Chapter 8 Pollen Talk #2
“You have gorgeous hands. Everything about you is gorgeous. Sensual. You just drip with sexual… things,” Finley gestured with his own other hand, which then found its way into Rhalyf’s starlight colored hair.
“Oh, it’s so soft! Just like I thought. What does it smell like?
I’m betting on warm spices and–hmmmmm. I’m right. ”
Finley buried his face in Rhalyf’s hair. He felt more than heard Rhalyf’s uncertain laugh as his chest was right there under Finley’s nose. Just a few strands of hair separated him from Rhalyf’s skin. Did his skin smell even better?
“Finley, what’s gotten into–oh, dear! Oh, oh, dear.
” Rhalyf was suddenly dusting his shoulders and arms off desperately.
Well, he was dusting frantically with the one hand that Finley wasn’t clutching to his cheek.
“The pollen! So not exactly a narcotic, but more a sexual stimulant. That would make sense considering what the hunt likely ended with.”
“You smell so good,” Finley murmured. “And you’re so warm.”
He was suddenly rooting against Rhalyf’s robes, trying to get inside them, trying to press against that hot, silken skin that smelled amazingly good.
“Finley!” Rhalyf’s voice was rather strangled as Finley’s free hand dove beneath his robes and slid around to his back.
“You do feel just like I thought! Of course, you do. Beautiful and deadly and–”
“Oh, Finley, I really wish you meant anything of what you’re saying right now. I would be flattered beyond belief,” Rhalyf sighed, but then he was firmly pushing Finley back and holding him at arm’s length.
“But I do feel these things!” Finley let out a moan. “Cold!”
“I’m sorry, pet, but you don’t. Here. Let me warm you,” Rhalyf said and a wash of heat went through him as Rhalyf used magic to physically warm him.
“No, no, not that way!” Finley protested.
“This is the only way. When you’re free of the pollen you’ll be so upset about all of this,” Rhalyf looked incredibly distressed.
“About what?” Finley pouted. He hadn’t been aware that he was capable of pouting, but evidently he was.
Rhalyf stared at his lips for a good, long moment, but then yanked his gaze away. “About wanting warmth from me.”
“Why wouldn’t I? Or is it that you just don’t want to give it to me?” More pouting. A little lower lip wobbling. Where had that come from?
“What? Oh, no, Finley, I…” Rhalyf gave out a helpless laugh. “You’ve made clear that you want nothing like that from me.”
“Only because I was afraid and too proud and…” Was he those things? His lower lip was really wobbling now.
“You don’t care about romance and sex and–”
“Yes, I do! Of course, I do! I mean it’s a long second from scholarship or maybe third or fourth after friendship and family, but I do… I do… a little bit. And you… you’re…” What was he trying to say?
“Finley, I assure you that you are most desirable as a partner,” Rhalyf said quietly after long moments. “You’re one of the most fascinating and worthy people I’ve ever met. And I’ve lived a long time among very powerful and intelligent–if truly ruthless–people.”
“You’re kind,” Finley whispered.
“Am I?” Rhalyf lifted his free hand and raked it through his hair. “I feel quite different. Rather useless and… weak.”
“No! That’s not true! I met Vex, you know?” Finley blinked through happy tears.
“Yes, yes, I know,” Rhalyf said quietly.
“He’s wonderful, too. So–so–so everything!
You’re like him and not like him. A softer version, I think.
Maybe the version he could have been if so many bad things hadn’t happened to him,” Finley struggled to get out.
His head felt so light. It was pleasant, but not good for thinking.
“But you’ve been through hard things, too.
You didn’t let it darken you as much, I think. ”
“I’ve run away from them,” Rhalyf continued in that quiet way. But then he shook himself. “Let’s walk, shall we? We need to find the others, yes? I’m sure they’re very worried about you and… and me,” Rhalyf said and his mouth flattened.
Suddenly, there was a ripple of light and Rhalyf the Night Elf, became Rhalyf the Sun Elf in an instant.
Still beautiful. Of course, he was! But it was not him.
And Finley felt the wrongness of it. He made another sound of displeasure.
But then Rhalyf was putting an arm around his shoulders, drawing him near and holding both of his hands in one of his own as he walked Finley away from the glowy flowers.
“Where are the others? Did you tell Aquilan you’re a Night Elf? But you put your glamour back on so… so no.”
Finley struggled to think. What he really wanted to do was crawl into Rhalyf’s tunic and press his body against the elf’s.
To feel the silk of that hair spill over his own shoulders and the heat of Rhalyf’s breath against his lips.
