Chapter 29 Syrus #2
That sort of non-answer would put every politician Syrus knew to shame. Ellis answered the question without telling them a single thing. He was starting to wonder if he’d truly known his baby brother at all.
Xan huffed his displeasure. “That’s not an answer, Ellis.”
“It’s all the answer I’m able to give you.” Ellis tilted his chin up, meeting Xan’s eyes for the first time all day, and for once, he didn’t blush or stammer.
“It’s good enough for me,” Eiri cut in before the tension could worsen between them. “I had a question for you, Xan. How did you move us from the tower to the throne room? That magic shouldn’t be possible. And why the throne room? I’d have preferred to wait and face the queen until we recovered.”
In all the chaos of the last hour, the manner of their arrival had fallen down the list of important in Syrus’ mind until it was all but forgotten. He glanced over at Xan in question, but his cousin was already shaking his head.
“That wasn’t me. I thought it was you.”
Eiri looked over at Syrus, but Syrus just gave him a little smile.
“I think we all know or figured out that you’re a mage, Eiri.”
“I would have told you eventually, probably,” he said sheepishly.
“My magic is different from mainland mages. I can manipulate water, but I also draw my power from it. I never had to worry about it on Canjir, but I haven’t been able to restore myself as easily here.
Drawing the liquid poison from your body took everything I had left.
There’s no way I could have moved us all like that even if I knew how, which I don’t. It had to be you, Xan.”
“You know I’m always the first to call myself the most powerful mage in Vaetreas, and it’s probably even true, but there’s no way I could have done that.
My plan was to blast a hole in the wall and draw up as much ocean water as I could.
I’d hoped it would be enough for you to be able to jump into the fight. ”
Syrus’ eyes drifted closed as they talked, exhaustion dragging at him despite his best attempts to stay alert. The last few days had been a nightmare, even before he’d been poisoned and nearly killed. All he wanted now was a soft bed and Eiri in his arms.
“Perhaps it was one of Brandow’s mages. Neither of them seemed pleased to be attacking us,” Xan was saying when Syrus forced himself to pay attention again. “Or even just a strange byproduct of all that magic clashing.”
“Speaking of Brandow…” If he didn’t stop Xan now, they’d spend the rest of the day stuck on this topic.
“He’s going to be furious,” Ellis agreed. Like Syrus, he’d stayed quiet while the mages talked. “First that we escaped him in the observatory, then when he finds out that the queen has all but pardoned Eiri and is letting you leave.”
That was another conversation he needed to have with Eiri, but he could save that for when they finally got some privacy.
“There’s not much he can do about it, at least. He may be Crown Prince, but he’s not in charge yet and he can’t countermand one of the queen’s orders.”
“Not that he’d attempt it. He wouldn’t dare cross the queen and earn her disapproval. I dread the day he ascends the throne,” Xan said, shuddering.
“As do we all.” Syrus tried to stretch his aching body, but it was impossible without dislodging Eiri. “Can the rest of this wait until we’ve slept? I can’t keep my eyes open anymore.”
“Of course,” Ellis said quickly. “Xan, can they stay here for the night? Your wards will keep them safe.”
“You’re all staying here tonight,” Xan said in a tone that brooked no arguments. Ellis still opened his mouth like he was going to try, but a sharp look from Xan quelled whatever words he’d planned.
Honestly, at this point, Syrus didn’t even know if it was near nightfall or the middle of the afternoon, nor did he care. All he wanted was to sleep until his body didn’t ache with every breath.
“Eiri, Syrus, you two can take my bed. You need it more than me,” Xan continued, and Syrus didn’t argue. “Ellis, the guest room is yours.”
“What about you?” Ellis asked. At least he was smart enough not to phrase it as a protest. Syrus didn’t have the energy to listen to them bicker.
“I’m going to be up for awhile. I’m too wound up to sleep, and it’s still early for me. The three of you look ready to drop, though.”
Getting back up took some effort and a hand from his brother, but eventually Syrus was back on his feet with his arm around Eiri’s shoulder for support.
