimic his actions. He felt himself becoming sleepy and tried
to shake off the feeling, but the soothing cadence to Tobiah’s words
was having an unusual effect on him. He couldn’t even really
understand what the man was saying, but he enjoyed the sound of the
man’s voice.
“Now, I want you to unlock these chains, understood?”
Brax nodded. He walked to the door and asked Rom for the key.
The other man silently handed it to him, his eyes signaling his
understanding of the dangerous situation. Rom quickly glanced to the
side and then back to Brax, and Brax knew that he and Javan were
still there just waiting for an opportunity to pounce. Brax wanted to
say something, to tell Rom he understood, but it was impossible.
Stiffly he turned back to Tobiah, who nodded approvingly. “Good.
Very good. Now come over here and unfasten me.” Brax proceeded to
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do as instructed, concentrating on the task and not on Jai’s frightened
expression. As Brax unlocked the manacles, he gazed into Tobiah’s
eyes. The prisoner continued to speak, and Brax found himself
becoming less worried and more lethargic. In fact, he almost smiled
as the restraints fell to the ground with a muffled clank.
He stood there, inches from Tobiah, still feeling languid and
peaceful. Then he heard gasping noises, and for the first time in
several minutes, he looked into Jai’s eyes. He was choking. Tobiah
had tightened the chains around his neck, and Jai was struggling to
breathe. The thought that Jai was suffering and in pain snapped Brax
out of the sluggish fog that had seemed to engulf him. What in farking
hell was the matter with him?
He glanced at Tobiah and saw the look of smug satisfaction on his
face. He knew the other man was responsible for the way he was
feeling. Somehow he was using his powers of mesmerism on him.
Brax decided to play along until he could get the upper hand and
ensure that Jai did not get hurt.
Tobiah spoke softly again. “Good. Now, go tell your friends to
leave.”
Brax nodded and went to speak to Rom and Javan. Javan’s face
bore a worried expression as Brax delivered the order. Rom just
stared at him with piercing intensity. Brax winked, letting the two
men know he had a plan and that he was no longer under Tobiah’s
spell. He indicated to Rom that they should move down the corridor
and out of sight. That way Tobiah would think they had left, but they
would be ready to act when Brax called. Rom gave a slight nod to
indicate he understood Brax’s message. Javan just looked confused.
The two men turned to walk away, and Brax went back into the
cell, moving to stand very close to where he’d been before but off
slightly to one side. Tobiah obviously still suspected nothing,
believing that his powers of mesmerism were working on Brax. He
stood, dragging Jai with him. The younger man’s face had begun to
turn an alarming shade of red, and Brax knew that he would not be
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77
able to wait much longer before he acted. He watched until Tobiah
had taken a few steps forward, pushing a struggling Jai ahead of him.
There was a moment when the two men’s feet became entangled, and
Brax could see Tobiah’s hold loosen on the chain. Brax moved.
In a lightning-fast motion, he reached out and grabbed Tobiah
from behind, ripping the man’s hands from the chain. From the corner
of his eye, he saw Jai fall forward, tearing the chain from around his
neck and tossing it to the floor. Brax yelled for Rom. He could hear
the running footsteps in the corridor, and then the other man was
filling the doorway.
Tobiah had jerked himself free of Brax’s hold and moved back.
Brax didn’t take his eyes off the prisoner. “Get Jai out of here, Rom,”
he called to the other man. Then he devoted all of his attention to
taking Tobiah down. He grinned as he watched the other man feint
left and then move right. Brax was ready for him, grabbing Tobiah in
an enveloping hold, his arms holding the other man virtually helpless.
He met the enraged look in the prisoner’s eyes as he struggled to free
himself.
They grappled together for several seconds before Tobiah
slammed his forehead into Brax’s nose. Blood spurted from his
nostrils, and he fell back, the pain dazing him for a moment. As he
tried to get his bearings, Tobiah attacked, punching and jabbing at
Brax’s ribs. Brax did his best to defend himself, drawing on his
experience to avoid the worst of the blows, but he felt one land with
bone-crushing force against his left side. Finally, he managed to get in
a few hits himself, and Tobiah backed off, giving Brax a brief respite.
Clutching his side, he drew in several breaths, feeling the pulling
pain and knowing that the bone was probably cracked. He knew if he
didn’t do something soon, he would grow too weak to fight. From
deep down, he gathered his inner reserves and attacked. With a flurry
of movement, he moved in on Tobiah. The other man met his attack
confidently, but he was no match for Brax.
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As if realizing that he could not win, Tobiah made a desperate
move. Diving forward, he grabbed for Brax’s dagger that rested
against his hip. Brax cursed himself for allowing the man close
enough to steal his weapon. This was the second time that Tobiah had
attacked him with a blade. Tobiah jabbed forward, and Brax quickly
lunged to one side. He grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the blade
and pulled. Tobiah was surprised by the movement and tumbled
forward. Brax pushed the man over his head and to the ground, then
threw himself on top of him. The knife was caught between them.
