Starlight(Pact Arcanum 4) (32 page)

“Then take him away.”

The Herald gestured his Inquisitors forward, and they quickly disarmed Ghian and his soldiers. Then he had them escorted out, Ghian screaming incoherently at Nick.

Nick watched them leave, and then subvocalized to his AI. “Animikii.”

“Nicholas. You do make life interesting.”

“I try. Put me through to Sanctuary Control.”

“Channel open.”

“Sanctuary Control, this is Nicholas Magister Luscian, authorization Luscian-two-zero-nine-four, authentication keyword ‘Ragnarok’. I am withdrawing from High Council authority and seceding from the Armistice. The other terms of the Armistice Declaration are to remain in force. Instruct the city militia to take all necessary measures to secure the city from attack.”

“Confirmed. Isolation protocols initiated.”

“Connect me to the Speaker for the Word.”

“Stand by. Speaker Sean’s locator beacon places him off-world. I am re-routing your call through the FTL uplink.”

Nick was about to ask what Rory was doing off-world, when a virtual screen opened up before them, showing a flickering view of a red-lit room filled with wounded. Rory looked up from the man he was tending and smiled. “I knew you’d make it.”

Nick grinned. “Vladimir is dead.”

“Good riddance.” Rory frowned at the Herald. “Is there any reason he’s still walking around?”

“Change of plans. Ghian and I had a falling out. He’s leaving. I’m staying.”

Rory stared at him. “You’re staying. At the Court.”

“Long story.”

“I’ll bet.” Rory looked around at the makeshift infirmary. “I’ve got one, too. Are you keeping Sanctuary?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll meet you there as soon as the
Singularity
makes it back to Cassandra Station and offloads casualties.”

Nick raised his eyebrows. “Do I want to know?”

“Not right now. It would just raise your blood pressure. Tony and Raf managed to get communications online, but the external sensor array is fried. Cassandra is sending us something they’ve cobbled together that will give us enough data to navigate. They seem confident that we should be able to plot a course back to dock eventually.”

“Would you be willing to offer the Grace to a bunch of historians, so they can live long enough to finish recording the memories of the remaining Nightwalkers for posterity?”

Nick watched his lover work through the implications of that request in his mind.

“I’d be happy to. I imagine I’ll be working out of Sanctuary instead of Icehaven from now on, if there are refugees from the Court seeking the Grace in addition to our remaining Nightwalkers.”

“I think there’ll be a lot of people who are going to take you up on that.”

“Right. I’ll see you tonight, then.”

“Tonight.”

The virtual screen winked out. Nick faced the Herald. “Your name is Eduardo, right?”

The Herald frowned. “I am the Night’s Herald. I have no other identity.”

“The Night’s Herald killed my mate. He’s a dead man. But to carry on Lorcan’s work, I need the resources of the Inquisition. Honor demands that I kill the Herald. I don’t have to kill Eduardo, yet.”

The Herald looked like he had swallowed something sour. Finally, he nodded. “Yes, my name is Eduardo.”

“Start assembling your historians and those of your people who are willing to take the oath and become Daywalkers. We’ll send them to Sanctuary as soon as I have Rory set up there.”

The Herald hesitated.

“Was there something else?”

“Why did you change your mind about helping us?”

Nick glared at him. “You asked to save what you could. That’s what Ruarc wanted as well. For his sake, you can have as much time as I can buy you. Does that make sense?”

“Yes, it does.”

“Then get moving and stop asking stupid questions.”

“As you wish, Imperator.”

C
HAPTER 49

April 2143; Sanctuary, French Alps; three months later

Nick stood at the edge of the landing pad and watched the sleek little vessel touch down in the early twilight. A few minutes later, the boarding ladder dropped from the belly of the ship. Antonio, Rafael, and Rory climbed down to the tarmac. As they walked toward Nick, the dockworkers swarmed over the ship, opening the cargo bays and transferring the contents to the waiting antigravity sleds.

Nick waited until they reached him before he took three long steps forward and wrapped his arms around Rory. “Hey, beautiful.”

Rory laughed as he returned the embrace. “It’s only been a week since I was here last, Nick.”

Nick laid his head on Rory’s shoulder. “It felt longer. I kept thinking Ghian would find some way to stop you from leaving.”

