The Duke of Tremont II - Bloodspell

Chapter 8

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“That is why we were on the way to Sylvania, Tim. I saw Jon becoming ill, and I had visions of that brooch.”

“Oh, God, why didn’t I see it before?” Blake muttered almost to himself. The others looked at him questioningly. He removed his arm from Tristan and stood, pacing the length of the small clearing. After a few minutes he spoke again. “Duke James gave King Gabriel that brooch for his birthday not four months ago.”

“Yes, I remember!” Tristan added. “It is quite stunning. Father could hardly put it down.”

“Yes, he would have spelled it to make it seem more attractive,” Blake muttered as he continued pacing.

“What the hell does all this mean, Blake? Is it the brooch that is making my brother ill?” Brian demanded.

Blake looked up, as if surprised to see them all there. “No, I don’t think the brooch is making him ill. I think it was what triggered the spell in the first place. Once the king, or kings, I should say, touched it, the spell began to do its work.”

“So simply destroying the brooch will not set things right?” Theodore asked.

Blake’s shoulders slumped. “No, that would be too easy. Kipton would not let the catalyst for the spell out of his sight like that. It’s too important.” He began pacing again. “I need to think.”

Brian gently pushed Tim off him and stood up. “While you’re pacing and thinking, my brother is dying! We need to find this Kipton person and his catalyst and run him through!” he stated impatiently.

Blake moved to face the other man. “My nephew is also dying, Duke! Do not think for a moment that I am taking any of this lightly. The fate of two kingdoms is at stake here. This is complicated magic that will not be simply solved by running people through!”

“Well, what do we do?” Brian threw up his hands and then he swayed on his feet forcing Blake to have to put out his arms to support him. Justin was up and at Brian’s side in an instant.

“We eat and then we sleep!” Everyone had been so busy watching Blake and Brian that they didn’t notice Emmett step into the center of the clearing.

“Emmett, have you heard nothing of what is happening here?” Brian growled.

“Oh, yes, my lord, I’ve heard every word, but what do you plan to do about any of this right now?” Emmett swept a wild hand around the clearing. “Look at all of us! We’re exhausted! Prince Timothy has been riding hard for two days, Justin was almost killed by that frightening creature, Prince Tristan is ill, and you yourself are exhausted from the energy you’ve expended. Now, I may be just a lowly servant who is stupid in the ways of politics and intrigue, but I do know something about taking care of people, and you all are worn out. The best thing you can do for yourselves and your kingdoms is get a good night’s sleep and readdress all of this tomorrow!” He crossed his arms and stamped a foot.

“Well said,” Drew agreed with Emmett, who blushed from the compliment and sketched a small bow to the handsome knight. “Master Emmett is correct, Blake. We do need to rest. We can come up with a plan of action on the morrow when we are all thinking clearly.” Drew smiled at Emmett sweetly.

Justin reached out and patted Emmett’s shoulder. “Thank you, Emmett. I agree with you and Sir Drew. And you know you are not a lowly servant, but a good friend.” Emmett clasped Justin’s hand for a moment, and then Justin led Brian back to their spot and sat him down before he fell down. “They’re right, Brian. We do need to rest.”

Brian sighed and nodded, as did Blake. Young Tristan’s stomach chose that moment to growl rather loudly, causing all of them to smile a bit. “We’d best get some food into the boy,” Brian teased. “I know how frightening a hungry boy can be,” he nudged Justin.

“Hey!” Justin protested and they all laughed as they went about the business of getting the evening meal started.

Tim remained quiet from his spot sitting on the fallen tree next to his uncle, elbows resting on his knees and chin resting on his palms. Brian nudged him gently. “It will be okay, Tim,” he reassured his nephew.

Tim nodded absently and stood up. “I think I’ll help gather firewood.” He walked a little further into the woods.

Brian stared after him and Justin leaned his head on Brian’s shoulder to provide some silent comfort.

Soon the meal was eaten, followed by some quiet conversation around the fire. The group seemed to follow an unspoken moratorium to not think anymore about the trouble that lay ahead for them. Instead they broke into small groups around the fire.

Theodore and Blake were engaged in an intense conversation, as were Drew and Emmett.

Daphne spoke with Ben and Michael, sighing inwardly that it seemed she was forever doomed to be surrounded by men who preferred other men. She had had such hopes for the handsome sir Andrew, but from judging the man’s attentions to Emmett, she would be left out in the cold yet again.

Even Tim had come back from his wood gathering trip in a little better spirits and he had engaged Tristan in some easy conversation that distracted each of them from their worries.

After sharing the evening meal, Tim’s two guards had offered to take turns keeping watch that night, for which everyone was grateful.

After an hour or so, Ben nudged Michael and pointed to where Justin and Brian were still sitting by their tree, though now they were sound asleep, wrapped in each others arms.

They moved to lay the couple down and make them more comfortable and Daphne covered the men with their blanket. Neither of them woke through the whole process. She kissed each man on the forehead, noticing that Brian still looked troubled, even in his deep sleep. She couldn’t help but worry about what the immediate future would bring for them.

The rest of the party said their good nights and settled in to sleep as well.

 

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“How is the army shaping up, General?” Duke James asked his top military advisor.

“Quite nicely, highness. The recruiting methods you suggested seem to be working well. Threats to take farms and harm loved ones make the decision to join the army so much easier,” the other man replied with a sinister smile.

“And you, Mage Kipton? How does it fare with you?” This was a very special meeting with only the duke’s most personal advisors.

“We have had some success with the new meldlings, my lord. This batch seems to be particularly vicious.”

“Wonderful news. Any word of the prince and his uncle?”

