Land of Night by Kirby Crow

Author:Kirby Crow [Crow, Kirby]
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy - Epic, Fantasy, Fiction, Epic, General, Fantasy - General, Fiction - General, Romance, Erotica, Gay, Fiction : Romance - Fantasy, Romance - Fantasy, Erotica - Gay, Fiction : Gay
ISBN: 9781603704939
Publisher: Torquere Press
Published: 2008-10-15T07:00:00+00:00

7.

The Gift

They rode back in a sleigh. Liall pushed Scarlet into the carriage, sticky as he was with blood. Scarlet was dazed, not only from the shock of seeing Liall trapped on the ground, but from his own recklessness in taking the damned beast on. His fur coat and his hat were mucky and growing stiff with blood, but Jochi wouldn't allow him to take anything off. Liall rode next to Scarlet, silent and pale, his hands clenched into fists, as Jochi apologized repeatedly and wept.

"Stop, Jochi,” Scarlet said in a weak voice. “I'm alive."

"It is my fault,” Jochi said for the tenth time. He looked to Liall. “I said you could depend on me, my prince, but he nearly died, and it was my fault."

"It was the bear's fault,” Liall growled. “Cease this, I command you."

Jochi choked back a sound and nodded, wiping his face with his sleeve.

Scarlet had never seen a man so upset over a thing he couldn't prevent and had no hand in at all. The bear went after Liall, so he went after the bear. It was plain as water to him, and why Jochi could not comprehend that only Deva determined the outcome of such a thing was a puzzle he couldn't sort out. Scarlet wanted to reassure Jochi, but Liall was still staring at him. Liall's jaw was clenched so tight there was a white line under his lower lip.

"Are you all right?” Scarlet asked again. Liall unclenched his fists to touch Scarlet's face, as if he still could not believe Scarlet was alive. Scarlet was a bit surprised on that count himself. The snow bear had been the most enormous animal he had ever seen.

"Yes, t'aishka,” Liall said. He moved Scarlet's outer furs aside, inspecting his lover for injury yet again. “Are you sure none of that blood is yours? How is your head?” Liall worriedly examined the lump on Scarlet's temple.

Cestimir, who had abandoned his horse to ride in the sleigh beside Liall, snorted. “How many times must you both ask the same question? No, brother, the blood is not his, and yes, ser Keriss, Nazheradei has only a bruised leg."

Liall scowled at the prince. Cestimir smiled drolly. “And I've become fond of the pair of you, so I'm glad on both accounts."

Scarlet gave Cestimir a warm look. He leaned his head on Liall's shoulder and rode the rest of the way back to the palace with his eyes closed. There was a slight pounding in his ears and the sway of the carriage seemed to make him feel queasy, almost as if they were at sea again, but he swallowed hard against the sickness and took deep breaths, terrified of shaming himself.

The courtyard was flooded with watchers. It was as if the palace had been upended and every one of its people dumped into the courtyard to witness their arrival. He was surrounded as Jochi helped him out of the sleigh, and from everywhere, from every direction, hands reached out to touch the blood on his clothes and face.

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