Rhalyf held his hands firmly though so he couldn’t do that and the arm around his shoulders was very strong.
Rhalyf was strong and that was good. He liked that.
He was surprised he liked it. But it made him feel safe.
But I have a skeleton army! I can take care of myself! He giggled.
“I haven’t. We were separated the moment we went through the rift after you. I believe that… that my uncle sent each of us to different parts of the city,” Rhalyf said, “to face some challenge he thought up.”
“That sounds like Vex!” Finley grinned happily. “But you mustn’t worry if that’s the case! Because he wouldn’t send them anywhere bad.”
“Oh? You seem very sure of that after meeting with my uncle for a short time, but then again… maybe you do know better than me,” Rhalyf replied dryly. But then with a guilty glance down at Finley, he added, “But the pollen is definitely not helping your judgment.”
“Pollen is pretty!” Finley insisted. “Smells sweet and glitters.”
“I’m sure that everything is glittering right now,” Rhalyf sighed, but there was a small smile on his lips.
“You are glittering. But you always glitter. Like sunlight on water. Beckoning me to dive in. But there are monsters underneath the surface,” Finley nodded sagely. This all made some kind of sense, didn’t it?
“Monsters? I assure you that there are no monsters underneath my surface!” But Rhalyf was then frowning as if he wasn’t sure that was true. “Not for you in any case, Finley. I was desperately worried about you. I even shook Darcassan a little too hard… But you’re all right.”
“More than all right! I have…” Here Finley dropped his voice down to a whisper, even as he expected to hear the professor chastising him in his ear, “magic!”
Rhalyf lifted an eyebrow. “Magic? My uncle did say that you… that humans could wield a different kind of magic.”
“Oh, it’s different all right!” Finley chortled. “Beautiful and terrible and… I shouldn’t say more. I have to study it. I have to understand it first. Then I’ll tell you about it.”
“Why not tell me about it now? What little you do know?” Rhalyf suggested. He looked interested, but he also seemed concerned as he kept dusting the golden pollen off of Finley’s clothes and skin, grimacing at each puff of yellow dust.
“Because you might…”
“I might? I wouldn’t try to steal the magic from you, Finley. I know what I said before, but–”
“No!” Finley’s voice was sharper than he intended. “You can’t wield it. No immortal being can. It’s not for you!”
“Oh, well, I see.”
“You don’t. But that’s all right. I don’t either. I just know what Vex said and I know the very basics of what’s involved,” Finley explained. “It’s not touching my life force–”
“Finley! Your throat! What’s happened to it?” Rhalyf noticed the cut he’d made along the side of his throat.
“Oh, that–”
“That? Finley, what happened? Did something attack you?”
“No, I–I just cut myself,” Finley got out, not wanting to get into exactly how and why he had cut himself. The cold burning was still bothering him.
“With what? It must have been something poisonous or it’s infected! There are black lines radiating out from it and it’s red in the center. An angry red!” Rhalyf was now plucking at the collar of his shirt.
“Really, I’m fine–”
“Why didn’t you say anything? Here, let me heal it!”
There was a wash of golden light and the cold burning sensation went mostly away.
Dulled perhaps. Finley reached up with his fingers and touched where he’d cut himself.
It was healed, but there was a raised section of flesh that was sensitive upon touch.
He gritted his teeth and snatched his hand back.
Rhalyf’s brows were drawn tightly together and down as he regarded the healed wound. “Does it still hurt? It–it scarred. That shouldn’t have happened. It should have healed without a trace, but–”
“It’s okay, Rhalyf. Don’t worry.” But even as Finley said this, he was worried. Very worried. Was this the cost?
Scars are nothing, right? I don’t care about my looks. And really, it’s a small price to pay for such power.
“It’s not okay. Once we get out of Illithor, I need to take a closer look at this,” Rhalyf began.
If you let him see the price before you show him what you can do, he’ll try and dissuade you from using the magic, the professor told him.
“No!” Finley jerked away, out of Rhalyf’s arms with a sudden, powerful movement. He held his hands up as if to physically protect himself.
“Finley, I… ” Rhalyf sounded wounded.
Finley blinked, bringing a hand up to his forehead. His head was starting to pound. “I’m sorry, Rhalyf. I didn’t mean that. I want you to look at it later. I just… my head.”
Immediately, Rhalyf looked stricken. “The pollen. Gods, I should have gotten you out of there immediately, but I was so… so glad to see you that I forgot.”
Finley gave him a lopsided smile. “I am glad, too. You’ve no idea.”
Rhalyf is a good person! He’s my friend! He’s a Mage, too. He’ll understand, Finley told the professor.