Chapter Fourteen

Leto was galloping, the taste of blood still in his mouth. The Beast was back and with a vengeance, he felt all his defenses slowly being overrun. His time with Etos had not lasted more than five minutes. As soon as they had entered the tent and reached the bedchamber, he had bent him over a table, ripped away his breeches, and penetrated him with force. The boy had been knocked down face first on the table; his nose was bleeding. As he fucked him recklessly he had turned his head to the side to lick at the poor boy's blood with gluttony, blood was also now dripping from the child's ravaged hole after each one of the man's powerful thrusts.

"That's what you wanted, didn't you!" Leto spit at the squire, who was dwarfed under his impressive bulk and strength.

The will to hurt, to bring pain and more was with him, he knew those feelings very well, it could only lead to one thing, the child's demise. The boy was a goner – he felt it – as he had to satiate his sudden hunger for death. It would be done either with his hands that could easily break the child's fragile neck or with the knife at his belt. He would slit him open and cum in his entrails. He would do it looking into the boy's blue eyes; he would watch the glints of life leave them as he had done so many times before.

Still embedded into his bloodied hole, he flipped Etos slight body around to face him. The boy was shocked; he had not expected such brutality. His dreams were shattered. He was fighting the pain, his eyes opened wide, incredulous, when he saw the knife.

"NO!" exclaimed Leto, suddenly in a last moment of lucidity. He suddenly pulled away from the boy. He could not do it here with the prince outside the door. He had to take him somewhere else, leave no trace. There was blood everywhere, from the child's nose and anus. It was pitiful and exciting. Etos had been so surprised by the assault, there were not yet tears in his eyes, he was transfixed, unable to move, to say a word, terror had gripped him and would not let go. Leto found the image magnificent and it saved the child's life, at least for now.

"You won't say a word of what happened here," he ordered, before wrapping a cloak around the boy. "My surgeon will stitch you back up. You will show up again only when you are presentable."

As he exited the tent, helping the boy to stand and walk on wobbly legs, he was satisfied to see that prince William was not yet there. He gave Etos to one of the black clad men that were never far from him, telling him to take the child to his surgeon. He was conflicted, he still needed blood, he needed flesh, he had not been cured, after a short respite, the Beast was back and demanding. He ordered Rand to send in the servants to wash the blood, and remove all traces of the incident. He then instructed the other guard to show him the way to the dark harem location, stationed only a few minutes ride from there.

The two large and ominous tents had been erected, hidden from the common roads, with twenty black clad guards on duty at all times.

As soon as he was off his horse, Leto entered the first one, looking at the cramped cages holding the boys and searching for the best victim that they could offer. The two wagons that held the boys had been stationed inside the tent, the canvas that covered them, when on the roads, had been simply taken off. The poor exposed boys, no more than cattle, left in them while they awaited their master and executioner. He needed a kill and a fast one, he would take more time for the second and had already an idea of which boys would be on his plate later. The youngest of the twins would be easy to dispatch and were of no great value for him.

"Yes, it's been due for days, take this one out." The dark skinned boy had tried to hide himself behind his fellow captives but without success, he had not forgotten the Lord's words that sentenced him to a cruel death in the black chamber only a week before at Westerfield castle. He was still alive and had had the mad hope that they would have been forgotten.

"Where are the twins? I do not see them," asked Leto to Te'lac, who had joined him.

"In the other tent next to the slaughter room, we thought they would be the first to go."

As the boy was taken from the cage, Leto seized his designated victim mercilessly by the neck; the Beast's magic was again flowing in his veins and stronger than ever. Nothing could stop it. Leto was drawn back into the Beast's most vicious cravings that became his own, and he wanted it, he needed it, there would be no end to it. His hands transformed into claws, his fingers elongated, his nails hardened, without effort they penetrated the terrified child's skin, there were trickles of blood appearing. His jaw was lengthening and his teeth becoming fangs. His chest broadening, his height augmenting – the Beast was taking form.

No, the transformation was not complete, it was fluctuating, at one time evident and at the next almost imperceptible. Not all was lost, after the first kill or perhaps the second, the Beast would be satiated and disappear for a time. Leto could not wait any longer, he used these shifting claws and jaws to rip the boy's throat apart, drenching himself in blood as he drank the rich life elixir and chewed on the chunks of tender flesh. The boys in the cages cringed and hid their faces behind their hands not wanting to witness what would soon befall them.

Even Te'lac was troubled, he had seen the lord transform into the Beast and feed, but it had always been on a full moon. That was the curse; something he could understand and accept. If the axiom had changed, his job would become much more difficult. How many boys would be needed? How would he be able to hide their wrongdoings, keep their positions and wages? Have a boy for themselves from time to time? Te'lac even disapproved; it was never good to slaughter one of the flock in front of the others. Stressed animals were always more difficult to manage and it was said it could ruin the meat too. They would also have to clean up the bloody mess of guts and carcass after the Lord was done.

Leto gorged himself on the boy's blood and flesh for a good ten minutes, oblivious of his surroundings. When it was over, the child's body was down to a bloody pulp. He had bitten and torn away at the meat with his fangs, dug into it with his claws, ripping and breaking bones, feasting on the thighs and buttocks, the fleshiest parts. He then buried his face into the child's opened belly. He was as surprised as Te'lac was by this bout of frenzied rage and hunger. He was horrified, defeated, and exalted at the same time and still he wanted more. Flashes of sanity made him reprove this savage behavior but the Beast was all-powerful in that moment.

"To the twins now but we will proceed with more care, my cock needs some attention too. See if you can salvage this one's head for Melchior; let's not let it go to waste. You can have what is left of his meat."

"Yes, my Lord, as you order." Leto's face was almost back to normal, still there was something feral about it, not speaking of the smeared blood everywhere. He asked for a bucket of water and washed most of it away.

As he was leaving the tent, he felt the tide receding, the Beast leaving him again. It was maddening, how was he going to keep his sanity, confronted with the shameful deeds he had just accomplished and the terrifying sufferings he had planned to inflict on innocent children in the next moment. He stopped walking, lost and dejected. Was the Beast playing a game with his mind? He had thought it could be vanquished or at least tamed, that having Prince William by his side would keep it at bay – not anymore. It was all illusions made to torment him. He felt guilty not having the courage to put an end to it, take his life, but the Beast it seemed would not allow it and in the next instant had taken hold again, bringing back lurid images, ideas, giving him back all his strength and stamina. His shaft had risen again, hard as stone and demanding. In a few strides, he was at the second tent.

All the captured twins were there, ready to please him in any way he could wish. They were all lovely with fear, cowering in wait, chained by the neck, brother with brother, wondering what would be their fate. They had not been in the Dark Harem long enough to learn the extent of their new master's unyielding ferocity. They were in the recreation part of the tent, lively and well decorated, with plush cushions, chairs, and couches. A door led to the second part, the slaughter room where they were meant to end their short lives.

"Hello my pretties, I have neglected you so far but from now on we will have such a pleasant time together," he addressed the boys, and then he turned to Te'lac who followed him as a shadow. "I doubt there are any innocents among them but how many are virgins?"

"From what I know, apart from the usual games, common to boys of that age, they can all be considered virgins except those two who came from a whorehouse; they are the oldest, aged twelve to thirteen. I also heard they propositioned some of the others while they were detained by Calbron."

"Excellent, that's very good news, indeed, six playthings that are true twins, virgins, and rather comely and two more experienced ones, come closer boys, yes, you two, who, I am told, have a taste for boys, just like me. I won't eat you, not yet. I just want to have a closer look at you before I check the rest of the merchandise. Until now, I was quite sure with whom I would spend the next hour but who knows, I might change my mind even if I would be inclined to keep the more compliant for last. Let's find out."

The two lads had not dared to move but Te'lac simply directed them forward and the boys obeyed him wordlessly so Leto could begin his inspection: appreciating the smoothness of the skin, the plump rumps, and the already used but still tight holes, the long limbs and taught bellies. He played with their cocks, of a reasonable size for their age, and the marbles in their sack. He was pleased when he registered a response and had stimulated them to a nice erection, which he considered a notable achievement on his part, given the circumstances. Their raven hair had been shaved on the sides, which was the fashion in the pleasure houses of the south. He asked for their names.

"Colin."

"Hobb," was their answer.

"What strange names, but they'll do. Stay beside me, by my chair, I shall have need of you shortly and make yourself useful while you wait by taking care of my raging cock down there, your mouths must know how to deal with it. Your holes are still tight enough; they'll serve me later. Take off the chains, Te'lac, from all of them. They're useless now that we are getting to know each other."

As soon as they were free, Colin and Hobb were fast at work on the lord's exposed member while Leto signaled Te'lac to bring forward the next couple of boys.

"Your names?" he asked, as his eyes roamed over the children's slender frames, they were about ten or eleven with dark blond hair, charming faces, perhaps the prettiest of the lot.

"Atlan; and this is my brother, Betan."

"Nice to meet you, boys. Do you know who I am?"

"Lord Leto," answered the same boy that had spoken for his brother.

"Is your twin mute, can't he talk for himself?"

"I can talk, my Lord," said hurriedly, the anxious boy.

"That's good I like to hear you squeal when I'm working on you. It is so much better to know intimately those you're gonna kill and eat," Leto added matter-of-factly, as if it was the most natural thing to say. He had one hand on the bobbing head of Colin.

The boys took a step back.

"Don't do that, the better you behave, the longer you live or perhaps not. Isn't it Te'lac?"

"Yes, my Lord. You are unpredictable," he answered with a smile.

"That's part of the fun. Two of you will die today. I don't know which ones yet." He brought his attention back to the head bobbing in his lap, "Colin, what did they teach you in that whorehouse? Don't you know how to take a cock properly, to the hilt?" he said, as he pushed the boy's head forcing his shaft all the way down the young throat, letting the boy gag for a minute. "I hope you know how to use your ass better, Hobb, take his place and do a better job of it! Now!" He pulled Colin off his cock by his hair. "Make yourself worthy and use your tongue down there and lick my balls."

Tears were forming at the corner of the eyes of quite a few of the boys around him.

Indifferent, Leto went on with his exploration of the children's bodies and particularities.

"Do you know how to kiss?" he asked them. "You have luscious lips."

The boys looked at each other.

"Everybody knows how to kiss," said Atlan, not sure of his answer.

"We'll see how you perform," replied Leto with a stern look. "You, the talker." Leto took the boy in his arms and started deep kissing the child, pushing his tongue forward. One hand went to the boy's buttocks; his thumb found the opening there and pushed in.

"It hurts," mumbled the child, surprised and offended trying to escape the man's invasion of both his orifices.

"It hurts?" said Leto amused. "You don't know what pain is, child, not yet. I like you, you taste good," he added, licking his lips. "Next," said Leto pointing with his index finger.

As he waited for them, he seized Hobb's head by the hair.

"You're doing better than your brother; let's go to the finish line." He moved the young head up and down his member faster and farther until he came down the boy's throat, waiting until the last jet of sperm was spent to release him and watch him retch and cough on the ground.

"You would better not let one drop escape your mouth or it is you and your brother that will accompany me beyond that door later."

He was heard and had much pleasure seeing Hobb trying to refrain his need to vomit or simply spit out the thick cum.

The next ones were the youngest captives, about eight, cute but too young for him, except as meat. They still had some baby fat and their testicles were not visible in almost nonexistent sacks under almost nonexistent peckers. They would be the best choice for a hastened execution. He didn't ask for names, flipped one over his knee to test his small and very tight pucker.

"Those will need much effort to be opened properly, as I feared. Let's play a game. I've not been very pleased with you, Colin and Hobb. If you can penetrate them, they are the ones that will go with me through that door and be on the menu today, little more than an appetizer, but they'll do. If you do not succeed, then it will be you that I'll delight in cutting to pieces. Now get to work, you have until I am done with that last pair of twins."

Leto's attention for the next minutes was divided between the boys' desperate efforts to deflower the two eight-year-olds and his scrupulous study of the remaining pair of boys. Both had his attention.

"Your names?" he asked the two boys in front of him while he watched Colin and Hobb trying to get an erection, the first step towards saving their lives. It was rather comical and he loved the desperate faces on all four of them. The little ones it seemed were also quite aware of the stakes.

"Effiet," answered the first twin trying to make a good impression.

"Ebert," said the other mechanically, probably more preoccupied by what was taking place behind him in the middle of the room where the fate of two of their fellow captives would be decided. That is, if you believed their new master's words.

The eyes of Leto were as much focused on the scene behind them, as on the new victims presented to him, an evil glee inhabited them. He was definitely not to be trusted. The two brothers had long straight black hair framing rather handsome and harmonious faces. Their attitudes and expressions, soft hands, well taken care of teeth and bodies showed they were from the upper classes, taken from the home of a rich merchant or a knight he didn't doubt. He would take great pleasure showing them their new place in the order of things.

"You are really two sweet little things, lads. I'll love dealing with you. I'm sure your end will last for a very, very long time," he added, as his hands coursed over their luscious skin, "That's what is wonderful, the more I kill of your kind, the more I get to know new ones. There is for sure no shortage of beautiful boys in this world, with more being born every day."

On the cushions, the four unlucky contestants had taken very seriously Leto's words. They had no choice in the matter and did their best to try to save their lives. Only helped by their rent boys' experience, without real lube and with only spit at their disposal, even if they had finally been able to get an acceptable erection Colin and Hobb were laboring to reach their goal without much success. They did their best not to listen to the Lord and to ignore how close to the end of their given time they could be.

That's when Melchior entered the tent; the head of the dark skinned boy Leto had just killed swinging and still dripping blood, held casually by the man's fist tangled in the child's dark hair.

"My Lord, I hope I do not interrupt you," he said with a slight bow.

"Not at all, my friend, we were just finishing the presentation of the participants and about to start the real entertainment."

"I am glad to see you again at your ferocious best, this was your first kill in several days, this is quite unusual for you these days," he said, brandishing the dead boy's head.

"Yes, I wasn't myself lately, I feel suddenly reinvigorated. We should be able to add two more heads to the collection as soon as I am done here. I hope I didn't ruin this one because of my enthusiasm, is it in good enough shape for you?"

"It is, do not be concerned about that, it will be as lively as the others. On a sour note, I regret to have to tell you that you should be expedite with whomever you want to kill. You are expected at the main camp for a review of the troops as soon as the infantry has caught up with the cavalry and you are to spend the evening with your generals and officers on this first day of the march."

"Yes, you are right to remind me of my duties. Let me think, I would hate to miss an opportunity to enjoy thoroughly those twins you had so much difficulty assembling, it would be a waste, even if replacements can be found."

"Do not worry about that my Lord. More will be coming now that our suppliers are aware of that special order of yours."

Leto pulled his thumb from Ebert's tight ass.

"Very satisfactory lads, all of them, you did good Melchior. Now let us see the result of our contest."

Hobb had been successful and was fucking away with as much vigor as he could muster uncaring of the hurt he was inflicting to the child under him or his small cries of pain.

Colin, on the other hand was still struggling to insert his glans, slick with spit, in the elected orifice that still resisted.

"It seems we have two winners: one from each pair. That is unexpected but rather welcome. One advantage of dealing with twins such as these is that if you kill one-half of the pair, you still have the other, identical half, at your disposal for later. Let's do that." As he seized Colin by one arm, now openly crying, and the eight-year-old under Hobb, he added, "Te'lac, let's have their brothers assist me in the slaughter chamber, they'll see how we deal with the losers and what awaits them, in the next days. Do not worry, Melchior, it will take only a few minutes."

And it did. The Leto that had been resurrected by William and Tristam's magic for some time, at that moment had vanished, replaced by a cruel and efficient killer and rapist. The two boys, the smaller and bigger one, were first hanged by their wrists to hooks set in the ceiling of the tent. Leto played with their bodies for a few moments then one after the other fucked them with fury, the pain was so intense that each boy in turn lost consciousness but not for long, they were revived to meet what was to be their pitiful end.

Leto took his time contemplating them, examining every little detail, as if he wanted to fix in his mind their image. He also reflected on the best way to execute them with the little time he had. In its human form, the Beast was less into blood and gore, and while it wasn't shy about those pursuits, it rather preferred cruelty and sadism. Its speech was always laced with dark innuendos.

"Let's make it a family affair," he said finally. "We will put them on their brothers' shoulders with a loop around their necks. We will see if their twin can stand and support their weight until morning. I'll come see the results tomorrow." It didn't bother Leto to change his plans several times or even contradict himself, as long as his decisions increased his victims' distress and satisfied his need for cruelty. "You'll have to wait a little longer to work on their heads Melchior," he said, as he examined those that decorated the walls of the slaughter room, he recognized some of his latest victims, so lively they were: Lukas, and the brothers the Beast had killed during the last full moon, four more dispatched on the way to Soonlure.

"There are a lot of niches left on this wall, by the time we reach the Vale, I expect none will be left empty, my Lord, now that you have regained your appetite for blood."

Once again, the Beast had taken hold of Leto for good. Melchior was comforted after a moment of doubt these last days. He was persuaded magic was at work against them. He felt it in his bones but was unable to pinpoint its origin. He suspected it had to do with the prince. When you thought about it, it was only logical that the king had tried to protect his son. The man knew very well what dangers he would be exposed to. The fact that this influence had disappeared since they had left Soonlure could indicate that the Magi at work had been left behind.

"Now I can go, Melchior," Leto said, once his idea for the boys' demise had been implemented to his satisfaction."

Each one of the condemned twins was on his brother's shoulders, a rope around his neck held tight. If the boy under him faltered and could not carry his weight which was due to happen, he would be left hanging and die horribly, suffocating to death. It was doubtful that they would live beyond a few hours. The only thing to regret was that Leto would not be there to see their end.

He was back at the camp a few minutes later, where he washed away the blood and changed clothes, helped by Rand. He then went to perform his duties.

***

That evening after dinner, Leto was in the same mood, the desire to hurt and defile, to maim and kill, was as strong as ever. He had thought of going back and finishing the work he had started earlier, if it was not already over for the boys he had left hanging in the slaughter room, but it was late. Dinner had been endless with all of the officers assembled presenting themselves and pledging allegiance. He wanted something different.

"Prince William, I did appreciate your service tonight and I want to reward you. You will share my bed, join me in my tent in thirty minutes," he said with a carnivorous smile.

William had been his cupbearer for the last two hours. He had felt a noticeable difference from the previous days, there had been a change of temper: during the dinner, Leto was more irritable, irascible than ever with the same glint of cruelty in his eyes that he had seen when they had first met. There could be no worse omen for the ordeal awaiting him. He had expected to be called to the lord's bed days ago; with the short reprieve perhaps making things more difficult now even if he had always known he could not avoid it.

"With pleasure, my Lord." He had answered with a catch in his voice that did not escape Leto and gave the man much pleasure.

William prepared with feverishness, washing away the sweat of the day and the evening's service with the help of Lucian, before choosing to dress in a short-laced tunic with deeply opened sides held by a silver belt, a golden loincloth covering only his groin and leaving his buttocks naked. His open sandals laced up and around his ankles. Clothes that would soon be taken from him: he would be stripped naked. He added some trinkets, armbands, wrist and ankle bracelets, and a necklace. He would fulfill his duties and present himself to Leto in the best way possible.

Lucian presented him the special grease used by Beltram but he finally decided not to use it.

"Why?" asked Lucian, surprised.

"You told me it would delay his release, I want it to be as short as possible, and I don't want him to suspect anything out of the ordinary, it could have dire consequences."

"You could fake the pain, that's easy."

"Yes, I could, but there's also magic involved. I still don't know how it is supposed to work; I don't want to use anything that can alter it."

"Tristam approved the subterfuge."

"Give me the usual one; I'll have to do with that one. It was meant to be that way. I'll have to play my part. He cannot hurt me physically, I can endure the pain."

"As you wish, my prince, it is your decision. I'll stay close in case you need me."

He applied the grease and before he left the tent they embraced each other as only true friends, almost brothers did. Then Arthur/William went to meet with Leto. He was at the same time terrified and determined. This last year had been dedicated to that goal, now was the moment when he would know if their hopes would be fulfilled and if they had a chance to defeat the Beast and know if Leto still had the capacity to love.

William's doubts were mostly about his own ability to win the man's heart and he wished that the magic in him would help him reach that objective. More worrisome was that Tristam had told him that for the magic to be really effective their feelings had to be reciprocal but how could he himself love such a monster? No one had seen Etos since this afternoon, no one knew what had happened to the boy, and William was quite sure it was blood he had found earlier on the doorstep.

When he arrived at the tent, two of the dreaded black clad guards where at the door, he made a pause to catch his breath and gather as much courage as he could muster before stepping forward.

Inside, it was brightly illuminated. Leto was there on a sofa wearing satin robes, beside him were Rand and Focker, naked and sporting erections.

"Just in time to join us," exclaimed the lord, his hand busy exploring the boys' slender bodies. "You don't mind if we have company? I'm sure they'll want to enjoy your presence and assets as much as myself."

William had not expected Leto would want to share him with his favorites: it was belittling and unacceptable. He was a prince, the heir to the kingdom. Furthermore, it did compromise his mission. The sex and more was meant to take place with Leto and no one else to be effective. The boy had to show his displeasure and stand his ground at all cost.

"A prince does not share his bed with other boys on such an occasion. This is my night. By letting me come with you on this campaign, you well know that you have been chosen by my father and our traditions to be my teacher in the arts of love. I am no favorite, I am a prince."

As he spoke, making his point, William was also trying to be as seductive as possible, he had not forgotten he was still supposed to win the man's heart, he wasn't sure if it was working with the limited experience in his possession.

"I prefer your smile to your words. I cannot resist such a valid and appealing demand. Rand, Focker, go and wait for my good pleasure. I do not doubt that your services will be required later.

The two boys did not bother to pick a garment before leaving the bedchamber. Focker smiled at William, and as he passed him by, touched his shoulder in a form of encouragement, so thought the prince. For Rand, it was more of a smirk and a few murmured words as he patted one bum cheek.

"There will be pain, be sure of that!"

Once the two had left, there was an awkward silence, during which the man and boy gauged each other as if equals.

"You dressed exquisitely. You are the first prince I will have the pleasure and honor to deflower. Do you think it should imply any special favor? Really, is this to be your first time with a man? It is hard to believe." Leto was intrigued by the boy who held his head high and defiant while clumsily trying to stimulate his desire. Since he had met him, had touched his cheek, he had been attracted and uneasy in his presence.

"With a man or with a boy, my Lord, I am all yours as tradition dictates and my father allowed," answered the prince, who for a fleeting moment hoped it could unravel in an acceptable way as he approached Leto.

"Yes, come closer. How is it possible that I have delayed this moment for so long? You are beautiful and so desirable. Do you know this could have taken place on your first night at Belvoir?"

"No, I had no idea, how could that have been?" William was genuinely surprised by the man's words.

"I visited you and watched you sleep in the nude. I wanted to take you in your slumber and used a potion to be sure you would not wake up, so I could do with you as it pleased me."

"But you did not?"

William had stopped as the lord's hands had seized him, holding him by the hips. He felt the unusual heat coming off the man's imposing body. He felt small and fragile, a wisp of straw in the man's hold that he could crush and break within a second.

"No, we were interrupted. Your page…"

"Lucian?"

"Yes, Lucian…"

"What did he do?"

"Well, nothing, he was just there. It was I that did everything. I don't think he liked it very much. I was not as considerate as his knight was. He did not bleed though; Beltram had stretched him very thoroughly."

William had tensed. He now understood some of Lucian's attitudes and words these last days, his silences. He had been raped beside his bed, in his presence. Leto was playing with him, trying to hurt him, make him mad…and winning.

"Why did you dare touch my page without my permission?"

"I do not ask for permissions. I am not a very kind man, haven't been for years now." His hands were exploring the child's body, caressing his smooth skin, smelling his delicate scent like the Beast would do.

"Do you plan to make me bleed?"

"I wouldn't mind. Let's see if you're tight enough."

Without care, he pushed a finger, piercing the boy's hole and finding the grease. A wicked smile appeared on his face.

"Who told you to grease your ass for me?"

"No one, I assumed…"

"You don't have to assume, only to do as I say and I never told you to do such a thing."

"I'm sorry for my mistake, my Lord…"

"Too late, you'll have to pay for this. Ten lashes should be a reasonable retribution, don't you think? It will add some spice to this evening."

"You cannot do that, again, I am a prince; my father would never allow that." Leto was toying with him but he would not let him have his ways, he would not be afraid of him, whatever he did.

"Of course, William, I cannot flog you, break that delicate and satiny, princely skin that I want to enjoy all night. It will have to be Lucian, your whipping boy; there could not be a more fitting name. Tell me, how often has he been whipped in your place, how did it feel to be responsible for his suffering?"

"Please, no, don't do that. It has never been that way; he was never flogged. It was just a title, a tradition. I can take it; you can do whatever you want with me, whatever…" William's defenses were suddenly crumbling. As a prince and with Tristam's magic he was protected but Lucian…

"You don't know what you're saying, poor child, you have no idea of what I am capable of. Your turn will come in due time. Would you want me to find a replacement? Some other whipping boy…Focker? I think you are fond of him. I could ask Rand to do the flogging, he would love that."

William did not answer. There was no way out. Leto would do as he wanted, he would not give him the satisfaction of pleading with him anymore. Whatever he said would be used against him and make it more grievous.

"Very well, it will be Lucian. Go tell the guard at the door to fetch him," ordered Leto.

"And if I refuse?" said the boy holding the man's gaze.

"It will be twenty… twenty five…"

Before he said thirty, William was at the door passing the order. And just a moment later Lucian, who was waiting close by, had entered the bedchamber. No words were necessary for him to understand that his presence would not be agreeable.

"Boy, your master displeased me and needs to be punished, so you will take his place."

"What is it going to be?" Lucian faced the lord standing straight almost defiantly trying not to show any fear.

"If he does the flogging himself, it will be ten lashes of the whip. What do you say, Prince William? Or do I call Rand for twenty-five?"

"You already know my answer, I'll do it." William had lost the fight, he had thought of using the knife on the table beside the bed but it would have been folly, he had a mission to accomplish. Leto could make this sequence last for as long as he wanted; it was better to be done with it as fast as possible and hope he would be satisfied, and not invent another torment for either one of them.

"Don't hold back, William, I'll know it, five on the back and five on the buttocks, it would be nice to see some blood. Take off your clothes Lucian and lean on that chair."

William had tears in his eyes as he prepared to lash out but he did what was necessary knowing well that if he faltered it could only get worse for the defenseless Lucian. He shuddered each time the leather touched the flesh and left a mark but his hand stood firm and precise. The skin cracked in a few places and there was blood but he was able to keep it minimal.

"Good work, William, you did great," said Leto, who was stroking his huge member, excited by the scene. "You made my juices rise. Now I'll have to empty them: a perfect occasion to show you how it's done between a man and a boy. Stay as you are Lucian, you'll be my receptacle one more time. I know that you love it," he added in a mocking tone.

"I forbid you," shouted William, placing himself in front of his friend to protect him.

"There is nothing you can forbid me, foolish child," replied Leto, sending him away with a single sweep of his arm.

In an instant, he had covered Lucian with his large bulk, smearing the blood seeping from the wounds, intentionally rubbing himself against the painful marks on the delicate skin. Without waiting or stopping, he shoved his stone hard shaft up inside the child's opening. Lucian emitted a small shout and then was silent as Leto started a relentless fuck of the same kind the boy had already endured on their first meeting beside the prince's bed. Fortunately, it did not last long and with a satisfied grunt, Leto released his seed deep up the child's recesses.

"We will soon see if your master can bring me as much pleasure. Go away now; you've done your part. The main course is waiting."

On the ground, William had witnessed it all wide eyed, his eyes going from the scene unfolding to the knife on that side table. He was a prince but he was also an inexperienced twelve-year-old boy with many thoughts coursing through his mind. He wanted to flee, he wanted to cry, he wanted to go back to Soonlure and crawl under his bed, he wanted to kill that monster, he wanted to die to never have to face him again.

He felt responsible for Lucian's pain and fear, his life. All he could do was to stand there and watch that repugnant act that had nothing to do with love, knowing he would be next and convinced that he would never be able to accomplish what had been asked of him. All this was to be for nothing.

Leto was content but unsettled. He knew the prince had suffered from his page's ordeal. That was not his main goal though, that was just an appetizer, a diversion. It seemed he could not get to deal with the boy directly, as if his attempts were somewhat repelled, he could not hurt him directly. His twisted mind had imagined so many ways to deal with him and his twin from the moment he had set his eyes on them in their father's palace.

"Let's see you naked again to help me restore my rod to a working order," he said, while trying to gather his thoughts.

William took off his belt and tunic first, and then the armbands and bracelets, finishing with the loincloth. He stood naked in front of Leto, not wanting to show his fear, trying to hide his shivering, despite the summer night's heat.

"Come closer; let me give some life to your little limp cocklet, see if it can expand nicely. True it will not be much compared to mine." Leto's big hands, one cupping and kneading William's buttocks and the other playing with his little stick and sack, did not elicit much response from the headstrong boy. "You don't seem to appreciate my efforts, child, which is of no real importance. We are not here for your enjoyment, only mine and be sure I'll make it as thorough as can be. Let's start with your mouth and see how princely lips taste." Leto took the boy in his arms, bent him slightly for better access and in a parody of a lover's embrace.

William offered no resistance. It would have been futile. He tried to be as unresponsive as possible, letting the man do with him whatever he wanted. Magic or no magic, nothing would come out of this, he was miserable, feeling useless and incompetent. He was not worth the trust his father and Tristam had put in him. He had no idea how anything good could come out of this situation. The man's tongue invaded and explored his oral cavity with force while his sticky and huge manhood was rubbed against his side and the man's arms and hands held him prisoner. He tried to project himself to another place, very far away where he wasn't a rag doll used and abused in the man's grip.

Then it all changed… or rather it came into being, the magic had been there all along.

It did not come all at once but very slowly. There was like a hum in his ears, a welcome heat that emanated from the large and small body. Without realizing or wanting it, he started to respond to Leto's moves and caresses, suddenly his cocklet was erect and demanding, his tongue awakened and entwined with the man's own. It was a strange feeling after the animosity and despair that had taken hold of him minutes before. At first he didn't know what he should do, it felt awkward and he was clumsy but it did not last and he was soon passionate and aroused.

William was not the only one surprised by that intriguing change of mood. It was even more drastic for Leto, who, for the whole day had been the Beast's puppet, with thoughts of blood and pain, ripped flesh and elaborate tortures. There was a tingling as he made contact with the child. One that recalled for him the first time he had touched him, just his cheek. Then a kind of glow almost imperceptible at first enveloped them and he now saw himself using caution and tenderness with the boy. He could not say that he disliked the feelings that had been reawakened in him. He was at a crossroad again with darkness at the end of one trail and light at the other. He was strongly attracted to the light but he was constantly being pulled back toward the dark: his schizophrenia was at a peak! One minute, he was ready to tear the boy apart and the next to make love to him like never before. He did not need anyone to tell him that magic was at work, white magic.

He discovered that he was thinking for himself again without any interference from the Beast. He had suspected for some time now that the prince could have an influence on the curse that dictated his abominable behavior but he had never hoped for such a radical change. He felt the Beast raging in the deep recesses of his mind; it was losing its grip on his soul and fighting to regain it. It was strong, nothing was certain yet. Would the boy's magic be enough to vanquish it once and for all? It was a mad wish but deeply rooted at the man's core even when overwhelmed by the Beast's power and will.

Leto thought for once that there might be a chance to see the end of his curse. He had had hints of it before, the prince was the vessel for his release, it was clear that their lovemaking was at the center of this phenomenon and perhaps more than the child, love was the cure. Pushing away all other considerations he invested all of his energy, his soul, his capacity for love into making this a memorable experience for the boy, shedding off all his aggressiveness, finding again what had been his most inner desires before the curse twisted them. What he had wanted to devour and consume moments before he now wanted to celebrate and honor. As he looked into the boy's eyes, his shaft poised at the entrance to the child's offered sheath, he saw a myriad of stars in them. It was hypnotic. William was not fighting him off anymore or being unresponsive, no longer a lifeless lump that waited for it to be over. No, he was now all sexed up and demanding which was extraordinary considering the man's infamous acts earlier. Leto needed to reveal his true self, the one he had clung to during all these years, the one that had been obliterated by the Beast's poisonous influence.

His sudden enthusiasm could have made him enter the boy in one go, William had raised his legs, offering himself, but he refrained from taking him too fast, instead pushing slowly forward to give time for the child's ring to relax and accept him with as little pain as possible. His hands were coursing over the boy's smooth skin to comfort him. The tingling was still there, it added to the pleasure of the contact with its satiny texture. As soon as his glans plopped in, they were squeezed by a velvety glove made of flesh, and he was hit by a second, stronger, wave of magic. The heat inside the boy's chute and its tightness were extraordinary as he progressed further. The child under him seemed overtaken by the same sensations and emotions, his hands were not trying to push him away but on the contrary pulling him forward, seeking to take him all in, not afraid of the girth and length of his imposing manhood. At that moment the Beast was gone, forgotten, the man was transported back in time, he saw images of the many boys he had loved, nurtured, educated: the ones he had accompanied on the way to manhood. This was his true self not the monster the Beast had made of him. These acts of love, if renewed, could certainly be his redemption. He was now embedded in the boy to the hilt, and nothing else mattered except to celebrate their glorious union. Leto moved forward and backward, faster and faster, oblivious of everything but the beautiful boy in his arms.

William was exhilarated, not only was he discovering the joys of sex rocked by the man's every thrust and the sensations they brought – a strange mix of pain and pleasure – he was also taken aback by the strength of his lover's embrace that could have crushed him but instead was delicate and considerate. Apart from those personal considerations was the revelation that, against all odds, the magic was working, and he had nothing much to do with it. All his interrogations and fears had been for nothing. All that was needed was for them to bond in sexual intercourse. The magic had taken care of the rest. A strange and intractable love had taken them by surprise when they had all the reasons to be fierce enemies.

The boy rapidly reached his first orgasm, it was a dry one; puberty still had to run its course. Moreover, it was an utmost intense emotional experience as Prince William's rectum began to spasm and feelings in his groin reached a pleasurable level that he had never achieved or felt previously: all without any stimulation from his or Leto's hand.

It was also revealing, as it brought as much bliss to Leto as himself, who was delighted to achieve such felicity in this manner, rather than the usual torment and agony. This he had distributed largely in those last months as the Beast increased its control over him. As Leto traveled every inch of the child's slight frame, marveling at his simple beauty, kneading, kissing, caressing, probing, following every curb, and savoring each and every nook and cranny, he watched him shudder in pleasure two more times before he, himself, delivered his seed deep in the child's bowels with a rarely attained explosion of endless delight.

The two bodies, the child's naked one, and the man's still wearing his satin robes, were encircled by a halo of soft light. Both were still hearing a faint hum, they were at peace in the knowledge that each had found his perfect half and that in a few moments they would make love again and again till morning. It was as if time had stopped and everything was possible again.

Concealed from them, the Beast was enraged. It had been overwhelmed by the sudden surge of power against it. There had been previous lesser attacks these last days and it had felt weakened, before lashing back these last hours. It now wanted to take its revenge again, and it was gathering all the forces that it could still summon. The Beast had chosen this instant of harmony to strike at William. It had identified the menace: the boy. It had to destroy him and intended to use Leto to fulfill that task. Unleashing all its might, it was able to take possession of the man's will and body. At its initiative, Leto's transformation into the Beast was accomplished in an instant, his strength multiplied. It was fast and terrible and lasted all of a few seconds, the Beast did not have enough energy for more, but it was enough. The spectacle of the aftermath was horrifying; the magnificent child he had held in his arms only a moment before was a bloody wreck, ripped and torn, one cheek gone, his throat and belly opened, his intestines trailing on the ground, one leg and arm plucked off his body, a pool of scarlet blood expanding under the body. As dead as could be, for no one could survive such wounds.