Tobiah pressed upward, the blade dangerously close to Brax’s
vulnerable belly. Desperately, Brax forced Tobiah’s hand around,
turning the blade so that it pointed downward. He could see from the
look on the man’s face that Tobiah knew he couldn’t win.
“Surrender,” Brax gasped out.
“Never,” Tobiah sneered, and in a move that was completely
unexpected, he quit fighting. Without the opposing pressure, the blade
slid into Tobiah’s belly as Brax fell forward.
Brax rolled off the man, dropping the bloody knife onto the
ground and coming to his knees. He reached down and covered the
wound, cursing the prisoner. “Damn you, man. Why didn’t you just
surrender?”
Tobiah’s lips curled up in a twisted smile. “Can’t stand prison.
Besides, the king would never let me live.”
Brax felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into Rom’s eyes.
“I didn’t mean to kill him, Rom.” He shook his head. He knew the
man was their only hope of finding the traitorous aristocrat.
“I know.”
Rom turned to the dying man. “Tell us who the man is who
financed you, Tobiah. Do something to atone for your sins, and
maybe Salara will offer you peace in the afterlife.”
Tobiah coughed. “Bring the priest. I’ll tell him.”
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79
Brax wanted to refuse. Jai had already been through enough. But
Rom was already gesturing to the door. Brax glanced up and saw
Javan helping Jai walk, his arm around his brother’s waist.
Jai’s neck was bruised and swollen, the skin torn from the rough
links of the chain. Brax wanted to howl when he saw the marks. Jai
lowered himself to kneel on the other side of the dying prisoner. His
voice, when he spoke, was strained and weak. “Yes, son? You wanted
to speak?” Jai leaned over Tobiah.
“Ask Salara to forgive me, holy one. I have sinned against my
country and my Goddess. I am sorry.” Tobiah paused, and his eyes
closed. For a moment, Brax feared the man was dead. Then his eyes
fluttered open. “The man the king seeks is close to the throne. Tell the
king the betrayer…is the…Duke of…” Tobiah fell silent, his chest
stilled. The man was dead.
Brax cursed. “Damn him.”
Jai swayed next to him, and he forgot all about the dead prisoner.
Reaching out, he took hold of Jai, pulling him tightly against him. The
two men rested against one another. Brax ignored his own injuries.
“Are you all right?”
He felt Jai’s nod against his shoulder. Then Rom and Javan were
there, helping them to rise.
“We need to get you both to the healers. Guard,” Rom yelled. The
guard appeared. “Call for assistance. We have two wounded men
here.”
“Right away, sir.”
* * * *
Jai walked through the double doors of the temple with solemn
strides. It was the Time of Choosing, when all the young aspirants to
the priesthood stood before the Council of Salara and either took their
vows or chose to return to their old lives. As the doors closed behind
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Jai with a loud clang, he thought about Brax as he had last seen him
several days before.
It had been in King Kelan’s private rooms at the palace. Rom,
Javan, Caid, Brax, and himself had gone to discuss the events that had
led to the death of the traitorous Tobiah.
“I’m sorry that I had to kill him, Your Majesty,” Brax had
apologized to the king. “I know how important it was to get the
information we needed from him.”
“He saved my life, sire,” Jai had put in quickly, his voice hoarse
from the trauma of being strangled.
“It couldn’t be helped, Brax. The whole situation was explained to
me, and you only did what you had to do.” Kelan had been
understanding.
“We do have a clue, sire. When he was dying, Tobiah did say that
the traitor was ‘the Duke of…’” Rom had said. “That certainly
narrows it down. He also said it was someone close to you.”
“A duke close to me?” Kelan had shook his head. “There are
many dukes who attend court gatherings and who have official
business at the palace. Several of whom I call my friends. I hate to
start looking at each one with suspicion.”
“I’m afraid we’ll have to do exactly that, sire,” Rom had told him.
“We’ll start looking into the backgrounds and possible motives for
those men.”
“My spies are already at work on it,” Javan had added.
After a bit more discussion, the king had dismissed everyone.
Brax and Jai had returned to Jai’s rooms. Brax had stood
uncomfortably in the main room of the apartments. “Jai, I think I
should go back to my own room in the Tower. My rib is still
bothering me, and I don’t think I’ll be much good company. And I
know your throat must be hurting.”
Jai had understood. The two men had kissed good-bye, and Jai
had assumed they would see each other the next day. That assumption
had proved mistaken. Ever since that day, Brax had been avoiding
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81
him. He had wanted to talk to Brax about his decision, but he had not
been able to do so. He had worried about how Brax would react to the
news of what he was about to do. It had not been an easy choice, but
he had finally known that he could make no other.