Before everyone split up, though, he paused by Ellis.
He hadn’t realized it until Xan said something, but Ellis was clearly exhausted.
He’d always had the fairest skin of all their siblings, but now he’d taken on a grey pallor.
Careful to avoid where their mother had bruised him, Syrus rested his hand on the side of his brother’s neck.
“Thank you, Ellis. I know I haven’t always been there for you like I should have been, but you still risked your own safety to save me.”
“You would have done the same thing for me,” Ellis mumbled, looking distinctly uncomfortable with the praise and attention, slight though it may be. He deserved better than to be saddled with their family.
“And I always will.” Syrus locked eyes with him as he spoke. “I don’t know what’s going to happen after this, but you have my support, no matter what.”
“Thank you. That means more than you know.” A faint sheen of tears glimmered in Ellis’ eyes before he blinked them away. “Now, you two need to sleep before you drop. Rest as long as you need. Xan and I will make sure you’re safe and unbothered.”
Syrus pulled him into a quick hug, the first he could ever recall giving Ellis. He still leaned on Eiri, which made the embrace slightly awkward, but Ellis didn’t seem to care. He clung to Syrus with a surprising strength, burying his face in his shoulder.
“I love you,” he whispered in Ellis’ ear. A shudder wracked his lanky frame and, for a moment, Syrus was sure his brother was crying. When Ellis pulled away a moment later, though, his eyes were dry.
“I love you, too. Now go. Both of you need sleep.”
With Eiri’s help, they made it to Xan’s bedroom.
He’d expected something colorful and extravagant from his cousin, but Xan’s room surprised him with its understated elegance.
He was far too tired to appreciate the rich colors and carefully appointed furniture right now, though.
All he cared about was the massive bed against the far wall.
“Sit,” Eiri ordered quietly. “Let me help you get your clothes off, then we can sleep. We’re both filthy.”
Syrus did as he was told, sitting on the edge of Xan’s bed and letting Eiri undress him. “Should we talk?”
Eiri stripped him down, even his underclothes landing in the pile on the floor. He hadn’t even noticed he’d still been wearing his clothes from the party, with Eiri’s careful embroidery on the hems.
“We can talk once we’re both able to stay conscious for more than a few minutes. Lie down.”
Syrus obediently stretched out on the bed, allowing Eiri to pull the covers up over him. Only then did Eiri undress, and Syrus desperately wished he weren’t so tired as he watched. He’d never seen his husband completely naked before, and he’d been missing out.
Eiri had gained a little weight in his time in Vaetreas, but he could stand to gain a little more.
Scars littered his skin, some old and silvery, others newer.
Syrus could point out more than a few that he’d left during one of their battles through the years.
Bruises mottled his wrists, and abrasions tore up his side, as if he’d fallen on rough stone.
A dark tattoo crawled up the outside of Eiri’s right thigh, curving around his body and up his side.
He couldn’t quite make out what it was, but he looked forward to mapping out every inch in detail later.
Scars, bruises, and all, Eiri C’Dari was the most beautiful man Syrus had ever seen, and he must have been blind not to see it before.
“Don’t look at me like that. We’re both too worn out to do anything about it,” Eiri chided, but he was smiling as he crawled into bed beside Syrus and lay beside him, not quite touching him.
“I can’t help it. You’re stunning.”
“And you’re a flatterer, but it’s been a rough day and I could use the boost, so I’ll take it.”
Syrus chuckled, turning on his side to face his husband. After a moment, Eiri did the same, and a soft peace settled into the space between them.
“We’re going to be alright,” he whispered after a moment. It didn’t sound as confident as he would have liked, but with so much of their future in question right now, he couldn’t help it.
“We are,” Eiri said with more confidence. “The people we should have been able to trust more than anyone just tried to kill us, and we survived. We’ve got allies, but more importantly, we have each other. No going back, right? For real this time.”
Eiri was right. Against all odds, they’d survived and found their way back to each other. Compared to assassination attempts and execution orders, what was a little political maneuvering?
“You’re right,” he said, nodding. “No going back.”