The Duke of Tremont II - Bloodspell

Chapter 6

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Brian’s bout of speechlessness ended abruptly when he suddenly felt the warm rush of Justin back in his mind again. He dismounted Hugo, completely dismissing Blake and tall man and pale boy who had just made their way to his side.

He ran to Justin’s side and went down on his knees where the younger man still lay trapped under his mare. Stardust was still alive, but shivering violently, her sides heaving with the effort to breathe. “Justin!” he almost sobbed.

Justin opened his eyes and peered up at his lover. “Brian,” he muttered weakly. “Hurts.”

“I know, love, I know. We’ll get you out of here in a moment.” He stroked blond hair out of Justin’s eyes. “God, I thought you were dead, Justin. I couldn’t feel you.”

“You can’t be rid of me that easily, my lord,” Justin gasped out, trying to reassure his distraught lover with a small smile. Stardust chose that moment to begin to struggle, crushing Justin with even more of her weight. He cried out in pain and then mercifully passed out.

Tim and his men arrived and began to assess the situation. “Uncle, I don’t think we can save the horse. Shall I have one of my men end her suffering?”

Brian nodded absently, but was hardly paying attention, having only eyes for Justin. He didn’t even flinch at the sounds of Stardust’s last labored breaths.

Meanwhile, Ben, Michael and the others arrived on the scene, a sore and limping Daphne being supported by Theodore and Emmett. When they were close enough, she immediately broke away from the two men, going down to her knees across from Brian to check Justin’s injuries. She looked up at Brian‘s somewhat dazed face. “We have to get her off of him! Now!”

Brian met Daphne’s gaze and pulled himself together, scanning the crowd around him. “Ben, you get into position close to Justin.” He studied the other men around him, sizing them up. His gaze lighted on the three strangers, whom he had all but forgotten in his concern for Justin. “You,” he pointed at Drew. “You look to be strong. Will you get on his other side and help?”

“Of course,” Drew answered easily as he quickly moved into position next to Ben on the other side of Justin’s legs.

“The rest of you line up on either side of them and lift on my count of three. I’ll pull Justin out. Daphne, be ready with your knife.”

“Brian?” Daphne questioned. Brian met her gaze again and when she realized what he was going to do she gasped. “Are you sure?”

Brian nodded. “It’s for the best.” He moved into position to pull Justin and turned his attention to the men lined up along Stardust’s back. “One, two, three!”

The men all heaved and were able to move the horse just enough so Brian could pull Justin free. More than a few of them had to turn away from the sight of Justin’s horribly twisted right leg.

Blake had eased closer and knelt down next to Brian and Daphne. “I could help set it. I do have some healing gifts,” he offered.

“Thank you, but Daphne here is a healer,” Brian responded politely, not really wanting the stranger to touch Justin. “And I have gifts of my own.” He shared a small smile with Daphne.

Blake watched curiously as Daphne began to cut away Justin’s pants. When she took out her knife and cut a deep incision into Justin’s leg, Blake could not help but speak up. “My lady, what are you…

“Just watch!” Daphne interrupted.

Blake closed his mouth and stared when Brian held his palm out to Daphne, who promptly sliced it open.

Brian pressed his wounded hand into the cut on Justin’s leg and began to chant. Even those who had witnessed Brian heal Justin of his mortal wound on the battlefield in Ballybonne those years ago, moved closer to watch him work his magic again.

Understanding seemed to dawn on Blake and he sat back on his heels and relaxed a bit. “He is a chosen one,” he muttered under his breath.

Daphne heard him. “You know of the ones blessed by the fairies?”

Blake nodded, not taking his eyes from Justin’s leg, which was slowly knitting back together and moving to its natural position. “Aye, I know of the chosen ones,” Blake answered. “The blond must be his shonauchar, then, his true love?”

Daphne was unsure how to answer this strange man who seemed to wield so much power. She wanted to protect her friends.

She was saved from answering by Brian pulling his hand away from Justin’s now healed leg and reaching down to help his lover sit up. Justin let himself lean into Brian’s chest for a moment. “We really must stop meeting like this, my lord,” he said quietly with a small grin.

Brian kissed the top of his head. “Well, if you would stop trying to get yourself killed it would not be a problem.” He paused a moment and lifted Justin’s face with a finger under his chin. “How do you feel?”

“I’ll be all right,” he answered as he pulled away from his lover and surveyed their audience. “Tim!” he exclaimed. “What on earth are you doing here?” Before the young prince could answer Justin noticed the three strangers. “Brian, who are they?”

“That is just what I was going to ask,” Brian stated as he rose to his feet, pulling Justin up with him. He turned his attention back to Blake, who had also risen from where he knelt next to Daphne.

Blake slowly moved over to where Drew was standing, his hands holding a rather intimidated Tristan, in a comforting grip on the shoulders. Blake turned to face Brian and his party. “As I said before, my name is Mage Master Blake DeVane. I am the late Queen Lisbet of Maynor’s youngest brother.” He pointed to Drew. “This is Sir Andrew of Boyd, a loyal member of the king’s guard.” He moved to where the boy stood, wrapped a gentle arm around his shoulders and led him from Drew’s side, over to where Tim and his men stood together. “I see you are wearing the livery of Jonathan, King of Pennington.”