Rory smiled and reached up to run his fingers gently through his lover’s hair. “Why bother? I’m almost obsolete as the Redeemer, given how few Nightwalkers are left, and Nemesis will be a better Speaker for the Word than I ever was. The world has finally decided to leave us alone.”

Nick let go of him and straightened. He glanced at Antonio and Rafael, who were watching with amusement. “Nice ship. Is it a rental?”

Antonio shook his head. “No, I bought it.”

Rafael chuckled at Nick’s surprise. “He paid cash, too.”

Nick stared at the jumpship. “That’s a top-of-the-line diplomatic courier, built for speed and maneuverability in emergencies. They cost as much to build as a small space station. How the hell could you afford it?”

Antonio looked embarrassed. “The Guild pays starship captains extremely well, not to mention the hazard bonus. It’s small change.”

Nick frowned. “I could feed and clothe the entire city for what you’re calling small change, boy.”

Antonio sobered. “Has finance been an issue?”

Nick shrugged. “Somewhat. I’ve been paying out of pocket for the upkeep of the city, and my net worth took a hit when Ghian confiscated my assets within the Armistice Zone. It’s taking time to build new lines of supply with the humans—and what’s left of the Court—now that we’re frozen out of Armistice trading partners. My personal fortune should last long enough to keep the city functioning until it becomes self-sufficient again.”

“Um, Uncle, I could, uh, float you a loan, if you like.”

Nick glared at his nephew, and then sighed. “Pride doesn’t score me any points with my citizens. I’ll take what you can spare, on a temporary basis. Emphasis on temporary.”

Antonio nodded, looking intensely uncomfortable. “Sure. I’ll set it up in the morning.”

Nick turned away and looped his arm around Rory’s as he led them to the teleport gateway. “Come on, let’s go home. Interplanetary moves are a pain. Trust me, I know. You’ll want to rest up before starting on the unpacking.”

He watched Antonio and Rafael surreptitiously as he dialed in the coordinates of the High Tower. Antonio was leaning into Rafael’s arm, but not so much that it was obvious. The moment the teleport field engaged and they found themselves indoors, Rafael wasted no time in draping his arm over Antonio’s shoulders.
Still shy in public. I wonder whether Raf or Tony is more hung up on showing affection?

“Leave them alone, Nick,”
said Rory’s voice in his mind, projected through the heavily defended notch in Nick’s psychic shields.
“They’ve only been lovers for a few months. They’ll find their own balance. It’s not your problem.”

“I was just—”

“You were going to push them. Tony’s a well-adjusted adult. You don’t have to look out for him anymore.”

Nick nodded almost imperceptibly, conceding the point. They split up after that, the two couples heading for their respective quarters.
“Old habits. I’ll always be looking out for him, even if he doesn’t need me.”

Rory unlocked the door to their suite and entered.
“He’ll always need you. But maybe he needs an equal more than an authority figure.”

Nick followed him inside and closed the door. He was about to frame a reply when a new voice cut across their psychic conversation.

“Master.”

Rory stood straight and Nick watched him focus his mind on the Grace. Rory had asked it to shield him from the memories of those whom the Harbinger plague struck down, so he had been relatively insulated from the massacre going on all around them.
“What is it? You’ve never initiated contact before.”

“The last of the Children of Darkness has fallen.”

Nick stared at Rory’s expression of shock.
“They’re dead? All of them?”

“All of them. Everywhere. The voice of the Red Wind on this world is all but silenced. Only you remain.”

Rory swallowed in nervousness.
“Will the White Wind release me now?”

“No. The Great Work remains incomplete.”

Rory clenched his fists in rage.
“I’m not going to kill myself just to hand them victory.”

“I am sorry, Master. I have no answers for you.”

They continued to argue, but Nick had stopped listening.
Out of time.

* * *

Down the corridor, in the guest quarters, Antonio relayed to Rafael what he had overheard.

Rafael’s face creased with worry. “Can you tell what Nick is planning?”

Antonio reached out with his mind and looked over Nick’s shields, delicately reading the Daywalker’s thoughts without being detected. “Oh, God. He’s going to do it. Tonight.”

Rafael’s expression grew anguished. “Maybe you should let him.”