When he had arrived at the temple doors along with the others
after a night of fasting, he had anxiously searched the crowd for
Brax’s face, sure that the man would at least show up for the
ceremony. He had spotted Javan and Rom, as well as several other
Guardians. The rest of his family was there as well, but there was no
sign of the man he most wanted to see. His shoulders had slumped in
defeat, and he had seen the sympathy on his brother’s face. Javan
knew how he felt about Brax. He had told his brother everything in
the days that had followed Tobiah’s death, needing someone to talk to
about the horrific events and how he felt about all that had transpired.
He had been very honest with Javan, and he felt that his relationship
with his older brother was stronger now than it had ever been.
How he envied Javan his relationship with his bondmate. Seeing
Javan and Rom together had made his heart ache with longing. That
realization had made his decision about entering the priesthood much
easier.
He took the final steps toward the dais where the council stood
arrayed in their elaborate ritual robes. His own simple red robe
swayed as he came to a halt at the foot of the dais and looked up at the
head priest as the man stepped forward.
“Aspirant Jai Weiling, son of Aldred and Kempa Weiling, brother
to Javan Weiling, cousin to Kelan Rei, King of Emryn, devoted
follower of the Goddess Salara, it is the Time of Choosing. Have you
made your decision, and are you prepared to tell this council?”
Jai nodded his head. “I am.”
“Then speak, Jai Weiling. Will you devote your life to the
Goddess Salara? Will you worship her faithfully and live your life in
such a way that will bring her honor? Will you give yourself to her
temples and follow the rules and rituals described for her devoted
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priesthood? Will you forsake worldly pleasures and enticements,
knowing only piety, poverty, and purity in your daily life? Speak
now, Jai Weiling. Tell us your decision.”
* * * *
The walk back to his apartments seemed to take Jai forever. His
steps dragged, and his shoulders slumped. Head down, he pushed
open the door and walked inside. He turned and gave a start of
surprise at the figure seated in the chair next to the fireplace. The man
rose and stood there, a look of trepidation on his face.
Jai didn’t say anything, just crossed the room and stood before
Brax. They gazed into each other’s eyes. The moment stretched until
finally Jai broke the silence. “Why weren’t you at the ceremony?”
Brax smiled, a small wry twisting of the lips. “Cowardice. I didn’t
want the others to see my reaction to your decision. I didn’t think it
would do my reputation as a Guardian much good to break down and
weep in public.”
Jai reached out a hand and smoothed the side of Brax’s face. “It
mattered so much to you, my decision?”
“It mattered a great deal. It means my life or death, Jai. I didn’t
tell you before now, but I love you. I want to spend my life with you.”
Jai let his hand drop to his side. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?
Why let me go into that room without knowing how you felt about
me?”
Brax shrugged. “I didn’t want to influence your decision that way.
Your choice should have been your own, based on what you needed
and wanted. Not my needs. You deserve to live the life you want, Jai.
For years you’ve studied to become a priest. You’ve only known me a
few weeks. It wouldn’t be fair for me to try to change you from your
course if that was what you truly wanted.”
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83
“Oh, Brax. You’re such a fool. I’ve already told you I love you.
Your presence or not at the temple would have made no difference. I
made my choice the first time I told you how I felt.”
Jai saw a look of hope spark in Brax’s eyes, which until that
moment had been dull and blank. Brax’s hands came up to grasp his
shoulders, and he pulled Jai close. “Tell me your decision.”
“I chose to leave the priesthood, of course, you foolish man. I
chose to take a chance on your love.”
“Thank the Goddess.” Brax’s words were heartfelt. Then his lips
came down to cover Jai’s in a kiss of heartbreaking sweetness. Jai had
never felt so cherished, so loved.
When Brax broke the kiss, Jai laid his head on Brax’s chest and
put his arms around the man’s waist. “Surely you knew that I would
choose you, Brax.”
He felt the other man’s sigh. “I hoped. I prayed. But you’ve been
training for the priesthood for so many years, Jai, it seemed insane to
believe that you would give all that up for a simple soldier like me.”
“Simple?” Jai laughed. “No one who knows you would ever call
you simple. And the decision was actually a very easy one. All my
life I’ve been treated like a child, by my family, by the priests at the
temple. You—you treated me like a man.”
“But what about your faith?”
“I haven’t lost my faith, but my faith in our love was strong
enough to know that Salara didn’t want a priest whose mind and heart
would always be with another. She doesn’t want her priests to enter
the priesthood regretting the life they’re leaving behind. I know that
she understands and is pleased with the decision I made. I still have
faith in her. But I also have faith in you, Brax. You are my heart.”
As Brax’s lips took his in another kiss, this one full of passion and
desire, Jai knew that he had made the right choice.
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THE END
WWW.BRITTKENLEY.BLOGSPOT.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I am a fantasy author of male on male erotic romance. My favorite
books have characters who are strong but vulnerable, so that is what I
try to write. I love happily ever afters and believe that, if you try hard
enough, you can achieve it. I love for my characters to have integrity
and honor, something I’m afraid we see all too little of in this day and
age.
I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing
them.
For all titles by Britt Kenley, please visit
http://www.bookstrand.com/britt-kenley
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com