Leto was stunned! Still chewing on the child's tender flesh, filling his mouth, watching horrified the eviscerated corpse. He spat the meat out and sat, lost and in despair, for losing the boy, his love, for being himself still a toy in the Beast's hands. He cried openly like never before, his tears washing away the blood splattered on his face.

Chapter Fifteen

Leto was desperate, the taste of blood still in his mouth. The boy's magic had been defeated. The Beast had won once again in the most terrible way the man could have imagined. It had killed the prince and left him to face the result of years of cowardice during which he never had the courage to face what he had become and put an end to it. The Beast had left him alone to ponder and ruminate on all those years of ignominy. He did not feel the faintest trace of its presence but he was certain this was only make-believe, like before, it was there, somewhere, hidden from him and enjoying his pain and shame, able at any moment to regain control, at will.

Leto was a broken man, not capable to even look at the shattered body of the boy behind him. He heard the faint sounds of the camp beyond the tent walls and hesitated. Should he call the guards and have the body removed? Go on with his life and add more victims to an already very long list? Or should he seize that knife on the table, lie beside the boy, and join him in death, end this nightmare. Would the Beast let him do that?

He could always try.

He was about to stand not knowing what his decision would be when the hum returned. It was like a vibration that came from all around. It was soon followed by the same glow that had enveloped him and the prince. This cannot be, he thought as he stood and turned around.

The boy was there, lying in a pool of blood, and his chest was rising and falling as if he was breathing again: the air passing in the severed windpipe making a horrible wheezing sound. The glow had taken hold of his entire body, even the separated leg and arm.

The magic was still there, even if the boy had gone. To what purpose, wondered Leto, was there still hope for him, for the boy? What should he do?

He was looking at the child's dead eyes when suddenly they became alive again, staring straight at him and expressing a pain so deep that it was breaking the hard man's heart.

"God, he's alive! That's impossible! What can I do? William!"

He knelt beside the mutilated small body and took the child's soft hand in his own.

"Tell me, how can I help you take away some of the pain?" He still could not believe what was happening – the boy should be dead – no one could survive such wounds. Should he use the knife to end the child's sufferings? That is what he would have wanted for himself.

That was when Leto felt, through the contact of their joined hands, an energy passing to-and-fro, and not only that, he was then the witness of an extraordinary spectacle. Before his eyes he saw William's detached arm and leg slither on the ground and move of their own volition, coming back in place to be reunited with the child's body, in the same way his intestines were animated and as bloodied snakes reentering the boy's opened belly, the borders of the large wound coalescing. In the same way, one after the other all of his wounds were slowly closing and healing, leaving no scar, or even the slightest trace of one. The open hole in the left side of William's face that held the cheek Leto had been munching on was filling with glowing tissue and soon covered by an all-new skin. The morsel he had spat out on a carpet was itself slowly dissolving as if aspired into thin air; the blood on his skin, pooled in clots on the ground and splattered everywhere was disappearing as if it had never been there.

The whole process took a good ten minutes, the man not letting go of the child's hand and supporting him through his pain, the other caressing his long blond locks that were getting rid of the sticky blood that glued them together.

A terrible and frightening reflection crossed Leto's mind. What a marvel! A boy that I could torture and kill every day, in every way I wished, and who would be fully restored in the morning as if nothing had happened, to be used again and again. He was ashamed of it and did not want to question his conviction that it had been planted there by the Beast.

The boy was back to perfection, and if possible, even more desirable than before with unblemished skin and full-fleshed marvelous forms. All Leto could think of at that instant was to make love to him endlessly – to the end of times, even if it was at the risk of reawakening the Beast. He could not resist touching, caressing, kissing the child everywhere with caution but also passion.

"This will have to wait, I am hungry," said William, holding him back and passing one hand over his face as if he was coming out of a nightmare. "I didn't know it would be so painful."

"William, I feared I had lost you. I am so sorry. All I want is to love you. I am cursed, I am a monster, but I do not doubt that you know all that already. In your presence, as we were making love, I felt like my old self again, something I thought impossible. For a moment, I believed that the Beast was gone. How did you do that? Where did that magic come from?" asked Leto, still incredulous.

"That is a long story. It wasn't supposed to happen that way. If you want me to tell you all of it, you'll have to call for food, a lot of food! I've never been this hungry in my whole life."

Leto helped the boy stand up on wobbly legs and sat him at a table with a large bowl of fruits. William started to engulf everything without a second thought, while Leto hurried to order that a feast be served. He was divided between lust and reason; he knew nothing could be done before William had his physique restored and he couldn't wait to hear his story; his mind was a jumbled mess right now. The hum and glow were still there but faint, the magic was still at work, the Beast certainly weakened and kept at bay for the moment or so he hoped. He remained on alert for the slightest sign of its return.

A few minutes later, Rand and Focker started bringing many dishes from the kitchen, fish, meat, vegetables, and delicacies of all kinds, enough to feed ten guests. They were stunned and uncomprehending to see their lord so considerate and affectionate with the prince, as if the boy was made of porcelain and he feared to see him broken: a strange sight indeed. It was not what they had expected, wished for by Rand, or feared for by Focker, having known his dark temper of the day and seen the welts on Lucian's back. They also felt a peculiar atmosphere, smell, in the room but were not given time to investigate it. Leto did not let them linger, ordering that Lucian be shown to his physician to treat his wounds and sending them away as soon as they had met his needs. He did not want anything to transpire of the scene that had taken place; he had lit all the lamps to hide the slight glow that enveloped them not knowing it was invisible for anyone but the new lovers.

This night was to be a long and wonderful one.

***

The birds had flown fast and reached the closest garrison to Ramatel, Lady Otella's residence. The orders were to send one hundred soldiers to protect Leto's family and set a trap for Melchior's men and allies. The troops arrived at first light the next morning.

Landers is an early riser and he was the first to see them coming. At first, he thought it was Lord Olgred and his men but soon realized it could not be. It would take the vampire lord at least two days to arrive from the capital. There were too many men. Then he recognized the king's colors and knew that something was amiss and that he had to change his plans.

He always had ready a way out of any situation and now was the time to use it. But he was not of the kind to let go of what he had invested so much time and effort to achieve. His duplicity had to gain him the prize he had coveted.

"Ladisk, wake up," he said not too loud, shaking the boy's arm gently, as his brother Teo often joined the older boy in his bed during the night.

"What? What is it? What time is it?"

"The king's men are here to seize you. It was bound to happen. Get dressed fast, we have to escape."

"The king's men? What about mother and Teresa?"

"They have nothing to fear, it's you they want. Hurry up."

It was not that much of a surprise for the boy. It was well known that Leto was a thorn in the king's side. He was too rich, too powerful, and admired by many. A conflict was inevitable.

"But what with the war coming, the king needs my father?"

The boy wasn't completely stupid, far from it.

"That's exactly why he's doing it. What better assurance could he hope for? But this is not the time to discuss any of that – get ready! – we don't have much time if we want to escape them.

Teo, despite being a heavy sleeper, woke up.

"What are you two talking about? It's too early to leave the bed."

"Sleep on Teo; this only concerns your brother."

"No, we take him with us. I won't leave him in the king's hands," protested Ladisk.

"He's too young, he'll delay us!" Landers tried.

"No, I am not. I'm a big boy now."

"I won't go without him. Get dressed Teo, we're leaving now," said Ladisk with authority in his voice.

For once, the little boy obeyed his brother without question.

"Very well, as you wish boys. I'll watch the corridor; join me as soon as you're ready." Having the two brats wasn't such a bad thing, he would have one to spare in case of need.

The castle was waking up, and the gates opening for the king's men. They still had enough time to secure a safe exit.

"What's all that noise in the courtyard, Landers," asked Teresa, the eldest, coming out of her room.

Two yes, but not three, this will not do.

"There are king's men at the gate, you should go back to your room and get dressed. We don't know yet what they want."

"What about my brothers?"

"I woke them up and told them the same thing." As he talked to her, Landers was pushing her back in her room, discreetly pulling a sharp knife from his sleeve. As soon as she was back inside, the blade had pierced her heart. She was dead before she realized what had happened and had fallen to the ground.

Too bad I didn't have more time to deal with you sweetie – such a pretty thing. I'll catch up with your lovely brothers if the opportunity arises.

He was closing the door as the two boys left their room.

"Did you see Teresa?" asked Ladisk.

"Yes, she's sleeping, let's not wake her. This is a man's business. Follow me," he said with a smile.

Ladisk and Teo, trusting the man they had known most of their lives, were excited by this unexpected adventure and did not even think of arguing with him – honored to be considered worthy…men.

They went down secondary stairs and soon reached the basement. There, Landers pushed a stone in a wall and a secret door opened. There were torches that he lit, giving one to each of the children.

"We never knew of this," said Ladisk. "Where will this passage take us?"

"You'll see. I had everything prepared for such an event, your father's orders."

"Our father?" asked Teo.

"Yes, he doesn't visit often but he thinks of you every day."

"Not often, that's for sure. I barely remember how he looks," said Ladisk. His tone of voice clearly stated his reprove.

They walked fast for a good fifteen minutes before meeting with stairs going up. They came up through a trap door in a barn.

"Here are our horses and all we will need for our escape," announced Landers.

"But what will be our destination?" asked Ladisk.

"We will join your father's army, that's the only place where you'll be safe."

"But what about our mother, who will read us a story at night?" said Teo, in a little voice.

"You wanted to come, so you'll have to do without her for some time. You're a big boy now and don't worry she'll be joining us soon," he added, exchanging a knowing glance with Ladisk. "Let's saddle the horses and be gone. They'll know shortly you're not in the castle anymore and come looking for us.

Landers wondered if he should try to warn Olgred and his men, band with them or stay by himself. Both alternatives had their advantages.

Five minutes later, they were leaving the barn, the two boys on a single horse riding behind the man.

Landers feared that the roads to and from the capital would be watched but he decided that his best chances were with Olgred. Soon birds would fly with the news of his actions and the whole kingdom would be searching for a man traveling with two young boys. He tried as much as possible to ride at a distance but parallel and in good sight of the main road. He did not expect to meet with Olgred's men before late afternoon if all went well. He was also pushing the horses as much as he dared, wanting to put as much distance between them and Ramatel as he could where the search had certainly started.

The boys were mostly silent, which was a good thing. He was in a bad mood and he would not suffer their petty ramblings. With time, and faster than he would like, Ladisk would certainly suspect something was wrong but it would not matter anymore, before the end of the day he would have all the men necessary to guard the two brats and have them kept silent.

They stopped when the sun was high for a short meal of dried meat and cheese and two hours later, earlier than he thought, Landers saw a group of riders that fit perfectly with the ones he was hoping for.

"Wait for me behind those trees, boys. I'm going to see if they are friend or foe."

Ladisk obeyed but with a slight frown on his face. How could they be friends? They were in the king's lands now. Going to his father to join the army had seemed seducing at first, but as he thought about it, it meant several days of riding in enemy territory when they could have sought refuge in one of his father's strongholds. Leaving behind his mother and Teresa could also be considered a serious mistake; they could be used as hostages as well, even if Landers said they did not have the same value.

"My lord, there is a rider coming toward us," said Roagg, pointing to it.

"Men, have your weapons ready, he is coming straight for us, he may not be alone," ordered Olgred, looking around for any sign of danger.

"Lord Olgred, how nice to meet with you again," said Landers when he was level with the riders addressing the vampire lord directly.

"Who are you? Do I know you?" questioned Olgred, looking hard at the man. He didn't like surprises or not being in control of a situation.

"We did meet a few years back, but at the time, I wasn't called Landers, the name Melchior gave you."

"Landers, Lady Otella's chamberlain? Is that you? What are you doing here? You were supposed to be waiting for us at Ramatel and help us capture Leto's brats." Olgred was clearly displeased.

"I was, Lord, but the situation has changed drastically. Let me take off this disguise, I'm tired of wearing it and I think everything will be much simpler once it is off."

Landers bent forward to rise again a few seconds later with a different face; he was now an old man with wizened features and white hair, hunched shoulders.

"Tecumek, the shape shifter!" exclaimed Olgred, who suddenly showed great respect and perhaps some fear for the old man

"Yes, my lord, I am, with a warning and a surprise."

"Speak. Please tell me all that I should know."

"The king's soldiers are at Ramatel, in force, waiting for you. Obviously, they have been warned of your coming."

"How can that be? Do we have a traitor among us?"

"That I cannot say. But my surprise is over there behind those trees. I have brought you Leto's sons, the brats as you called them. They are yours to do with as it pleases you."

"Then we can go back to the Vale and participate in the great battle. You have been here much longer than us, how do you think we should proceed?"

"Birds must be flying everywhere in the kingdom by now, looking for me and my captives but certainly also for you. My advice would be to stay off the main roads and be as inconspicuous as possible. You should dispense with Melchior's mercenaries or at least have them travel separately, there are too many of us at the moment not to attract unwanted attention."

"That seems a wise counsel, shape shifter. Roagg, take two men and bring us the boys; be careful with them, we need them alive and in good shape. I'll feel better when they are here with us."

"I agree. Wait Roagg, I'll go with you," said Tecumek. "It's safer that way, they trust me and I don't mind if I have to wear that face a few more minutes. We don't want them to try to run away at the sight of strangers."

As he talked, he changed back and was again the perfect look alike of Landers.

The two boys had not moved from the place where he had left them. They were on foot resting the horses. Ladisk was fast with questions.

"Who are they? Why did you bring them with you?" he said, concerned, staring at the three men accompanying Landers. The vampires had atypical features even if they were partially hidden by their hoods.

"They are friends of mine, young lord, but not of you I'm afraid. Seize them, we need to be on our way, we don't have time to lose."

Landers orders were promptly executed, the three vampires jumping from their mounts and catching the two young boys who were not given the opportunity to get back in their saddle and flee.

"What? … What is it? … Let go of my brother and me. I forbid you to touch me."

In their haste to leave Ramatel, Ladisk had not thought of taking a sword, and he was armed only with a small dagger that did not impress the vampires surrounding them.

"Let it go, or you'll get hurt little man," said Roagg, as he caught the boy's wrist that held the weapon, his movement as swift and precise as a snake's bite.

"Landers, help us. What's going on?" The boy was looking at the man not understanding why he was staying on his horse harboring a large smile on his face. What he had just said made no sense, he had known him all of his short life.

"I am not Landers, lad, I am Tecumek and I am not here to serve you," said the man as he showed his real face. "I serve the Archons, my makers."

"Who are you? How did you do that? Where is Landers?" asked Ladisk shocked, his suspicions had been valid.

"You will have no more answers and you'll have do as you are told from now on, the both of you. We need only one of Leto's heirs. If one of you doesn't behave, I will kill the other, like I killed your sister Teresa before we left."

Ladisk did not question one second what the man had said and stayed silent, he felt like he had been hit by a hammer blow. He tried not to cry and stopped fighting back; he opened his hand letting the dagger fall. He was now like a puppet in Roagg's grip, all of his will gone for the moment. His little brother Teo was openly crying.

The two boys were trussed up and put on a saddle to be paraded in front of Olgred soon after.

Ten minutes later, Melchior's mercenaries left the vampires and their captives who, led by Tecumek, took the direction of the Vale.

***

As the morning ended, Leto was comfortably ensconced in the child, appreciating the tightness and softness of his hot rectum walls. They had spent the night together joined by the man's erect shaft in a marathon of love. As a virgin, William was lucky to possess his healing magic, as Leto's member could have done some serious damage when used with such intensity. This very physical relation was only reflecting their emotional one and this to their mutual surprise. Leto had never expected to feel true love ever again. William had come to him convinced that he would fail in his mission and would only feel disgust and resentment for the man. The magic was strong, and it had bound them together. The Beast, after its last backlash had gone away, however, without any doubt, it was still waiting in the dark recesses of Leto's mind.

Leto had decided to dedicate this first morning to the young prince. With the army on the march again, they would catch up with it later. From now on, he wanted him by his side at all times and never out of his sight or his touch. He was his cure, his love. Rand and Focker had come at first light to fulfill their duties like every morning and been sent away, no one, nothing, was to disturb the man and boy.

During the night, between bouts of scorching sex, William had told Leto much of his story. He saw no reason to hide it anymore. Most of it had been revealed already, the magic had taken him by surprise. On their way to the Vale, he was supposed to seduce Leto: learn to love the man and to be loved by him. It would be a slow process and was meant to ready him to fight the Beast when the full moon came around. Now, most of it seemed to have been accomplished in one night. Tristam would have to answer quite a few questions.

Leto, himself, had a few questions left for the boy.

"Your presence here, the magic, implies months if not years of preparations. Why did your father deem fighting the Beast and curing me so important? There were many other, expeditious ways to solve the problem."

"I do not have all the answers, but I can tell you this. My father's spies told him that your behavior was becoming more erratic and cruel. The Magi Tristam feared that the Beast would possess you completely and take over, in mind as well as appearance. That would have meant unrest and a risk of civil war in the kingdom. Then there were the rumors of a menace, a shift in magic in the East now confirmed by the invasion of the Vale of Destiny. Your transformation had to be avoided at all cost; you were an ally and a force that needed to be rescued. He often told us how much the kingdom had benefited from your influence in the past, in the economy, science and the arts, to the point that he had been often jealous, even if it was for the good of all."

"Yes, I now realize how far gone I was, without purpose other than to satisfy those terrible cravings, I still don't know if they were somehow mine or those of the Beast. This will torture me for years to come."

"Unfortunately, I fear we have not have defeated the Beast, not yet. This can only happen during the full moon if you have the strength to revert to your own form of your own will and thus break the curse."

"And you'll be there to help me, you, a mere child." Leto was still incredulous.

"Not a mere child, a prince, with the aid of great magic and our mutual love. You have to believe in that, if you want it to work. We will have to fight the Beast together."

"I will fight it with all my heart. You've given me hope again and restored my true self in a large part. I must strain from now on to push away the Beast's influence; it could also be a way to weaken it before our last battle in two weeks' time."

"And we must practice our love to make us even stronger."

As they talked, they touched, caressed, kissed each other like young newlyweds.

William had not revealed everything. He had not said that he was Arthur and did not say that Tristam was there in Lucian's mind. The Beast was still lurking somewhere in Leto's head and body. He was sure it was not the last time it would show itself before the next full moon. He had to keep a few cards up his sleeve and protect his allies.

"And if the Beast attacked you again, how many times can you endure it, will the magic be able to mend your body again and again. I saw your pain."

"This gift will stay with me far longer than we will have need of it, months, perhaps years. Tristam said until I become a man: achieved puberty."

"I wish for it to last for a very long time then, I don't like hairy boys and I love you as you are now with your boyish charm," he added with a smile

"Still, I wish I will not have need of it too often. It was very painful."

"I saw that and I admire your courage. Few boys your age could face such hardships the way you did. This can only heighten my desire for you."

"Yes, I can feel it, you're hard again."

"I have been most of the night and each time I've made love to you I've felt more invigorated than before. I've never known a more pleasant cure than this one. You are a blessing to me, child.

"And I'm exhausted and hungry again."

"Shall I send for more food?"

"I think there's quite enough left but I'm hungry for you too, shall we do it again?"

"Certainly, we have time, and then we'll have a feast before we get on the road again."

As he spoke, Leto had started gently thrusting again into the boy's now well-stretched sheath. They were face to face and he was playing with William's long locks as the sensations in his groin were sending waves of pleasure to his mind.

The boy was breathing hard readying for the next onslaught of bliss.

"My first duty will be to take some knights and free those poor boys from their cages. I will behead all those that, in full knowledge, enticed me or helped me accomplish those terrible acts. Melchior, I'll keep for last. This will be…"

Suddenly Leto tensed and stopped talking. William, expecting a resurgence of the Beast tried to hide his fear and stood still, resigned to face an assault of a different nature, one of violence and pain.

"Those poor boys I left hanging! I must do something! How could I forget them?"

"What? What did you say?" asked William, not sure yet of the outcome.

Leto pulled his solid rod out of William's precious receptacle, and in a few words, he told the boy of the terrible predicament that he had chosen for the twins he had left the previous day.

"I need to go there right now, save them. How could I forget such a thing and stay here enjoying myself all night?"

"NO!" exclaimed the prince.

"What do you mean – no?"

"It's too late, there is nothing you can do," William had taken a serious face and tone, of the kind he, sometimes, had seen his father adopt.

"I'm afraid you could be right but still I need to know."

"You must change nothing in your habits. We must not let the enemy know of what happened this night."

"You can't say that. I have to right the wrongs I've made. Make sure that no more harm comes to the boys destined to be my victims." Leto moved away from William, feeling hurt by his words while at the same time knowing he was right. "How can you say that, are you heartless?"

"No, but I am a prince. I have been taught from infancy what one has to do for the greater good. As a general, you certainly know that motto."

"I do, but here we are talking about children not soldiers. I cannot keep doing those terrible things to them."

"No, but we have to find a way to make them believe you haven't changed so drastically. Our enemies are wielders of magic too and the less they know the better for us."

Leto was astonished by the boy's words way beyond his age.

"Your father would be proud of you; I haven't seen my eldest son for years and can only wish he is like you."

"Where is your son? I knew you had a family, but I know very little details about them."

"They are at Ramatel. I have two sons and a daughter, the oldest, my first son, is about your age perhaps one year younger. I have kept them away from me all these years for obvious reasons. Let's get dressed. You are unfortunately right; we must deceive our adversaries and make them think I am still in the claws of the Beast. I have no clear idea of how to do that though."

"We need to find a way."

"We'll talk of it while you eat."

***

Tael had it all planned. He could not wait anymore to have Hegron for himself. It would have to be soon, as he was taking way too many risks. It would be this night or the next.

He had brought a new boy to replace Erial, one of the pretty blond ones he had bought from the vampires named Berit. He had a striking likeness with the Essence that had not been lost on Stana, who had looked at him suspiciously. He had had to use magic to hide the bite marks on the child's throat and wrists. The boy would have several uses.

First, he would continue to serve as Tael's fuck toy, this was much needed since he was in a permanent state of desire with Hegron, so close and yet still inaccessible. All he could achieve was a furtive touch of the boy's luscious skin from time to time or a stolen kiss when no one was looking. Then, if possible, he would take apart young Berit: purge his loins in his tight canal or wet mouth. It was an extremely dangerous and unreasonable behavior and in other circumstances, it would have led to his undoing. But with the coming and going of the preparations for their imminent departure, it had not been noticed so far.

Then the boy would be used to hide their escape. His intention was to murder the Essence's whole retinue including the guards and starting with Stana. He intended to leave behind at least two burned corpses, look-alikes of Hegron and himself. He did not think it would fool anyone for long, but it could provide a better chance to put more distance between themselves and their eventual pursuers. It would be easy to secure a body for himself, death was a very common occurrence in the camp and Berit would be perfect to take the place of Hegron: his body would be examined much more closely.

They would take a drak for their escape. It would be the fastest and safest way and give them the best chances. He had no real hope of making it through or losing their pursuers, the stakes were too high, but if he could have a few days with the boy for himself, that, would be quite something.

"You hurt me," dared to say Berit under him.

"What do I care," he replied. "It's not because you are now the Essence's plaything that anything has changed, that you or your life gained more value. You are here only because of my good will and if you do not behave the way I want, I can return you to your cage to feed the vampires."

I might have need of one more boy's body to replace you too. How am I going to pull all that off? There were five more in the cage, he could take one more or he could pick one dead body from the pile of the discarded slaves.

He did not slow his savage fucking of the boy; he did not have much time and wanted to get his release soon. The idea that the boy was already dead meat in his mind was strangely pleasant to him. He was no one, nothing, destined to oblivion.

He came shortly later, and made sure that there was no trace left of the boy, no semen leaking from his hole.

"No word of that, to anyone, understood?"

"Yes, sir," answered the child, head down.

"I'll probably have need of you again later. I don't want to hear any complaints from you, whatever way I decide to use you."

"As you wish, sir."

"Good, now go take care of your master. He is waiting."

Tael wasn't quite sure of the way he would dispose of the guards. For the servants it would be poison, for Stana, his knife. For the guards he thought the best would be magic, there were eight of them, and it needed to be fast and discreet.

Chapter Sixteen

Kervan had been following them from a good distance. He didn't want to be found out before they were too far from the guerrilla camp, at the risk of being sent back. He had nothing left to lose. All he wanted was to serve the princess and stay by her side. He had never dreamed he would have crossed her path, that he would be close enough to be able to touch her. He had envied those who accompanied her and decided this would be his lucky break, his chance for adventure and a better future.

He would certainly not miss his role as eros for Trelon, his sergeant. After losing his family, he had been enlisted and given to the man, who had mistreated him for the last two weeks in every conceivable way. Trelon was a great warrior, everyone said, and no one dared to contradict him or be critical of his behavior but he was also a despicable man who took advantage of his reputation to make life miserable for all the boys under his command. Particularly for Kervan, who, at twelve, was one of the most gifted of them all. The boy wondered if this was not the reason why he had been targeted from the start. His father had taught him well from a very young age and recounted many a tale from his time in the King's Army. He so fondly remembered these tales. Each vividly impressed upon his memory and holding a valuable lesson. So, finding the princess and her companions' tracks was easy for him. As he made his way further from the camp, he felt the anxiety that was with him lift away, and the pang of sadness begin to heal.

As gifted and well taught as he was, he was still very young and had a lot to learn yet. Two pairs of eyes were watching him attentively, hidden in the trees. They had been waiting for some time now and were about to leave when they had seen him appear at the other end of the clearing. Their own horses were not far away, but they would not betray them: they had been trained to be silent on their missions.

"It's a boy, younger than me, I would say."

"Yes, let's see if he is alone, Pelar el. He is clearly following our tracks. I don't like that." Lorend was looking beyond the boy, expecting to see more riders coming in sight.

Five hundred feet from them, the boy had gotten off his horse and started looking closely at the ground, trying to make sense of the marks he saw there.

"Do you think he'll find the right ones," asked the boy, his piercing gray eyes fixed on the bending figure.

"Unlikely, he would have to be very good for that."

"But if he does, what will we do then? He'll know we changed direction," Safir raised his crossbow, "I won't miss, even from this distance."

"Put it down, there is no need of that at the moment. He seems to be alone, that's unexpected, and he really looks young. Sandor lev will certainly want to know why he is after us and who sent him. Let him get a bit closer and then we will try to catch him with no harm done."

Kervan was now making circles. He had understood that the tracks he saw were meant to deceive him. He would now lose some time devising a way to find the good ones that would take him to the princess.

"He knows there's something wrong. Wait a minute, I've seen that boy; he's the one who guided us to the guerrilla camp."

"Is that good or bad?"

"That, I cannot say, Pelar el. He'll be telling us shortly all we want to know. Let him come to us some more."

"How do we proceed?"

"I'll show myself going straight for him while you go behind him. If he tries to run, I should be upon him before he gets on his horse. If he escapes me, you can use your crossbow but you must not kill him."

"Very well, I'll target his shoulder, easy enough."

"Do you recall what his name was?"

"I'm not sure, Kieran, or something like that, I think."

"That will have to do."

They stayed silent, waiting for Kervan to come to them.

Lorend was about to tell Pelar it was time when he heard a strange sound to his left. He put his calloused hand over the boy's mouth and brought them both closer to the ground, invisible, listening. Not one-minute later eight riders came out of the woods surrounding their tracker.

"Damned, vampires!" exclaimed Lorend.

***

"Not much of a catch Lord Veseris, I fear," said Heter, his lieutenant.

"Why do you say that, he appears comely enough, better nourished than those peasants we captured earlier. There were none worth a second look. I'm sure his blood will be rich and tasty. He carries weapons and has all the appearance of a scout, and he's alone. I'm sure there's a story to be told. As you know I'm also looking for a new familiar, he could be the one."

"Isn't he a bit old to become a familiar, the initiation takes place when they are eight or nine years old? This one is way past that age."

"I like them that way and I have done it successfully many times already. Tell the men not to hurt him 'til I get a closer look. Give the signal, we've waited long enough."

Heter blew in a small instrument he held in his hand. For humans no sound came out of it, for vampires it was another story, they heard it perfectly and from a great distance.

Kervan had been totally surprised: he had thought he was the hunter not the hunted. He had been careless, too absorbed with the interpretation of the tracks to be on his guard. He had left his bow on his saddle. He only had a short sword to defend himself for what it was worth. They were vampires; he was as good as dead. His dreams of serving the princess, of adventure, of becoming a knight had been short lived. The vampires were closing in slowly; they knew he could not escape. Two of them had their bows pulled back with arrows pointing toward him, but they did not shoot, they wanted him alive. Kervan decided he could not let them have their perverted ways with him – he would die fighting.

In two strides, he was beside his horse and had his bow in hand. His first arrow was flying in the next instant.

The vampire he had targeted raised his shield and stopped it, the arrow fell broken, but before it had touched the ground, a second arrow was on its way. This time Kervan had not aimed at the rider but at the horse. The poor animal was dead instantly and his rider thrown from the saddle as the third arrow was shot, this one did not miss and hit him in his arm.

The vampires were taking him seriously now, there was no time left for games, they were upon him in an instant, he tried to unsheathe his sword, but it was soon swept from his hand. He went for his knife next, determined to end his life but was stopped and held firmly.

Lord Veseris left the cover of the trees.

"Don't hurt him," he said, "and strip him. We didn't expect him to defend himself so well, don't you think, Heter? That's a good point for him. Let's see if his looks match his fighting spirit.

The boy was helpless, three of the vampires holding him tightly, his weapons taken away, and now there was the humiliation of having his clothes taken from him one by one and of being exposed like an animal at the fair. He feared he would soon regret leaving Trelon, as he held back his tears not wanting to show them to his captors. What did they want from him? He could not understand their language. Why didn't they drink his blood and let him die. One of them was looking at him with a worrisome interest; he was their commander without a doubt, most probably their equivalent of a lord, dressed as he was. He could forget any hope of an easy death. He wanted something from him and he was sure not to like it.

"Jeralt, have you been seriously hurt?" inquired the vampire lord. "You will have first blood if I don't keep him."

"It is nothing serious, a flesh wound, my lord, but I lost my horse."

"You will be repaid for your loss. You'll be able to pick two of those peasant boys or girls, whatever you want, that are waiting at our camp and I'll repay you with one of my own fine horses. What do you say?"

"I thank you, my lord."

The man was clearly well respected and he knew what to do to keep it that way. He was now looking intently at the captive boy, gauging with his eyes and hands his potential and value. He pulled on his cocklet and tight ballsack, caressed his flank. Passed his hand in the almost white mane of his hair, touched his lips.

"Nice all over and still quite young. Turn him around, show me his backside."

The vampires flipped him over effortlessly.

"He is lean as I like them, still with some flesh where it counts: butt and thighs." Veseris parted the two globes to look at the pink rosebud. "Look he's all bruised! Your previous master hasn't been too kind with you I would say – couldn't hope for a virgin, pretty as you are. Don't worry we will fix you and treat you well after your initiation. Bind him and put him on my saddle. I would say he looks quite satisfying, sorry Jeralt but you won't have his blood, I think I'll keep him for myself. I somehow knew he would be of good stock. Let's go back to camp now and all enjoy a few pints of blood. We got at least thirty of those peasants to drain dry before we move on."

Heter, while his lord was talking, was watching the tracks Kervan had been examining.

"My lord, the boy was following those tracks, who could they belong to? Should we give chase?

"We will ask the boy. Before this evening, he will be under my spell and won't be able to ignore my questions, and then we'll decide. It's been a good day and the men want their blood feast, they've well earned it. We will discuss that later."

Veseris mounted his horse with the naked boy slung over the saddle before him.

"What a nice rump and pretty face you have child, how right I was to let the hunt go on after that first catch, I gained a much better prize than a few more scrawny peasants."

***

"What do we do?" asked Pelar.

"There's nothing much that can be done now. There's too many of them," answered Lorend.

"He knows about the princess, about us, he'll talk."

"I fear you are right, he knows enough to put us at risk. If we can't rescue him, we'll have to silence him."

"There's only ten of them, with Sandor and the others we could eliminate them."

"That's a possibility, yes, but that's not our priority. We have a mission to accomplish."

Lorend was wondering what their best course of action was. They could kill the boy before he talked, Pelar rarely missed but they had to wait for a time when they could do it inconspicuously, or it would be useless and reveal their own presence. They could let it go and hope the boy would stay silent but if they were wrong and the vampires had birds or draks, then all of their enemies in this area would start looking for them, the princess was a prize they could not miss.

The vampires were leaving the clearing and going in the same direction that they would take to catch up with their friends. Was it a sign?

"Go to Sandor and tell him what has happened. I'll follow them; see where they are going, and what can be done. I'll join you again later. Sandor will decide. Tell him to wait for me, I won't be long."

It was really too good an occasion to let it go. They would be passing very close to where Sandor had decided to wait for them before resuming their trip to the mountains. He wanted to be sure no one had the knowledge of their real destination and could follow their tracks. It was worth losing a few hours ride he had said. Lorend suspected that he also thought that Murgrave would again try something against him, away from the guerrilla camp. It seemed a strong possibility after being ridiculed by the recent events for such a vain man.

"Did you understand some of what they said?" asked Pelar.

"Some of it, yes. They were far away, so I didn't hear all of it, and I learned only part of their language with the prisoners we had. It is quite different but there are some common words. I think they are going back to their camp."

Back with the horses, and before leaving, the boy embraced him.

"Be careful, Lorend."

"Don't worry, I plan to have you warm my bed this evening and be careful yourself, I don't want to lose another boy. There might be more of them all around us: warn Sandor and the princess."

They mounted their horses and after crossing the clearing parted ways.

***

William was famished and engulfing more food than was conceivable. Rand and Focker that served him and Leto were exchanging glances, incredulous.

"As you see boys, we've had an interesting night, one of the best I've had these last years. After a difficult start, the prince has complied wonderfully and embraced the pleasures offered. I would say it was unexpected, I'm sure you would never have believed that?"

Indeed and for different reasons, both boys were watching the couple in silence, uncomprehendingly.

Rand had wanted to find a bloodied William in the throes of pain and misery, not this lively boy with a gigantic appetite.

Focker, for his part, could not believe that William had found a way to escape the lord's dark side for a whole night and would feel at ease with him.

"We have decided that from now on we would always be together day and night. We will see how it will affect the way you serve me over the next few days. Have horses prepared for us, we have a lot to do." Leto did not intend to let William leave his side from now on. The Beast was barely under control as it was and he did not want to take any chances. It was greatly weakened but as shown just a few hours before he still had the capacity to lash out occasionally to devastating effects. They were also far from finding a way to explain the new situation and deceive Melchior and the others.

"We should ask for Lucian before doing anything else," said William, between mouthfuls, now that they were alone.

"Lucian? What for? You want to see if his back is mending? Do you want me to tell him how sorry I am of all the despicable things he had to endure because of me?"

"All of that certainly, and…" William stopped in mid stride. He had been about to tell Leto of Tristam's presence in the boy and most everything else; it would have been a mistake. He now felt so at ease with the man that it seemed natural to share with him all the information at his disposal, but the Beast was still there, lurking, listening, the less it knew, the better.

"Yes, what did you want to say?"

"My knights will be waiting for news of the night's outcome and Lucian himself must be alarmed of what could have happened. I have to inform them that it went fine."

I need to confer with Tristam. He will tell me how he interprets this night, it was not meant to unravel that way, not at all. It was to be a slow process. I need his counsel: ask what to expect, if we can better control the Beast somehow… I don't want to be put to pieces every other day, he added for himself.