Antonio snapped his mind back in place and faced his lover. “No. I won’t let him die. Either of them. They’re the only family I have left.”

“Tony, it’s his choice if he wants to sacrifice himself.”

“I won’t make Uncle Rory go through the rest of his life alone. Not when I can prevent it.”

“And what about me?”

Antonio forced himself to see the tears in Rafael’s eyes. “I thought we’d have more time,” he said softly. “I’m sor—”

“No!” Rafael cut him off, his eyes blazing red. “Don’t you dare apologize! Not when you’re going to do it no matter what I say.”

Antonio sat beside him on the couch. He tried to take Rafael’s hand, but the other man avoided his touch. “Try to understand, Leshir. I have to do this. There’s no way I could live with myself afterward if I let him go through with it.”

Rafael didn’t meet his gaze. “Guilt, I understand. That doesn’t mean you have to take his place.”

“Someone has to die for this to work. Either Uncle Rory, Uncle Nick, or me. I choose me.”

“I could do it.”

Antonio shook his head. “The place where Nick is going to fight Luscian is on a neighboring subplane. Uncle Nick can only get there by following his connection to the Crown. I can follow him by tracking my connection to the Grace, but I’m not strong enough to bring you along with me.” Antonio clasped Rafael’s hand in his, and this time, the other man didn’t pull away. “I need your help to make this work. Uncle Nick will fight me. I need your skills to beat him.”

Rafael took a deep breath. “What if I refuse?”

“Then I’ll do it anyway, and I’ll probably fail. And I’ll hate you for it.”

“But you’ll be alive,” whispered Rafael.

Antonio turned Rafael’s head so their eyes met. “Leshir, please. Help me.”

“Couldn’t you just warn Rory what Nick is planning?”

“Uncle Nick would find a way to make it work, only he’d be on guard against me as well.”

Rafael touched Antonio’s cheek gently. “How long do we have?”

Antonio turned his head and kissed Rafael’s fingertips. “He’s going to wait for sunrise, when Uncle Rory is weakest.”

Rafael took a deep, shuddering breath. “One night to say goodbye.”

Antonio rested his forehead against Rafael’s and closed his eyes. “I love you.”

“Not enough.”

* * *

Nick held Rory’s sleeping body close to his chest after they made love. As the sky began to lighten, he eased away from Rory and got dressed quickly. He sat back on the bed.

Rory stirred from sleep. “Nick?”

Nick touched Rory’s lips with the tip of his left index finger. “Shhh. Don’t worry. Trust me.” Then he clamped his left hand hard across Rory’s mouth and called Reaper to his other hand.

Rory came fully awake and stared at the flaming, blue sword. Eyes wide, he tore his gaze away and looked at Nick in terror, reaching up to claw at Nick’s hand over his mouth.

Nick turned the sword point down. “I love you.” Then he drove the blade into Rory’s chest.

Rory’s body spasmed on the bed as he tried to scream.

Nick felt a telekinetic attack try to throw him across the room, but was braced for that, and resisted. Rory’s thoughts tried to batter down his shields and invade his mind, but he held fast.

Soon, Rory’s struggles quieted. The blue of the runes embedded in the blade burst into bright, white radiance, and Nick was rocked back on his heels by the power that exploded in his mind. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he pulled Reaper free from Rory’s chest and wiped away his own tears. Then he leaned down and kissed the dead body’s lips. “I’m going to set you free, Leshir. Soon it will all be over.”

Then he dressed the body and gathered Rory into his arms. Holding Reaper tightly in his hand, he stood and began casting the spell for planar travel.

* * *

Antonio turned away from the window. “It’s time.”

Rafael didn’t speak, merely extended his neck, exposing his throat.

Antonio leaned down and drove his fangs into the vulnerable flesh. The bridge opened up between them, and Antonio drew out Rafael’s experience as a warrior, the skills of a lifetime of battle as a soldier for House Tervilant. When he drew back, Rafael collapsed, gasping and weak.

The Daywalker could only watch as his lover began casting a spell, ropes of magic spinning chaotically around him, until they wrapped him in their power entirely. Then the bright spellform disappeared, taking Antonio with it, leaving only an afterimage in its wake.

Rafael lay on the floor and wept.