The Magic Thieves (16 page)

"Not a good idea.” Elryk shook his head. “We'd be killed on impact."

"Okay, what else have we got?” Kaythan stared at the heap of shards and pointed. “What about those? Would it hurt us to touch them?"

"Probably not. They seem pretty much extinguished to me.” Elryk wasn't going to let his mate risk his life trying it out, though. “Here, let me go first. I can use my magic to protect me."

"Just be careful.” Kaythan reached out for him, squeezing his shoulder before withdrawing.

"Always.” Elryk grinned. His mate in protective mode was even sexier than he was normally.

Elryk turned his attention to the heap of shards, hoping to find one that was big enough to touch. Most of them were either tiny pieces, had sharp edges or looked dull and lifeless. The latter ones were probably safest for a first experiment.

Preparing to pull away quickly if needed, he touched one of the dead-looking ones. Other than a tiny tingle in his fingers, there was nothing. He picked it up. He still couldn't feel anything other than the slight tingle.

"Anything?” Kaythan sounded anxious.

He stood close enough so Elryk sensed his body heat.

"Just a little tingle, as though it's trying to come back to life.” Elryk put it into the upturned palm of his left hand and searched for a second shard. “Maybe it needs company?"

Kaythan laughed but didn't relax his watchful stance.

When Elryk added a second piece onto the palm of his hand there was more tingling, but nothing visible happened.

"You want me to try it?” Kaythan looked hopeful to be doing something.

"Sure, just pick one up and see what happens.” It couldn't hurt to see if a non-magical person had a different effect.

Kaythan picked up a dimly flickering shard before Elryk could stop him.

"You were supposed to pick a dull one!” He watched carefully, ready to jump to his mate's rescue.

"Was I? You didn't say so.” Kaythan grinned as he watched the little shard flicker in his hand. “And the shiny ones are a lot prettier. Look, it's just sitting there, making me itch a little."

Elryk shook his head. His mate was too curious for his own good. Luckily, he also seemed to be immune to anything trying to harm him.

Kaythan put the first shard onto the palm of his right hand, imitating what Elryk had done, then picked another shiny one and put it right next to it. More flickering ensued, but that was it.

"Something is definitely going on with these pieces.” Elryk rubbed his face with his free hand. “I wonder what would happen if we combined the dull and the flickering ones?"

"Good idea.” Kaythan reached out to offer his shards to Elryk.

As soon as their fingers touched a low humming sound came from all four shards and they started to glow with a warm golden radiance that stopped both men in their tracks. The two shards on Elryk's hand moved closer together and melded into a teardrop-shaped crystal. It immediately started moving towards Elryk's wrist, and before he could react to try to stop it, the crystal sank into the skin until only its top half was visible. There was no pain, only a deep sense of happiness.

"What the hell?” Kaythan stared at his own hand where his crystal was behaving in exactly the same way.

Kaythan let go of Elryk's hand to touch the embedded teardrop in his own wrist and the crystals stopped glowing.

Elryk touched the teardrop in his wrist, stroking it softly. It was as warm as the skin around it and smooth as glass. Nothing else happened as he was touching it. He looked up and saw Kaythan imitate what he'd done, with the same effect. Absolutely nothing.

"Okay, that's officially weird.” Elryk blinked and reached out for Kaythan's hand again.

As soon as they touched the crystals started glowing again. Elryk felt an irresistible urge to link hands with Kaythan. His left hand positively pulsed with the need to be close.

"You feel it, too?” Kaythan's eyes were wide, shocked. “This thing wants me to link hands with you. It's as if a magnet is drawing my right hand to your left."

"Yeah, I can feel it as well.” Elryk thought for a moment. “It's a warm feeling though, nice. My magic can't detect anything dangerous."

"You want to give in?” Kaythan smiled. “It feels like my crystal wants its little mate."

"That's exactly it!” Elryk was elated. “It's got something to do with the mate bond. Maybe that's what activated these pieces?"

"It may have done.” Kaythan frowned. “I'm curious about how this is possible at all."

"Why?” Resisting the pull of the little crystal was becoming more difficult by the second. His mind was going fuzzy.