"I understand that. This is an impossible situation. We still have more than two weeks 'til the next full moon; about the same time it will take to reach the Vale. I really wonder how we'll manage to keep secret from our enemies that the Archon's curse has lost most of its hold on me as well as fight the Beast over such a long period of time." Leto was watching William intently. It was unsettling; this mere boy was expressing such a maturity in his words. His father would be proud and Leto loved every moment of it, delighting in his presence, admiring his beauty. What a wonderful creature! How could anyone want to destroy, desecrate it? What madness had taken hold of him all these months, years? He could think freely again and push away all that had occupied his mind for so long. They had to win; he could not bear the thought of reverting to his previous state or worse.

"We will have to discover who we can trust in your retinue. We will have need of them. Our enemies in the Vale have people that work for them here, Melchior seems to be at the heart of this conspiracy."

"I was not myself for such a long time, only now do I begin to see the extent of my delusion, I was blinded by the pursuit of my perverted obsession for boy flesh and blood, nothing else really mattered. I don't know where to begin."

"Tamerlane and Bertram, during our time at Belvoir, were able to uncover valuable information; you'll have to talk to them. Among those that I have met since father sent me to you the only one that I would trust is Gravenese. He seems a good man."

"He certainly is. We've been together since we were boys ourselves. He is probably the only one I can turn to without any hesitation. It's telling of how terrible my judgment has been lately, I cannot say how many of my faithful knights and vassals have turned their backs on me, leaving me with the scourge of my dukedom to fill my court."

"And what about the army?"

"I see a future king in your words William. Many of the knights, as I said, have distanced themselves from my entourage and me. Still they will obey; the officers as well as the soldiers. They are the best in the kingdom. I can try to rekindle some old friendships, and Gravenese will certainly help. As for your father's troops I cannot say."

Finally, the boy seemed sated and reclined on his chair. Leto's hand went to his belly, caressing, massaging.

"I needed that," said the boy, with an expression of relief and contentment. "What next?" he added, as Leto sent his hand lower in search of the boy's little erected rod.

"More fun and games, certainly, but later. I absolutely want to see what became of those poor boys I left hanging and make sure that no further harm comes to any of those still left alive. You will have to come with me. You will see the extent of the terrible things I did for years. You will see my collection of heads collected over the last weeks, my shame is immense and I want you to witness the evil that thrived in me. I was cursed but I am not innocent. If there is love between us nothing must be hidden."

"This is very noble of you but how will you explain my presence in such a place?"

"I don't want you to leave my side. I cannot go without you… Rand! Yes that's the answer."

"What do you mean?"

"That boy has a wicked streak. He has embraced some of the evil that surrounds me. He has a dark soul, which coupled with his beauty, made a perfect match for the Leto I was. I am sure you know that."

"Certainly, he hasn't been very friendly, to say the least; while Focker was the complete opposite."

"They are well contrasted which was a source of conflict between them and a delight for me. Let's say that when you flogged Lucian yesterday I discovered you had the same disposition as Rand. You found pleasure in hurting the boy. That could also explain why we seemed to get along so well this morning. You saw how surprised my two favorites were."

"It's a bit far-fetched, still it could work. We will be walking a narrow path anyway to fool those that are at work against us and the kingdom."

"Honestly, I don't see how we'll be able to hide the profound change that this night and your magic produced in me. If I don't kill one or two boys every other day, they'll know something is wrong and start to search for answers. But one thing at a time, let's get dressed properly and go there, then we will meet with Lucian and your knights. I'll talk with Gravenese next, I'm certain he'll be delighted to learn of this turn of events. We'll set to work to rally some old friends and comrades-in-arms, put aside those of my current seedy entourage.

***

Melchior was waiting for Rand to warn him when Leto was about to come out of his tent, if you could call it that, it was more of a moving palace. The boy had already visited him earlier to tell him of the morning surprises, with Leto and the prince cavorting like newlyweds. The man had expected that in the next days he would have the boy's head sent to him, to be made presentable and to join the others in the collection. It now seemed not as likely. He was as befuddled as the boy was since both knew of the man's desire to inflict torture and death on the king's sons. It also thwarted their plans of civil unrest. Only the day before Leto had seemed to adhere again to the path of the Beast after a few days of restraint in Belvoir. Was there magic involved? Was the Magus still in their midst and working against them. When he had woken, Melchior had felt some perturbation of the Mana but nothing that should be of consequence.

He had gone for his Archon stone that had been stored during the night, as usual, up his pet boy Lichan's rectum.

He had taken the boy along for the voyage and spent part of his evening painting more symbols on the boy's skin to reinforce the stone's power. For the next weeks, Lichan would live in a specially modeled trunk used for discretion and convenience, which had replaced the horsey. It was more or less like what you would use for a pet when you had to travel. There were a few holes for him to get air and the bottom was like a cat litter so that the boy could relieve himself without having to be taken out of it, quite helpful since most of the time the lid was on and locked. The boy was permanently restrained to be in a kneeling position, with an open mouth ring harness to which a gag was added to keep him silent when he was not watered or used for the man's pleasure. For the moment, he had only been fed sperm. Melchior wanted him to lose the last of his baby fat. Access to the boys front and back, mouth and ass, was easily obtained by sliding down the corresponding sides, without having to take him out of it. That way you could also change the litter when it was soiled. It was very functional and practical, humiliating and painful for the child, the perfect combination to infuse the stone with energy.

Rand had found the contraption attractive and he came by regularly to feed the lucky boy with copious doses of his young sperm. He was always very careful, not allowing a drop to escape the eager receptacle. That diet could last a few more days or weeks according to Melchior's good pleasure.

"You're spoiling the child, Rand," the man often said mocking.

Melchior was more playful, when he took his pleasure the boy never knew if he would be fed or not. The seed could be spent instead on his back, up his bum or on his face. The man, in this instance, encouraged him to try to get some of it with his tongue or he scooped some on a finger to smear it on the boy's lips, depending on his mood.

Today he didn't feel high-spirited, the lid had soon been put back in place and locked, the trunk put aside. Melchior waited anxiously to see with his own eyes how the situation had evolved and what to expect from Leto. He held the stone tightly in his hand trying to decipher and influence the future.

"He is going to the dark harem with the prince!" exclaimed Rand, as he burst into the tent.

"What is this folly! We must stop him."

They hurried out but were too late. Leto and William were galloping away escorted by two black clad guards.

***

Lorend was very careful as he followed the vampires through the forest. He had understood from the few words they had exchanged, and that he could comprehend, that they had a camp nearby, which meant there would be sentinels that could spot him. Was the boy that much trouble? He feared that the answer to that question was a resounding yes. If the enemy had knowledge of the princess' presence, they would move heaven and earth to try to get her. He thought it had been a mistake to go to that guerrilla camp. Now, too many people knew that she had survived and what direction they had taken, even if they had given a false one. It could only make things more difficult for them.

What were their options now? Silence the boy? But if he did that, the vampires would try to find those responsible and that would put them on their tracks. Take out the vampires? But how many of them were there at that camp? Attacking them could only endanger the mission and the princess herself; they had lost Artem already and so many others. The last option was to forget about the boy and the vampires and gallop at full speed toward the mountains, find the caves and leave the Vale as soon as possible. He was about to go to Sandor and tell him that much when his long honed soldier instincts, made him stop and listen. He got off his horse and continued on foot observing his surroundings before every step forward, using every opportunity to stay hidden and careful to be silent. Soon he could hear voices ahead. He was getting close. He finally saw a lookout as expected that did not seem particularly alert and more interested in what was going on in the camp than outside of it.

The vision beyond was one out of hell. It wasn't really a camp that stood in the middle of the clearing, there was a road, and on it, the remnants of a caravan of sorts, a few wagons, carts, small and big, a few upturned. There was a pile of dead bodies unceremoniously discarded one above the other of all ages, shapes, and sexes; many beheaded, some cut in two or three and a drak feeding off them. Beyond it, there was a group of captives: young boys and girls, and a few young women, all naked and bound together by ropes waiting to be raped or drained. Without a doubt, this was what was left of a column of peasants who had left their village; looking for a refuge or heading to the guerrilla camp.

A few bodies with sticking arrows had been hanged on trees nearby, probably serving as target practice. There were perhaps twenty vampires standing around including those he had gone after. They had dismounted and seemed ready to enjoy some time with the captives. Lorend had already witnessed such scenes, in two to three hours all of those poor souls would be dead, drained of their precious blood. They were rogue vampires whose only goal was to kill all those that met their path. They would soon be in an inebriated state due to the quantity of the nectar they would consume. At the detriment of the captives, this could be an unexpected opportunity for a successful attack if it occurred when the vampires were far enough gone; there was a clear possibility of an easy victory and one without any casualty on their side. He sent a glance at the sentinel who would be the first to be eliminated. It was clear that all he was thinking of was joining his fellows and gorging himself on hot virgin blood.

Lorend retraced his steps, hurrying as much as possible. Sandor and the others were close by; they could be back here in less than an hour. The sooner they did what they had to do the more lives could be spared among the captives.

***

Leto's physician had treated Lucian's wounds, telling him they were superficial and would heal fast without leaving any trace. He should avoid exposing them to the sun though and sleep on his belly for a few days. He put some salve up his butt too to treat his bruised hole.

"The lord shows too much enthusiasm it seems to me," said the man with a sinister smile. "You're the second boy I've had to take care of on this same day."

Indeed, there was another boy in the physician's tent, who kept to himself in the back and tried to hide his face. Lucian easily recognized Etos but did not pronounce his name. He was wondering why he was hiding himself; he certainly had his reasons and respected his choice.

Bertram had come to fetch him to spend the night in the tent he shared with Tamerlane and a few other knights and their boys. Of course, he was furious to see what had been done to him and of still being incapable to protect the boy he loved from Leto.

"It cannot go on like this. There must be a way to put an end to it. This campaign could go on for weeks and I will not be able to withstand it," he said, as he laid the boy on the bed and caressed him, being careful not to touch his wounds."

"Tamerlane, in the other bed, had just finished honoring the two pages, Silla and Estam, who were lying beside him and were lightly snoring.

Thick tapestries separated their sleeping quarters from those of the other knights but from the sounds that passed through, Tamerlane was not the only one practicing boylove.

"How can he be sleeping when the prince is at the mercy of that devil!" he burst out, venting his anger and frustration.

It was to be a restless night for the both of them, even after the tent became completely silent. They feared for the prince, wondering in what shape they would find him the next morning.

They only fell into a fitful sleep as the first rays of the sun made their appearance but it did not last. Tamerlane woke them as he plowed each one of the pages with force, and seeing them awake said, "Nothing better than a tight boy's bum in the morning!" before resuming his effort.

It was too much for Bertram and Lucian, who dressed, left the tent and went to try to gather some news.

Near the kitchen, they met with Rand and Focker.

"Lucian, how are you, how is your back?" asked the always caring boy.

"Fine, don't worry, it will be forgotten in no time." Lucian grabbed and yanked on Focker's arm, separating him from Rand so he could speak softly into his ear without being overheard, "What about the prince? Do you know anything?"

Turning his head to Lucian's ear, Focker replied, "Lord Leto sent us away but you can be reassured he was fine when we saw him later in the night. He was famished."

"Famished?"

"They asked for a feast and William started devouring it as if he had not eaten anything for days. There was a strange atmosphere there that I could not define; Rand felt the same way."

"What do you make of it?"

"I don't know, but I can assure you that it was going as well as you could wish and even better than that. I tell you the lord was smitten with him, loving, as I have rarely seen him, if ever."

"That's good news," said Lucian exchanging a relieved look with Bertram.

"You appear exhausted Lucian, go have some more rest. I'll come see you as soon as I know more."

"That's kind of you, Focker."

"That's true, Lucian, there's nothing else we can do for the moment, let's go back to our quarters for an hour or two," said Bertram.

The tent was quiet when they returned; Tamerlane had gone with the pages. As soon as his head touched the pillow, Lucian was asleep and did not wake up before Focker, hours later, came to tell them that William had left with Leto and two of the black clad guards for an undisclosed destination.

***

Lord Veseris had taken the precious naked boy to one of the wagons and installed him comfortably on some bedding found there. The initiation of a familiar was a serious thing and needed some preparations.

"Let me taste you, child."

He took the boy's wrist and delicately planted his teeth in the soft skin finding the artery right away. He took a few sips, pulled away, and placed his thumb over the two punctures to stop the flow of blood, licking his reddened lips.

"Quite satisfying, even without any special diet. It will be wonderful once it has been spiced up."

The boy was exactly of the kind he liked and after a last close examination, his decision was made.

"You and I will soon get to know each other like few creatures can do. I will share my vital fluid with you and you will be mine forever to do whatever I tell you. I will feed off your blood every day and take carnal pleasure from your flesh."

"Never, I would rather die," hissed Kervan, between his teeth.

"Poor little thing, you have no idea what awaits you. You will be the one to ask for all those things. More than a day without any of it will drive you crazy with desire."

"Get away from me, you demon!"

"It's too late, my bite did not only let me sample and taste your blood, I also injected you with some of the elixir you will crave for. In no time you will be hooked and see what transformations it brings to you."

The vampire lord, with a suave expression, kissed the boy's lips and let his hand caress the child's taut belly in circles. The effect was immediate, the boy sporting a charming erection at once.

"Isn't that a wonderful sensation? From now on, your destiny is to serve me in every way I wish and you will be rewarded. Your senses will be heightened in ways you cannot conceive. You will soon consider this day as the most important in your life. A new beginning, you will be born again and forget all that came before. Nothing else will be of importance but my well-being and you will dedicate your short life to it."

"I don't want any of that. Please let me go, please…" Kervan was desperate, tears coming to his eyes. Whenever the vampire touched his skin, he was overwhelmed by a monstrous desire. What he had despised, hated with the brute Trelon, he now desired ardently with this new fanged monster hovering above him. It could not be. It had to be a nightmare.

Veseris observed with satisfaction the effect his bite was having on the child, the inner struggle taking place. He lapped at the salty tears on his sweet cheeks. This boy was special, he was also very lucky. You could hear the cries, wails of pain outside the wagon. His men had started their blood feast, and it would not end until the last of the captives was dead. He was tempted to join them, of course, but not this time, there would be many other occasions as there had been these last weeks and he had a much more interesting task to accomplish here with this boy.

"Tell me your name boy, now that we've become more intimate."

"Kervan." The word escaped the boy's lips at his own surprise.

"I like it, perhaps we will keep it. What were you doing alone out there in these dangerous times?"

"I did not want to stay with Trelon, I wanted adventure and glory."

"Adventure you certainly got but glory where did you expect to find that?" Veseris had pulled down his pants and freed his imposing manhood. He would miss the blood orgy but would not wait for the initiation to be complete before having a go at the beautiful boy's backside: it was a reasonable compensation.

"The princess…" Kervan was fighting back the words but they came out nonetheless.

"The princess… what princess? Do you prefer girls to men? At your age?" The vampire had turned the boy on his side, facing away, and positioned himself for an easy entry. The boy was no virgin; he would be gentle with him while ensuring a very satisfying fuck. His thumb was testing the bruised hole and the boy was panting in anticipation.

"Your body wants it even if your mind doesn't accept it yet. Tell me, who's this princess you're talking about?"

"Princess Alina Destiny."

Veseris pulled back his appreciating hand from the boy's pert globes and used it to turn the child's face toward his own, peering into Kervan's eyes.

"What is this tale? How can that be?"

"She is going south with a small escort. I was following their tracks, trying to catch up with them."

The Valean King was dead, and whoever captured his daughter would jump a few ranks, it was in the order of things. Veseris had no real reason to doubt the boy's words. Could he be mistaken? The effect of his bite was well known, only the elite of the vampires owned such powers and thus could have familiars. No, that was unlikely. He could not believe his luck and his member deflated. Two different options were offered to him. He could try to catch her himself, the drak at his disposal would be of great help for that but his men would not be fit for anything for hours yet, gorged with blood now as they were. To hell, if he had known all of that earlier! The second option was to alert their main camp twenty miles away. They would send search parties on the ground and in the air. That would be less glorious but less risky too.

"How far ahead were they? Tell me."

The vampire's fingers were digging into the boy's flesh, there would be marks left marring the flawless skin.

"Two, perhaps three hours. I didn't want to catch up with them too early or they would have sent me back to the camp."

"Camp? What camp?" This boy was a treasure trove of information and so receptive, all with just one bite. He would make a perfect familiar.

"The guerrilla camp at Lacanth forest."

"Incredible, you're making my fortune child! You talked of glory, you could not be more right, even the inner circle would welcome me now."

Veseris was hesitating. One course of action was to have his men kill the remaining captives right away, stop drinking any more blood, wait for them to recover and give chase. The other was to hop on the drak and give the alert, bring all their forces to find the princess and then crush the guerrillas.

"How many men are there with the princess?" he asked.

"Three men and four boys," answered Kervan, totally under the vampire's sway.

"I need to think it over. This is an important decision. You will entertain me during that time."

Vesris kissed the boy's ruby lips forcing his tongue between them. His member was gorged with blood again and unceremoniously he pushed it inside slowly and steadily. Kervan did not try to resist, on the contrary, against all his instincts, his body was seized by lust and he started to push back – welcoming the invading member. The vampire's fingers had seized his slender tool and were stimulating it with vigor. He was in bliss and hating himself for it. Veseris was kissing him, and he could feel his elongated canines tracing lines on his neck, ready to pierce his skin without the slightest effort… and there was nothing he wanted more.

Chapter Seventeen

The itinerant Dark Harem had been waiting for Leto's visit while some preparations had been already made in order to get back on the road. The structure of the main tent, with the entertainment and slaughter rooms, was not nearly as imposing as his quarters at the main camp, still, it needed a good hour to dismantle and store in the wagons.

Te'lac wasn't happy to see the lord once again accompanied by a boy: Boys not meant to be played with and butchered did not belong here.

"My Lord, what will be your pleasure today?"

"What of the boys I left hanging yesterday?"

"They're dead and still hanging. It took them quite some time and it was rather an amusing spectacle. It's a pity you were not here to see it. I admire your imagination; you always find new ways to dispatch them. Their twins are still alive in the slaughter room, would you believe, it was the little one that stayed up the longest, by a good hour I would say." While talking, the big man's eyes expressed his doubts concerning William's presence.

"You can talk openly, Te'lac, this boy is Prince William, from now on he will be with me at all times and learn to share my darkest secrets and occupations."

"You'll want to show him your collection then."

"Certainly. Are all the boys in their cages yet, ready to travel?"

"Yes, my Lord, except those two still in the slaughter room, I knew you would want to see the result of your ingenuity before we left, perhaps finish the job."

"Yes, we'll go there first, and then you can finish packing and go to your next location. Come, William."

Leto gritted his teeth, he wanted the boy to see and realize the extent of his depravity, how far he had gone to satisfy it. It was far more than rape and flogging like the night before. It was torture, cruelty, murder, cannibalism, and everything in between. It had not been the Beast those last months that performed those acts of evil several times a week. It had been the man, Leto. He could not consider himself innocent and his feeling of guilt was overpowering.

They entered the tent in silence, his hand on the boy's neck, feeling him tense and prepare for what was awaiting them. All the decoration had been taken away in that part but he could recall each and every detail of the scene that had taken place the previous evening, the boys lined up ready to be examined: fearful, trembling, innocent and doomed. Two of them were now dead.

Te'lac pulled the drapes and they entered the next chamber.

The view was not pleasant. The two dead bodies had been left hanging by their necks; their faces were deformed by the pain, the tongues jutting out in a last effort for breath. It had not been an easy death either, their agony prolonged by their twins' effort to maintain them alive, the irony of it all. The two brothers left alive at their feet recoiled at the sight of their tormentor and executioner.

"What shall we do with the meat," asked Te'lac, as if it was the most natural question. "The smaller one still wears some baby fat; he should make a tender and juicy roast."

The big man's hand had seized the fleshy thigh of the hanging boy, appreciating its texture; it implied a long experience in the matter.

Leto was at a loss for words, confronted with the result of his morbid imagination the day before. He had been under the influence certainly but he had been the one issuing the orders and finding new refinements to worsen the boys' fate. From this moment, he knew that it would be impossible for him to keep playing that role and hide more than a few days perhaps even only a few hours the drastic change that had taken place in him. This situation was insufferable and all he wanted was to take out his sword and kill Te'lac and all of the other black guards, try to comfort the remaining boys, which would be impossible after what they had witnessed. They could not imagine that the man standing before them today was not the same demon they had seen the day before.

By his side, William was watching the scene incredulously. It was one thing to hear of Leto's cruelty and victims, it was something completely different to see it exposed in front of your eyes. He was intently looking at the heads of the boys displayed as trophies in the alcove. He could count them and see how lively they looked, which made even more terrible the notion that those boys were very much dead and that the other empty niches were only waiting to be filled. He saw the torture apparatus here and there, knives, whips, things he had no idea what they could be used for but still quite ominous … the two poor boys in the middle of it holding each other.

"I don't know," said Leto. "You should keep it for yourself. I will not have too much time in the next days to visit you, taste those delicacies, or be entertained by your dispensable boys."

Te'lac felt the lord's lack of enthusiasm.

"Thank you for the meat, my Lord, shall we give the other carcass to the boys?

"No, gruel, as usual, is far more than enough for them. Put him in the larder for later."

"Will you, at least, take the time to deal with those two live ones before you leave? You can show the prince how it is done. It would be a matter of a few minutes. More are on their way, said Melchior, and the cages are well provided for."

"You tempt me Te'lac."

Leto approached the cringing boys, pressed together, kneeling on the ground, he raised Hobb's head by his hair as if hesitating before letting it go with feigned regret.

"No, this will not be possible, lack of time. I lost too many hours this morning with the prince, taking advantage of his wonderful assets," he added, caressing the boy's twin globes. "I'll just show him the cages and see if he wants to select one or two boys for the next time."

They left the slaughter room and then the tent to approach the wagon cages. They were ready for departure and needed only to be covered with their hiding canvas. Te'lac did not want to attract unwanted attention on the road.

"Make your choice, William, who would you like to share our fun with, son."

"Perhaps we could take one or two with us to play with on the way, without having to come back to this place," suggested the prince.

William was playing along but also thinking of a way to save lives while deceiving the enemy. If they took a few boys from time to time and said they had killed them, it could give them a good opportunity to play their part without harming anyone and gain more time.

"I agree that for one as young as you are this environment can look quite sinister but it is also the safest. What goes on here must stay secret. Still, that is an idea I will consider given the right circumstances. So, who would you choose for your first time?" Leto had put his hand on the boy's shoulder one thumb grazing his neck in a sign of intimacy.

William's gaze went from boy to boy, examining each cage attentively one after the other. He tried to hide his emotions at the sight of such misery.

"Difficult to say."

"I agree it's not easy, we have so many charming creatures here at our mercy," encouraged Leto.

The poor boys were rightfully terrified, huddling together as far from their future tormentors as they could before Te'lac ordered the guards to prod them forward with poles through the bars.

"You'll get a better appreciation of them," he said with a cruel smirk.

"Don't mark them," said Leto. "You know I want them well treated and blemish-free. Before I get my hands on them, that is, of course." His forced smile was more a grimace but no one noticed.

There was a large variety to choose from, in age, from ten to thirteen; in skin and hair color; most of them with hairless groins; all the boys were clean and comely without any sign of apparent mistreatment. They were all naked and silent; many standing with their eyes cast down, but with a few defiant ones, as if they challenged the prince to choose them.

"Those two, the twins." William pointed at a pair of boys, the dark blond brothers Betan and Atlan.

"Excellent choice, they'll be perfect. Take good care of them Te'lac we want them at their very best when we come back. Now we will be on our way."

They left without their escort and stayed silent for the next few minutes, each of them in a different way needing that time to come to grips with the nefarious deeds they had witnessed. Finally, it was Leto who spoke.

"It's impossible, I cannot play that part any longer. We will have to act differently, let the enemy know that I am no longer the Beast's puppet."

"I can see what you mean, this place smells of death and abomination, I could barely stand it."

"I reveled in it for years, how can that be? I raped, tortured – killed boys almost daily, ate their flesh and loved it, always asking for more, one can say it was the Beast certainly, but a part of me was there too. Now I am revolted, appalled by what I saw and recollected, but if I am honest, I must say that a part of me still finds some attraction to those acts. I want you to know that."

"You are not cured yet. The Beast is still with you."

"It is not the Beast I am talking about, it is me. I love boys more than anything in this world … always have. Now that love is tainted, twisted, it will never be what it was before. Those images, thoughts – they will haunt me forever. It is not only the guilt, but it is also the pleasure those acts instilled in me."

"Wait till we have vanquished the curse. You must not doubt who you are anymore, it would only give more strength to the Beast."

"You are right. Let's hurry back to the camp and see what we can do to put an end to this ongoing monstrosity without hurting our cause."

***

Veseris had not lingered too long with the boy, and after taking one more sip of his blood, he ejaculated, fully satisfied by the performance, he decided to take Kervan with him on the drak.

As he exited the wagon, the child on his shoulder, the sight that met him confirmed his decision to leave his men. They were in no condition to start a chase and would not be for quite some time. They had been slaughtering Valeans for so long now, weeks. It had become the simplest most natural thing. They were here to stay and had more territories yet to conquer beyond the mountains. This was only the beginning. They were meant to reign over the diverse human populations they defeated. In this new world, the humans were to serve them as slave and cattle as it had been in the Archon lands. It was clear though that there were far too many of them to keep a reasonable balance between master and servant and it had been decided to reduce significantly their numbers.

Before that successful campaign, blood orgies had been rare, most of the time reserved for the elite of the vampire, but not anymore, and it would stay that way for years to come. Each town, each village that fell at their hands had been an occasion for endless killing and a time to gorge on human blood.

Like he had with his soon to be familiar, his men were systematically raping most of their captives before draining them and when they were sated, they found other ways to dispatch them. Some did it casually, simply by cutting heads off or opening bellies, others were more refined and imaginative, playing with their chosen victims before ending their life.

One, Heidar, had found a young mother, whose baby's skull had long been crushed, as soon as they were captured. Her breasts were full and heavy and he mixed her hot milk and her hot blood as he slowly drained her of the vital fluid.

Another, Kraken, an eight-foot [2.4 m ]tall giant, after having a taste of their blood and now bloated with it, was throwing live children at a spear planted in the ground, to see how far down the handle the bodies would go. Already four were piled on it, not all quite dead yet, with three more at his feet ready to go.

They were all intoxicated as much by the quantities of blood being processed by their bodies as well as by their killing spree.

Veseris had a look at the forest surrounding them, feeling suddenly vulnerable. If they were attacked at that moment, it would be their end. He got over it fast, however, who would attack them? Those guerrillas that no one had seen yet? The superiority of the invaders had been so resounding and devastating since they had entered the Vale that they had certainly become careless but it was of no consequence. They were the predators here, fearless and implacable.

He had told Heter of his departure, placed Kervan on the drak and was about to mount it when the first arrows and bolts started to fall on them.

Several of his men had already fallen, he realized, without anyone noticing it, due to the effect of the amount of blood consumed and absorbed during their deadly undertaking. His first reflex was to take command and fight the attackers, but he almost immediately decided that saving his own life and glorious future should be his priority. He jumped on the drak and ordered it to take flight as two bolts hit it in the breast. The large beast shuddered but was able to leave the ground as two more projectiles hit one leg and a wing. It started to lose height. On the ground, the vampires were reacting and running into the forest where their assailants were hiding. They were taking advantage of the fact that most of their attention was on the drak and on trying to stop it. Veseris felt the beast falter and about to fall back to the ground. He cut the boy's ropes letting Kervan slip from the winged mount and giving it just enough momentum to escape the clearing and reach the forest. It did not last, its wounds and the loss of blood were too serious, and soon it started its descent to the forest. It smashed into the trees, dying a few hundred yards from the ongoing battle – Veseris was very much alive and still holding some vital information.

***

Sandor had seen the boy fall and the drak disappear to the west behind the trees; it was wounded but still flying. By his side, Levit was reloading and shooting as fast as he could. They had lost some precious time trying to kill the drak and the remaining vampires were almost upon them. The numbers were more or less even now though about ten of them were on the ground dead or dying.

They fired the last volley of arrows and bolts before Sandor shouted, "Sword and shield."

It was very much a repetition of their previous fight at the farm. The three boys took a few steps back and continued to send bolts at the vampires as the men drew their swords and raised their shields ready to face their foes.

Sandor's group was scattered along the edge of the forest. Most of the vampires not knowing where to go at first were now converging toward Sandor who had signaled his position by shouting his order.

Before the ten or so vampires that were left had reached him, Lorend and Astar were by his side. Their boys, like Levit, were firing a new volley of bolts that felled two of the enemy and wounded one: an impressive giant handling two large swords.

Now that they were close, one could see the vampire faces still glistening with blood. Though inebriated and sluggish, they were still a dangerous and frightening sight.

As the fight started in earnest, sword clashing with sword or against shield, Princess Alina joined the melee taking the vampires from behind and using her formidable skills at swordsmanship, darting right and left, using surprise and agility to disconcert her adversaries. Soon the humans gained the advantage, helped by the intoxication of their opponents, quickly slaying more vampires and wounding others.

The boys' aim was now impaired by the fighters' proximity and they feared friendly fire, the easier target was the giant with his two swords. Two bolts were sticking from his body and he had pulled out two others, but he was still standing, drumming his swords on Lorend's shield who was forced to pull back under the assault. As one more bolt grazed the giant's head, Lorend stuck his foot in a hole and fell; the vampire did not miss this opportunity and found an opening in the soldier's defense, his sword cutting a large gash in Lorend's side. He was about to strike the final deathblow when he was hit by two more bolts and a ball of fire. He fell back flailing his arms and burning. Everyone around him, humans and vampires, dumbfounded, stepped back from the intense fire.

"Losfend el!" exclaimed Sandor with surprise.

The boy was standing twenty feet from them, his right arm flexed, and above his open palm another ball of fire whose incandescent light was reflected in his eyes. He threw it, targeting another vampire that lit up like the first one.

Without further ado, and panicked, the few remaining vampires fled but were soon stopped in their tracks by the bolts coming from Levit, Safir, and Pelar.

The last one, wounded, was finished by a naked Kervan who was running at him and pierced him through the chest with the sword he had found after falling from the drak.

The boy had been very lucky; instead of breaking his bones, his fall had been cushioned by the wagon canvas that he fell onto. He had been on his feet in no time, dizzy and in a strange condition after the vampire's bites, still his only obsession was to revenge himself and prove his valor. As soon as he had seen the princess, he picked up a weapon, not bothered by his nudity and vulnerability and rushed forward to join the fray.

All the vampires were now dead or dying and Sandor and Pelar were kneeling beside the wounded Lorend. The boy was pulling off his shirt to make a bandage in an effort to stop the bleeding.

"We should never have attacked them, it was folly," said Sandor.

"It was my idea," answered Lorend, wanting to take the blame.

"Will he die?" asked Pelar, feeling somewhat responsible too.

"It doesn't look good but I don't think it's a mortal wound." Then turning to Lorend, "I don't see you riding your horse anytime soon."

"I'm afraid you're right, Sandor lev and I won't be able to continue with you, I would be a burden, delay you. That's out of the question."

"I'll stay with you then," said Pelar; telling Sandor, "I can build a stretcher and take him back to the guerrilla camp."

"Hold him up while I have a better look at his wound and try to stop the flow of blood. There will be no need to build a stretcher, boy. We will place him in one of those wagons and you will escort him and the captives that survived to safety."

As the captain was tending the wound, spreading a healing ointment before wrapping it tightly with the bandage made from the ripped shirt, all the group had gathered around with worried faces. The naked boy, Kervan, was standing a little apart not knowing what to do, wondering if he had a chance to be accepted.

"The boy has to stay with you, Sandor. I'll manage alone. You will have need of him on the journey to the mountains and beyond."

"I don't want to leave you Lorend lev," said the boy, a strong bond, built in a few days, now linked the man and boy it appeared.

"No, Lorend lev, he will go with you. We are not that far from our destination and we'll make a rush for it. That's what we should have done at once but we've seen so many slaughters such as this one, we had to do something, we all agreed, even if we knew it was a mistake."

"Shall we move him to the wagon now?" asked Astar.

"No, we'll wait a moment to see if the bleeding has stopped first before moving him. During that time, you'll check the area to be sure there's no vampire left around and free the captives, see what can be done for them, where they were headed, Safir el, Levit el, go with him. Pelar el will stay with Lorend lev and watch over him."

"What do you think happened to the drak and its rider?" demanded Astar.

"It was mortally wounded, I'm certain the beast fell not far from here. Even if the rider survived, he is of no importance. And now I need to talk to Alina sel about Losfend el, I have a few questions for her."

"What about me?" called out Kervan, holding his bloody sword and wanting to bring the princess and captain's attention upon him.

"Who're you?" said Sandor.

"He's the boy we saw captured and that brought us here," said Pelar trying to hide the resentment he felt toward the naked boy, without him, nothing would have happened. "He followed us from the guerrilla camp."

"I see, you're the reason why we're here, I saw you fall from the drak, if I'm not mistaken. Good for you that you didn't break your neck. Go get some clothes on, boy, and come back after that. We will see what can be done about you and you'll have to answer a few questions yourself."

Sandor dismissed the boy; his annoyance toward him close to the one Pelar had felt. At the same time, he considered himself the only one responsible for Lorend's wound. It was him and the princess that had made the decision to attack. Sandor found Alina with Losfend; the boy looked exhausted.

"Is he alright? What happened there exactly? Why didn't you tell me of his magical talents? Do you have any other secret I should have knowledge of?" Sandor's tone wasn't too amiable.

"No secrets left, none that should concern you or our journey that is. Losfend el is a very special boy; he was not supposed to reveal any of those skills unless it was essential. He judged saving Lorend's life was worth it. As you can see, it is very costly for him. I didn't want it to be known before we reached Soonlure. If I had told you, I was certain you would have wanted to use his gift, he is not ready for that yet."

"And what other talents does he possess that you can tell me?"

"I will but if you don't mind, I need to help him recuperate first. You can stay and watch if you want. I'm sure you will like it."

Sandor, intrigued, observed the unexpected ways used by the princess to help the boy.

She sat against a tree laying the boy against her, and then raised his shirt and opened his pants pushing them down.

"But what are you doing exactly?" wondered Sandor aloud. The boy really didn't look well, pale and feverish. "Do you really know what you're doing?"

She did not answer, her hands were coursing over the child's soft and sickly skin, she kissed him as a lover would do as she seized his now erect cocklet rubbing it expertly and bringing him soon to a dry climax.

"What the hell!" exclaimed Sandor, as he saw the boy clearly shape up again, his skin finding some color, his breathing became regular again. He looked around to see if there were any other witnesses to this baffling development.

"It's the most efficient way to help him recuperate and he loves it as you've already seen. He's never known a man though but it should work as well. Isn't he to your taste Captain?"

"He is a beautiful child."

"He's of age, quite old enough to please you. Your Eros is not that much older. I am curious to see how it would work, what effects it would have."

"I don't like the way you speak of him. He's not a thing to do with as it pleases you, or me."

"Yes, of course, I can hear that. Still these troubled times impose changes that are not always welcome but are necessary. It has been discovered recently that the more he is exposed and engages in sex the stronger is his abilities. Isn't it peculiar? We're lucky that he likes it too, with me at least."

Alina was still stimulating the adorable pecker and after a second climax, the boy was slowly falling asleep. She kissed his brow, pulled down his shirt and let him rest against the tree as she stood up.

"Are you serious in your demand?"

"Very much, the stronger he gets the better for us. Now that his condition has been revealed to everyone in our group I could extend that proposition to Astar and all of the boys. At that age they are always ready and tireless."

"Poor child, do you realize what you're saying? Is he just a means to your ends?"

"He is as important as I am. He had to escape the siege as I did myself. Do not be mistaken, I love him dearly but I have a duty to my people. If he can help us defeat our enemy, I must stop at nothing; do everything I can to reach that goal. Anyway, you are all good people and will be considerate with him."

"How did you find him? Where did he come from?"