“Yes,” replied Tim. “I am Prince Timothy, second son of the king.” He pointed to where Brian still stood with a protective arm around Justin. “And this is my uncle, Prince Brian, Duke of Tremont. He is my father’s brother.”

Blake bowed in homage to Tim and then Brian, as did the young man. “Your highnesses, may I present to you Crown Prince Tristan, heir of Maynor. We come to your land seeking refuge and the protection of King Jonathan, whom I understand to be a fair and just man.”

Brian and the rest all exchanged startled looks. Brian tightened his hold on Justin. What in God’s name was the crown prince of Maynor doing in Pennington seeking refuge? What did this mean?

He finally found his voice. “How do we know you are who you say?”

“You may use your powers to perform the truth spell upon me, highness,” Blake replied.

“A what?” Brian asked.

Before Blake could respond, he felt Tristan’s knees begin to buckle in the hot afternoon sun. “Tristan!” he cried as he clutched at the boy.

Tim hurried to the boy’s other side and helped Blake hold him. “Please.” Blake looked to Brian. “He is ill. I need to get him his medicine and a place where he can rest.”

Brian nodded. “There is much to discuss, but let us get the ill, injured and the animals settled before we find out why we are all here and what the hell that thing is that tried to kill Justin.” He began giving orders. “Ben, Michael, I need the two of you to oversee setting up camp. I believe there is a small stream just to the south of us. Tim, help Mage Blake get the boy to a place in the shade.”

Tim nodded, silently cursing these newcomers, even though one of them had saved Daphne and Justin. He needed to impart his news to Brian about his brother’s illness, and find out why Brian, Justin and the others were already seemingly on their way to Sylvania. And what in God’s name was that monster anyway, and how did Blake kill it? There were so many questions that needed answers, but Tim knew he would have to wait until they were settled to get any.

Brian was speaking again. “Daphne, are you able to go with Blake and Tim to see if you can help?”

Daphne nodded, following the three men, still limping slightly. Justin smiled a bit as she passed him, muttering about lucky friends and their lovers with healing powers.

“Why don’t you go with her, Jus?” Brian asked lightly. “It will get you out of this hot sun.”

“I am not injured any longer, Brian,” Justin protested. “I will stay and help you.”

Brian nudged him in the ribs. “Hush!” he whispered fiercely. “My point is that I can’t help. You know how weak I feel after I use my gift like that, and I know you are sore and tired too. My gift does not heal everything, only the gravest injuries. I was trying to cover for both of us, idiot!”

“Brian, I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”

“I know, but I don’t want our guests to know that I’m not one hundred percent right now.”

“Don’t you trust them?” Brian simply gave his lover a look.

Justin smiled a bit. “Of course not. What was I thinking?” He wrapped an arm around Brian’s waist. “Well then, we shall both stand here looking very authoritative whilst we hold each other up. Is it a deal?”

“Deal,” Brian replied, pulling Justin a little harder into his side.

 

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Tim had helped Blake lie Tristan down on the bedroll Andrew had brought over and then gone back to help the others. Daphne sat close by, noticing that Ben and Michael were setting up camp very close by, and it would take no effort to move the boy when they were ready.

“What is wrong with him?” Daphne asked, as she watched Blake prepare an herb mixture that looked familiar to her, except for a few ingredients she did not recognize.

“He has an illness,” Blake replied mysteriously, not yet wanting to reveal his true theory until they were all together and trading stories.

“Is it contagious?” asked Daphne curiously.

“Not to us,” Blake replied somewhat shortly.

Daphne was a bit frustrated by Blake’s reticence to share information, but she decided to give up for now and simply watch in fascination as Blake mixed his brew.

 

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Brian and Justin were still standing near the site of Justin’s attack, indeed, almost literally holding each other up as they waited for word that camp was ready for them. Justin frowned a bit as he studied the dead creature and then moved his attention to his dead horse, where one of Tim‘s men was currently retrieving Justin‘s packs. He felt bad for not really thinking of her fate sooner. “Stardust,” he whispered a bit brokenly.

“I am sorry, Sunshine,” Brian murmured into his hair. “She was a beautiful horse.”

“Yes, she was my first gift from you, my lord. Remember?”

“Aye, I do. There will be many other gifts from me, Justin. I would give you the world if I could.”

Justin did not reply as he simply allowed himself to bask in the tender words Brian had spoken. Brian got so mushy after these near death experiences and Justin adored these moments, but knew better than to ruin it by speaking and breaking Brian‘s mood.

After a moment of watching the busy men bustle about, Brian began to lead Justin to the spot that Michael was signaling them to come to. “You know what this means, don’t you?” Justin asked with a smile in his voice as they walked.

“What?” Brian asked.

“We’ll have to ride double the rest of the trip,” Justin smiled slyly, giving Brian a small hip check.

The others looked up sharply as they were startled by the sudden peal of unabashed laughter that was emanating from the usually reserved and stoic duke of Tremont.
 

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