"Well, the Muyd'Othar was made to protect the Magic Council, right?” Kaythan stepped away from him, making him want to run after his mate. “It was never meant to be destroyed. So now that it's in pieces, it suddenly has this ability to form crystals that sink into our skin?"

"You're right, that is odd.” He sighed. “But you're not making it easy to think by moving away. This thing wants me to be close to you."

"Yeah, mine too. I just hope it's not dangerous.” Kaythan moved back into range again.

Elryk immediately felt better.

"I don't think we can solve this riddle here and now.” Kaythan shook his head, as if to clear it. “I'm not sure we need to, but I really hope we can spend some time doing research once all of this is over."

"I agree.” He wanted to know why, the material the Muyd'Othar had been made of, reacted the way it did.

"So, are you ready to see what these little crystals can do when we let them work together?” Kaythan's eyes were bright with excitement.

"Only one way to find out.” Elryk grinned at Kaythan's surprised laugh when his mate heard his own favourite mantra quoted back at him.

They stood next to each other and let their hands link, entwining their fingers. It brought their wrists together and as soon as the two crystals touched the low humming started up and the golden radiance was back. It surrounded their hands in a small, pulsing sphere.

"All right, this is interesting. It makes me feel nice, but I wonder what it can do? I'm sure it's not just meant to sit there and make us feel happy, is it?” Kaythan frowned, looking around the room in search of a target.

"Hardly.” Elryk glanced at the multicoloured chamber wall. “I wonder whether whatever this is might help us break through that lightning magic?"

"You know the answer to that.” Kaythan grinned. “What do you think we need to do?"

"I think we need to focus our thoughts on making the protective layer open up for us.” Elryk figured it might work just like magic. It was as good a place as any to start their new attempts at escape.

"Okay, let's focus away.” Kaythan winked at him and turned his attention to the lightning-covered wall.

"Open for us.” Elryk was sure speaking the words would help Kaythan focus. So he kept repeating the simple sentence again and again.

When Kaythan started speaking the words with him, the small golden sphere began to grow. Kaythan stopped speaking and the sphere shrank back to its original size.

"Okay, got it. Don't stop the focus.” Kaythan smiled sheepishly and concentrated on the wall and their words again.

When the golden sphere reached the chamber wall, there was a crackle and a hiss, but nothing happened.

"More pressure.” Elryk willed himself to help the golden sphere push outward. “Focus on it pushing against the walls."

Kaythan nodded and closed his eyes.

The golden sphere started pulsing, the multicoloured lights of the protective layer dimmed a little, but soon they were back in full force. The golden sphere was still there, but it was weaker than before. It looked depleted.

"It isn't working.” Elryk opened his eyes and let go of Kaythan's hand.

The golden light vanished and he felt empty. He'd been so sure the golden sphere would solve all their problems. They'd tried everything else without success. Now their last hope was gone. How were they ever going to get out of here?

"Maybe it's because we're tired.” Kaythan opened his arms.

He walked right into them, putting his head on Kaythan's strong shoulder.

"We've been facing challenges and fighting for our lives without a real break. Maybe we should rest for a bit and then try again.” Kaythan stroked his head.

"That sounds wonderful.” He wasn't sure they could afford to rest for long, but he was too tired to fight anymore.

"Can you make another bed appear, like you did in the cave?” Kaythan looked hopeful.

"You liked that, did you?” He grinned, waved his hand and a sturdy wooden bed with a soft mattress, white sheets and a warm duvet appeared. “So did I."

They both undressed. He used some water magic to clean them up, much to Kaythan's delight, then dried them with air magic. More tired than ever before, he slid between the sheets and sank into Kaythan's wide-open arms. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Elryk awoke to the sound of soft snoring right next to his ear. He was half buried under Kaythan's body, the other man having crawled over him in his sleep. He grinned. Their legs were entangled, groins pressed tightly together, chests mashed against each other. Kaythan's head had taken its customary position between his neck and shoulder.

Elryk lay there for a moment, enjoying the physical closeness. He was getting used to having a mate, and not just when they were awake. Sleeping with another man in his arms was so much better than spending his nights alone in beds that had always felt too big for him. As if he'd get lost in them without someone else to share the available space.