"That is very much a mystery. He was a foundling, living in an orphanage. Some strange incidents when he started to sexually interact with the other boys brought him to the attention of the servants of Orin close to two years ago. He has been under my protection and at my service since then. He is a sweet boy and I know you will be gentle with him."

"It is a done thing for you, then, and if I don't want to participate in that so-called experiment?"

"That would be stupid of you. This is for the good of all and should be quite pleasant. I saw you were quite aroused just a moment ago. If you remember well, you agreed when I told you I wanted to enjoy your Eros, you could consider this reciprocal."

"Anyway, we won't have much time for this till we've reached the mountains and that secret passage of yours."

"True we should hasten our journey. Do you really think that drak was mortally wounded?"

"I do, still it could have taken some time for it to fall and what of its rider? Now that I think of it, we don't know what the boy they captured told them."

"Let's go find him and see what he has to say."

***

Kervan wasn't far; he had found clothes that fit him in one of the wagons after refusing to take those of one the many dead boys littering the ground where the vampires had had their blood orgy. He was feeling better, the effects of the bite seeming to fade. He was ashamed of his behavior with the vampire lord, he had loved the sex when he should have been disgusted and was still feeling quite horny even now just thinking about it, the worse though had been his incapacity of holding his tongue. He had answered all of the questions without a second thought: it was a scary flashback. What would have become of him if the princess and her men had not come to save him?

He felt some apprehension as he saw the captain and the princess approach him.

"Come here, boy, you have many questions to answer," said Sandor in a serious tone.

"And I will answer them honestly as best as I can like my father taught me. He was a soldier like you."

"Were you following us as I have been told? Why?"

"I was miserable at the guerrilla camp and mistreated by the man I had been given to. When I saw you leave, I thought I could have my chance and decided to join you. I knew I was a mere boy and that you would accept me only if there was no other alternative, so I followed from a distance waiting for the right time or occasion to show myself. I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because of me one of you was wounded and there's more."

"More?"

"Yes, their vampire lord wanted to keep me for himself it appears, to become his familiar, whatever that means. He bit me and must have used magic because since then I had to obey his every wish, answer all his questions." The boy lowered his head once again in shame. "I could not resist him in any way. I told him everything I knew about you, the princess, the guerrilla, everything."

"I've heard of that even if I never witnessed it myself. Some of their lords have that power over humans and keep familiars, usually human boys and sometimes girls to serve their needs and desires," said Sandor, thinking aloud.

"It looks like you're telling us the truth, child. That's very courageous of you to confess all of it; many others in your situation would have stayed silent or tried to twist it to hide their weakness. I like that," said Alina, raising the boy's chin to look at his face.

"What shall we do with you now? The best would be to go with Lorend and the captives to the guerrilla camp." Sandor was appraising the boy in his peasant garb.

"No, never, I will not go back there. I can help. I can fight, my father taught me well. I can do everything you want of me!"

"We lost Lorend lev and Pelar el. They said he had shown some fighting spirit and skill when he was captured, we could do with one more in our group," suggested Alina.

"We don't know what he's worth. He cost us a lot already."

"He is a pretty boy. We keep him," decided Alina. "Kervan, that's your name, isn't it? Go ask the boys to get you better-suited clothes for our journey and some weapons. We will be on our way shortly."

The boy's eyes lit up at those words, his gloom was gone. He ran toward Levit and Safir tending the surviving captives near the wagons.

"Are you sure of this? Wherever we'll go, there will be many other pretty boys, as you called him. He could become a burden for us."

"I'm sure that won't be the case. You saw it, he's a good boy, and he told us everything we wanted to know without any pressure on our part."

"It could be the lasting effect of the vampire's bite or he could have told us all of it to hide something else."

"I trust my instinct; I like him and his looks. He comes with us."

That was clearly definitive and Sandor did not try to discuss it further.

***

When Leto and William returned to the camp, the place was in ebullience and the dismantling of the moving tent palace was almost done.

The pages and squires who had participated were enjoying some fun time in the river: bathing, cavorting and playing in the nude in the clear and fresh waters. Leto could not resist the sight of those glistening young bodies. As they unsaddled, he took William by the hand to join them. It would cleanse them of the dark harem spell, he hoped. He undressed the boy and himself and they both jumped together in the middle of the laughing and carefree children, splashing them copiously. What followed was ten minutes of recreation for the man and boy during which they could forget all of their concerns, sharing with the many pretty boys a moment of innocence and recklessness.

It was a much-needed action of cleansing and renewal for them after the stressful time spent at the dark harem and before the many decisions that Leto would have to take in the next hours.

Lucian, in the shade of a large oak, watched them with incredulity. As Focker had told him there was no doubt that their relationship had bloomed. As they frolicked with the others, they were touching, kissing, exchanging smiles, and complicit looks. How could it be? He wondered as he felt the sting of his still fresh wounds. What had happened to his friend? How could he show such a smiling face to this man? Had he forgotten he was in the company of a monster?

He wasn't the only baffled spectator to the scene. A worried Melchior was there on the bank too, not daring to call to Leto to ask him what had happened and trying to decipher his state of mind or intentions.

Finally, they left the water, with Rand and Focker at the ready, bringing them towels to dry and new clothes.

"Go fetch Tamerlane and Bertram, the prince's knights, tell them I want a word with them."

"Yes, my lord. Let me recall to you that you're expected at my father's castle for the night, we should depart shortly if we want to arrive there before nightfall," said Rand.

"You're right, we'll leave right away. Gather the boys and inform my escort. I'll need to talk with Gravenese too, send him a message; he must be with the vanguard."

"Melchior wanted to see you, my Lord."

"I'll see to it later, now we must ride," Leto replied curtly.

William, as he finished dressing, saw Lucian nearby and went to him. He needed to talk with his friend and he would have wanted to do it with Tristam too but it was going to be difficult with Leto always by his side.

"Lucian, I'm so sorry for what happened last evening. How are you? How is your back? What did the physician say?"

"Nothing too serious, it should heal in a few days." Lucian kept his distance as if unsure of how to address William; one could feel some resentment in his tone, which was unusual.

William had a look at Leto, making sure he was far enough not to overhear what he had to say, he would not have much time.

"I did my best to avoid any serious injury. A lot happened last night. I understand that seeing me with Leto like that, only a few hours later, must look strange to you. It's strange for me too; believe me. Nothing went on as we had planned. Tristam's magic took over almost as soon as you were gone and changed everything. Leto is mostly free from the Beast now and the love that was meant to build slowly between us – overcame us at once. He is a totally different person. By all means, you should not fear him anymore as long as we are together. I need you to discuss all of that with Tristam, ask him what he thinks we should do, why the magic worked that way, what we should expect now. The Beast is still there but hidden, mostly powerless, it has not been vanquished though, this is why I don't want to reveal the Magus' presence in front of Leto, you will be our go-between. I must have his counsel more than ever. There are still two weeks before the next moon, how do we make sure that I am ready for the last battle. Is there anything else I should know?"

"That's a lot of questions in one go. I'll try to remember them all. It is possible that Tristam heard them anyway, true he hasn't shown himself much lately." Lucian was his old self again, heartened by the prince's words.

"I know, but I will not be able to speak with him freely about all that in the next few hours. I should have come to you first thing in the morning, see how you fared, tell you of the night's events, I was overwhelmed by it all myself like you probably were after your first night with Bertram and more. This magic is powerful."

"I understand, thanks to Focker, I knew you had survived the night. He was as puzzled as everyone else as to what had taken place."

"I'll give you all the details as soon as I can," concluded William, as he saw Leto approaching.

"Lucian," it was funny to see the large and imposing man address the boy with a timid and embarrassed voice, "I don't know how I can be forgiven for all I did to you. Did your friend tell you that I wasn't myself and how much I regret treating you that way?"

"He did. We all knew of the Beast's influence taking over and I was well aware of the risk involved by accepting to be William's page at your service. I have no grudge against you now that you are free again."

"I would like it to be so but nothing is sure yet, unfortunately. You are both very brave boys. How is your back? Did my physician treat you well?"

"He did, my Lord, he said I would be healed in a few days. I was lucky you did not give the whip to Rand."

"You must thank the prince, it was certainly a difficult and courageous decision accepting to take it into his hands; he showed great skill in his handling of the whip."

"Here's Bertram and Tamerlane, coming," said William.

"We will ride together and make our plans. I asked that Gravenese join us. Let's go meet them," said Leto, as he draped his arm around William's shoulders, slipping his hand under the boy's tunic with affection and appreciation.

***

The ride on the drak had been exhilarating for the boys at first. Now ten hours later they were getting tired and wanted it to end. Tael himself was exhausted and he knew he needed some sleep. The touch of the Essence's satiny skin and alluring forms, seated in front of him, would not be enough to keep him awake, he was exhausted by the night action and use of magic. He had for hours sampled the child's so far forbidden body, taking advantage of his position, there was no way the boy could escape his exploring hands, his kisses. He had climaxed twice already, delighting in the novel sensations. He would need some rest before claiming his prize and taking the boy's virginity. He wanted it to last and draw from it as much satisfaction as possible.

Their escape had gone mostly as planned. Vampires were kept away from Hegron; humans were so much easier to kill. He had taken care of Stana first, after the dinner and with a simple knife. He was too strong a wizard to try anything else. He had delighted in the surprise he had seen in his eyes at that moment of death, their most dangerous obstacle was vanquished. Then he checked that his poison had taken care of the servants, finishing those still breathing. There would be no changing of the guard until early the next morning and he had visited all of them killing them with a single touch of magic, two at a time. They were dead but still standing, immobile. Their absence in front of the tent would have been noticed but that way, in the dark, they would make a good decoy, provided no one came for a visit. A problem arose when it was time to take care of Berit: Hegron's look alike. He found them together and the Essence made clear the boy would not be touched.

"He comes with us. I will not let you do anything to him." The boy had learned the power of his simple voice and he was ready to make use of it. Beside him, the slave boy was unsure of his final fate, looking right and left, ready to make a run for it.

"This is stupid; it could ruin all of our plans. If the body count does not match, then they'll know there's something amiss and the search will start immediately. We will lose our advantage."

"Bring another body, death is everywhere in this place it should not be difficult or take you too much time."

"It will not be that easy. I might have to kill another boy to replace this one. What would be the difference? What do you care about him?"

"I care. I want to live and I don't want anyone to die because of me anymore."

"That's ridiculous. I … we … just killed twenty people in the last hour."

"Perhaps, but not that one. That one I want to save. Be sure to bring back a body that is already cold, I forbid you anything else."

Tael understood that the boy was serious and he had no time to waste. What the hell, he would have two boy cunts to fill instead of one and there were plenty of corpses lying around. Two bodies were already secured that he retrieved hidden close by and placed in the chamber asking Hegron that he put all of his adornments on the child's lifeless and rigid body. He was back ten minutes later with a second dead boy. In a moment he cast a spell on them and all three started a slow burn that he made sure would not ignite a fire and give the alert. Without any other wizard in the camp when they were found, it would take some time for anyone to understand what had happened and that those bodies did not belong to the ones they thought. He also counted on the shock and the fear that the supposed death of the Essence would entail.

They were soon out of the tent and mounting the drak that took flight.

Hours later, they were finally looking for a place to rest.

"Look, there is smoke down there," said Hegron, pointing to the spot with a finger.

Tael brought the drak closer to see what was burning. He had no idea of what to expect in this area and he needed information whether from friend or foe. He had pulled off a good trick and he was quite happy with himself, more confident than the day before that some of his desires would be fulfilled. He had been devising different scenarios that would give him more time with Hegron and why not perhaps a way to go on living. There were a few scattered wagons and many dead bodies on the ground: humans and vampires whose colors he recognized. There had been a fight, clearly, and one man below was making signs trying to catch their attention.

On the ground, Veseris was smiling with some chance that his hopes had been met. With the drak's body cushioning his fall he had suffered no serious injuries but did sprain an ankle, walking was made difficult. He had come back with caution to the abandoned wagons and the scene of the slaughter in the hope of finding a mount that would have been left or overseen, but there were none. Then he decided to light a fire to try to attract the attention of some allies crisscrossing the area, as he had done with his men, searching for more Valeans to exterminate who were hiding in the woods.

The drak, as it came closer, was transporting a strange cargo, a man and two boys: all human. The man wore the robes of a wizard; the boys looked like slaves with skimpy clothing. The fierce animal landed at the other end of the clearing, its passengers descending from his back. Why so far? wondered the vampire lord, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword by his side. Suddenly, there was an inebriating perfume in the air that emanated from one of the boys, and a tenacious hunger was slowly taking hold of him.

The wizard was advancing alone toward him and he could not resist walking toward the boy himself. Blood! He smelled the boy's blood, he wanted to taste it – it was becoming an obsession, where was this attraction coming from?

As he was coming level with the wizard, the man touched him.

"Stop!" Tael ordered.

Viseris obeyed but his whole being was tending to get closer to the child oblivious of everything else.

"Who are you?"

"Lord Veseris." It was ironic, the vampire was now in the same position that Kervan had been earlier, this time under the spell of the wizard, incapable to resist.

"What happened here?"

"We were having a blood feast when we were attacked."

"Who attacked you?"

"Princess Alina Destiny and some of her men."

"Princess Alina, the heir to the throne?" Tael's interest was piqued.

"Yes."

"How many men did she have with her?"

"The boy said three men and three boys."

"The boy? What boy?" Tael felt the vampire lord's resistance; he was not getting all the information that he wanted, having to recast his questions incessantly. The powerful lure of Hegron's blood, close by, was also certainly a factor.

"Kervan, a captive."

"Why the fire?"

"I can't walk, I needed help. I wanted to ring the alarm, give chase to the princess, and get rewarded."

Tael intensified the spell, and it was working better.

"What are our forces around here? The enemy's?"

"There are about two thousands of us. We're about to move out of this area, combing it one more time to find as many Valeans as possible before going west to Alsoon. As for the enemy, I don't really know. Kervan talked of a guerrilla camp, a few hours from here."

"Was the princess going to that camp?"

"I don't know for sure but I don't think so."

"Your answers are very useful. I don't think I have need of you anymore."

Tael pulled out his knife and cut the lord's throat, watching his blood flow out in great gushes, and only at the very end, falling to his knees, just before dying.

Content, the wizard called the boys to him.

"We'll take some much-needed rest now. Come with me."

He took the leash from Hegron's hand and pulled on it, bringing to him the collar around Berit's neck, who also had his hands tied behind him.

"Do not try to escape, boy. Hegron saved your life once, it won't happen again," he said harshly, and then being syrupy, "Come my love, we will lie together for a few hours and wait to regain some forces before you give me what was promised. Then we will go hunting a princess."

Chapter Eighteen

Leto's army was on the march again, a seemingly endless parade of horses, men, and wagons. There were colorful banners held high by the lead horsemen for each regiment, these were grouped behind large flags flapping in the wind for each of the lords, now under Leto's command. Onward they marched, the pomp and clamor of the procession needling its way through the meandering lush green valley with its fresh water stream showing the way. The open hills reached up to a blue sky dotted with white fluffy clouds… it was a most glorious time to be alive!

Lucian was riding with the pages and squires and could see William ahead in a heated conversation with his knights and Leto … the urge to know what was being said gnawed at him. He had conferred with Tristam for the last hour and would have many reasons to join them. Still, he did not dare interrupt them now – the prince would decide when he needed Tristam's counsel.

Riding beside him was a dejected Miniver. The boy had seen, like everybody else, the change in the relationship between Leto and William, and it appeared that his infatuation for the prince would be fruitless; Lucian could not help to think there would be no happy ending for him.

Another one that looked more than annoyed was Melchior, though he tried to hide it. Leto had not talked to him, even once, since his return. He was riding even farther back than the pages, with two of the black clad guards and some of his nefarious servants. They were a sorry bunch, which pleased Lucian enormously.

He could not quite say the same of Rand, even if he was fidgety since the morning. He still had his haughty looks and showed his usual scorn to everybody else, for Rand had an inner fire that was consuming him. At the end of this day, he would spend the night at his father's castle, among his family. This brought pride but also strangely fear.

At the head of the column, information and ideas were being exchanged among the knights, Leto, and William: they were trying to find the best course of action for the next days or weeks.

"What need do you have to play that part anymore? I would have all those that took a part in this infamy killed, the children freed. End of story." Tamerlane's opinion on the subject was quite definitive.

"There's nothing I would like more than that but I don't want to lose an advantage if it can be prevented."

"Can we be sure that you're safe from the Beast?" inquired Bertram.

"That's part of the problem. The magic is working for now but the future is uncertain."

William knew when the pivotal moment would come, "The next full moon, that's when it will be decided. If we succeed, you will be free of the Beast before we reach the Vale and the fight begins."

Tamerlane continued, "Magic is at work against us too and some of those who wield it are close by. If you did cut a few heads, I am sure it would help conceal the progress we've made. I have to say, Melchior would be on the top of my list, but I would have some private time with him first, of course. He has, without any doubt, vital information about the situation and our enemy in the Vale."

"It should be so, yes. But if the enemy learns that I am not a pawn in their hands, they might decide to attack the kingdom sooner and come meet us halfway. The forces they face on the border will never be able to stop them. It would be better that we delay the confrontation till I am fully recovered from the curse."

As a knight, Beltram's thoughts ran to the battle ahead, "We know so little yet of what, who, we are facing there. We must learn more."

Tamerlane's concerns were more of an immediate nature, "Melchior, he's the one at the heart of the conspiracy and the closest to you. We have to get rid of him to undo the vipers nest around you."

It was not an unreasonable course of action to consider.

The group fell silent for a moment as Leto pondered; all eyes were on him, waiting for his response. Tamerlane and Bertram holding their swords by the handle and leaning ever so slightly forward, as if to say, we're ready, just give the command.

"Whatever we do we must be very careful. He is a wizard himself; I have seen proof of it. He may have ways to escape us or deprive us of what we seek. We would need the help of a Magus but for obvious reasons there are none in my service." Leto, the consummate strategist, was moving further away from the impulsive beast that had defined him just a short time ago.

"Magic," said Bertram, as he eased his grip, "I thought it was leaving this world but it seems it is making a comeback and we lack anything like it on our side. The king could have lent us a few."

Leto knew his knights were brave men, strong and capable, he also knew he could not waste that resource needlessly, "The Valeans are good fighters, but that enemy, that we cannot name yet, seized the Vale so quickly and sealed the border – it must have used magic.

William, feeling the need to defend his father, the King, responded to Bertram's comment, "The magi at the king's palace were more tricksters than the real thing. Only Tristam was of value, he created the magic that is at work now, between Lord Leto and me. There are a few others in the kingdom, but few. We should seek their support."

Tamerlane quickly added, "King Aluser has already seen to it and sent emissaries to each one of them."

"But what about Tristam, he should have been here with us?" grilled Leto.

Bertram, looked to William to answer, and as their eyes met, it was obvious that a lie was needed and it could not come from the prince. With a contrived expression, Bertram answered, "I suppose he wanted him to stay by his side at the capital, in case the enemy prevailed."

"Who said it could so? We will not be defeated. We will defend our kingdom, free the Vale and pursue the enemy back to its lair, eradicate it once and for all."

William was curious, as any boy his age, "What do you think they could be?"

It was Tamerlane who spoke, "There have been tales for many years, even before I was born of a land of strange creatures and powerful wizards. So far away, that it was more legend than reality. Then we had to face the Archon war and this land was forgotten. I have seen men with Melchior that are not really men. We have started to hear stories from the border that speak of creatures never before seen."

"Could it be the Archons coming back?" questioned Bertram.

For Leto, these were not stories, he was there, and he spoke with the authority of firsthand knowledge. "I agree these questions need answers. Still the Archons invasion took a very different shape. First they came from the south not the east, they came at us like a tidal wave, there was no warning, they never stopped in their march forward, it was relentless, till the end. We were told by every source at our disposal that none of them survived, that I had killed the last of the Archons – and was cursed by him at the moment of his death.

The group was hanging onto Leto's words in unabashed reverence for the man: stories are one thing, but to hear them from someone who made history has a certain impact that one cannot refute.

"Still, in those matters nothing can be certain." Leto continued, "They could have learned from their mistakes. They failed once, and they could be trying a different strategy this time." Then softly, "The use of magic is their signature." The lord's face paled at his own words, maybe in anticipation of what was to come, maybe the horrors of the past, maybe the Beast not yet vanquished, whatever it was, he stopped speaking and slowly bowed his head downward.

It was at this moment that Tamerlane thought he had found the right argument and spoke up, breaking everyone's thoughts. "It is a necessity, whatever the cost, Melchior has to talk, tell us all he knows. We must be better prepared. We did not hope to have you on our side so early; but have you realized the extent of his deception, and what could be gained if we made him talk? What I didn't tell you yet is that he ordered his mysterious guests at Belvoir to capture your children, your heir notably, to use, in case you were killed or you did not behave as expected. The king…"

Leto was snapped out of his thoughts, and quickly lashed out at Tamerlane with a barrage of questions. "What? They planned to abduct my children and you didn't tell me first thing! When did that happen? What did you do when you learned of it? Has there been news yet?" Leto's tone had noticeably risen with a mix of worry and anger.

"…The king sent men to protect your family." Tamerlane was visibly shaken; even the prince would not be able to protect him from Leto's wrath, if it were to continue to escalate. With a nervousness uncommon to this knight, Tamerlane spoke quickly, but respectfully. "It was just before we left. Do not be concerned. We did all that needed to be done. Melchior sent his men from Soonlure, days away from Ramatel. We sent birds to the nearest garrison. And now, more than one hundred soldiers have taken position there to insure your family's safety. Also, set a trap for the would-be abductors. We are in control, and we should have news shortly. I'm sure a bird will come before nightfall, tomorrow morning at the latest. You must understand that until now we had to keep many of our secrets from you. We don't know the true nature of the Beast; we are taking a risk at this moment: what if Melchior or anyone else could communicate with it? All your knowledge would be theirs."

Leto's penetrating eyes were locked onto Tamerlane; his posture was one of an imminent pounce upon the man. William, sensing his anger and distress, had taken hold of his hand, squeezing firmly but gently until it was clear that he was calming down. His breathing was beginning to slow. He was then gratified with a smile as Leto turned his head towards him.

"I doubt the Beast can communicate with anyone except me. I'm afraid we are two sides of the same coin. All of its actions come from my distorted mind, drives that are normally buried deep in the darkest recesses of my brain, which have been freed by the curse. Its only purpose when it takes shape is to rape, maim, and kill, nothing more complex than that. Once again, I think during the last months I was even more cruel and dangerous for those poor boys when I was in charge: its venom living in me and blinding me, without any limit to these unnatural cravings."

"You must not burden yourself too much. You have done great evil under its influence but you have done much good in the past, even the king does agree to that. You will do more in the future, beginning by saving the kingdom of that new menace."

William knew he had to talk to Tristam; he could not delay this anymore. They were going nowhere and could not make the right decisions without his counsels. Last night's twist had changed all their plans. He needed the Magus's expertise on magic, his interpretation of Leto's accelerated recovery to evaluate the consequences of that spectacular turn of events, the good and the bad side of it.

"If you'll excuse me, there is something I want to discuss with Lucian." He saw the worried look on Leto's face, "I'll be right behind you, lord. I'm not leaving you, ever."

One more question Tristam would have to answer, as he left Leto's side: Would the magic, and what had been gained, be lost? Would the Beast's influence be restored? William still felt faintly the link that joined them; it was like a pleasing ringing in his head. It had not faltered since the morning, a comforting presence.

He slowed down his horse waiting to be caught up by the pages, and Lucian naturally came to ride beside him. They moved slightly apart from the group, what they said was to stay between them and not be overheard. Fortunately, Miniver did not try to follow them and kept his distance, perhaps fearing a painful rebuff.

"I have spoken with Tristam; he has a lot to say. I'll let him take my place, it will be more expeditious that way, and I won't betray his saying."

William had a look around to be certain they would not be disturbed, Lucian's expression changed, Tristam was there beside him.

***

In one of the abandoned wagons, over a pile of furs, Tael was riding the boy with his usual brutality, he was furious with Hegron, who had betrayed his word and refused him his promised reward, Berit was paying the price.

Hegron was watching them, a well-honed knife in his hand. He was sorry for the boy but it was out of the question that he let Tael do anything like that to him. It had been enough during the ride to endure his caresses and kisses, the rubbing of his engorged member against his butt and the feeling of his seed splashing his back.

As soon as the man had woken, he asked for his prize, letting his hands course over the sacred boy's skin. Hegron had to use his Voice again to push him away. He thanked the gods to have let him discover that power at the right time.

"If you refuse me what should be mine. I'll satisfy myself with the human wretch," the wizard said, grabbing Berit. Hegron did not protest and let him have his ways with the boy.

He wanted nothing more than to slice the wizard's throat open like the man had done to poor Erial. The moment was perfect.

It was not the first occasion he had to get rid of Tael. He could have done it during his sleep but he still hesitated. What did he know of the world and its dangers? He had lived a secluded life with all his needs provided for and few contacts with anyone outside his circle of servants and guards. He had been taught a lot except for magic but it was all theoretical, he knew little of the most simple, normal things of life. What would he do alone with Berit? Where could he go? The alert had been given, the Alliance had probably found the subterfuge, and all its might was certainly looking for him at that very moment. He could lose his freedom anytime. He could not make the slightest mistake. Tael might be a necessary evil for the time to come.

"Rahhh," exclaimed the man, as he ejaculated. "Yes, certainly better than nothing. Finally, it might be a good thing to have you with us, boy. You will serve me till Hegron is true to his word."

"I'm sorry, Tael, give me some time. This is all new to me," pleaded Hegron, feeling bad for Berit.

"I don't know if I can trust you on that, you, who proposed to me and provoked me with the help of the other one. You seemed perfectly randy and knowledgeable at that time."

"It was only make believe. I wanted to escape, I wanted to live, not be sacrificed."

"I agree, it would be a shame to kill such a beautiful creature as you are," he said, as he slipped out of Berit and discarded him as a thing of no importance and turned toward Hegron stroking his half-rigid rod.

Disgusted, the Essense turned his gaze away from the spectacle.

"I find you quite prudish suddenly."

"May I recall you that we are on the run and what your fate will be if we were to be found? What is that princess hunting you were talking of?"

"Perhaps a way to insure us both a longer life. The Valeans have lost the war and they are being slaughtered by the thousands. Still some have eluded us, like that Princess Alina, the heir to the throne. We could form a coalition with her in exchange for her protection."

"Her protection? You said they had lost. A coalition? Just the two of us? Why would she do that? I thought she was on the run herself."

"I know this is not the perfect plan but that's the best that I could come up with. She may have more support than we think and have been able to hide from the Alliance so far. We could trade the vast knowledge we have of their enemy and having you on her side could be very attractive for her if we tell her the right story."

"On her side? Her prisoner you mean. And what if she learned why I am destined to be sacrificed, that could be my death warrant."

Tael looked at Berit with knives in his eyes; he was crying softly, head under one arm, the poor boy had thought he was safe with Hegron, how wrong he had been.

At least he did not seem to be listening to their conversation, when Hegron realized his mistake. He should not have talked of that in front of the boy, who, contrary to Erial, had no idea of The Essence's major role in the Alliance plans and future.

Tael did not want to let go of that clear advantage and came close to Hegron, close enough to whisper into his ear, "Never say a word about that in front of the boy or anyone else, it must stay between us. I don't think the boy paid attention to your words or it would have been you that would have asked for his death." Tael could not resist his urges any longer, the closeness was too much and his leaking member began rubbing against the boy's soft belly, one hand cupping his buttocks, he pressed their bodies together.

"No, please."

"Let me, just this time, or my tongue might slip and say words I would regret and seal the fate of Berit. Look how hard I am just from the contact of your skin. A kiss perhaps? That would be a beginning and give me hope."

Hegron wanted to use his Voice but looking at Berit, he knew he had lost that fight. He already felt enough guilt having let Tael use him in his place. He opened his lips and the wizard pressed his face against him, pushing his tongue inside, his stubble scratching his skin.

"How lovely," said Tael, as he pushed Hegron over the furs. "I want you so much." His rod was poking with strength at the boy's groin, as if it were searching for an opening.

It soon found a passage between the thighs, the friction against the virgin child's nether regions putting him in a state of bliss. He climaxed in no time, covering the boy with his whole weight in abandon.

"There is another fact that had eluded me so far and very favorable to us," he said some time later, once satiated from the intimate contact he had imposed on the boy under him. "They cannot use the vampires to look for us. The risk that they would drain you at first sight is unacceptable for them. I am still astounded by the scope of betrayal I have accomplished for you. This could be a fatal blow for the Alliance. Do you understand that?

"I do, I am ashamed and relieved at the same time when I see the torrents of blood spent since we entered the Vale."

"What you should be, first of all, is grateful. I'm risking my life. I dare not think of my fate if I was captured."

"That too. And again, I am sorry not to be able to satisfy you as you wish. Give me a few days. That is all I ask of you."

"I don't see the point, now or in a few days, what's the difference?" Tael's hand had slipped under Hegon's buttocks, his fingers finding his well-spent seed and spreading it in the boy's crack, pressing two fingers at the tight pucker. He was hard again and rubbing himself against a smooth thigh."

"No, I told you, not yet." Hegron had difficulty hiding his disgust and was close to using the Voice, whatever the consequences.

Tael must have felt it and stepped back.

"Very well, this time, but I do not intend to wait too long," he said, licking the two fingers that had been seeking entrance a moment before. He grabbed Berit by the hair and presented his throbbing cock to his mouth, "Get to work, slut." Looking at Hegron, he mimicked a slit throat with his finger.

The message was clear; if the Essence did not comply very soon with his desires, then Berit was dead.

***

The girl felt someone holding her hand … it was two hands clasping hers, held off to the side of the bed. She began to come out of a dream, a dream that quickly eluded her conscience. She felt warm, comfortable, at peace – in that dream, she had been terrified but it was gone now, whatever it was. Her eyes were held shut with morning eye crust. She slowly broke open one eye to the light streaming in, then the other. Turning her head to the side, she was greeted by a forlorn face that quickly broke into a beaming smile.

"Mother," said Teresa.

"I love you," answered lady Otella. "I'm going to stay with you till you have fully recovered. We thought we had lost you but you are strong like all the members of our family. The knife was deflected by a rib and it barely missed your heart. We've been very lucky."

"It was Landers that tried to kill me. How can that be? Why?"

"That is a good question; I do not have the answer yet."

"Where are Ladisk and Teo? Are they fine?" Teresa's concern was evident.

"I would have preferred you didn't ask that question. We are still looking for them. You should be resting rather than worrying, so I'll tell you all that I know. Soldiers came to Ramatel yesterday morning, they were sent by the king to protect us from a group of men who planned to take your brothers. I sent Istal to fetch you all, and she came back in a panic. She found you bleeding in your bedroom; she thought you were dead; you were barely breathing; and she could not find any of your brothers. As soon as you were taken care of, we started a search for them and Landers: there was no trace of any of them. We soon suspected he was responsible in some way, although it appeared impossible, he has been with us since you were born, he was attached to you and your brothers as if you were his own children. This is a terrible mystery."

"It was Landers that stabbed me. What did he do to the children?"

Lady Otella smiled again; Teresa had taken the habit of calling her brothers, the children, when she wasn't that much older herself.

"Rest now; there is nothing more that can be done for the moment. You must recover, you are so pale, and you lost a lot of blood." She replaced a loose strand of hair away from her daughter's face, "Istal will bring you a bowl of soup and bread, your favorite; you must eat it all. I'll be gone just a minute."

Lady Otella was holding back her tears … she had one of her children with her again, but what of the other two, her precious boys?

***

Ladisk and Teo had been trussed and gagged, and then put on the packhorses like two sacks of potatoes. Olgred, with the shape shifter Tecumek and his men, had galloped all through the day and night stopping only the next morning to rest the horses.

It was not a comfortable journey with little sleep. The older boy felt with surprise that the packs under them were moving and making pitiful noises. He soon understood it was people wrapped as merchandise and from the size and sounds probably children. For what purpose? He had no idea. Were they also lord's children captured to serve as hostages or for ransom? They should have had enough with the two of them, wasn't their father the most powerful and rich lord in the whole kingdom. It was only normal that they had been targeted. For how long had that creature taken the place of their beloved Landers? Weeks, months? And without any of them noticing it or having the slightest suspicion.

Ladisk had cried a little at the beginning when no one could see but it did not last, he was a Westerfield and he had to be strong, he had Teo to protect and if possible save from those men, even at the cost of his life.

Olgred had signaled the little group to stop.

"Let's have three hours of rest and drink some blood," he said as he dismounted. "Soren, Crit, come to me, I have need of you."

The two familiars, although tired, did not really have to be asked and were already by his side. They were in need of the drug the vampire injected them each time he drank their blood. They were both presenting their necks with eagerness.

"Charming boys you have here," said Tecumek in appreciation, as he joined him.

"Yes, always the best and trained to perfection. I would be honored to lend you one of them, their blood is a nectar but you are perhaps rather interested in their other charms," Olgred added, caressing and kneading Crit's rounded butt as he pierced the skin of his bent neck.

"Thank you for the proposition but blood is not on my usual diet and I'd rather use this time to try to sleep. You vampires have little need of that."

"That is true; we can go a few days without having to lay down. So much time is lost that way. Those little boys on the other hand do need their sleep." He had now finished drinking from Soren's wrist and was licking at the blood that had escaped him dripping from his chin. "That will be all for now my lovelies go lie down and get some rest, we will be on the road again shortly. Tecumek, we will have a long conversation at a later time, when we are closer to the Vale and our friends. I need to see to my men and check on our new guests."

"Beware of the older one. He is small and young but full of spunk, ready for anything."

"Don't worry; I'll have him watched closely. Those two are very precious and I would prefer they reach the Vale in one piece."

The vampires who had ridden for hours were hungry for blood and had already unpacked the horses taking down the boys and unwrapping the sacks that concealed them from prying eyes.

"This one is barely alive," said Roagg to his lord, as he lifted the twelvish red haired boy's head by his hair and slapped his face with little result. There were bite marks all over his body.

"Not much blood left, I would say. Try to revive him and feed him some broth. He is not to be touched until he has recovered. We cannot risk being noticed and will have to use those boys for as long as we can make them last, probably until we reach the Vale. If he dies, we could eat him, though. The one you cooked for us at Belvoir didn't taste too bad; we could give some to the remaining boys. Meat would enrich their blood."

"Why not use the new prisoners, they smell good, they were well fed brats. I'm sure their blood is rich and delectable."

"Probably but they are to be left alone, their purpose lies elsewhere. Again, tell the men to be careful and to avoid draining any of our cattle, that's not to say they can't use them for other pleasures."

"Of course, I'll myself bum one or two before we leave and start as soon as I'm done with that one." The lifeless boy was like a doll in his hands, shaken up and down as the vampire talked, "Might be a lost cause."

"Do your best. I'm going to see Leto's brats."

"Very well my lord."

The two brothers had been left as they were, simply seated, their backs against a tree, side by side. Olgred stood in front of them, observing. The smaller of the two, the cutest one was apparently sleeping, the older one was looking at him straight in the eye apparently without the slightest fear. It was interesting, intriguing. Most of those humans were terribly boring, this one could be a case worth studying, playing with. He knelt down beside him and took off his gag.

The boy passed a pink tongue over his dry lips, still looking at him defiantly in silence. The vampire lord crouched down and passed his hand in the child's long dark hair with no reaction from the boy who just held his gaze, with piercing green eyes. He would have been a pretty lad had it not been for his jaw jutting forward that gave him a stubborn or rather determined look, still he certainly had presence and some charm.

"Who are you? What do you want of us?" demanded Ladisk, finally, after a long moment.

"The answers to those questions are a bit complicated. For now, you can call me Lord Olgred."

"Whatever your name, your goals, you're a dead man, like all those with you and that impostor. My father will kill you all. I hope it will be a long and painful death."

"What a nice boy you are. Look around and see what we do to boys like you. Human scum, they have a very small value that could be lost in an instant. You are not that much different, you should behave or the consequences could be dire, for you and your brother."

Once taken down from the packhorses with his brother, Ladisk watched with interest the vampires do the same with the covered boys, the ones he had felt stirring or sometimes making small sounds under him. Once unwrapped, he saw they were all naked with bruises and bite marks, mostly on the neck and wrists, it was evident they were not lord's sons or anything of the kind. He was shocked when he saw one of their captors sink his long canines in a boy, licking at the blood and then lower his britches to enter him in one go, indifferent to the child's pitiful cries. The scene was repeated all around the two brothers as Olgred came to stand before them. Fortunately, Teo had gone back to sleep immediately and did not witness that cruel display.

Ladisk, away from his father's court, had only an abstract idea of what happened between a knight and his page. He had led a sheltered life away from the world of men, he knew he was to become a page himself at the service of a lord or knight soon, although his mother had always delayed that decision. Through his contacts with the servants and at the nearby town, he had learned a lot but it was one thing to be told and another to see it for real. What could have seemed attractive and exciting, even if also a little scary, a rite of passage – here, looked barbaric and disgusting.

Olgred's interests had shifted and he was now focused on Teo.

"Incredible, how at that age one can be oblivious of the world around and keep on sleeping. A little angel, you humans would call him."

"Leave him alone."

"Learn that I can do whatever I want with the two of you," replied Olgred, in an even tone. "He's the cutest, don't you think? Your mother's favorite perhaps?"

"Our mother doesn't have a favorite."

"All parents say so, but it's a lie."

Olgred had seized the young boy, who stirred but did not awaken. He took off the gag, cut some of the ropes, and started lifting the child's tunic.

"What are you doing!" exclaimed Ladisk, starting to panic.

"Examining the merchandise. I have been told to be wary of you. Your brother will be the first to endure the consequences of your misbehavior, it is only natural for me to be curious and want to see how much I'll enjoy punishing you."

The tunic was gone; Teo still in a half doze had tried to push away the hands that were undressing him and troubling his much-needed slumber. He had not been able to find sleep on the horse the whole night.

Olgred, unruffled, was moving on, now pulling down his britches.

"A lovely boy, certainly," he said, appreciative as he pulled off his riding boots, "and much better naked."

Teo was now quite awake and feeling embarrassed as well as understandably frightened … except for words, there was nothing that Ladisk could do to help him.

"Do not fear Teo; there's nothing he can do to us, and father will soon come to our rescue."

"What you say is quite optimistic, your brother here, I'm sure would make a great familiar. Mine are getting too old; he would be the perfect age for a replacement. You certainly don't know what a familiar is. It's a human boy trained to give his blood and serve a vampire lord, in bed and in many other tasks … such a soft and delicate skin, it would be so easy to pierce it and drink the rich blood under it."

"You wouldn't dare. Don't listen to him Teo, he is just trying to scare us."

"Once again you are quite wrong boy. I need only one of you, the other is expendable, and I could do whatever I want with your brother. I didn't tell you yet, when we bite, we also inject a fluid that avoids coagulation and keeps the blood flowing, it is also addictive and it takes only a few bites for our feeder to become our willing slave. Isn't that wonderful?"

"You wouldn't dare," repeated Ladisk but with less assurance.

Olgred was kissing, licking Teo's neck; his protruding canines lightly grazing the skin, they would need only a small pressure to break it and seek a vein or artery.

"He certainly tastes great, I can feel the richness of his life fluids; it would be extraordinary with the right diet of spices." Olgred's hands were now lingering over the child's groin and rump, kneading, trying to stimulate a response.

Teo was close to panic, not really knowing what was at stake or what that strange man wanted of him.

"Leave him alone, please," pleaded Ladisk, close to tears, who knew quite well what was at stake and that monster's intentions.

His brother's reaction and apparent rare weakness added to Teo's distress.

Olgred, with a satisfied smile pulled away from the little boy.

"Ladisk is your name?"

"Yes," answered Leto's heir, not knowing yet if he should be relieved.

"And this is Teo."

The boy nodded.

"You will have to behave more than well, from now on, the both of you. If I hear the slightest remark from one of my men, all that you feared will be carried out and with great pleasure on my part. I hope that I make myself clear on that point. There will be no second chances."

Both boys nodded in unison.

"Good, now look what little Teo did to me," exclaimed the vampire lord exposing his enlarged crotch. "Because of you I'll have to wake up one of my familiars to take care of it."

***

Before William was able to tell Leto and his knights the result of his conversation with Tristam, they were interrupted by the arrival of Gravenese. The column had halted.

"A bird has arrived from Ramatel, my Lord." The knight and friend could not hide the nature of the news. His face was grave and tense.

"Tell me. You have certainly read the message, Gravenese."

"I would prefer you read it yourself and in private, my Lord."

"As you wish. Could you leave us alone for a moment," demanded Leto, his tone and expression showing his concern. He already knew he would not like the content of that message.

William and the knights joined the pages and as soon as they were gone, Gravenese, handed the small slip of paper to his Lord. Leto read it with a bland face, he was about to put it aside when he read it again as if not believing the words written, and again, one more time. Then he exchanged a few words with Gravenese who left.

He waited some time, as if lost in his thoughts, and then signaled William and the knights to come to him again, and to their surprise, this time, also called Melchior.

There was silence, at first, and then he spoke with a strained voice.

"This is dire news coming from Ramatel, my wife and children's residence. It seems my sons have been abducted and my daughter stabbed, she might not recover."

"But how can that be?" exclaimed Tamerlane. It seemed in total contradiction with what he expected. Melchior's men could not have reached Ramatel before the king's soldiers. He did not say one more word; he could not talk freely with Melchior present.

"My lord, what happened? Perhaps we should discuss this matter with your council members and not the king's knights," suggested Melchior.

"You are right, in a sense, my old friend but there have been recent changes to the order of things as you'll soon learn."

Unnoticed, Gravenese had come back and placed himself behind the small man. He used a club to hit the conspirator's head, who fell from his mount, knocked out. At the same moment, the knight's men had surrounded Melchior's followers and guards. Those that tried to fight back were killed instantly; others were forcefully seized and then shackled.

"Well done, Gravenese," said Leto.

"My pleasure, I've been waiting to do that for years, I have always despised that man."

Lucian, who had joined them, said in a strange voice, "Take away his Archon stone, he should be wearing it around his neck."

"What did you say, page? This is not your place?" replied Gravenese.

"He is not who he seems to be," announced William. "We should all listen to him."

"Speak up, boy," said Leto.

Lucian turned toward the prince letting him make his introduction.

"As you all know magic has been at work since the beginning in these matters. The magus Tristam has been the one working on our side and trying to undo Lord Leto's curse. He gave us counsel, helped us at every stage of our mission, thus he decided to stay by our side in the guise of a simple page boy. This is not Lucian standing before you; this is Tristam or rather his spirit that inhabits the boy's body. This was to stay a secret until the Beast was vanquished but after the recent events, it now appears unnecessary if not counterproductive.

"Thank you, William, and as I said, let's get that Archon's stone away and secured. Lucian dismounted and searched Melchior's body. He found the stone easily. "We need to put it in a box made of lead to neutralize it." The boy held it by the necklace avoiding any contact.

"We are honored to have you with us, Magus Tristam, your help and counsel will be very welcome in those difficult times ahead. Have you been there all along, ever since the prince was sent to me?" Leto could not part with a certain unease; the Magus had been witness of his cruel and intimate behavior with Lucian.

"Yes, I was there more or less. Do not worry, all is forgotten, now that you've found your proper self again. It was of no consequence compared to what lies ahead."

"You are right, Tristam. Let's put Melchior under guard, we will have a long talk with him later when we arrive at our destination."

Gravenese's men had come over to take away the disgraced counselor. Pages were sent to find a box for the Archon's stone.

"You haven't told us what happened at Ramatel," said Tamerlane who felt somehow responsible for that fiasco.

"It is said in the message that we were betrayed by our most trusted man at my wife's service for over twenty years, this is one more mystery we will have to solve. I propose that we ride fast to Stalfort Castle were we will hold a counsel and question Melchior. We cannot do that in the middle of the road.

"Won't you go see your wife and lead the search for your sons?" asked Bertram.

"I have no time for that, unfortunately, I have a war to wage and a duty to the kingdom, I cannot leave the army. I'll have to trust others to fulfill that task. If we are lucky, we will learn a lot from Melchior to make it a success. And now let's ride."

They arrived at the castle three hours later. It was an austere construction quite in contrast with the magnificence of Belvoir or the king's palace. Rand's father, Count Kyllian, had come out to welcome them but the prepared festivities had to be cut short. After saluting the count, Leto, Gravenese, Prince William, Lucian/Tristam, Tamerlane, Bertram, and a few trusted generals and knights gathered in one of the halls away from any prying ears.

After a short introduction, their first discussion was to make a list of all those associated with Melchior that had to be questioned, set aside, or imprisoned. The man himself was held close by, awaiting his unenviable fate. Then the question of the abduction of Leto's heirs was raised. More birds with up to date information had reached them. It appeared that the king had taken the question very seriously. Warnings had been sent to every garrison or town hall in the kingdom. The search was on already. More reassuring news of Teresa's health had quieted some of Leto's fears.

Tamerlane, as well as Gravenese for different but well-founded reasons, had volunteered to take the matter into their hands and lead the search. Leto had refused. He could not separate himself from his most trusted and loyal friend, nor from a man who had shown his value in a moment where every support counted. He designated Sir Latral, a good and efficient man, to work with the king's men, lead the search for the abductors, and inform them of any progress. He would leave the next day, after the questioning of Melchior had been conducted, everyone hoped, successfully.

Then came the time to hear Tristam's advice and view on the situation: before the confrontation with Melchior. This would take place with only the small group that had gathered earlier on the road.

"We have not been able to listen to you before Tristam, speak up, and tell us what we should do from now on. What of the Beast? What of our enemy? How should we deal with Melchior?" asked Leto, who despite the terrible news of the day and the looming menace of the curse had not faltered and showed a constant will and strength.

***

Rand was walking in circles, irritated and frustrated.

"We cannot stay idle while our secrets are revealed," he said again.

"There is nothing that can be done at the moment," answered his father, as austere as his castle, with a monochord voice.

"But if Melchior talks, we are lost, it would be the end of our family."

"He will not talk."

"How can you say that?"

"If he talks he is dead. His only value lies in the information he holds. He is not stupid."

"He could give a few tokens to stay alive. Our family name for example."

"Why would he do that? We are the ones in the best position to help him, he knows it."

"But you said there was nothing we could do."

"You must listen and not be so impatient. Every option is on the table, to be used at the right time: help him escape or silence him. But we must be careful and not expose ourselves. We have been waiting for this for so long; I do not intend to lose it all for Melchior or anybody else."

"It is the prince that is responsible for this. Before his arrival, everything was fine and going the way we planned. We could take our most trusted men, kill them all, and free Melchior."

"I would love to give you that boy's head, that you so despise. But Leto is not stupid, his Purple Legion is positioned everywhere in the castle, that would be suicidal."

"We could use surprise."

"The folly of youth. I am very proud of you my son; you are an example for your brothers. Your position as Leto's favorite was not easy to obtain and to fill. Take my advice, enjoy your stay here, enjoy your brothers that you haven't seen for months, leave to me the difficult decisions we might take in the next hours. Piet, Yarl, welcome your brother, as he should be. I'll join you later."

"Yes father," answered the two boys, younger versions of Rand, with some apprehension. They were well aware of his ways and feared him even more than their father.

"You have my permission to do as you wish with them. Yarl is now of an age that can satisfy all of your desires."

Chapter Nineteen

The sun was setting; they had pushed the horses to their limit and had no choice but to call a halt. Sandor at the head of the column gave the signal. With some chance, they could reach the mountains in two days at their current pace. For now, beasts, men, and boys were tired, only Princess Alina looked as fresh as when they had started. The captain wondered where she found that energy: was it her page and his magic? Poor Losfend, for his part, looked exhausted, like Levit, Safir, and the new boy, Kervan. They had left the forests of the valley floor behind them, and they were now surrounded by low rocky hills that could look menacing with the diminishing light.

They made camp in a small canyon that could accommodate their party and their horses, its steep vertical sides would help hide their fire at night and provide protection. It was a natural fort with the need of a single stationed guard at the top of the ridge.

Kervan was doing his best to make himself useful and earn his place in the group, he was the first to go tend to the horses and make sure they would be fit for the next day's long ride. Sandor did not scowl at him anymore; he had always had difficulty holding onto grudges anyway, notably when boys were concerned. He was considerate of the very much worn-out lad, who, not long ago had been captured, bitten by a vampire, and known a twenty-foot fall from a drak: quite harrowing experiences.

They all gathered around the fire for a frugal meal of dried meat and cheese with fruits, during which they set the watch duties. Despite his protest, Sandor excluded Kervan from watch duty and Losfend as well. He judged they both really needed their sleep if you didn't want to see them fall from their saddles the next day.

Astar took the first shift and the others settled in for the night. Safir followed Astar to sleep in his lap.

As soon as Levit's head touched his makeshift pillow he was asleep, Sandor by his side spooning him, caressing his dark curls and checking the scar from the hammer blow that was slowly healing. The man knew he would join the child in slumber shortly but wanted to enjoy this moment of quiet intimacy for a few more minutes. He could see the silhouettes of Astar and Safir, on an outcropping, drawn by the moon. Alina was on the other side of the dying fire, a few feet away with Losfend and Kervan.

She was talking with the boys and did not appear ready for sleep.

"Can't that wait till tomorrow?" asked the little boy.

"You'll have to practice twice every day, and now that you have Kervan, I won't be the only one to help you with it."

"I'm more comfortable with you. Don't you like me anymore?"

"On the contrary, I love you and doing it with you, but I might not always be available in the next weeks so we need to find you people that can take care of that part of your training. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"How do you exactly want me to help," asked Kervan, a bit dumbfounded by the conversation so far and who wanted only one thing, lie down and sleep. "I can teach him archery, I'm rather good at it, how to follow a trail…"

"That's not the kind of help that we need."

"No? What else, then?"

"You told us you were mistreated at the guerrilla camp, given to a man that did not show you kindness."

"You can certainly say that."

"You know everything that goes on between a man and his boy though."

"I do, there's no doubt about that."

"I need you to serve the same purpose with Losfend. I had thought of Captain Sandor at first but he doesn't seem too keen on that yet."

"You want me to … you mean … with him?"

"Exactly. You will be rewarded, of course. Do you produce seed yet? I didn't see any hair down there." The princess accompanied her words with action, her hand with authority grabbing the young boy's crotch, who gasped, "Remember, I saw you naked, you have nothing to hide anymore."

"But … you're a girl, a princess?"

"And I like young boys like you, I'll be part of your reward if you behave as you are asked to do." Alina was not expecting much, still she could feel something stirring in the child's britches her touch had awakened the boy's pricklet and a smile had touched his lips.

"You must be joking," he said, unbelieving.

Alina's hand had found her way inside the boy's pants and it was now playing with the treasure hidden there.

"Take those off," she said as she bent down to kiss him. "Losfend el, undress too." Her tone was gentle: still, a refusal was out of the question.

Sandor watched from across the fire, too far to hear what was being said; he could see and guess what Alina's intentions were. No, she can't be doing that in everybody's sight, he thought, incredulous. At the same time, he was alone with the sleeping Levit to witness her actions, Astar was certainly looking elsewhere, and Safir probably had his eyes closed already.

"We'll do a quick one, boys. Kervan el, you'll suck on Losfend el and I'll take care of you. We'll see tomorrow if we have time for something more elaborate." Alina sent a glance to Sandor, making sure she had his attention and indeed the man was clearly awake and looking their way.

Kervan was noticeably aroused, his tiredness forgotten for the moment. He hastily lowered his pants and presented himself to the care of Alina's deft hands. He didn't mind sucking on the page's small thing, it would be much more agreeable than Trelon's big, smelly, and hairy one.

"You're a very pretty boy Kervan; you will certainly turn a lot of heads as you are now and later as a grown man." Alina was caressing and rubbing the young stem and marbles attached, as she lifted the boy's shirt, and then kissed and licked his flat belly. He was in heaven and in no time, his body began to spasm, suddenly letting go of some crystalline droplets that landed on Alina's hand. During that time, Losfend had undressed and was sucking on one of her breasts that he had freed from her garment.

Sandor could not stay unmoved by the spectacle before him. He was now erect and needed some release if he wanted to be able to sleep a few hours before his shift. Was this intentional, he wondered? He bared Levit's bottom and slipped his erect member between his glorious thighs, it did not take him long to reach his pleasure, holding the boy against him, who, oblivious to all, did not stir and stayed in slumber throughout the ordeal.

The trio he had been watching was still very much active. Kervan, with his lips around Losfend's two inch vibrating cocklet, whose own mouth was at work in Alina's crotch.

The princess, as soon as everyone had reached an acceptable climax, decided it was enough for the moment and that they could resume their practice in the morning. The two boys were fast asleep, bare-assed in her arms; their heads on her bosom, each one of her hands was cupping and caressing one pretty bum until she joined them in sleep shortly after.

She woke up the next morning as fresh as if she was still in her father's castle surrounded by her servants and readying to take a hearty breakfast. The boys beside her had not awakened yet: Astar was lightly snoring, lying with Safir a few feet away. Sandor had gone on his watch and had left the lovely Levit sleeping like an angel.

This life of adventure and danger was all she ever wanted, to be free of all the hurdles of the court and the endless protocols. Had it not been for the inhuman slaughter of her people, her responsibilities as heir to the throne, and the difficult decisions awaiting her, then this could have been her best time ever.

The sun had risen and it announced a beautiful day. She would not have much time again to take care of little Losfend's needs until they reached the caves. Once there, they would be able to further his training. Kervan would be perfect to initiate him to anal sex. His progress in magic had stalled after a promising rapid growth. She wanted to experiment and introduce him to other, more natural, practices. A boy needed a man and she hoped that soon Sandor would accept that role. She knew he would be considerate and kind to the child even if his true love would still be Levit.

Princess Alina was mindful to follow several goals in that matter. First of all, to develop Losfend's talents for the good of her cause, then there were personal aims. She was attracted to young boys and not only because, until they produced seed, they were the only ones she was allowed to have sex with – a rule she had not always followed to the letter, but that was not the subject. They were sweet, playful, tireless, beautiful, new to the world, and so much more entertaining than her many and boring suitors that were only interested in the crown she would inherit. Still, the one thing that aroused her more than anything else was to see a man and boy have intercourse, and since she had met with Sandor, she strongly desired to see him at work with his boy Levit or little Losfend.

***

It was late at night when Tristam's body arrived at Stalfort, the meeting with Leto having ended less than an hour before. It had been carried there by the army under heavy escort and in all secrecy. Even the commander of the unit did not really know what they were transporting, only that it was something very precious. A bird had been sent ahead and every precaution taken to avoid any information leaking. The enemy could only guess what might be going on. They all knew that eyes were watching their every action and that many could not be trusted. The enemy had prepared well and for years.

Tamerlane was in charge of reuniting Tristam's soul to his body, and it was done summarily with the utmost discretion. With Bertram's help, he took the crate to a small room where Lucian was awaiting them. The crate was opened, revealing the old man's wizened features at rest under a mane of white hair. The boy lay down beside him and a few minutes later Tristam opened his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

"Back home," he said, as if he had just awakened from a nap.

"Is that all?" asked Tamerlane.

"What did you expect, Sir Knight, thunder and lightning? This is not a story for children," said the Magus. "Now let's get to work, have you assembled all of Melchior's possessions as I demanded?"

"We did, all that we found in his personal wagon and more."

"Very well, I will examine them closely; see what I can learn from them. It could be of great value when I confront Melchior in the morning."

It had finally been decided that the questioning would take place the next day, when everybody was rested and Tristam restored in his own body, in full command of his craft.

"I'll take you there, Magus," said Bertram.

"No, you should rather take good care of this charming and courageous boy, here. He has well-earned your attentions," said Tristam, as he caressed Lucian's cheek and red came to Bertram's face.

"So, I can take my leave?" asked Lucian, looking expectantly at Tristam and then at his lover.

"You can, child. Thanks to you, I've discovered feelings that had been foreign to me before this day. Tamerlane, come with me, my body is well rested, and I am sure that you are as interested as me to see what we will find, your sleep will have to wait."

"Follow me Magus, we don't have far to go."

They arrived shortly after in a well-guarded small courtyard, the Purple Guard was all over the castle, made mostly of veterans of the Archon Wars and dedicated to the service of Leto and no one else. They were the only troops that could be trusted. Tamerlane had also called some of the king's men, all known to him and with whom he was used to working. They took them to a small chamber, empty but for Melchior's gathered items.

"Tamerlane, I propose that you search for everything written while I look for what could be related to Archon magic in all that paraphernalia."

"So you think the Archons are back," asked the knight, with a frown.

"Melchior had an Archon stone; it is logical to think there is a relation between the two. At the same time the last Archon was killed by Lord Leto more than ten years ago, so it has to be different."

Tamerlane picked up and checked a saddlebag that seemed to be a good place to put letters and documents during travel; he then checked a small filing cabinet with many drawers. Tristam, meanwhile, was examining different objects with his eyes first, and then later he would scan some of them with magic.

"Isn't there a foul smell in this room?" asked Tamerlane aloud.

"There is, I was investigating it this very moment, and I would say it comes from that travel trunk at the back."

"What could be in there?"

"I don't know, I don't like it, let's be careful when we open it."

Tamerlane moved aside a few objects to let them get to it, and then pulled out his dagger.

"Could it be an animal, it smells like a soiled litter."

"A big one and silent so far."

"Should I call for reinforcements before we open it? It could be something poisonous, we can't risk losing you."

"Don't worry; I feel no impending menace of any kind, although it will certainly not be pleasant. Let's see how it can be opened, I would say all sides are removable."

"No, only those at the extremities and the top, I would say."

Tamerlane undid the clasps with his dagger, and again used it to lift the lid. The smell was immediately stronger, there wasn't too much light, and Tristam brought the torch closer.

"What? It's a child. Who could treat a child that way?" exclaimed the knight. The child raised his head fearfully until he made eye contact. "Poor thing, is this caked semen on his face? How long has he been left in there?"

"For quite some time, I would say. Look at the chafing marks where he is held in place by those strappings, on his wrists and neck. He had to relieve himself in the trunk."

"Let's get him out of there," said Tamerlane, bending down to undo the bonds."

"Wait, look at those tattoos!" The child's back was covered with them and on closer inspection, his legs, arms, and torso had some too.

"Magic?"

"Possibly, but not of a kind I have seen before."

"We can't leave him like that," Tamerlane said to Tristam, and then turned to the boy, "Do not be afraid boy, we will take good care of you. We are here to help you."

Tristam had made a few incantations spreading his hands over the child's painted skin.

"I think it is safe, the magic is not meant for the outside but for the inside."

"Inside … the boy?"

"That is what it looks like. Take this cover and wrap him in it, he is filthy from head to toe. He'll need a good scrubbing. What is your name child?"

"Lichan," answered the boy in a small but raucous voice.

They freed the child who was pulled from the trunk and immediately he nearly disappeared under the cover, in the arms of the large knight.

"Have him thoroughly washed and fed, he appears famished, then you will have him delivered to my chambers, I need to study those tattoos and hear his story. Go. I'll start gathering everything that seems of importance here while waiting for your return, and make sure he is watched closely, we don't want anything bad to happen to him.

"I'll do that."

Tamerlane left the Magus but was back shortly after. They spent the next hour rummaging through the diverse objects collected there, putting aside those that could be of interest.

"I'll do a second sweep tomorrow, or rather later today. Go find some rest knight, you need it."

"Thank you, Magus, it has been a long but interesting day, and this new one will certainly be the same. I'll try to pack a few hours of sleep. I'll have you escorted to your room and we will need to find a safe place for the boy."

Tristam hesitated, and then said, "No, there will be no need of that, he can stay with me. He might hold important information. Things he was told, saw, or overheard, we must not let it be lost."

"Very well, he will join you shortly."

A few minutes later, Tristam was in a well-guarded decorated room close to the ones of Lord Leto and Prince William. He picked and ate a few fruits set on a table and started reading some of the documents and letters found by the knight. Not long after, there was a knock on the door, with two soldiers bringing him some of the objects and containers he had thought of interest, accompanied by a young boy he had difficulty recognizing as the one he had seen less than two hours earlier.

"Here is the child as you ordered Magus, he has been washed and fed as you can see."

"Indeed, what a transformation, what a beautiful lad you've brought me. You can leave us now, I'm taking over."

"At your service, Magus."

The door closed, leaving the man and boy alone.

"Come closer lad, let me see you. You will not be harmed."

Lichan, wearing a simple tunic, was truly charming: with delicate features, glossy and wavy light hair, blue eyes, and porcelain skin.

Tristam gently undid his belt, turned him around, and lifted his tunic, revealing more tattoos, and a most desirable bubble butt. The old man's quiescent shaft was stirring and filling with blood for the first time in so many years that he could not remember. Despite being over one hundred twenty years old, the Magus was still physically fit and only the wrinkles on his face showed his age. His stay and experiences in Lucian's mind and body, the wanderings in those of Leto and Bertram had awakened ancient forbidden longings.

The child, though unsure of what to expect, didn't appear bothered by his nakedness in front of the old man who had some difficulty restraining his hands to caress and explore that smooth and vibrant skin, those youthful and tender shapes.

"Come into the light, so that I can have a good look at you."

On the pretext of examining the tattoos, Tristam first took the time to attentively scan, from head to toe, every part of the child's body, even those that had never been touched by Melchior's needles. His hands lingering more than necessary on the pert buttocks and well-formed thighs, the sweet calves, the flat tummy and cute nipples, the rosy and kissable lips.

"I am yours to do as you wish, sir, but please don't hurt me." The child had already been examined by applicant customers before being sold for good and told numerous times what would be expected of him, he had no doubt concerning the Magus intentions.

"What are you saying, child? This is not what you think." Of course it is; why would I have asked him to share my chamber and bed? "At the same time I'll have to think about your proposition, although very young, you are a very desirable boy."

Lichan had a smug reaction to those words, meaning: see, what did I tell you?

Tristam had not totally lost his mind over lust, he knew he had to prepare for his confrontation with Melchior and asked the child to recount, including the most insignificant detail all that had happened since he had met that man. He listened attentively while letting his hands gently course over the child's pale skin and long blond hair, using his finger to gently follow the lines of the mysterious sigils on his skin.

The boy's recollections were surprisingly detailed and articulated. He had a good memory that rarely required any further inquiries from the Magus. A few names came up that were dutifully noted with pencil and ink. Tristam then undertook making detailed sketches of all the symbols and sigils tattooed on the boy for later study and hopefully learn to make sense of it.

"You did good Lichan and thanks to you we might uncover some of Melchior's ploys. You must be tired; come with me to bed, we will rest together till morning which should not be far away."

The naked and graceful boy followed the old man, lying on the bed beside him. He did not close his blue eyes that were fixed on the Magus' crotch, tented by a rebellious erection. Without being asked, he raised the man's robe and took his member delicately into his mouth.

Tristam did not stop him, caressing his back with his hand, which soon rested on his rounded butt. Sex was forbidden for a Magus, it had been so from the beginning of time, but how could he refuse what was freely given? He had ignored that part of a man's life and for so many years, followed the rules he had been taught, but after being exposed to Bertram and Lucian's lovemaking, the Beast, and Leto's extreme and dark desires, he now felt compelled to explore those feelings and emotions himself. It was certainly folly to do so at this moment and he knew it very well. These were dangerous times; the whole kingdom was at stake, perhaps the known world and more. The consequences could be catastrophic. Still he could not resist the urge inside him whatever the risks. It was folly indeed and still the boy's lips and tongue at work on his demanding erection was not enough to satiate him. He wanted the whole experience, all that he now craved for. "That's wonderful Lichan but now let me enter you and plant my seed deep inside you."

It was obvious the boy had been trained in the ways of men. He pulled his mouth from the well-slicked erect member, moved forward on all fours, and knelt when his behind was level with the hard rod. Seizing it with one hand, he raised himself and presented it to his tight pucker, then sat on it until it was fully in. All the while, his gaze had not left the Magus' entranced face. He started to move up and down at a regular rhythm, soon helped by Tristam's strong hands that had caught him by the hips and helped accelerate the motion.

A strange event occurred at that moment, the tattoos sort of came alive, changing forms and colors, the man's pleasure reaching new peaks. He toppled the child on his back, raising his slender legs and holding him firmly in place while ramming his shaft in and out faster and faster to finally crash on his frail frame as he sent jet after jet of thick sperm deep into the boy's canal, accompanied by a momentous shout coming out of his whole being.

***

It occurred at first light. The attack was swift and lethal, the four sentries were dead before hitting the ground, and the one hundred men of the Purple Guard led by Leto swept over the sleeping camp. The order was to leave no one alive except the captives and it was followed to the letter.

Te'lac, who felt hunger pangs and had left his couch to cut some succulent boy meat from the previous evening's leftover roast was pierced by three arrows at once and died almost immediately like the other twenty or so men guarding the dark harem that morning. The whole operation had taken less than five minutes.

"Raise and gather the boys, we will need to decide what to do with them," ordered Leto.

The matter had been discussed late the previous evening, at the end of the meeting between Gravenese, the commander of the Purple Guard, Trelauney, and Leto, without reaching a satisfying conclusion.

"You can't simply free them and send them home, that is, if they have one," stated Gravenese.

"Yes, they are a danger to your reputation, your future," concurred Trelauney. "Think of all the horrors they've seen you commit. They'll never understand that you were not yourself. You have to make sure they don't talk, there are enough rumors as it is, those could be quieted by a glorious victory against our new enemy, but if those boys were to tell of what they witnessed, so many of them, it would be a lost cause."

"Are you suggesting that I should have them killed?"

"No, of course not, nothing so dreadful. Almost all were sold into slavery, to bordellos. You could put them on a boat to a faraway country, have them sold there, and never hear from them again."

Leto understood the reason behind those words; it was sound and justified. It also showed the extent of the influence that the curse, Melchior, his entourage, and his own behavior, had had on all those that were at his service. The dire fate of innocent children was of no consequence if it was for a good cause, everything had become acceptable that would have been unthinkable a few years back. Or perhaps it was only the laws of politics, something he had always despised but had to compromise with.

"Yes, I see, I could put them on a boat to sail far away and if it sank it would be even better."

"That's not what I said, my Lord."

"No, but that was the meaning, those boys could grow into men and come back to tell their story. Far away is never far enough."

Gravenese, who had stayed silent during the exchange, intervened.

"I would rather give them a merciful death than be sold again or let them drown. There must be another way."

"We will settle their fate tomorrow when justice has been done to their tormentors," said Leto. Some of them at least, since I must not forget that I am the worst of them all. "I will take the lead; have your men ready one hour before sunrise."

"As you command, my Lord."

"It is late; tomorrow will again be a very long day, an early start, once the orders are given. Go; get some sleep, besides rest it is said that night brings good counsel."

Leto lifted young William in his arms, he had dozed off during the long discussions and he envied him his apparently peaceful slumber, he took him to their room escorted by six men of the Purple Guard.

Now Leto, with William by his side, was facing the group of boys that only a day before he would have planned to rape, torture in every conceivable manner, kill, and eventually eat. None of them was supposed to survive the journey. He was scanning their fearful faces. They might have felt reassured with all the dead black clad guards lying on the ground but he was the demon that gave the orders, who decided who was to live or die, and he was facing them, he was the one still commanding the purple clad soldiers who had awakened them. Even if they were out of the cages they still all wondered what kind of torment they would have to face, what trick that was being prepared. Most of them had seen so much that there was little hope left in their hearts.

"Boys, you will be taken to Stalfort Castle to rest and be taken care of. No harm will be done to you from now on. As soon as possible, those of you with family will be taken back to live with their kin, to the others who come from faraway lands, who are alone, orphans, with nowhere to go, I offer you to join my retinue and serve with my pages and squires. We are going to war, in their company, you will learn a lot, and upon our return, after our victory, you will be invited to further your education in one of my palaces. I know that you see me as a monster, the man responsible for so many horrors that it would take a long time to recount them all. I take full responsibility for it, but to say the truth, it was against my will. Some of you may have heard of a curse I had to carry. It is on the way to being cured. Today I am a changed man that came to bring you freedom and more. I pledge to take care of every boy standing here whatever his origins, see that he receives the appropriate education and everything he can need until he becomes a man. I swear to repair as much as I can the wrongs that you had to suffer because of me. I know this offer is not much compared to what you have endured but this is all I can do for now. More will certainly come as we get to know each other better and once this war is over."

After his speech, silence reigned, the boys looking at each other with incredulity and apprehensive faces. Without any doubt, it was difficult for them to fully grasp what had just been said – and its consequences. It would take days, perhaps weeks or more, for it to really sink in and they would need some proof that it was not just words or worse: a new game made to entertain their merciless captors.

Leto felt that his simple presence was upsetting them, it was better to leave them now and let time and new experiences mend some of their wounds. Carts had been brought to take them away.

Leto had one more task to accomplish before going back to the castle and Melchior. His collection of heads, from those innocent victims, had to be disposed of.

As he walked toward the tent holding the torture room where they were displayed, a few feet from the still standing boys, one of them rushed at him with a knife probably found on one of the guards bodies lying on the ground. It was Hobb, easily recognized thanks to his nearly shaven head, wanting to take revenge for the rape and death of his brother. He had not listened to one word that had been said, his mind focused on one goal only, how to get close enough to Leto and stab him, kill him. He nearly succeeded.

Out of the corner of his eye, William saw his shadow, and out of instinct, interposed himself. Hobb, instead of planting his knife in Leto's back had stabbed the prince in the chest.

Immediately the Purple Guard reacted, swords were raised about to fall on the young aggressor and not only him. Now considered a menace, all of the boys were on the brink of panic ready to run and flee the scene that was about to start their slaughter as wished by some of Leto's advisers.

"Stop!" shouted Leto, who had seized Hobb, frozen in place by the act he had just committed; sheathe your weapons, no more blood must be spilled today."

He handed the broken boy to the man that had been about to cut him in two and knelt to see to William's wound and what could be done. There was a lot of blood when he pulled out the blade.

"Don't worry," he announced, "the armor plate has deflected the blade, there's some blood but the wound is superficial." Fortunately, the boy was indeed wearing some armor as well as Leto himself, a logical precaution in such a situation but the wound was far from benign. It would have been fatal for anyone but William. Leto hurried to help him to his feet and to escort him to the closest tent. The glow was back and he didn't want it to be seen: neither the boy's real condition nor the forthcoming miraculous recovery. "Gather the boys, check that they are unarmed and put them in the carts. They must not be harmed in any way, even the boy that attacked me, understood?" he said to the captain that had followed them.

"Yes, my Lord. Should I send for your physician to treat the prince?"

"No need of that, a simple bandage will suffice."

The captain didn't appear convinced but nonetheless left them alone to carry out his orders.

Stepping over Te'lac's dead body at the entrance to the tent, Leto saw the table with the remnants of the guards' last meal: the boy roast that Te'lac had prepared. The nature of what they had consumed was evident, even if they had not left the untouched boy's head beside it, in a touch of malice.

"I'll need something to eat," sighed William with a labored breath, his lung had been punctured, "but certainly not that," he added with a tired smile.

He was already recovering though, the blood flow had stopped, and the wound was closing.

"I'll find something for you. You probably saved my life for what it's worth. I don't deserve you, Prince William. That boy had all the reasons in the world to do that."

William did not find a suitable answer to those words. He stood up.

"I'm better now, hungry, but better." There was some bread on the table he gobbled it, took some wine too. The rest he didn't dare touch.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not really. Nothing like the last time. I'll try not to make it a habit."

"You'd better not. I have one more task to accomplish," said Leto, "can I leave you for a moment?"

"Yes, I'll be fine."

"Very well, stay here and rest. I'll come back when it's done."

He picked up the head on the table, wrapped it in some cloth and looked around to see if he could find the one of Hobb's brother, and then left to go to the torture room. The second freshly cut head was there, put aside until Melchior could work on it, beside the display rack where the other ones were exposed. He had hesitated on what to do with them. Bury or burn them, make them disappear one way or the other. He had finally decided he should keep them as a reminder of these dark times, his madness, his own inhumanity. It should never be forgotten.

All that was left of the two boys he had last killed was put in a cart with their heads that would rot and he could not keep, two carcasses found in the larder were also taken away. They would get a proper burial later. The guards' bodies were burned and the dark harem dismantled most of it thrown in the fire. He brought back with him the displayed heads, they would later be preserved in a shrine with many others waiting back home, at Westerfield.

***

In the castle courtyard, as soon as he had dismounted, Leto ordered that the rescued boys be taken to a secluded room where they would be fed and information about them collected. They were to be under guard, he did not want any other incident and was quite aware now that it would not be easy for them to find peace or accept his helping hand. He repeated again that under no circumstance were they to be harmed.

A hearty breakfast was waiting for them, which was perfect for William. It was set in the grand hall, and despite its name, it was as gloomy as the rest of the place. Lucian, Tamerlane, and Bertram were there as well as Gravenese; Tristam joined them shortly after. They would be ready to visit Melchior shortly.

"The deed is done, announced Leto, but rescuing those boys will not be enough, the most difficult part is still awaiting me if I want to obtain their pardon."

"Certainly, not an easy task. Is this blood I see on you, William?" asked Bertram.

"It is, one of the boys tried to stab Leto. I had to get between them. It's just a scratch," answered the prince between mouthfuls."

"In any case it has not altered your appetite," said Tamerlane, appreciative.

"You've worked the whole night Tristam. What did you discover?" asked Leto.

The magus did not answer right away; he seemed lost in his thoughts with a strange expression on his face.

"Tristam?"

"Sorry, the whole night, yes, not quite." A smile forming, its meaning lost to everyone but him. "I'm only at the beginning, at the surface of things. We found documents but they are coded, those that interest us that is. Then there is the magic, this is something quite different from what I know, it will take time to make sense of it."

"I see. Shouldn't our host, the count, be here with us?" observed Leto.

"Focker is here but I haven't seen Rand or the count," said Lucian looking around.

"I have freed him of his duties during our stay here. By the look of them I would say those two there are his younger brothers," said Tamerlane. "They're probably waiting for the rest of the family."

The two boys were seated alone, apparently waiting but also noticeably ill at ease, when they should have been exuberant with all the activity around them. It wasn't every day that an army visited their castle.

"Poor boys, I've never seen someone as forbidding as their father. Should we wait for the count before going to see Melchior?"

"That would be proper etiquette, Bertram, but I'll say that we should go as soon as we are done here. We have delayed that moment long enough, my sons must be found, we need whatever information he can give us. We will start with that."

"I very much doubt he'll cooperate. Perhaps Tristam can use his magic to get in his head like he did with Lucian?"

"That would be very convenient, Knight, but unfortunately nothing is simple with magic. Sharing thoughts with a willing subject can be done. Breaking in and looking for information is something totally different. Furthermore, it appears that Melchior himself can wield some magic. So it is very unlikely I'll be able to learn anything that way."

"Lucian, go tell the boys at that table that there are duties that await us and that we cannot wait for their father any longer. We present him our excuses."

"I will, my lord."

"Take us to him Tamerlane, let's get done with it. William, during this time you could take Lucian, Focker, and a few of the pages and go meet the boys we brought back. I need to know if taking them along with the army is feasible or wishful thinking."

"I can certainly do that. They saw me with you, though, on two occasions. Perhaps I should not show myself yet and leave it to the others. I would also very much like to hear what Melchior has to say."

"You're right and you've certainly earned your place among us. Lucian, you will see to it with Focker. Tamerlane, lead the way."

Leto and William had been told by Tristam that now that the bond between them had been created they did not have to fear being separated. It would hold at least until the next full moon. He had been surprised to see it established in so short a time and with such strength. Magic was erratic these days and often took on a life of its own. For this once, it was for the good and could be considered an excellent presage.

Melchior had been put in a cell in the entrails of the castle and they had to pass numerous guard posts before reaching it. On the way, Commander Latral, in charge of finding Leto's sons joined them. They finally arrived, after descending three stairs and passing six locked doors, to a dark and humid corridor. Four men of the Purple Guard were stationed in front of his cell; Melchior was the sole occupant of the place despite a number of other cells available. His followers were detained elsewhere.

"Open the door, Sergeant. Is there enough room for all of us, in there?"

"I would think so, my Lord, we will bring you chairs and some more torches to try and make it more accommodating."

"Thank you. Has the prisoner said anything?"

"No, he has stayed silent when we check on him, every hour as you ordered."

When they entered, the light was dim; the man was crouched on the ground in a corner, appearing even smaller and insignificant than before. At first glance, the cell looked like it had been dug out of the rock itself.

"Melchior, raise yourself in front of your Lord," said Tamerlane.

"I have questions for you and you'd rather answer them," said Leto.

"There's something wrong," interrupted Tristam, his face grave.

He moved forward and touched the man's head. It crumbled under his fingers, followed almost instantly by the rest of the body.

"What happened?" questioned Leto.

"Is he dead," asked William.

"What trick is this? This cannot be," exclaimed Tamerlane.

"Magic," stated Tristam. "This is a decoy to make your guards think he was still here. He is gone."

"How could that be? This is rock!" exclaimed Leto. "He cannot have passed the guards!"

"No, there must be a secret passage of some sort," suggested Tristam, looking around. "Bring more light."

The sergeant stood transfixed, he was responsible for the prisoner. This could not be happening.

"Torches," repeated Leto, getting him out of it.

He hurried outside the cell.

"Count Kyllian," said Tamerlane.

"But, we saw his sons in the great hall," countered Bertram.

"Still, that would be logical. Who would know there is a secret passage out of here, who indicated this place to hold the prisoner as the most secure?"

"Latral, sound the alarm. Try to know everything about our host, when he was last seen. Have his sons taken into custody and all of his trusted men. We will need answers."

Not waiting for the torches, Tristam had thrown a spell, the cell was illuminated and its walls were becoming phosphorescent.

"There," he said, pointing at the ceiling. A rectangle had appeared that had stayed dark." There is nothing more that can be done here."

"Sergeant, with your men, try to get in there and see where it leads. We will send more from the upper level if they can gain access to it. Move!" Leto was enraged. "Melchior! I should have killed him on the spot."

Chapter Twenty

The drak had been fed some of the children's bodies that had been dug out of shallow graves and would be sated for quite some time. They had taken flight again at first light, with the boys slightly dizzy at first, but quickly gaining their equilibrium and confidence, as beast and riders soared above the glistening dew-covered forest, where the warm sun quickly shed away the morning chill. Having rested the whole night, they felt much better this morning, and they were not just fugitives anymore: they had a plan. Tael estimated that they should be well ahead of their pursuers by now, and the drak's speed in flight made certain that they would quickly catch up with the fleeing Valeans.

Tael believed strongly in the success of their next endeavor and was confident, due to a few simple facts, that they would be safe for the next few days. First, the vampires that were the main force that had invaded the Vale could not be used to search for Hegron – for obvious reasons, they could not resist the lure of his blood and would rip him to pieces. Second, he knew that very few wizards within the Alliance retained their full capabilities. Most of them had lost a large part of their powers when creating the magic portal, which was one more proof that magic was leaving this world. It had been an unexpected and major drawback, compensated only partially by the astonishing success of the invasion. Third, and thanks to his position as Hegron's guardian, he had not participated in that task, and his magic was still as potent as ever. He had used it to cover his tracks so that only the best of the remaining wizards would be able to find out what had really happened, and this, with some difficulty while losing precious time. Now, if they could find protection with the Valeans, and bargain the information at their disposal, that might restore the balance of power and give them a good chance at survival … He was in a rather good mood that morning.

Tael certainly wasn't a tracker, and to find the princess, he needed a token from her or a member of her little troop. That had been the most difficult thing to find. With all the different people that had passed through that clearing, it had not been easy. He could not chance a mistake and end up following the wrong humans. Time was still short, and an error could be fatal.

Hegron and Berit were watching him with interest. Each time he found something of interest, he evoked the memory of its owner. He conducted his search where the fight with the vampires had taken place. There was a lot of blood, which was easy to use, but none of it useful, it was mostly vampire's blood. Except in one instance, the amount of it showed a severe wound, and using his finger to bring a sample to his tongue, he was able to see a man in a wagon moving at a slow pace. Definitely, this wasn't what he was looking for. Looking at the dead bodies, an idea struck him: it was so simple.

Tael went to one of the fallen vampires with bolts sticking out of his body and pulled one out. This would be much more difficult than working with blood, but with concentration, and after a moment, an image started to form: a dark-haired boy and his crossbow. Now that he had his lead, he just needed to follow it. He attached the bolt to his belt and turned to the boys.

"Boys, let's go find that princess. Hegron, I'll teach you how to do that as soon as you've allowed me to lay with you and so many other things!"

The boy did not answer.

Tael had seen Hegron's eyes light up while watching him perform; the boy wanted to learn magic. That could do the trick, and with perseverance, his goal could finally be within reach … this morning, Tael wanted to believe in his good luck.

Before leaving, he examined the charred remains of a large vampire's body lying on the ground, wondering why they had burned it and how they had done it, this felt odd in every sense of the word. He thought of magic, but did not linger, the chase was on and the bolt would take him to its owner and consequently to Princess Alina.

Hegron had taken position behind Tael this time, not wanting to be the subject to his libidinous attention and leaving this undesirable position to Berit. After all, he had saved the boy's life, and it was not that much to ask in return, considering that serving the sexual needs of the invaders had probably been Berit's main occupation since he had been captured.

Hegron thought he had been right to postpone Tael's death. The man was his best chance to escape his fate and it was worth tolerating the persistent harassment from this despicable person. It was certainly unjust to reproach him his views and cruelty towards the Valeans, which were quite common among the invaders; still, the boy would have him pay for it.

He now realized that it was himself, Hegron, who was an anomaly amongst his kind, and it had been so even before he had known he was to be offered as a sacrifice. It had only reinforced his previous feelings, now that he was like the Valeans, destined to die, a simple pawn in the Alliance schemes.

If he went along with Tael's plans and they were able to reach an agreement with Princess Alina, then he would again consider getting rid of him. He would have liked the wizard to teach him magic, of course, but the price he supposed was too high. Each time he was touched by Tael, he saw him cut Erial's throat with a smile, and he recalled the faces of all the other boys that had accompanied him for a few months before being put to death mercilessly, perhaps not by Tael's hand but by men like him.

"Are you sure we're going in the right direction?"

"As sure as I can be, the trail is fresh; we will catch up with them, I do not doubt it. They can't match the speed of our drak."

"Where could they be going?"

"I cannot say, there's no place of note this way, and then only the mountains."

***

Rand was in his father's bedroom with Yarl and Piet, which they shared with the count – as bleak and dreary as the rest of the castle. A very large bed stood in the middle of the room and there was nothing of distinction other than the family's coat of arms hanging on a wall.

Rand had been restless the previous evening and night, with one more worry added to the one concerning Melchior. What of the man's child-toy and Archon stone catalyst? The boy had seen them together, which was of no real consequence, but he had also heard them talk. What he had heard and could tell when questioned, Rand had no real idea. He should have had the foresight to cut the child's throat before he was found and before he could say anything.

He had perfunctorily fucked his two younger brothers to try to clear his head of these ideas but to no avail. Had his father not suggested it, in his present state of mind, he would not have given it a thought. Still, he had learned in his younger years never to ignore his father's invitations; it could have dire consequences. If Leto had shown a surprising imagination to find torments for his victims, Rand's father had always been keen to exploit his sons' fears and to exact ingenious punishments if they did not follow his demands and instructions, sometimes for the most futile of reasons.

Indeed, he visited them in short order to see that Rand had dutifully taken advantage of his brothers. He then did use ten-year-old Yarl for his release and Rand to rekindle their old habits. There was no love in these couplings; it was mechanical and soulless, Rand wasn't certain his father even received any real pleasure from it. This was only what took place in their family since he could remember.

Count Kyllian did not say a word about the situation or his projects before leaving them, which infuriated the boy. He spent the next hour venting on his two siblings who knew well his bad temper and had welcomed with great relief his departure for Leto's court. Their father was well enough to darken and spoil their life.

Later in the night, Rand's thoughts had settled enough to find some sleep, but he was soon awakened with his brothers to be told finally of his father's plans.

"We will help Melchior escape. This will be quite simple to accomplish. We will do it while Leto is away and try to put as much distance from here as we can before the alert is given. You, Piet and Yarl, will stay here as decoys, and if we're caught, it'll be justification of our innocence. No one would believe I would have left two of my sons behind if I were a traitor to the king. I could always argue that I had been forced or mislead."

"What will become of them?" asked Rand.

"Who cares, they are wimps. You are the only one worth my attention and some pride."

Even Rand was shocked to hear those words coming out of his father's mouth.

"Thank you, father, but is it wise to leave them behind? If Melchior should talk, my brothers, despite being certainly terrified at the thought of displeasing you, father, would not require much effort to have them spill their guts."

"They know nothing of consequence. I have always been careful of that. But enough, we have more important matters to discuss and first of all, we must act. Get dressed while I instruct your brothers of the menial part they'll have to perform in the morning."

They left the two boys behind without a look back or a kind word.

As soon as Leto had exited the castle they freed Melchior with unexpected ease and fled towards Stalfort with a small escort through a concealed gate, they were shortly riding at breakneck speed away from the castle.

***

In the Vale, under Alina's guidance, Kervan was deflowering little Losfend. It was a first experience that he found quite pleasant and it was clear he wasn't the only one enjoying it. The princess was a major reason for his excitement, although Losfend's hot and tight canal was bringing him very new and agreeable sensations.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked the child who had stayed silent since a little yelp when he had entered him. He was so sweet with a smooth, flawless skin that was perfect to caress and kiss. You could say he was made for love

"No, I'm fine."

Kervan knew very well how it felt to be possessed the first time. It was not a nice memory for him, on the contrary, he had fulfilled his duty, but there had been no pleasure, only pain and disgust for the man responsible. He did not want it to be the same for Losfend. True, his pecker's girth and length was nothing like Trelon's. Still, he somewhat resisted Alina's urges to move forward and accelerate the tempo.

"Put it in, with the grease it'll slip in effortlessly, I'm holding him in place," she was saying.

What did she know? She certainly had never done it herself. He didn't want to upset her though, that was for sure. He pushed forward some more and indeed there was not that much resistance. Encouraged, he tried to move his hard and slender tool forward and backward, which brought him some more acute pleasure. Then he could not stop himself anymore, he was hooked and the real fuck started.

"You see it wasn't that difficult," said Alina, passing her hand in his hair and kissing his cheek before going back to Losfend to stimulate his small erection, "and it appears to me you are not the only one who likes it."

"Yes, it's good, go faster. It's strange but it's good." Losfend's own apprehension seemed to have disappeared and he was now actively participating, pushing back against the boy behind him to reach his first climax a few moments later. This child is a natural, made for love in all its forms, thought Alina, as Losfend's internal contractions started Kervan's own orgasm, which was a memorable one.

"I'm sure, at your age, the two of you can certainly do one more. Don't you think?" Alina had a good knowledge of young boys and of Losfend's peculiarities: there was no doubt about it.

Her question was followed by a renewal of activity between the two enthusiasts, who resumed their lovemaking without any further encouragement.

Alina, not wanting to be left out, changed position to bring Kervan's face to her exposed sex. It was time for him to learn to satisfy her needs. After a moment, she judged his performance acceptable for a first time, even if he had a lot to master yet. At least he showed no reluctance and had a stimulating tongue while one had to say that his attention was more focused on achieving his second orgasm than on servicing the princess who made no recriminations this time.

Levit had wakened shortly before, alone, Sandor was on an outcropping of rocks doing his watch, the first rays of the sun outlining him and his shadow. The man should have raised him two hours earlier to do his duty and take his place but had let him sleep instead. The boy's gaze had followed the sounds coming from across the dead fire; he knew their kind very well, the rubbing of skin on skin, the slight moaning and short breath; the wet kisses. He could see them very well, the princess and the two boys: half-naked and intertwined. He could not avoid being aroused, longing for the company of his lover while rubbing his crotch. He got up and went to see Sandor skirting around where Astar and Safir were still sound asleep.

As he reached him, the captain wrapped his arms around him and had him sit on his knees, in an affectionate gesture, and to fight the chill of the early morning. Levit would have wanted more but knew that while on guard duty, it was out of the question.

"Wake Safir, and go tend to the horses with Kervan," Sandor told the boy, kissing him in the neck playfully, "We will eat some bread and dried meat and then be on our way." He sent the boy forward with a gentle pat on his rump.

Once again, they rode for hours before making a stop at a small river. It was the third they encountered that day. The mountains were now looming ahead and filling the horizon to the south, they were so steep and imposing you could have the impression that you only needed to extend your arm and fingers to touch them. They were less than a day's ride from their destination.

"Do you think it's safe to cross here or should we look for a better spot? There might be a bridge somewhere," Alina said questioningly. There were dark clouds in the sky and a thunderstorm brewing, they had heard it far away to the north for the last hour.

"It's deep, this time we will get wet. We have to hurry. I don't want us to lose more time than necessary; we can't go looking for a bridge that might not exist. We'll try to cross here, and if needed, the horses can swim, the current is rather slow and we have level ground on the other side, it should work without a hitch. Just be sure that everything is well attached to your saddle while we check the pack horses."

"I'll be first," offered Astar.

"Very well, I'll send over the boys and Princess Alina and then join you last," said Sandor.

"Perhaps you could cross with Losfend as he is afraid of the water, always has been. We don't want to lose him. I'll take his horse."

"Agreed, he'll ride with me and be safe. Everybody knows how to swim, I suppose?" Sandor added, addressing the boys and the princess.

"I do."

"Me too."

"Don't like water much myself," said Kervan, "but my father insisted on it."

"It's a given for me," finished Alina.

"Let's proceed then."

Sandor picked young Losfend from his horse to place the boy in front of him while the princess took his horse. Immediately, he felt his slight frame lean against him. Was it a trap? he thought suddenly. Was the child really afraid of water or had Alina arranged it on purpose? She was certainly single-minded and did not abandon easily. The child was so adorable that you instinctively wanted to cuddle and cajole him, but there would be nothing more than that, he thought, as he watched Astar, then Alina, soon followed by the boys, cross the small expanse of water. The horses did indeed need to swim for a few moments but soon regained their footing and reached the other bank easily.

"Stop that," he said gently to Losfend, who had started rubbing his little ass against his crotch. "You'll get nowhere that way; you can tell the princess." It seemed he had been right about Alina's intentions.

The boy turned around to face him and Sandor lowered his gaze to him.

"She didn't do or tell me anything, I like it," said the towheaded child, his deep blue eyes plunging into the man's.

"I don't believe you." There was a change suddenly, and Sandor felt himself aroused against all expectations. "What … what are you doing?"

"Nothing, it comes by itself, always has. That's how I was singled out and that's why I try to avoid people I don't know or don't like."

Was it magic? What else could it be? Losfend was now oozing sensuality … sex, which was uncanny.

It was true, now that he thought about it, the child, since they had met had stayed away from everybody, seeking only the company of Alina.

"Can't you stop it? It's embarrassing."

"Why? Don't you like it? Don't you like me?"

"I'd prefer it not to be that way." Sandor was now sporting a quite respectable erection. "Let's cross that river and get you back on your horse before it gets worse."

"The effect is not always that strong." Losfend obviously found the situation rather funny.

Last in line, Levit's horse had reached the deep end and started to swim. It was Sandor's turn to enter the water when Astar pointed to the sky, followed by Safir in the next second, both shouting:

"There, a drak!"

Sandor turned his horse around; the flying creature had appeared on the horizon and was coming their way.

There were now shouts behind him. They had to hurry and cross the river and try to find some cover and decide on a course of action. This was bad, very bad. And when he turned around again it was even worse. Some debris carried by the current from upstream had hit Levit's horse. The boy, watching the sky like everybody else, had been surprised and thrown off the saddle. He was swept away by the river.

***

Melchior was angrier with himself more than he was with anyone else. He had been so close to his goal that he had not seen his work unravel in front of his eyes. It had all started with the arrival of the prince. Magic had been at work, strong magic. Not all was lost but it was still a major setback. Himself now a fugitive along with some of their best supporters, as Count Kyllian revealed. At least it appeared Leto's heirs had been captured. If they lost him and the Beast was incapacitated, they could use them. The invasion should start shortly now and everything fall back into place. Still, so much effort, so many years wasted in vain.

He had lost his Archon stone, but fortunately, the count had been able to provide him another. It had served to prevent the magus working with Prince William from using his magic to find them. Its power was low and would have to be enhanced, though he would need a new child catalyst to serve that purpose. For the rest, he was confident that the dark council would give them all the help and contacts needed to elude their pursuers.

"I propose that we stop at Trendel for two days while they search for us. It will be much better than to be on open roads at the mercy of an unfortunate encounter. We could even stay longer if needed, Leto's army is slow, and we'll be able to get ahead of it whenever it pleases us. We might also have a few matters to settle in the kingdom before going to join our allies in the Vale," said Lord Kyllian. "I have sent messages to all our friends in the council, to inform them of your failure. How could you have been so blind! You had our trust!"

"I will not search for excuses. All of the signs were in front of my eyes but I didn't want to see them. We must now look at the future and see what we can use to turn the tide in our favor. The Beast is not gone and this battle is not yet lost. We still have many eyes and ears around Leto, quite a few ways to influence the course of things and to make a difference."

"So you say." Kyllian's tone was dry and reproachful.

"What about the sons that you left behind. Don't you fear for them?" Melchior thought it better to change the subject. "They could be losing their heads shortly and even if you say they know nothing of importance, it will not prevent them from being brutally interrogated."

"One has to make sacrifices for the cause. I can have more children whenever I want. I do think only Rand has met my expectations so far."

"Won't you say they were still rather young for you to judge?"

"Judgment had been passed a long time ago."

Melchior did not doubt it; Lord Kyllian wasn't of the kind to give you a second chance. He had been freed only because he was at the heart of the conspiracy. The count, the council, the cause, needed him – otherwise, he would have been left to rot in his cell.

Rand, riding just behind, was listening to them. He had a passing regret for his brothers, but it did not last if he was honest, he didn't really care about them. He was much more impressed by the tension between Melchior and his father. This was not the plan at all, at least what he himself knew of it. He now understood that whatever he had been told might not be the exact truth. Now they were fugitives. It had been such a wonderful feeling to be in control, to deceive, to pull the strings or at least to be on the side of those who did, with the promise of becoming so much more: to contribute to the fall of Alsoon, to the coming of a New Age.

To see Melchior, and to a greater extent, his father, bickering uselessly, lost in conjectures, as to what they should do next was disturbing.

Rand was seized by a feeling of unease and fear: this for the second time in a short while. The previous one had been in the dark harem when the tables had been turned on him and he was about to become the victim instead of the executioner. He didn't like that at all and was willing to do anything to get rid of it.

At the same time, his father had shown only that same night that he never disclosed the ace in his sleeve until the right moment had come, did he have one in reserve to save the day?

"We're almost there," said the count.

"Is Trendel really safe?" asked Melchior.

"As safe as it can be. You'll recognize a few faces you've already met. This is where we keep the boys destined to feed the Beast, our contribution, as well as others for different purposes. Leto always had the best as you well know.

"You've always been a great provider for our special needs Kyllian, which has been appreciated. Not many of our boys came from the kingdom, besides yours. How did you manage that?" Melchior knew the answer to his question but was still curious of the answer.

"Laws are strict on my lands. And you can always find people at fault when it is necessary or convenient. Hangings are quite common and farmers had better pay their rent if they want to keep a roof on their heads. This tends to multiply the number of street kids and orphans; it's then easy to cull those of interest from that number. No one really cares for them. Most of them end at Trendel and then are dispatched and sent to whoever buys them. Not only boys, in fact, we cater according to the demand. That way we get rid of all those we consider undesirable while making a profit and receiving some nice revenues in exchange. You'll have no difficulty finding a plaything and catalyst for your stone."

"You're true to your reputation, Count Kyllian."

"Here we are."

They had reached the top of a hill and now were in sight of Trendel on the next rise. It was a fortified farm made of several sturdy buildings around a central courtyard with a tower watch. It looked sinister and well fitted for its purpose.

***

The news of the death of Hegron, the Essence had sent a wave of shock amongst the Alliance leadership, they had tried to keep it secret but knew it could not last for long. General Salgar on the way to Cal Marat had to turn around to assess the situation and report his findings. The whole momentum of the invasion and of the offensive against Alsoon had been stopped in a snap. Tael had largely underestimated the effect his actions would bring.

As soon as he had arrived at the camp near Cal Ugol, Salgar, after interrogating all of those in command or on guard duty that night had them executed, as well as five hundred Valean slaves, as an example to others. It was clear that he had learned nothing from them but on examining the scene where it had unfolded, his instincts told him something was not right. He immediately sent a message, demanding that a wizard, one of the few that were left with their powers intact, be sent to investigate. The tent reeked of burned flesh; the inebriating scent of the Essence was still present, awakening the general's need for blood, which he satisfied once he had left the place with a Valean boy. It recalled him of the last time he had visited Hegron; it had ended the same way. He would have liked to take the time to enjoy the child fully who was quite appealing, but he had more urgent tasks. He was able to refrain himself this time and not to drain him. Once satiated, he handed him to one of his aides to put aside until he could savor him in full.

He had to organize the search for the perpetrators of the crime while waiting for the wizard … there were many questions that needed answers: magic had to be involved; there could be no other interpretation of the events. Somehow, a magus must have been informed of the presence, nature, and importance of the boy Hegron. He had entered the camp unnoticed, circumvented the two wizards protecting the Essence without mentioning the guards. All this seemed preposterous and beyond belief.

As far as he knew, the Valeans had no magi capable of such a feat. If it had been so, they would have had many occasions to use them before and during the campaign, yet, there had not been a single incident. Who then? Someone from outside the Vale? How? Cal Marat and Cal Radul were sealed, no one could pass.

Then there was one more possibility, the one he feared the most but also, unfortunately, the more likely, even more so since he had seen the crime scene. It was someone from their side. The unity of the Alliance could be broken.

Who could it be? Some of their human allies? One could easily understand that the vampire predominance was a problem for them. Still, they had as much to lose from it than any other and the human allies had been as merciless with the Valeans as the vampires had. Most of the wizards were humans, which set the balance of power right even if many of them had been incapacitated since the creation of the portal. Was that the reason for the attack? It was expected that with time they would regain their powers, notably if the Alliance was victorious and brought the Archons back or at least their magic, which was the whole point of bringing the Essence to Alsoon. This did not make sense.

Or, was it a ruse? No one could really tell who those charred bodies were. Did someone want Hegron for their own use? And who better than the wizards guarding him to do it? Why now, when the offensive against Alsoon was about to begin? Could he trust the wizard sent to help him resolve that puzzle?

There were so many questions without answers. How could he organize a search when he didn't know who or what they were looking for?

As he was having those thoughts, searching for a course of action that would have a minimum of sense, he contemplated the mass executions taking place all over the camp. He was getting tired of those but once the order had been given, there was no way to turn back and stop it. It was a necessary evil.

***

As well as the debris coming from upstream, the current had slightly gained in strength. With Losfend in front of him, Sandor had no choice but to cross now and let Levit make it to the river embankment by himself. Then they would have to hide with the others and hope that the drak and its riders had not seen them. Boy and horse, separately, were moving closer to the bank but further downstream as Sandor urged his horse across the river, careful of the debris passing by, some of it not readily apparent under the water and the most dangerous. He was almost across when a shadow fell over him.

A drak! Raising his head, he saw three figures on its back. A larger black-clad one and two shorter ones. There was no eluding them: they had been spotted. Their only chance now was to kill the drak and possibly its riders. As soon as his horse had its footing back on the ground, he lowered Losfend from his saddle, telling him to run to the trees and Alina, then, keeping his eyes on the drak, he seized his bow and arrows, and signaled the others, waiting under the cover of trees to follow his lead.

If only the flying creature would come close enough. With some luck, its riders would want to attack rather than go for reinforcements; they would think that the drak could easily tackle a little group of opponents such as them.

It was coming down while Sandor was moving closer to the copse of trees where the others had their weapons ready. Had they seen them? If not, they would not like the surprise awaiting them.

It suddenly veered to the right and Sandor understood immediately who was its target, the poor drenched Levit, weaponless but for a dagger and at a loss about what he should do: run toward Sandor or try to escape and lose the drak under the cover of the trees. Judging the man too far and perhaps thinking he could give his friends an opportunity to get away, he chose the trees and started to run. There was little chance the boy could reach them in time and even so it would probably only delay his end.

There was nothing Sandor could do – the boy was going to die. They were back in the same situation as a few days before when Murgrave's boy was about to crush his skull with his hammer, only this time he would be ripped apart or squashed by the drak, all of it in front of his eyes. He lowered his useless bow, feeling helpless once again, looking at the creature and its riders as it swept down on the poor desperate child.

At the last moment, Levit turned around, brandishing his dagger as if saying with irony, come and get me. It was a brave gesture but did not stop the drak. Time was suspended when against all expectations the creature missed the boy and landed a few feet beyond to let its riders get down from its back.

As Sandor had seen, there were three of them, a black-clad man and two boys. They approached the boy slowly, their hands held open in front of them. Levit stood his ground, his dagger raised and held firmly in his hand. After what appeared to be a brief exchange of dialogue, he pulled it back to slip it in his belt. Slowly and tentatively, he turned sideways, keeping his gaze on the riders; he took a few steps toward Sandor, and then turned fully, accelerating his pace, while sending a few glances back, as if he didn't believe he was still alive.

"Why did they spare you? What do they want?" asked Sandor, as soon as Levit was close enough to hear him.

"I don't really know. All they said was that they wanted to talk to Princess Alina."

"How do they know she's with us?"

Levit shrugged his shoulders in ignorance, stopping beside the horse. Sandor bent down to ruffle his wet dark curls affectionately.

"Sorry, that was a stupid question. Damn, I thought I had lost you once again!"

Sandor turned toward Alina and his companions still half-hidden among the trees and signaled them to come out. It was now useless to hide, it was clear that the three drak riders were well informed of their presence. He did not doubt that the man with a black robe was a wizard, which could explain a lot. But what was he doing alone here with only two boys? Why did he want to talk with Alina? He should have attacked or gone to fetch reinforcements. It had never happened before that the Alliance wanted to parley.

"What is going on? Why are they standing there, waiting? What did they tell Levit el? I can tell you, that boy has nine lives."

"Believe it or not, they want to talk to you."

"What do you mean to me?"

"They called you by name, Princess Alina of Destiny."

"He's a wizard?"

"That's what I thought."

"Yes, how did he know of my presence? It's unheard of."

"We don't know much about their wizards, still, I agree, that seems odd."

"True, Sandor lev. Do you think it's a trap?"

"What else? But a really strange one. There are only two boys with him and they do appear to be alone; there's no other drak or anything else around as far as I can see."

"They could be hidden?"

"Astar lev saw it coming from afar and when I turned to look there was no other drak in the sky."

"That's a mystery then."

"You can certainly call it that."

"Do they think I'm stupid enough to go talk with them by myself? They'll have to come to me and leave that drak behind. Without it, we should be able to get rid of them easily, and then take care of that drak. What do you think?"

"It's worth a try. We don't have much of a choice. Perhaps, first, we should listen to what they want to tell us, though."

As Sandor's words were pronounced, one of the boys left the other two and started to walk toward them.

"Look, the near naked one is coming to us," said Levit, pointing with a finger.

Hegron was only wearing his usual attire, bracelets, necklaces and a soft gold belt partially covering his groin, since infancy, he never wore clothes and did not wish to, feeling ill at ease with them … his beauty shone even more that way and was not missed by Alina.

"One more I would gladly add to my collection. We're surrounded by them everywhere we go, where have the ugly ones gone?"

Sandor himself was impressed by the attractiveness of the child, which did not come only from his good looks but his allure and charm. He was of the kind that turned heads like all of those in their group, Levit, Kervan, Losfend, and Safir.

The boy had a natural authority and directly addressed Alina as if they were on equal footing.

"I am Hegron; Tael, the wizard and the boy Berit, are my companions. We do not want to follow the Alliance's rule anymore and wish to join you and your cause. We have a lot to offer."

Alina and Sandor were so surprised by those words that they did not answer right away. Hegron, becoming fidgety and looking back, wondered if he had been right to volunteer to be the one to make the first contact.

"I don't speak with mere boys, not even out of infancy yet," said Alina, finally, in a condescending way, although she saw the well-crafted and rich jewelry adorning the boy's glorious body. "I don't even know if I want to speak to that wizard, out there, who hides behind you and does not dare come to speak for himself."

"We thought with good reason that before he could come here to talk, there would have been arrows and bolts jutting from his body. You do not trust us and we do not trust you, which seems reasonable but it has to change. You need us and we need you."

"Who are you, Hegron?" asked Sandor, "I have never seen a boy like you among the Alliance before. Most of them are slaves and even less than that, blood purveyors or food for your creatures. The ones you resemble the most would be the vampires' familiars but I see no bite marks on you and you certainly don't speak or behave like them. Did you come to the Vale as a page or squire like it is our custom?"

"No, my story will be part of the bargain, if we find an agreement."

"You can tell us whatever story you want, nothing can guarantee us it is the truth. You could be spies." Despite his charm and prettiness, Alina was not about to lower her guard.

Hegron was pensive for a moment.

"We have won the war; we don't have need of spies anymore. If we were still with the Alliance, you would already be dead or captives. I will send you Berit; he was a human slave at our camp and he can tell you what we did to get here. It should help convince you we are true to our word. We are fugitives in search of protection and allies, very much like you.

"We are not fugitives, we did not lose the war yet, far from it, and we already have strong allies. Send the boy anyway; we will see what we can make of his story."

"Yes, and Tael and me will stay by the drak so that you can be sure that what Berit tells you is the truth since he can talk freely."

"It is not that simple," said Kervan, "vampires and certainly such a wizard as this one could make him say whatever he wants, even at a distance. I know it for sure. They did it to me."

"What you say is somewhat true but not so easy to accomplish. Also, you will not find one bite mark on him. So I'll send him for you to make up your mind."

Shortly, Berit was among them, with Sandor in front and Princess Alina at what was hoped to be a safe but close distance behind.

"Berit, that's your name," questioned Sandor.

"Yes," came the reply.

"If you don't mind, let me have a good look at you."

"Do as it pleases you, sir. I'll do everything you want to stay with you."

Sandor examined him closely and found fading bite marks but nothing recent.

"Where did you get these bite marks?"

"The vampires, they held me with others in a cage and fed on our blood, rented us to Tael and others. That's where he found me."

The boy was apprehensive and intimidated but started to tell his story. How he was captured, his fate as a slave, how he was given to Hegron to entertain him and keep him company, how they escaped killing a wizard and guards. He answered their questions, and as he became more relaxed, he became more fluent. They found no reason to doubt his words.

"Hegron saved my life, but the wizard Tael, is a bad man, he wanted to get rid of me, you must be wary of him. I don't want him to touch me again. I'm not going back. I want to stay with you," finished the boy.

"Do not worry, Berit, from now on we will take good care of you. But tell me, what do you know of Hegron? Who is he exactly? Why did he leave the Alliance?"

"He is someone important, I did not stay with him long enough to learn everything, but he had guards and many servants, at the same time he was also a kind of prisoner and not allowed to learn magic. Tael wanted him for himself, I think that's why he helped him escape, but Hegron did not let him do with him as he does with me. Hegron holds strong magic, certainly, even if he has not yet learned how to use it. I've seen it."

"Do you know why he chose you?"

"He wanted boys that looked like Hegron, all of us in the cage looked a bit the same. Like I told you, all Tael thinks about is Hegron. He risked his life for him but he cares about no one else, besides himself that is."

"You speak quite well for a boy and show foresight in your tale. It is true that you could pass for Hegron's brother. Who were you before you were captured?

"I was the son of a school teacher in Mirelight. As I told you, we were taken on our way to Cal Ugol. I haven't seen my parents and siblings since. I fear they are all dead, they killed so many of us indiscriminately." Berit had a tear at the corner of his eye taken up with emotion at the remembrance of those past trials.

"Poor child, you certainly went through a lot. I can't promise you that the next few days will be easy, but we will take good care of you," said Alina, gently wiping the tear away from Berit's cheek. "Tael will not touch you anymore." Then she addressed Sandor and the rest of the troop. "Now we must decide what to do, do we fight that wizard or do we accept a truce? Find out what information he has and what advantage we can gain from this new situation?"

"As much as I distrust all members of the Alliance and those like the others, I cannot make sense of any trap laid out for us," started Sandor. "They have no real need for one and if they were on the Alliance's side, would have the means to have us at their mercy now or later. If what they say were true, we would have much to gain. From the beginning, we have lacked inside information about our enemy, and we still know very little about their goals except the one of slaughtering us, of course. If we learned more about its factions, its strengths and weaknesses, we could certainly fight it much more effectively. It would also provide us more weight in the negotiations with king Aluser – give us more clout."

"Well said, Sandor and I agree with all of it. We need to speak with that wizard, see what he wants, and what he can give us."

"One other way to do it would be to kill the wizard and keep the boys," said Astar. "It would lower the risk."

"I fear that I will have to give my word that no harm will be done to any of them before they get any closer, so it is out of the question, notwithstanding, that the boy Hegron, would probably become distrustful and much less willing to help us after that. We also might lose some valuable information held by Tael alone. From what I heard, Hegron was kept cloistered, and he might not have all the knowledge that we desire."

Soon the decision was made, and Princess Alina gave Berit his direction.

"Berit, go tell the wizard to come to us. He has my word; he will not be harmed. Tell him we want to hear what he has to say and we'd like to come to a mutual agreement with him, in our shared interests."

"I will, my lady," answered the boy, who turned back toward the two figures and the drak, still standing in the distance, reluctantly retracing his steps.

The brewing storm was approaching and thunder could be heard, it was not the best place to parley and perhaps not the best omen either.

Chapter Twenty-One

Against all odds, Sir Eleander was still alive after several weeks of fighting.

As a knight, he had never accomplished any act of bravery, and he knew he wasn't very good with a sword or with a bow. His rank was the result of his family's influence and money. The only thing he excelled at was seducing boys and girls using his natural charm and his shining armor, sometimes helped by a few silver coins: gifts were always appreciated. Seducing boys is what he had been doing for the past three weeks, with the resulting sex that came with it, having been very enjoyable. He had eight boys all to himself and he had tasted them all, even chubby Berolt.

He had never thought it would end this way. They had been losing battle after battle and he never had to fight. There was always a good reason for him to be held back, staying with the squires and pages, securing the camp, no one wanted him by their side or guarding their back during the fray. He felt bad about it, but at the same time, he had no particular wish to die. Very few of the soldiers and his fellow knights survived each of those fights, with their numbers dwindling much faster than the arrival of new recruits. They were losing lives and losing ground, not able to protect any of the towns and villages as was their duty, with their retreat resembling more and more like a rout.

Four weeks ago, he was finally ordered to take part in what was to be their last battle or more exactly, to defend the camp with the few boys left, the pages. The squires were to join in the last charge. It was suicidal, there was no way he or anyone else would survive the day against such odds and the general who had given him that order knew it perfectly well. From the promontory, where they had been watching the horses and wagons still at the disposal of the remnants of his brigade, he was able to see their forces being crushed and slaughtered below. The squires had followed the orders, they had not listened to him, like all boys their age they wanted to prove their valor, they dreamed of victory and honor, he could not stop them and they had rushed forward to certain death, his own squire and Eros, Aspen, among them. Only eight boys were left with him in the camp, the youngest of the troop arrived a few days before.

He had lied to them, telling them to take as much provisions as they could and come with him; that a new, very special task had been assigned to them. They had obeyed but he wasn't sure they had believed him; perhaps they had some good sense they simply didn't want to die. Anyway, they had been lucky and barely escaped with their lives; draks attacking the emptied camp only a few minutes after their departure.

At that moment, he had decided that his duty was to save those boys from certain death and take them away from further danger. He knew of a place, an old abandoned outpost, hidden in the woods, close to the mountains where they hoped no one would look for them. They would be safe there, at least for a time. He had no illusion that sooner or later the world would catch up with them.

So far, it had been all that he had hoped for and more.

For once, those boys, who had no real prior knowledge of who he was, his shortcomings, looked up to him. They were good boys that wanted to please him. They felt lonely, afraid, and he had soon shared his bed with each one of them. Now he had at least three to spend the night with him in the tower that had been the commander's quarters. There was no doubt that he was taking advantage of his position but he was giving them as much pleasure as he was receiving and he had saved their lives, after all. That was worth some gratification. Boys that age, ten to twelve, were easily bored and sex was a wonderful occupation to pass the time, besides hunting, fishing, and picking fruits.

Little by little, he had come to know them well and he liked all of them, and as it was to be expected, there were two that he had found more attractive than the others, two that he loved dearly, who stayed by his side most of the time and followed him like shadows, Corran and Samwell. They were appealing, sweet, and smart, besides being enthusiastic bed partners. For the first time, he saw a different image of himself in their eyes and he pledged to do all he could not to disappoint them.

He practiced the sword and bow with the boys each day, like never before, trying to better himself, and with some results – at least he thought so. As the days passed, he dreaded the moment when this time of peace and happiness would end and the war that surrounded them, and had brought them together, would find them and tear it all apart. He did not doubt that after a time the boys themselves would start to question what they were doing here and how long they would stay. Some of them had already spoken of the war, their family, and of what they were doing here, away from everything.

They had come to swim in a small lake close to the outpost, and it was here that Eleander was basking in the sun with Corran by his side, who was the more affectionate and sensual of the boys. He was playing with the hair on Eleander's chest, hoping for a more intimate coupling, the boy's cocklet stood straight up, certainly a sign of his current mood. Samwell, more adventurous and passionate, was still in the water playing noisily with his friends.

Eleander was a hairy guy and this fascinated some of the boys, whose smooth and hairless bodies now glistened with clear water. He could admire them guilelessly, and feeling a stirring in his loins, he soon brought Corran's blond head to his erect member. The boy knew what was being asked of him and started rubbing and licking at the man's sprouting erection. The knight moved the eleven year old's slight body around to play with his pert globes and prepare them to receive his manhood.

It was not to be, the weather suddenly changed, clouds, heavy with rain, appeared to hide the sun, they could hear distant thunder, and a chilly wind had risen.

"Corran, I fear we will have to postpone our pleasure," he said, pulling his tongue away from the boy's tight hole with regret, "We will certainly get back to it as soon as we reach the outpost, sheltered from the coming thunderstorm. Boys!" he called around, "get out of the water and get dressed, we are leaving."

Five minutes later the little troop, still joyous, was on the trail that would take them back to their new home. Corran was holding Eleander's hand like a much younger child, and after a few moments, was imitated by Samwell. Life had turned out good for them but it was not to last.

***

The vampires had no need of light and could see very well in the darkest of night. They were riding as soon as the sun had set, resting during the day.

Ladisk was thinking of only one thing: escape. He had promised Lord Olgred he would try nothing of the sort, so they had taken off his bindings and those of Teo. He thought that such a pledge was worthless in their situation and to such people who behaved like demons, he had seen and been horrified by the manner in which they treated the other captives.

His only preoccupation was that he could not risk failing. He certainly did not want Teo to be used in the same manner as the other boys or for Teo to become one of the Lord's familiars. He had had numerous contacts with Crit and Soren, and he had seen their soulless eyes, observed their twisted minds at work, their indifference to the other boys' fate, verging on cruelty, and their own craving for blood. Better death than such a fate but he wasn't sure he could go to such extremities with his brother. He was biding his time, hoping that he would find a valid scheme before they reached their destination. He knew it would not be easy. They had a certain freedom within the confines of the camp but always under the supervision of one of the vampires, or, more often, a familiar. They could not just try to jump on a horse and hope to lose their pursuers. Ladisk knew that the closer they got to the Vale, the more difficult any attempt would become, and it was appalling.

Teo was following him everywhere like a shadow. He was afraid but didn't want to let it show. Without him, Ladisk could have perhaps tried to get a weapon to kill Olgred or even better Tecumek, the shape shifter who was responsible for their dire situation; such was his hatred for their captors.

They had stopped for the day in a small wood, away from any prying eyes, with Crit the one watching them at the moment. Ladisk knew by now that the vampires had no real need to sleep or at least much less than humans, the only reason for those stops was to rest the horses and avoid unwanted encounters. They spent their time raping boys and drinking their blood among other ruthless acts.

The two boys avoided, as much as possible, any contacts with them and turned their heads away from those scenes of depravity and cruelty, most of the time seeking refuge in sleep. Still, they could not prevent hearing the whimpers and moans of pain from the boys, the laughs and bellows of pleasure from the vampires, the strange hiss as they drank the children's blood – sleep never came soon enough. Still, Ladisk, if he wanted to pursue his plans, had sometimes stayed awake to explore the camp and study the vampires in search of some means of escape.

Today, he awoke with the sun shining in his face, hearing the soft murmur of Teo's breath, still asleep. The camp was rather quiet and he judged it was only the middle of the day. He opened one eye and looked around: Crit was there, seated against a tree but apparently dozing.

He carefully raised himself, and at some distance through the trees, saw a gathering of some of the vampires around Olgred and Roagg. Was it, at last, the occasion he had been looking for, could he wake up Teo, rush him to the horses close by and try to escape, taking all the horses with them. He smiled at the idea but this new hope was soon crushed, Crit's eyes were wide open and staring at him.

He stood up and stretched with a yawn, then, out of curiosity, decided to go see what the vampires were up to.

"This one could not be revived as I feared," the cook was saying, "and there's one more that I think we will lose shortly," he added, pulling up a dark haired lad by his hair. The two captive boys with him were in a sorry state, with bites all over their necks and arms, their strained faces showing life waning from their lithe bodies; one was lying on the ground, like a broken doll, already dead.

"You can keep on playing with those," said Olgred, Soren by his side, letting his men greedily grab at the remaining and terrified captive boys that were piled up beside him like cattle, "but be wary of the quantity of blood you take from them. Roagg told you already. They must last us until we reach the Vale, in five to seven days. I will not take the risk of signaling our presence by catching any other blood bags on our way. If we lose more you'll be deprived of that nectar for some time."

"Why can't we have a taste of the other two?" asked one of the vampires, empty-handed. He had not been fast enough to catch one of the five remaining boys and appeared quite frustrated.

"I already told you that no one was to touch them. They are precious and destined for another use." Olgred hesitated, and then said, "You have all served me well and accepted to come with me deep into enemy territory. It is certainly worth my consideration and a reward. You can drain that last one," he pointed to the child held by the cook," he's on the brink of death anyway. But after that, you will have to share the others and drink them sparingly."

He unceremoniously caught the dark-haired boy held by Roagg, and effortlessly, threw him at them. The vampires in an instant had sunk their teeth in the tender flesh, each searching for a vein, or better, an artery, in their frenzy they could have torn him apart. It was over in a minute before they let go of him as you would a discarded fruit deprived of its flesh and juice.

"Now, Roagg, you can get to work, there will be boy stew for all of us later this evening prior to resuming our journey. With you, my friend, I'm sure none of that meat will be wasted. Our friend Melchior has taught us a new use for our human livestock."

Ladisk could not detach his gaze from the scene unfolding – he was terrified and horrified.

Roagg did not waste a moment. He fixed a rope to the boy's feet, and using a tree branch, he hung the body upside down. Not losing one second, he pulled out a knife to show his talent as a butcher.

"Those human boys are easier to work on than pigs," he said, as the knife expertly cut the skin, "and drained as they are, there is very little blood. You'll see it will be done in no time. Too bad they don't have more meat on their bones but that's how most of us like them for their other use."

Roagg had a few spectators, as some of the vampires stayed to watch him quickly and expertly dress the meat, showing off his skills. Quite a few of them firmly holding and forcing a captive boy to witness what could soon be their ultimate fate. They were obviously taking much pleasure at the boys' distress as he ripped the skin from the child's body.

"Look! Our dinner is being prepared. Who will be next do you think?" Ladisk heard one of them tell the boy he had penetrated, still standing, holding his head in place so that he did not miss anything while pounding his ass with gusto.

Roagg was going fast, the skin had been pulled from the body the way the boy had often seen it done with rabbits. He opened the belly and the thorax, pulling it apart with the cracking sound of broken bones, and plunged his hands inside the carcass, taking out the viscera and other inedible organs, putting aside only the liver.

"Now let's see how much meat this puny thing can provide us."

For this, he used another, smaller knife and cut away the meat from the bones, when he was done, nothing much was left. In fifteen to twenty minutes, all that remained of the poor boy was a dangling skeleton except for the head and feet so far left untouched. The meat had been dutifully wrapped in cloth ready to be prepared or taken away.

Roagg, in a last act of savagery, grabbed the boy's hair and cut his head off at the neck, planting it on a branch facing him.

"Anybody want the cheeks? I've been told it's a delicacy. Then there's the brain," he added, as he used his knife to remove the boy's scalp.

Ladisk had not been able to turn off his gaze from the unfolding scene. He jumped when Olgred's hand fell on his shoulder.

"Seems you liked the show, perhaps you'll like the taste too. I'll tell Roagg to save a prime cut for you. Your fellow captives will have some too, but mostly the giblets and only the cheap cuts. This should help provide us with more blood and revive them some."

"How can you…?" replied Ladisk, searching for words.

"We certainly can and you haven't seen what we've done in the Vale, this is nothing compared to that and Alsoon will shortly suffer the same fate."

"You're monsters. My father will kill you all."

"You said that already but I'm afraid this will never happen and from what I heard, your father has done much worse than this. Poor little boy, there is so much you don't know."

Ladisk was again at a loss for words, trembling with a strange mix of fear and anger. His gaze fell on Soren, and he saw for the first time and for a fleeting instant what could look like sadness and compassion on his face as he was looking at Roagg at work on the second boy. Was he only a puppet at the vampire's service or was there still a soul and some will in this creature?

"I don't want to listen to your lies," Ladisk said, pushing away the vampire's hand and leaving him to go back to Teo. He wanted to lash out at the vampire but didn't have the means yet. Still, an idea had taken shape. He just needed some time to test its pertinence.

***

"What do you want to do with them?" asked Tristam.

"There are not that many options, after their father's betrayal," said Tamerlane. "We will get all we can from them and then execute them."

"Not so fast," said William, watching the two boys, stripped of their clothes. "You cannot do that."

"I can and I might," answered Leto. "Tamerlane is right; the offense requires such a punishment. With so many potential traitors in our ranks, we must set an example."

"But you did not say that you will do it," observed Tristam, "Why?"

"I'm fed up with killing, and then I don't want to waste an occasion to catch Melchior again or Count Kyllian. I do not want to let the slightest chance slip by us. If those two can lead us to one of them, then that might be worth my mercy."

Leto's words had been loud and clear, he wanted the two terrified and pitiful boys to hear him very well and understand what was at stake for them.

"We have the means to make them talk, do not worry," insisted Tamerlane. "We will use all the necessary tools, even if they're barely alive by the end of it, at least enough for the executioner's axe."

"Do you really think they would have left them behind if they knew anything of the sort, anything of importance?" questioned William.

"The boy has a point, there. This is highly unlikely," concurred Tristam. "They were left as worthless decoys. The count could not ignore what would be their fate, or what they would be subjected to when we tried to get whatever information they might hold."

"You may be right but do we have a choice? All of this is of their father's making, and we are simply fulfilling the consequences of it. Bring them forward," he told Gravenese.

The two naked boys were shaking with fright; they had nothing of the haughtiness and detachment of their father.

"My Lord, we heard you," said the eldest, Piet, "I am sorry to say that we know nothing of our father's whereabouts or projects and if it was not so, we would never dare confess anything."

"This is not what I wanted to hear, you are both well aware of what will befall you if you do not cooperate, What about you, Yarl el, that is your name, if I am not mistaken?"

"It … is … my L … ord," stuttered the younger boy. "There is … nothing … more … to say." He was silently crying.

"Well then, Tamerlane, they are all yours."

Leto was clearly uncomfortable. Beside the fact that the whole scene recalled him of the very recent period when he was under the Beast's influence, he felt a strange trepidation, was the creature gaining strength again, readying to take control of his body, if not his mind?

"What's the matter?" questioned William, feeling the man's unease, "Tristam?"

"Hold his hand; share your strength with him." The Magus, immediately alerted, was not certain yet if it was a resurgence of the Beast but wanted to take no chance.

"Get away from me, all of you," said Leto. "You don't know how dangerous it can be." He had not forgotten the vivid images of William's broken, bloody, and dismembered body, not long ago.

Despite his words, William still clung to him and did not want to let go.

The two naked brothers, holding each other, did not understand what was going on which added to their already acute distress and took a few paces back, cowering.

Tristam was reciting incantations and the ringing and glow that had accompanied William and Leto's first coupling was back in force.

It did not last more than a moment before it receded and Leto felt that strange overcoming sensation leave him.

"I think it's over," he said with a tired smile, taking William in a tight embrace.

"Yes, it is," confirmed Tristam.

"What was it exactly," asked Tamerlane.

"I think it was the Beast trying to take over once again," answered William.

"But it was stopped; it's losing its strength," said Tristam, "and you are getting stronger, Leto."

"May the Gods hear you and let me get rid of it once and for all come the next moon." Leto had regained his composure. "I hate it but we have to resume what we started and since we learned nothing yet, we will have to resort to more forceful and disagreeable means, Tamerlane…"

"Wait," interrupted Tristam. "Perhaps there is a better way to do that."

"What are you thinking of."

"If the boys would open their minds to me."

"Really, could that work? You told us it was not a sure thing."

"It is if the subject cooperates fully. We can always try, if they accept my proposition. What do you say boys?"

"I don't quite understand what you're talking about but we have nothing to hide. If it can spare us more pain or worse, we are all for it," answered Piet, speaking for the two of them and still quite shaken.

"There will be no pain, believe me, but you must not resist me in any way or try to hide your thoughts or memories. If I feel you doing that, I'll have to leave you in the hands of Sir Tamerlane."

"We will do our best. I promise," said the boy, exchanging a sign of agreement with his brother.

"Let us proceed, then. Sit in those chairs and close your eyes. My Lord, it could take some time, perhaps you could use it to rest."

"No, I'm feeling fine now and there are too many urgent matters that await. Let me know when it is done. Send for me."

Leto left the room with William, Gravenese, and Bertram.

"My lord?"

"Yes, sir Bertram?"

"I saw how the idea of killing those boys displeased you."

"You can certainly say that, but I doubt we will be able to avoid it. Tamerlane, your friend, is certainly right on that matter."

"I know, but if it is proved by Tristam lev that they knew nothing of their father's schemes and are innocent of any crime, and they truly try to cooperate – help us – then…"

"They will have to pay for their father's crimes. We are at war; we cannot show any weakness or lack of resolve."

William cringed at those words but as a king's heir, he had to accept that reasoning.

"I might know of a way to spare them while satisfying the exigencies of our situation."

Leto stopped walking and listened to the knight, making sure no one else but trusted men could hear what was being said.

"We have the chopped heads found at the camp this morning, wouldn't it be wonderful if they could save those two lives. I am sure there could be a likeness in the number we have, and anyway, since the boys were supposed to be tortured, they could be made up to look like the count's sons damaged heads." Beltram seemed quite happy with this subterfuge.

"And what would you do with the boys then?"

"I would put them with those we rescued from the same camp. They would have no contact with anyone until their future is decided."

"I very much like your idea but if it was discovered that I did not do what I had set to do, it could have devastating effects and ruin all of our efforts. Let's wait for Tristam lev and see what he has to say. I'll keep it in mind but I'll make no promises."

A few hours later, at dusk, in front of a gathered crowd and after their execution, the boys' heads were displayed in the castle courtyard, each on a pike, they were barely recognizable except for the vivid color of their eyes and raven black hair.

The next day, Leto was leaving Stalfort castle to catch up with the army. Melchior's supporters had been put to the question, and now, like the count's sons, a large number of them had their heads on pikes beside those of the boys.

Leto, hard faced, rode at the head of the column with William and Gravenese, behind them, were Tristam and Bertram. Tamerlane had stayed at Stalfort to follow some leads and ask more questions of those who still had a head on their shoulder; he would join them when he was done.

Two covered wagons held the freed boys from the dark harem and a third contained those of Melchior's possessions that Tristam judged worth studying, they were escorted by members of the purple legion.

A few people had gathered to see them leave and cheered on their passage. It was clear that Count Kyllian was hated by most of his people, and that the execution of his sons had not displeased them.

***

Princess Alina, Sandor, and Astar stood silently watching Berit deliver the message to parley, as the clouds overhead greyed and the rain began to fall.

It was a tense moment, broken by a surly Astar on their side, "If we stay in the open like this, we'll soon be drenched. I hate thunderstorms."

Sandor, accustomed to meeting his adversaries on the open battlefield under the worst of conditions, replied, "Here they come; we will talk and endure the rain." It was said with authority, a command; it set the tone.

"He's leaving the drak behind. I much prefer that; I hate those animals," said Alina.

Tael, quite at ease in such a situation, bowed gracefully. He had taken the precaution of putting the two slender boys in front of him as a shield of sorts. Sandor was keen to notice, body posture and actions said more than words in these situations.

"Princess Alina of Destiny, my humble salutations, we have much to discuss and like me, you've certainly seen the rain coming. Riding the drak, I saw a keep less than a mile from here. I propose that we seek refuge there while the storm rages."

"That seems like a reasonable proposition. What do you say Sandor lev?"

"I'm all for it, but there could be people living there."

"It looked to be in bad shape and probably has been abandoned for a long time. I have been told there were very few inhabitants in these parts."

"That is true. Still, we will need to be cautious."

"If you wish, I can go ahead with the drak and check the place out. It'll only take a few minutes for me to get there while you follow on the ground."

"Very well, show us the way," Sandor replied. His first impression of the wizard, with his shifty eyes and sweet tongue, was not good; he would remain dubious and careful.

Tael was soon back on the drak with Berit and Hegron and took flight immediately, going southeast. Sandor and his companions did not have much difficulty going after him, keeping him in sight through the foliage. They soon came upon a rough trail that Sandor did not doubt would lead them straight to their destination. The sky was becoming black and they hurried, galloping at a quick pace, coming upon Eleander and his small troop of boys and almost trampling them.

Fortunately, the horses were making enough noise to warn the man and boys who had just enough time to throw themselves away from the oncoming riders.

"Who goes there?" called Sandor, one hand on the pommel of his sword. He soon let go of it at the sight of the frightened children surrounding a man, the only one with a weapon.

"I am Eleander of the Ramund, a knight. Could I ask you the same question?"

"You certainly can, Sandor of the Torsend, what are you doing here with those boys?"

"Right now … hurrying to the outpost before the storm."

"We're heading there too and for the same reason. Who else is there, we thought it was abandoned?"

"It is. We took refuge there a few weeks ago, after our brigade was destroyed by the enemy."

"Is this all that is left of your brigade?"

"It is. They're the ones I was able to take away from the battleground."

Sandor did not need to ask what he was doing here, in such an isolated part of the country, away from the fighting. He had his arms around two of the boys in a protective way and one could deduce from it that they were dear to him. Had he done it for the boys or for himself? Still, it was desertion and Sandor could not approve of it but this was not the time or place to discuss it.

"The trail will take us to the outpost?"

"It certainly will."

"Follow us with your boys then, I want to hear your story, and we will perhaps tell you our own which is full of surprises. Let me warn you that you might see a drak when you get there. Do not be afraid, it will not attack, simply don't get too close to it, we are meeting another party there, and all will be explained later. Astar, you and Safir will stay with them to avoid any problem or misunderstanding."

"A drak? What is this? I'll not let my boys near such a creature." Eleander was unsettled, who were these people who had no more reason than he did to be there and who meddled with draks. He had only his sword, the boys had taken no weapons with them, certainly his fault and a big mistake, all their possessions were at the outpost. There was no escape; they had to do as they were told.

Alina felt his dismay and stepped forward.

"Do not worry Sir Eleander. I am Alina of Destiny, heir to the kingdom since my father's death fighting the enemy. You are safe with us, both you and your boys. No harm will come from any of us."

"Lady Alina!" exclaimed the knight, going from deep concern to surprise and finding some comfort in her words. He knelt before her, imitated by the whole troop of boys.

"Let's hurry," said Sandor, "the storm will be upon us shortly, better to explain it all under a roof. Let's go."

The riders urged their mounts, leaving the befuddled knight behind.

Tael was waiting for them when they arrived, "What took you so long?" not quite able to hide his bad temper.

"Would you believe it, we met with people on the way here; didn't you see them on the trail from up there?"

"I didn't really pay attention. What kind of people? It is obvious some have been living in here. Is there any threat I should be aware of."

"Nothing of the sort, nothing that could change our relations in any way."

"There's nobody inside, we looked everywhere," said Hegron, appearing at the gate with Berit.

"Have you found a place where we can settle and parley," demanded Tael.

"Certainly, come with me."

They all entered the outpost as the first heavy drops were falling from the sky. The drak was in the courtyard, and except for Tael and Hegron, they all made a wide berth around it.

"Take care of the horses," said Sandor to Levit and Kervan. They could already hear a few whining in a stable close by, probably wary of the drak's scent, "Calm them, and then join us."

They entered one of the low stone buildings and a large room with few openings, the table where they sat on benches still held some leftovers from a recent meal. Some weapons were stashed in a corner.

"Shall we begin?" said Tael.

He was trying to show a confidence that wasn't there and supposed that the other party was not in a better position: both were more or less on the run and kind of desperate. It was more personal for the wizard who was only thinking of saving his own life, besides some pleasurable time with Hegron, where Alina and her companions had a whole kingdom in the balance and a mission that was crucial for the survival and freedom of hundreds of thousands of people.

"Tell us what you are offering and we will tell you if we are interested," started Alina, who wanted to keep the upper hand.

"Very well, if you want to see it that way, I don't mind. What I offer you are my talents, and what is of much greater value, vital information on the Alliance. Something I know you lack and desperately need to have a chance at saving what is left of your kingdom."

"What do you want in exchange? How can we know you are not telling us lies?"

"As Berit told you, it would be very difficult for me to back off after what I did. I could try, though, invent a story, a good one. Now, if I captured the kingdom's heir and came back with you, Princess Alina, that would certainly help, perhaps bringing only your head might be enough."

There was some tension after those words but Alina smiled.

"Isn't that a bit presumptuous on your part, wizard. You're kind of outnumbered."

"Yes, still you have no real idea of what I am capable of, me or Hegron," he added, putting one arm across the boy's shoulder.

The boy said nothing and kept a neutral expression. He wanted to see how all this was going before choosing a camp. He certainly didn't like Tael but he was also wary of these strangers and did not trust them to welcome him with open arms.

"If I understand you well, either we find an agreement or there's no happy ending for us."

"Those are harsh words, still they rather reflect my way of thought. At the same time, I do not see why you would refuse my proposition. You have nothing to lose. All I ask is for you to accept me as a new friend and some gratification for my cooperation."

"Sorry to say, but it appears too good to be true. What about you, Hegron? What are you doing here, why would you leave your own people … be about to betray them?"

Hegron had anticipated the question and had prepared what he believed was a good answer, one that could insure his future whatever happened to Tael.

"I left because they were about to kill me."

"Kill you? Why would they do that? I thought you were someone of importance."

"I am. I'm even sacred to them because my sacrifice was supposed to ensure their victory. I had been born and bred toward that goal."

Tael continued, "I was assigned to guard Hegron until he was sacrificed. Unfortunately for me, I fell in love with the boy and I could not bear to see him meet that end. I decided to save him. You see, my intentions are good." Tael tried to show his affection for the child bringing him closer and kissing his brow. It was clear for the whole audience that it was not reciprocal and this did not escape the wizard. "Yes, it is true I am not yet loved in return but I still hope that someday…"

Eleander, Astar, and the boys chose that moment to join them.

"How can you parley with such fiends? All they deserve is a swift and painful death, like for that beast outside," exclaimed Eleander.

"Calm down, Sir Knight," replied Alina with a sharp tone, "you have no right to speak when we consider your position. What we do here is for a good cause. Go with your boys, find a useful occupation, there's too many of us in here. Astar, come join us, and Safir, go watch those boys, see they don't get close to the drak. Shall we resume?" The tone was sharp and she was obeyed without a reply from the knight.

"I will certainly not go back to the Alliance and I don't want to stay with you," affirmed Hegron, pulling away from Tael, showing his dislike without ambiguity, he had chosen his side.

"You seem quite alone, wizard," said Sandor.

"That may be so but I still hold essential information. Hegron was for a large part a prisoner in a gilded cage. I am the one you need."

"And what would it entail to get that information, all of it?" asked Sandor.

"If you want all I can give, it will take more than just welcoming me into your ranks; some compensation, a title, land. That might appear a lot for you at that moment but let me tell you that it is nothing compared to what I can offer."

"You understand we will need some proof before going further."

"I expected something like that. Since Hegron rejected me, the ungrateful little bastard, let me tell you that he lied to you. The purpose of his sacrifice was not to win the war but to bring back the Archons."

Hegron turned white, he never expected that Tael would turn his back on him so fast, and now regretted his own stupid honesty, he should have kept his feelings to himself. He was as good as dead. Once the whole story was told, they would know that they had to kill him, keeping him alive was a risk that no one would take.

"Why did you tell them?" he said in a pitiful voice, tears coming to his eyes, very much the young boy he was, even if they called him the Essence, bowed before him, revered him like a god.

"You should not be surprised, you showed me only scorn, lied to me, I know you'll never give me what you promised. It is all your fault. Love is a poison that led me to this, but thanks to you I may now regain some of what I lost, find a place in this world that fits me. Listen to me Princess Alina; he is like no other, for he is the offspring of the great Archon Akatafelt that was killed by Lord Leto. His blood is so pure that vampires cannot resist its lure and they must be kept away. This same blood is meant to be spread on his father's grave, given in sacrifice to resurrect him."

That was it; all had been said. There was only one way out, one desperate attempt for Hegron – he opened his mouth, ready to use his Voice and try to escape this trap.

Tael had anticipated his move, it would have been logical to simply kill him. That was the best. He would then be the only one with the knowledge that the Valeans wanted. His value would rise beyond all expectations. But he was greedy, he couldn't resolve himself not to have his ways with the little tart first, that would be better than nothing, and he was sure to make it last until he was fully satisfied. He did not doubt he could obtain that favor.

Before the boy could utter a sound, he had clasped his hand on his mouth and grabbed him, holding him in place.

"Bring me a gag of some kind so that he cannot use his magic, it all comes through his voice. Perhaps we should cut out his tongue."

Astar was the first to react and had soon found the means to silence the boy, stuffing a wad of cloth in his mouth and fixing it by wrapping more around his head in a tight fit.

"This should do, for the moment. We'll find something better later," he said.

"Quite an unexpected development," said Alina, taken aback by the callousness of the wizard while realizing the scope and importance of the revelations they had witnessed. It was clear that this despicable man was to be a major asset for their cause, they certainly could not miss the opportunity to employ him whatever the cost.

Astar had achieved his work: the boy had been trussed and could not move or try to take off his makeshift gag. Tael was leering at him as you would in front of a delicious dinner you wanted to indulge in.

"Could I ask, as a first token and before you end his wretched life, for a few hours with the boy. He has a lot to repay me." His hand and fingers were already in the boy's crack, testing the ring of flesh, seeking entrance.

"I must recognize that in a few sentences you have showed your inestimable value. You will understand this is premature though. We will certainly come to an agreement but there are still some points I want to discuss with my companions before going further. We need some time."

"As long as I can have the use of Hegron while you talk, you can be sure I won't mind how long it takes."

It would have been reasonable to accept the wizard's demand with so much at stake but Alina could not bear to see that beautiful boy at the mercy of that despicable man.

"No, I want him first for myself. I am very fond of young boys as you can see."

Indeed, the boys outnumbered the men among her companions and were all of great beauty, which gave weight to her words. You'll have him but only when I'm done."

"So you're greedier than myself, you surprise me agreeably. You, Valeans, have a reputation, and it seems to be well earned. Very well, I'll wait but on one condition."

"What is it?"

"That I am present when you take your pleasure with him. I want to see it."

"Granted." Alina's answer was immediate, "Now, please leave us. I'll have you called when we're done."

"Yes, my lady."

Outside, the storm had not abated, and the noise it made drowned all others. Tael thought that it would certainly help him to accomplish his next deed. With the scent of Hegron still on his fingers, he needed some release. He thought it should be easy to catch one of the boys that had come with the knight and use his power of suggestion to have him drop his britches. All that was required was that the child be alone and in a remote place where they would not be disturbed.

He used another one of his talents to locate each of the boys and soon found one standing apart from the others in the stable, perhaps tending to the horses that were perturbed by the storm and the presence of the drak.

He went there as inconspicuously as possible and found his innocent quarry. He was perfect, just what he wished for with a round butt, long wavy ash blond hair; he was caressing and talking to one of the horses and oblivious of his presence. Tael approached him from behind; he did not need to be too cautious with the tempest outside that rattled the roof and walls. As he was within reach, he extended the same finger that had grazed Hegron's ring. At the first touch, the boy's will was gone in an instant.

"What is your name, boy?"

"Corran"

"And how old are you?"

"Eleven"

"Are you a virgin?"

"No."

"Well, this will have to do, entry will be easier. Pull down your britches."

The boy complied without question.

"Lovely, now open up for me, child, and make no sound."

Tael spat in his hand, his member was out and he rubbed the saliva on the leaking head, judging it quite enough as a lubricant. He raised the boy by the hips holding him against the horse and entered him in one go. As ordered, despite the pain, the child only gasped, with his hands and arms reflexively clinging to the soft and vibrant animal's body.

The wizard did not hold back, using rapid and forceful thrusts for a few minutes, until he came with a moan, crushing the child's frail body between him and the horse. He kept thrusting until his cock had deflated.

"You did good, boy, now pull up those britches? You will remember nothing of this."

Without one more word, Tael left the stable, sated for a time but not satisfied. It was a far cry from raping a fully conscious boy and even further from what he planned to do with Hegron. Magic had a cost and this kind of suggestion, even with a mere child, ate up a lot of energy. He still had enough to hear what was being said between the princess and her companions but he didn't really care. He knew that by now he had the upper hand and that most, if not all of his demands, would be met. Those infatuated Valean princelings thought that their vows had a value and had to be kept, that would be his gain.

Perhaps he could try a second boy to pass the time, and then enjoy a hearty meal while waiting for the princess's good pleasure. He was curious to see how she would proceed with Hegron gagged as he was – he would make sure the boy did not lose that gag – he had some power. Or even better, as he had said, he could pull out his tongue. It would be very effective and he might get to keep him longer.

Chapter Twenty-Two

When Elegir arrived, Salgar came to welcome him with some anxiety. He was the High Priest, the most powerful man of the Alliance and he wasn't alone, he was accompanied by four wizards, a large number of those still capable of wielding magic in their ranks, and five hundred Wreckers who were feared even by the vampires. They had been human but could not be considered so anymore: they had been fed with the Elixir and they had lost all notion of fear or pain. Trained from infancy to fight each other, to kill without mercy, only the fittest survived, obeying blindly to the priests' orders. They were called upon only as a last recourse — a dedicated army at the service of the Priesthood.

"Raise, Salgar, and take me to the place where Hegron is said to have been killed. We do not have time to lose, we are about to start the invasion of Alsoon." The man was of average size and features, rather plump, dressed in very simple dark robes, still, an aura and power and authority emanated from him, his piercing gaze, and his ruby eyes provoking fear at a single glance.

"Follow me your Highness," said Salgar, surprised by the news. He didn't expect the Alliance to attack so early after the loss of Hegron.

As soon as they arrived at the tent, the wizards set to work.

Despite his rank, Salgar was humbled before the High Priest and did not dare to address him — it was Elegir that spoke to dispel his many questions.

"Let me tell you that Hegron is alive."

"He's alive! But … how do you know?"

"Such a death cannot pass unnoticed in the magical realm. All we need to know is who took him and how it was done. "

"And where to find him, isn't that so? Now I can understand why our plans haven't changed."

"Yes, it is a question that needs to be resolved before word of it spreads and so that we can focus again all of our attention on the new offensive."

"I fear the perpetrators came from our side. It cannot be otherwise from my investigations."

"You are probably right, Salgar."

"Treason from one of our allies?"

"That would be a real problem and that is why we need fast answers and not to let any information leak out about this situation."

"All those that had knowledge of the incident here cannot talk anymore, your highness. I immediately took care of that as you've seen. Perhaps, if you wish, I will have a tent prepared for you while we await the wizards' findings with some refreshments and perhaps some entertainment."

"I think we will not have too long to wait, but why not? Let us pass that moment agreeably."

"It should be ready in no time, I'll see to it right away."

Salgar left Elegir with a noticeable relief and hurried to fulfill this easy task. After giving a few orders, he was rapidly presented with ten boys and girls, taken from the slave pens while food and refreshments were being prepared. He needed them to be pleasant to the eye, untouched and undamaged, which was not that common. He picked five of each that he sent to be washed and perfumed. Fifteen minutes later, everything was ready.

"I appreciate your care, Salgar. Will you share those offerings with me?"

"I have many matters to attend to, your Highness, but if it pleases you, I'll be glad to keep you company."

They settled comfortably on couches, and Elegir, after sampling some wine, started to examine the exposed playthings.

"Good choice, Salgar. I do not doubt you are the one who selected each one of these."

"I did, yes, and hope they are to your liking."

"In such a short time you did very well, What sex do you prefer? boys or girls."

"I can appreciate both depending on my mood."

"And what is your mood now."

"At war I am usually more inclined toward boys, it seems more fitting."

"There is some logic in those words I would say. Let's keep the boys then for our entertainment and I'll consume the girls if you don't mind."

"Do as it pleases you, your Highness; they are all here to serve."

"Let's start with that one," Elegir said, pointing at a blond girl about fourteen, the oldest of the group.

The girl stepped forward resigned to her fate; she had seen enough already to know what would be asked of her, at least she could hope to avoid the vampire's bite. The two Wreckers that flanked the High Priest at all times with their red eyes and tattooed skin had no need to intervene to bring her to him.

"Come, pretty one, come closer and give me a kiss."

Elegir laid the young girl on the couch beside him and then bent to kiss her lips while his hands held her head firmly in place.

At first nothing special happened, the other girls somewhat relieved that nothing more than that would be asked of them. The word, consume, so far had no meaning for them. It would change shortly.

The girl on the couch started to tremble and shake, then she tried to free herself from Elegir's grip without success and slowly she started to shrink and wither before their eyes, it lasted a good five minutes before she ceased to move.

"A lovely one, a lovely taste, one feels so much better after that. Replenished!" said Elegir pushing the girl's remains off the couch, a bag of bones that broke as it fell. "Why don't you pick up one of the boys and enjoy him while I finish my meal? Next one," he said casually, and pointed again, but this time, the chosen one, a red haired girl, took a step backward instead of forward.

"Thank you, your Highness, but I don't want to deprive you of any of them."

"Four will be more than enough, do not hesitate and I'm sure we can ask for more if needed."

"That is true," said Salgar with a smile.

"Now girl, are you coming? I'm hungry." The girl took one more step back but could go no further, the tent's fabric stopping her. "Very well, I have other means."

Elegir made a sign with his pointed finger and the little girl was dragged toward him by unseen hands. The man's lips glued themselves to the child's and the same process started again with the same results.

The three remaining girls were desperate looking all around for a way out pleading with their eyes with Salgar for mercy. There would be no help coming from him or anyone else.

The boys beside them were no less concerned, what was awaiting them, they wondered, with good reason.

The vampire general for his part had the pretty boy of his choice in his arms, his teeth sunk in the child's tender neck, sipping his tasty blood, his member planted deep in the boy's bowels, losing himself in bliss, and chasing away all his other worries, if only for a few minutes.

***

Alina did not want anyone eavesdropping on what they were about to discuss, and ordered, "Safir el, Levit el, take Hegron away and do not let him out of your sight, you're responsible for him and should be wary of what he can do. We'll call you back when we are done talking about his fate." She waited a moment before she spoke again.

"I certainly don't like that wizard but he truly could help our side win the war."

"Certainly, but he is despicable and I'll never trust him or his words," said Sandor.

"Do you really plan to kill the boy after you're done with him," asked Astar, appalled.

"Would that surprise you? There are many matters we need to discuss, I generally agree with you concerning the wizard, we need him but we have no way to control him besides satisfying his demands and even that is not a real guarantee. If we had the boy on our side it might be different."

"But you heard what was said, he has to die, he is the Alliance's most terrible weapon, he could bring back the Archons," replied Sandor.

"Yes, I heard that but there is one fact you didn't mention, for the boy to bring back the Archons, he has to be sacrificed — die. I am quite sure he is willing to do everything he can to avoid that. We can use him against them and to give us an insight on Tael's influence and actions"

"That wizard would hate that; I'd say it is worth doing it just for that," said Astar.

"I see your point but if he went back to the other camp, was captured, that could be the end for us and many other kingdoms," said Sandor.

"We just need to make sure that doesn't happen. Soon we will have reached Soonlure and the boy will be safe on the other side of the mountains."

"Yes, we have almost reached our destination, but this brings up another problem. If we take them with us, your family secret will be no more, they'll know of the existence of the passage under the mountains, its location. What if it was their ultimate goal all along?" suggested Sandor, again.

"That's impossible; no one knows of it besides the people in this room and a handful others. You cannot set a trap to gain something you have no knowledge of, it does not exist for them, and the little scene we've had between Tael and Hegron would make no sense in that case," insisted Alina, troubled for a moment.

"Once again I must agree with you," said Sandor, "All this is too farfetched to ring true."

"How do we proceed with the boy? He has heard all we've said about his fate and the niceties you planned for him," said Astar.

"We will be very careful about it. Tael looked genuinely afraid of his magic. I'll try to use his obvious dislike of the wizard and his will to live. That should be enough."

"What about Eleander and his boys?" asked Kervan, who had been somewhat forgotten all this time and who had listened to them with interest.

"Yes, what about them? What do you mean, boy?" said Sandor, intrigued.

"Do we leave them here or do we take them with us?"

"We leave them here, certainly," answered the Princess, "Why?"

"If that boy is that important or holds the key to the Alliance's victory, don't you think they'll be looking for him with all their might? If they follow our tracks like that wizard did, they'll be found and questioned. What will they tell?"

"Well, I must say, you got brains, child! They certainly know more than they should," exclaimed Astar.

"Wise words, young man. We can't leave them behind. What do you say Alina?" questioned Sandor.

"The more people that come with us the less chance for the passage between the kingdoms to stay secret, I don't like that, but the boy is right, the less the enemy knows, the better. These times are worth taking all the risks, this will be just one more. Let's proceed, Kervan go fetch Hegron."

The boy entered the room escorted by Safir and Levit who held him firmly by his arms.

"Kervan el, before I tell you to cut his ropes, you two boys will pick up your crossbows and target our prisoner, let fly if he tries anything that we would not have allowed," ordered Sandor. "Hegron, I want you to listen very closely to what Princess Alina has to say."

The boy was standing straight up defiantly but with drawn features, it was clear that he had been crying. He probably believed his life was at an end, not a pleasant thought.

"Child, we heard what was to be your destiny with the Alliance: a terrible threat to the world and not only for my Kingdom. Something we cannot allow to happen. At the same time, we do not trust Tael and all he represents, but we do need him. You are young and I truly think that there could still be hope for you if you joined our side. I decided to let you choose and to take the risk to let you live. Now Kervan here will set you free and when I tell him to take off your gag, beware, if at any time you try to use your magic or anything else against us, you die. Losfend el, bring up some fire and use it at the first alert."

"Yes, Alina." The small boy eagerly stepped forward and almost immediately, a ball of ardent fire appeared above his outstretched palm.

"You see Hegron, we know magic too. Kervan go ahead."

The boy pulled out his knife cutting the ropes first at the feet and legs, and then came the arms and hands. Finally, after looking for Alina's consent, he cut off the gag. Hegron spit it out with relief feeling the blood find its way again to his extremities, a very satisfying sensation but also slightly painful. He cleared his throat quite innocently but had to raise his arms as a sign of surrender when he saw the boys tighten their fingers on the trigger of their weapons.

"Do not fear, could I have some water?" he immediately said.

"Of course, Sandor?"

The man poured a glass from a jug on the table and gave it to the child.

"Thank you, sir. I am not used to all that. My life has been very quiet before this. I am not quite sure what I should say."

"Speak with your heart rather than your brains, boy. That's what we want to hear," said Astar.

"My heart, it is quite simple: it just wants to keep beating. I want to live, and this, as you certainly know, can only be achieved if I escape the Alliance. I am even ready to serve Tael if this is what you ask of me, to achieve that goal. This is how desperate I am."

"We will not ask that of you."

"I will serve you then, which I must say, I much prefer. I am ready to do whatever is necessary. I went with Tael because he was the only one in a position to save me; I doubt you can be as detestable as him."

"There will be no need of that either. Take a seat boy, no need for you to stand like that anymore. What I really want from you is to inform me of all you know about the Alliance, also in the next days, weeks, probably months, I want you to moderate all that Tael says and does. Tell me when he lies or hides a truth."

"This will not be a pleasant task, these last days I got to know him and all I thought about was slitting his throat. Still, for my life, it is an acceptable price that I'll gladly pay, but you must understand my position, I am only a child and despite my standing, I was mostly a recluse. Tael is right: he is much more knowledgeable than I am on most subjects. I'll do my best to help you though."

"This sounds like an honest and very reasonable answer for one so young, we have a deal, I think. Now we will have to inform the wizard of our decisions; he will not like it but will have no choice but to accept it."

"He'll ask for other gratifications, I fear," said Astar.

"It is in the nature of things, my friend, you have to give if you want to receive," replied Sandor.

"There are times when it is not pleasant. I would give him nothing but a piece of steel in his dark heart."

"Calm down Astar. We don't ask you to like him, just bear with him. Tael and Hegron are the best chance we have of turning the tide. There is so much at stake. You must never forget that."

"I'll try but it will be difficult."

***

Tael, when he was brought back at Alina's demand, had a smug expression that everyone in the room expected to go away when he was informed of the Princess's change of mind concerning Hegron.

It came faster than that when he saw the boy beside her and without any restraints.

"What is this?" he exclaimed, "Why did you free him?"

"I'm sorry, wizard but there have been a few modifications to our agreement since our last discussion, most of them concerning Hegron."

"You don't know what you're doing! He's dangerous. I told you what would happen if he escaped or was taken back by the Alliance."

"And I thank you for that. Escape? I very much doubt it. Where could he go? Back to where he came from? To be sacrificed in a few weeks or perhaps days? This doesn't seem likely to me. Yes, he could be caught again by the enemy but we will not let that happen."

"He was to be mine."

"And mine too. This will not be. Understand me, I cannot fully trust you, yet, it would be unreasonable on my part. I need someone that has some knowledge of the Alliance and doesn't want to see it win, someone that can tell me if your information and counsel are likely to be true and will serve our cause. Hegron will be the one."

"But can you trust him?" said Tael, who was trying to hide his resentment.

"That is an interesting question and I have no prepared answer, at the same time, that's the whole point. The two of you will have no other choice but to respect our deal if you want to receive the support and protection you both need. If either of you, for one reason or another wanted to deceive us, it would be in the interest of the other to warn us."

"Given our spite, you'll never know who is telling the truth."

"That might be so, but we will be warned, and while I see no point for either of you to openly lie to us, that's just supplementary insurance. Also, who knows, we are at war, people die, we might lose one of you.

"I see your point but again the boy was to be mine."

"Do I need to tell you again, this will not be possible anymore, except if he comes to you of his own free will, and that's highly improbable, I would say."

"I jeopardized my entire life for the little tart, to be rejected and ridiculed. I cannot let it go."

"Love can make you do foolish things, but this is none of our concern. You have no other choice; you were the one that came to us. I do not belittle what you have to offer, now consider what you'll get if you agree to these new terms. If you do your part, you can have a very pleasant life, a title, lands, gold, our gratitude, all a man can wish for, and the boy will live, so it's up to you to do what you can to put him in your bed if that is your heart's desire."

Tael stayed silent for a moment, he was cornered. He knew he could not go back to the Alliance even if he brought back Hegron and the Princess's head on a plate, not an easy feat. There would be no forgiveness for what he had done. The boy would live, he could always hope, in due time, to get some retaliation for his offenses. How could blind love turn into cold hatred in such a short time. He would have to wait for an opportunity.

"Then I'll ask for compensation."

"That might be acceptable."

"I'll have two of your boys to keep me company while we travel until I find more suitable ones."

"Never!" exclaimed Astar.

"Silence! You have no word in this, knight." Alina cut him off sharply, her gaze not leaving the wizard."

"But…"

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Astar lowered his head as a sign of submission but also to hide his anger.

"Two boys of my choosing, that is the least you can do," insisted Tael.

"Provided that you treat them well and do not demand anything more than their duties as your pages, I agree. You will pick them among Eleander's boys, he has many, and you'll certainly find two that suit you."

"As to the title, lands, and gold, I would like more assurances and it would be even better if it was written down with your seal put on it."

"This will be done, but only after we reach Soonlure."

"Why go there? How? I don't think I can wait that long."

"You will not have to wait too long, no more than three days, I would say. Nothing will be written until we are safe in that kingdom. On the way, you will tell me all I need to know about the Alliance and its plans."

"Three days, that's impossible! It would take longer than that just to reach Cal Marat and with no way to go further."

"But it will be done, you have my word. We will leave as soon as that storm ends. Kervan, go fetch Eleander and all of his boys. Tael, you will make your choice amongst them, once I have talked with the knight."

It took only a few minutes for the knight and the eight boys to join them.

"Sir Eleander, from what you told us, it is clear that you took those boys away from danger, which was a respectable and noble cause but in doing so you fled the battleground which is a grave offense in times of war."

"I must say that I did wrong and I'll accept your chosen punishment, even death if you deem it adequate. I have nothing else to say for my defense."

"No, please, not that," said all the boys surrounding him in chorus, bending the knee and pleading for him.

"Sandor, Astar, as knights yourselves what would be your decision."

"The answer is difficult," said Sandor, "leaving the battleground and abandoning the fight is the gravest of offense. I asked Levit to talk with some of those boys to know more of the circumstances. Our forces from what I have been told were being slaughtered and certainly none of those boys would be alive if they had stayed and fought. Saving them as you say was a noble deed. Taking them to safety was understandable, but staying away from the war when our lands are being put to fire and the sword has to be condemned. Every knight is needed in this war and they have a sworn duty to fight."

"What is your opinion on the matter, Astar?" asked Alina.

"Sandor spoke well. I'll only say that we still need every sword and good willed man holding it. I am against any conviction that would deprive us of one."

"You are very right Astar and I am inclined towards clemency. Sir Eleander, I like the fact that you haven't tried to use those boys to excuse yourself and that you accept your guilt for what it is. We have need of you and your boys. You will come with us on our travels and serve us in any way that we see fit. Thus you will prove yourself and show us if you are worthy of our trust."

"I will, my lady, I'll do anything I can to make restitution for my failure to do what was right. May I ask for a favor, not for me but for the boys?"

"You can, I'm listening."

"They are all very young and I fear I haven't been the best teacher in the arts of war. They will be of no use in any battle. We could leave them here; the lands are rich in fruits, the river in fish and the forest in game. You could keep them here away from any danger."

"Those are kind words. I understand that you are fond of them and want to protect them against all odds but we cannot leave them herein. In these times, even lads have to serve the kingdom. The boys among us are no older and for some of them were no more used to fighting when they joined us. Furthermore, they are now in danger and simply because of our presence or rather the presence of this boy, here, Hegron. The good news is that if all goes according to plan, in less than three days as I told the wizard, we can be in Soonlure, safe, and you'll have all the time to further their formation as squires, for the war will not be over and we will have need of them."

Eleander showed the same surprise as Tael at the mention of Soonlure.

"Three days, how can that be?"

"It is and you will know how very soon. For now, I will have need of two of your precious boys to serve our wizard friend, Tael, he has promised to treat them well." Alina strained to have her voice firm and tried not to let her doubts show.

"But … really?"

"Yes, it is part of our agreement with him which is of the utmost importance for the future of our people, for a chance of winning this war. Let's consider it your first contribution to the success of our endeavor. They'll serve him as they served you. Present them to us."

Eleander had to swallow his saliva, he had no choice but to fold, he was in no position to make demands or contradict the princess.

"Yes, my lady of course. Here beside me is Corran, next to him Samwell, and then Berolt. You have the shy Aeri and the bold Illion, always together, the quiet Callis, and finally Narion and Torfrit of the clear skin. All are good boys who will be eager to serve and please you, Princess."

"As long as they please me too," intervened Tael, who had come closer, "A nice bunch of lads, I must say."

"Take your pick, wizard, and let's be done with it. I'm hungry," said Alina, uncomfortable at the idea of entrusting any of the boys to Tael, being in charge was often an ungrateful task.

"So am I, and with a hunger of a different kind besides that one."

As he came closer, several of the boys instinctively cringed, Corran and Samwell leaning against Eleander, who put an arm around their shoulders for comfort.

"I can see that you're particularly fond of those two, Sir Eleander, and vice versa, good choice. I'll leave them to you as a sign of good will. I must say I already sampled one of them."

The knight frowned at those words, not quite understanding what the wizard meant.

"I suppose I am not allowed to check bums and cocklets … look for flaws?"

"No, indeed," replied Sandor, with a steely voice.

"Then on a general impression I'll take this one, Aeri, I think, I like shy boys, and you, Berolt, chubby boys can be comfortable at night. Fortunately, none of you look like Hegron, so there will be no risk of being mistaken; I'll be able to keep myself in check that way. Now we can have lunch, we will make better acquaintance after that."

***

Two days had gone by since Leto and his army had left Stalfort, with his nightly lovemaking savage and unrelenting, the result of built-up frustrations. William bore the brunt of his onslaught, as he was now the only boy to share his bed.

Having lost Melchior and all the information he could have given them was unforgivable, not the least of which was the whereabouts of his children and the nature of their kidnappers. At least they had learned a few things about the conspiracy and the enemy, Tamerlane's questions had found some answers and names, and he was pursuing his investigations. It was still very little and of no immediate usefulness even if it had some value.

Under the strong man, the lean and delectable boy was whimpering softly as he received the powerful thrusts of his lover. Leto suddenly tensed and roared like a wounded beast as his seed invaded the boy's tight sheath, the wave of intense pleasure made him lose the support of his arms, crushing under his weight the young and willing child.

"Oh sweet thing, you are the only one to bring me some release from my dark thoughts these days. Am I taking too many liberties with you? I know my lovemaking can be brutal at times. I know I should be more considerate."

"No, that's alright but it would be nice if you let me breathe a little bit better just now," answered William, with a shy smile.

Leto raised himself to lie beside the boy, before picking him up to have him rest on his chest.

"Are you comfortable now?" asked the Lord, one hand caressing William's back as the other kneaded his backside."

"Much more comfortable now, but still horny; I never get enough of you."

"I believe you; I can feel your little worm hard as a stick poking my belly."

"Little, really?"

"Well, perhaps not so little but still far from big." Leto kissed the child's sweet lips.

"Yours is quite impressive and has satisfied so many boys."

"I'm afraid all were not satisfied, some were rather horrified, and as the Beast's monstrous organ it has even killed a few, would you believe it?"

"I'm sorry, I should not have said that, it brought back painful memories, forgive me."

"No, don't be sorry, it is part of who I am now and it has been true for years. Before that nightmare took hold of me, my only goal was to bring pleasure to the boys that came into my arms and sometimes even love, and it will be so again, thanks to you, and it is, already, at this moment."

"But only if we vanquish the Beast, that final confrontation is coming closer."

"I believe we will be ready. With you, nothing seems impossible, that's the power of love. You were able to get me free of this nightmare already. We will keep fighting together and helped by Tristam's magic we will defeat that curse forever. He told me he was making good progress in his study of the enemy's own magic, thanks to what Melchior left behind and the boy he found. He says the child was used as a catalyst and the sigils he had tattooed all over his body could be of use during our confrontation with the Beast. This is all very encouraging."

"Yes, Tristam's knowledge is vast and his magic is powerful, I can feel it at this moment and it is even stronger when we make love."

"I'm getting hard already; you'll be able to ride me shortly. I fear the time when I'll have to resume my duties with the Elysium boys, and I'll not be able to dedicate as much time to you."

"This is of no importance, our bond will never be broken or weakened, and I don't mind sharing your bed with some of your pages or squires. By the way, choosing a new one to replace Rand is long overdue. I hope you'll make a better choice this time."

"Since he will be with us most of the time perhaps you should make that choice for me?"

"Really?"

"Of course he will be as much your page as he will be mine."

"There are so many boys in your retinue, this is a difficult choice. Have you thought of some names already to help me?"

"No, not really, I had more than enough matters to attend to and you have occupied all of my thoughts and free time these last days. Now that you speak of it, I would think of Etos. I have a lot to be forgiven by that boy, the only page I have mistreated and almost killed."

"Etos? I don't know him too well but I see your point and he is pleasant enough to the eye."

"Tell me, I am certain you have a few names yourself."

"If you insist. There would be Lucian of course but I would not want to deprive Bertram of him and he is not really one of your pages. I thought of Miniver."

"A very nice boy and certainly a very good candidate."

"So which one will it be?"

"Let's put their names on two pieces of paper, chance will decide." It was rapidly done and William picked each name in one hand, "Which one?"

"This one," said Leto, kissing the hand he had chosen and opening it to reveal the name written: "Etos."

"Now that it is done, let me enjoy a good ride, you seem in the perfect state for that."

William, having taken hold of the man's large and solid erection, pulled him back to the bed.

"At your service, young Prince."

Leto lay down comfortably and William straddled him to sit on the engorged member. It disappeared easily, William was now well used to its length and girth.

"I'll be in charge now, my Lord. Relax and enjoy."

The night was still young and they had all the time they could want.

***

Members of the dark council had been arriving one by one with small escorts in the last two days. No one wished to attract unwanted attention. Not all would meet here, only those who could make the journey and whose absence would not be noticed. Still, they were the core of the council, those who had met already and knew each other. They could participate with their face uncovered. For obvious security reasons, the identity of the members was secret for most and that knowledge compartmented. Only a few knew all the names and contributions, Melchior and the Count among them.

Those two had not been idle while waiting for the council to be assembled. Birds had flown sending messages of warning to all those that could have been compromised after the recent events. They also had to inform them and the Alliance of the latest developments: on the negative side, that Leto was more or less freed from the Beast's curse, of their loss of influence and position, and on the positive side, of the successful capture of his children.

Melchior, when he arrived had immediately selected a new catalyst for the Archon stone that would also provide him with pleasure and distraction. There had been a plethora of candidates in the cages of Trendel – Kyllian's human trafficking was thriving.

The boy was slightly older and bigger than the previous one. He had not demanded his name and had not given him any. He was – the boy, and that would be amply sufficient for what would be asked of him. He also knew he needed a stronger one than the lean and delicate Lichan since he would have to contend with the small man's resentment and frustration, now at a peak after the major setbacks of the last days. Each séance of tattooing the child's skin was interspersed with mistreatment often of a sexual nature. He was deprived of food but also water most of the time.

In the Archon world, pain was the key to power and Melchior was determined to make the boy suffer as much as his imagination and abilities would permit. He planned to barely keep him alive but he had an obligation to avoid death, it would be counterproductive since he would have to start all over again with a new boy. The stone created a link with its catalyst; if it was broken, it took some time to make it adopt a new one. Melchior would have to be careful.

Another option would be to get a second scapegoat to calm his nerves and why not a girl for a change? There was no reason for him to conform to the fashion of boys, so popular in these times and places. Girls had their charms too and were less costly, dispensable, and easily replaceable, not that he would have to pay for them but he knew Kyllian had a weakness for gold and counted every penny. As he was already at odds with him, there was no reason to add to it.

The reunion was about to begin and he examined one last time his work of the day. He was making good progress and could expect to be finished shortly with the first layer of sigils. The boy had a perfect skin for this work, it went fast and he didn't care how painful each séance was, on the contrary, it was for the good of his projects.

"Well, let's hang you to dry some. We don't want to see you spoil the day's achievements."

He pulled on a lever and slowly the boy's young body was pulled up by his ankles from the table where he was lying. He was soon hanging helplessly, just at the right level.

"Watch your teeth; I want to feel nothing but the moist and welcoming cavity of your mouth and throat. We'll see if you've learned anything since the last time."

Melchior seized the child's head and forced his mouth open with his engorged member starting to fuck his face in earnest, not stopping as the boy gagged at the invasion of his throat. The man pulled out rapidly to discharge a copious amount of cum on the boy's chest, rather satisfied.

"I've decided to deprive you even of my seed for a few days. Fasting will be good for you until I can see some more of your ribs. If the council goes well you might have some water when I come back or perhaps my piss. Would you like that? I'm sure you would gladly accept it; you must be very thirsty. We'll see."

He spread his cum with his hand, appreciating the smooth skin and tender flesh of his captive, and then checked that the stone was well in place.

"Make sure it stays well up your bum, if I were to see it had fallen out you will regret it more than you can imagine. What you've known till now would be nothing compared to it."

Melchior left with a smile, oblivious of the tears in the child's green eyes.

He crossed the courtyard as a small caravan with three covered wagons and an escort was leaving. Business as usual, he thought, deliveries were still being processed as if the country was not at war.

Kyllian was there watching them leave.

"Where are they going?"

"A boat is waiting for them at Florvis some of those had been put aside for the Beast. I fear I've lost a very good customer but there will be many others. The cells and cages are overflowing with merchandise, and with the upcoming war and its refugees, it will be easy to fill more of them. Shall we go to our meeting now?

"Certainly, Count Kyllian, there is much to discuss."

Chapter Twenty-Three

Tristam was at work, but it was more pleasure than work since he was with Lichan.

Lichan had changed drastically since they first met a few days ago, he had regained a child's recklessness, showing an impish character laced with a profound kindness. He was affectionate, which made worthwhile all the attention he required. His life had been a sad story from the beginning: without parents that he could remember, he was used and sold as merchandise several times, even before crossing Melchior's path. Tristam was agreeably surprised to see his resilience in front of such adversity.

Then there was the sex. Nothing could compare to that, and Tristam was enthralled: the boy had done it all, and he knew every nook and cranny to bring pleasure to his enthusiastic partner. The magus blessed his good luck each day to have discovered those wonderful sensations, brought by the meeting of bodies and fluids. He could not call it love yet, although little by little, he felt the attachment and emotions that linked him to the boy grow steadily stronger.

How could he have spent all these years shunned away from this marvel! Why had it been forbidden since the dawn of time for those of his trade? That was now a mystery that he was determined to solve.

He had noticed no change in his powers or intellect for the worst; on the contrary, each time he was with the boy to share the pleasures of the flesh, he felt his energy renewed, an indulgence he succumbed to as often as he could now.

Then there were the tattooed sigils that covered a large part of the child's body, and they were changing. He determined that the more frequent and intense their lovemaking was, the more important were the changes, and the more difficult it was to reproduce and map them exactly at each step. He tried to decipher a meaning to those transformations by categorizing the sigils and recording how they evolved. He observed that some altered their form while others moved from their previous position, some faded and others darkened. It was an ever-changing tapestry, whose complexity was baffling.

It did not seem to affect the boy or himself adversely, on the contrary, but he knew that his research was full of risk, he was treading on dangerous ground, playing with magic quite different from his own.

"Lichan, can't you stay in place? It won't be long now," he said, trying to discipline the child and failing miserably.

"But it tickles," answered the boy, fidgeting.

Tristam was taking measurements to check the size of each symbol and the distance between them; it was arduous work.

"This is important, and you know it."

"Will you teach me?"

"What do you want me to teach you?"

"Magic!"

"This is not for little boys."

"Lies! Take me as your apprentice. Besides, I'm not that small."

"I'll think about it if you stop playing with your willy, you're distracting me."

"Usually, you very much like to be distracted that way."

"True, but give me five more minutes, and I'll take good care of you. You like it when I do that. Don't you?" Tristam's fingers had replaced the boy's, gently rubbing the small and hard tube of flesh.

"I don't really know."

"What do you mean?" said the magus frowning.

"I prefer it when you put your mouth to it."

"You little pest, you never have enough. Five more minutes and I'll be all yours. I'm making progress: I have found patterns, sequences."

"To what use?"

"That's the next step. We will have to experiment."

"More tickling?"

"Maybe."

"That won't displease me," said Lichan seductively, acknowledging a fact the old man had suspected all along.

The boy had changed spectacularly since he had been freed. He had filled up, putting on as many pounds as days of freedom. His pale skin that let you see the veins running under it had darkened with the sun, acquiring a healthy golden tan. He smiled often and had a crystalline laugh that rejoiced all those that could hear it. He was a joy to behold.

He did not want to speak of his past and even less of Melchior, but complied to please the old magus. He considered Tristam his benefactor and perhaps more than that.

The lead that the magus was following came from their deepening relation and its evolution. At first, the boy had served him because it was what he had been taught to do with every new master. The man, himself finding a fascinating subject of study, had seized the opportunity, after his libido had been awakened by the cohabitation with Lucian's mind, to discover what pleasures sex and boys could bring him.

It had been made clear to Lichan that pain was at the heart of the Archon's magic and that the poor boy had served that purpose by being starved, mistreated, raped numerous times, and used as a valueless object. The main goal is to augment the power of the stone Melchior stored in Lichan's bowels. The affection, if not love, he had shown the boy since, and that he thought was reciprocal, had seemed to have a great influence on the sigils and the changes he had noted. Could their magic work both ways? Could love work as well as pain?

He would have to consult his notes and review all the body maps he had taken of the child.

For now, a pause was required. Lichan, seeing the magus put down his quill, scooted down the examination table and slipped his hand under the magus' robes.

"You're quite randy for an old man."

"Your touch is enough to give me back my youthful years. Let's go to the couch – it will be more comfortable for my old bones. You can do miracles, but even those have their limits.

***

They left the outpost as soon as the storm ended.

Alina and Sandor felt an urgency they could not reason with and they followed their instinct. No one discussed it, not even Tael, who knew more than anyone else did, that indeed, when his scam was discovered, and he did not doubt it would, all hell would break loose, and the Alliance would use all its might to find them.

"I think I know where you are taking us," Sandor told the princess, "It should have been obvious from the beginning, given the direction we were heading."

"Where would that be?" she answered with a smile.

"The Chasm of Darkness, of course. No one dares set foot in there."

"True, and for no good reason, just simple superstition."

"So you say; still we all heard stories."

"Hearsay, I tell you. It is a strange place with strange creatures and vegetation but no more dangerous than any other."

"It has never seen the sun."

"Yes, that's the reason why the cliffs that surround it are too high, so it has developed a life of its own different from anything we've seen. At least that's what I have been told. I've never been there."

"How will you find the passage then?"

"There are other means, believe me."

"I certainly hope you're right; it is a cul-de-sac with no way out."

Levit had been listening intently, becoming ever more nervous, and finally spoke up, "Are you sure it's safe? I don't like dark places, and I don't like that name."

"My fearless squire afraid of a name?" mocked the Captain gently. He waited for the boy to be level with him, ruffled his dark curls and squeezed his shoulder. "You escaped death quite a few times recently; it seems nothing can kill you, this place no more than the rest, be assured, I'll be there to watch over you every step of the way, even though you have managed very well by yourself so far, and I have been quite impressed."

The boy cheered up from his lover's words, but it was not quite enough to completely dispel his fears.

"When do you think we'll be there?" he asked.

"If we ride hard and do not stop more than necessary, the day after tomorrow," answered Alina, "I would prefer we did not stop till we are safe in the caves."

"Caves!" exclaimed Levit, "that doesn't sound good at all, either."

"Unlucky boy, you'll have to do with it. Sorry." Sandor shot a glance behind and was satisfied to see that Tael was at the back of the column, Hegron was closer but still obviously out of earshot. It was better that way: they did not need to know all the details.

It was clear to him that their party had grown out of proportion: there were nineteen riders and seventeen horses. Hegron was sharing his mount with Berit; the drak was flying low above them and following, its shadow still casting some anxiety among the boys and men.

Sometime later, as the day was coming to a close, Tael moved up the column.

"Princess, Shall we stop for the night?"

"No, the plan is to ride till we reach our destination."

"And what would that be?"

"You will know when we get there if you don't mind."

"As it pleases you, Highness. In fact, I wanted to propose such a thing. I have a bad feeling; I fear someone is on our trail."

"Is it a feeling or more than that?" asked Alina with a serious face.

"Just a feeling for now, and I can see it is shared. Perhaps I should ride the drak; I could see the land behind us for quite a distance and know if our concerns are valid." For once, he had lost some of his arrogance.

"Do you have other means to know if we are being followed?"

"I have, but there is a risk of catching unwanted attention. Magic goes both ways; what I can uncover can also reveal my presence, considering who may be following our tracks, I would rather use my eyes."

Sandor, always suspicious, and not wanting to take any chances with Tael, made it clear, "You will stay with us and not wander too far away."

"I will. I just plan to get some height and watch for any sign that we are in danger of being found."

"Do it then and use your eyes only. At nightfall, we shall avoid torches and ride under the moon's glow," decided Alina.

"That would be wise. Those that would search for us are powerful."

"Who would that be?" demanded Sandor.

"Members of the high clergy, perhaps Elegir himself, Hegron is that important to them. If you killed him for good, they would have much less reason to search for us."

"How would they know?" questioned Alina, who recalled the wizard's story and the ploy he had used.

"There is no certainty, but it would probably alter the order of things, there would be signs that some of them can read."

"What was the use of faking the boy's death if what you say is true?"

"I see you still do not trust me, Captain, I can understand that. I had to win time for our escape to have a chance to succeed. Those that were at the camp when we left had none of the powers of the High Priest. I made sure of that by killing the only other wizard present. I had to create some confusion; otherwise, we would have been caught. It worked beyond my expectations. Unfortunately, by now, I am certain my actions have been discovered and that they are looking for Hegron with redoubled energy."

Sandor's anger grew as he directed a harsh tone towards Tael, "What you say is not good at all. It means that you're endangering us by your simple presence."

"That is true, but on the other hand, I bring you more knowledge on the Alliance than you could dream of getting."

Alina cut short the heated conversation, "Tael is right, