The Invisible Chains - Part 2: Bonds of Fear by Ashling Andrew

Author:Ashling, Andrew [Ashling, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance MM, erotic MM, Fantasy
Publisher: Ormidon Publishing
Published: 2011-05-15T06:00:00+00:00

290

Andrew Ashling

Anaxantis was having the time of his life. Five days in the Renuvian

Plains had flown by as if they had been but mere hours.

That morning, when he came out of his tent, he took a deep

breath of the cool morning air, shivered and wrapped himself in his

mantle. He went over to a fire where Iftang was having breakfast

with a few of his officers.

“Morning, my lord,” Iftang greeted him formally, as there were

others present.

“Morning, general, gentlemen,” he responded amiably. “Do you

know were I could find Hemarchidas?”

The general pointed in the direction of some low hills.

“Ha. He wanted to be left alone?”

“Not exactly. We wanted him to leave us alone. His breakfast food

didn’t agree with us.” Iftang smiled.

“I think I understand.” Anaxantis smiled back. “I’ll go see him

anyway.”

“Your lordship is a braver man than I am.” The general laughed.

The hills lay downwards the wind, yet, when he came nearer

the unmistakable, distinct stench of patriph assaulted his nostrils.

Hemarchidas sat on a tree trunk, before a fire, stirring in a pot.

“I see they banned you from civilized company,” Anaxantis said,

his eyes twinkling.

Bonds of Fear

291

“Oh, it’s you,” Hemarchidas said. “You want some? There’s enough

for two.”

“About as much as I want my eyes put out with a blunt, rusty

knife. I thought you loathed the stuff.”

“Strange thing is, after some days without it, I seem to crave it.”

“So you brought some emergency stash?”

“Nope. Arranulf must have put it in my luggage.”

“Wasn’t that nice of him?” Anaxantis beamed.

Hemarchidas looked suspiciously at him.

“You’re not starting that again, are you?”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Anaxantis said,

teasing him. “But, while we’re on the subject, how did it go?”

“How did what go?”

“Come on, Hemarchidas, you were seen. In The Cranky Goat.”

“You and your damned spies,” Hemarchidas muttered. “You have

me followed as well now?”

“Not at all. My, eh, source was there for altogether different

reasons. He saw fit to mention it though.”

“For your information, you little busybody, nothing happened.

Just two people who spent an agreeable afternoon and evening

together.”

Anaxantis sat down beside him.

“That was all?” he asked softly.

“He’s a nice kid and all that. I just don’t see myself involved with

a duke... and he is...”

He didn’t finish the sentence but concentrated on the stirring

292

Andrew Ashling

again.

“And he is not you. He hasn’t that panache, that spirit, that verve.

He’s exactly the opposite. He is calm and seems always in control of

himself. You are a raging fire. He is like slowly burning charcoal.”

“Ah, I see,” Anaxantis said. Then looking up at the sky, he added “It

seems we’re going to have a beautiful day. Nothing but open skies.”

Hemarchidas took his pot from the fire, softly cursing as he

almost burned his fingers.

“That’s it? You’re letting it go? How very unusual. How suspicious,”

he growled.

“I suppose that you know what you’re doing.” Anaxantis shrugged.

“Just don’t rule anything out, will you?”

Anaxantis and two cartographers were surveying a terrain

where, at the far end, the river Mirax, and what they had dubbed, for

lack of a better name, the Westwood Forest met each other. They had

separated from the main group to take a closer look at this particular

corner.

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