Without thinking about it, he moved his hand along Kaythan's back, loving the feeling of the warm skin under his fingertips. With a final snuffle, Kaythan stopped snoring and lifted his head.

"Sorry.” The other man tried to move away.

"Stay?” Elryk tightened his embrace to make sure his mate got the message.

"Anytime.” Kaythan yawned and settled his head back onto Elryk's shoulder.

"Did you have a good sleep?” He felt so much better himself, he hoped the rest had done Kaythan as much good.

"Yeah. I feel much better now.” Kaythan grinned and his hand wandered to Elryk's growing erection.

"I can feel that.” He grinned and reciprocated by finding the hard length between Kaythan's legs.

"Hmmm.” Kaythan stroked him slowly.

Elryk moved his other hand down along Kaythan's spine until he reached the man's ass. Circling and kneading the taut globes, he approached his mate's crack and slid a finger between his mate's buttocks. Kaythan moaned and spread his legs as he thrust into Elryk's fist.

Elryk moved his finger closer to Kaythan's opening and circled the ring of muscles. Gradually increasing the pressure, he finally moved the tip inside. It made Kaythan shudder and speed up his movements. Soon the other man was sawing back and forth between Elryk's fist and his finger, fucking himself with abandon.

"More.” Kaythan had stopped moving his hand on Elryk's cock, just holding on instead. The pressure was delicious.

Elryk added another finger, pushing it slowly inside, not wanting to hurt the other man. Kaythan moaned, pleasure clearly visible on his face as he moved faster and faster. When Elryk added a third finger, Kaythan bucked wildly and shot spurts of hot semen into Elryk's hand as he shuddered through his orgasm.

The sight of his mate's pleasure on the gorgeous face, and the scent of his spunk between them as he erupted, combined to push Elryk over the edge. He came into Kaythan's tight fist, flooding it with his semen.

They were both still panting when they entwined their fingers as Kaythan sagged back down onto his body, pressing him into the mattress. He loved his mate's weight on him like this.

They disentangled themselves and after Elryk cleaned them, lay on their sides, his arm around Kaythan's shoulder, the fingers of his right hand and Kaythan's left entwined. Before they knew what was happening, the crystals in their wrists touched and the golden glow was back.

It was stronger than ever and spread gradually outward as they were watching lazily. When it had reached the chamber's walls and ceiling it stopped.

"Not so different than before after all.” Elryk sighed.

It made his chest move against Kaythan's and his cock made a valiant effort to get hard again at the touch. The golden glow intensified. Elryk pressed his groin against Kaythan's, feeling renewed desire travel up his spine. The golden sphere pulsed as if it was breathing.

Kaythan watched every reaction with narrowed eyes.

"I think we've found our solution.” He grinned in anticipation of what he was pretty sure was going to be next. “Let's see what happens when we kiss."

The kiss may have started with the purpose of seeing what would happen to the golden sphere, but as soon as Kaythan's tongue invaded his mouth, he forgot everything and focused on the sensations and feelings his mate created by kissing him. The slow caresses of tongue on tongue became his whole world. He responded with all the passion he felt, and soon they were playing an exciting game of tag that moved their tongues in and out of each other's mouths in rapid succession.

When Kaythan pulled away, he wanted to follow. He didn't want the kiss to stop this soon. Kaythan grinned and pointed at the ceiling.

The golden glow was now everywhere. It was more intense than ever before. As he watched it, he thought back to their earlier lovemaking. The golden sphere expanded farther, pushing against the multicoloured lights of the magical barrier.

His eyes widened. Then he remembered the kiss, making a conscious effort to recall all the feelings it had made him experience. The golden sphere kept pushing outward, the glow ever intensifying.

"This is a new kind of magic, isn't it?” Kaythan's eyes were big.

"Yeah, it definitely looks as if it's linked to the mate bond.” For the first time since they'd been imprisoned by Rhunnyt, there was hope. “Let's try and break through again."

Kaythan nodded.

They held onto each other's hands, making sure the crystals were touching, and he focused on his emotions for Kaythan. Slowly, but inexorably, the golden sphere pushed outward until the multicoloured lights vanished with a surprisingly soft plopping sound.