“I’m sorry, sire, I have been unable to find them.”

Duke James decided to let it slide. Everything else was going so well. “Well, not to worry. Tristan shall be dead soon anyway, as will King Jonathan. Pennington will be thrown into confusion as the rest of the heirs start dying and we can make our move.”

The other two men smiled and shared a toast as James raised his glass of port to salute a job well done.

 

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Blake awoke early from a fitful sleep and silently moved away from camp. He made his way to the creek they had camped near and found a secluded spot to sit. He had much to think about and he needed to commune with the forest around him and recoup some of his energy reserves.

He tried to get himself into a meditative state, but thoughts of everything that had transpired in the last twenty-four hours kept dogging him. He had thought he was bringing Tristan to safety only to find more trouble, and now the fates of two kingdoms rested on Blake’s shoulders and he really had no idea how he was going to best the powerful Kipton.

Damn Pennington and it’s prejudices! Their complete lack of knowledge where magic was concerned was going to be a huge detriment to them. Brian’s gift was strong, and he obviously used some of it, but judging by what Blake had discovered yesterday, the man did not even know what a simple truth spell was, let alone how to perform one. There was so much potential there, but they were quickly running out of time.

When Blake thought of what he had seen in Justin, he shuddered. God, so much…

Blake’s thoughts were interrupted when one of the subjects of his musings made his way out from the forest to the edge of the creek. Blake almost called out a greeting, but was momentarily stunned when Brian carelessly began to remove his clothing, and entered the waist deep water for a bath.

There was no denying the man was beautiful, and though Blake knew that he belonged to Justin, he could not help the small gasp that escaped his lips and the hardening of his manhood when Brian dunked his whole body under water and popped back up. Droplets of water ran down Brian’s tan and perfect torso of lean muscle, trailing their way down the thatch of chestnut hair that peeked just above the water line, leading to the beautiful cock that Blake unfortunately was only treated to a brief glimpse of.

“He is quite a sight, isn’t he?” Justin commented quietly, from right behind Blake’s right shoulder.

Blake jumped. “Oh…no…I…sorry…I…should have…” Blake took a deep breath and willed himself to stop stammering like a simpering maiden. Justin moved to sit down next to him and Blake met his gaze. “I am sorry. I should have made my presence know to his highness so he could bathe in privacy.”

“Oh, he knows you’re here,” Justin answered with a small smile playing across his lips.

“What?” Blake responded with shock as he blushed like a maiden.

Justin could not help but laugh. “It’s all right, Blake. Brian is not shy about his body. If it had bothered him that you were here he would have told you to leave. Brian is not shy about anything.”

“But you…I’m sorry,” Blake answered lamely, wishing he could crawl under a rock.

“Well, you are only human after all, and fey, no?” Blake nodded and Justin continued. “I of all people know of Brian’s considerable beauty. I don’t mind sharing the view and he certainly doesn’t mind sharing his view with anyone who will look. I’ve grown used to his lack of inhibitions over the years, and I know whose bed he comes to at the end of the day.”

“Thank you, Justin. You are a very lucky man.” He noticed Justin was only wearing a pair of pants. “I could leave now, I mean if you were planning on bathing as well.”

“No, it’s fine,” Justin smiled and let his eyes rest on Brian, who was now making his way out of the water. “I believe Brian wants to talk with you. I’ll bathe later.”

Brian walked over to them and flopped himself down next to Justin, laying himself out to dry in the sun. “Good morning, Blake. And Justin.” He leaned over to place a kiss on Justin’s bare arm.”

“For heaven sake Brian! At least cover yourself,” Justin threw Brian’s clothes at him.

“Why, we are all men. I have nothing that Blake hasn’t seen before, I’m sure.”

Justin rolled his eyes and threw up his hands at Blake as if to make his point.

Brian chuckled and stood up to run the towel he had brought with him quickly over his body and pulled on his pants. He sat back down next to Justin. “Happy?”

“Ecstatic,” Justin replied acerbically.

Blake could not help his own chuckle at the antics of the two, and thought that under better circumstances he could enjoy a friendship with the two handsome men.

When he turned his attention back to them he noticed that Brian was once again wearing his serious expression from the night before. “So tell me Mage-Master Blake. How are we to save our loved ones and our kingdoms?”

“You waste no time getting to the point, do you?” Blake stated.

“I was under the impression there was not time to waste.”

“You are very correct,” Blake frowned. “I have been pondering this all morning, and there is only one solution. I must get to Adept Kipton’s lair and find the catalyst for the spells and destroy it. I believe it is probably a brooch that matches the one he used for the trigger.”

“How will you do that?” Justin asked.

“Well, the getting in part should not be too difficult,” Blake replied. “You see, Kipton was my teacher, and well…” Blake decided that honesty was important at this point. “We were also lovers.”

Justin gasped a little and Brian eyed Blake. “Why did you leave him? Did you know what he was planning?”

“I left because he became a bastard, and no, I didn’t know. I would have stayed and tried to stop him had I known. It was only later that I figured out his involvement in the scheme.”

Brian nodded. “So you get in, destroy the catalyst and get out. Sounds straightforward enough.”

“Except…”

“Except what?” Brian asked impatiently.

“I don’t have the power to destroy the catalyst.”

“What do you mean? If you can’t do it then who can?”

Blake studied the two men silently for a moment, measuring their strength and character. “I believe it must be you.”

“Me?” Brian asked in disbelief.

Blake shook his head. “Both of you,” he corrected. “Together.”

Brian and Justin shared startled glances with each other before they both turned back to Blake in utter confusion.



 

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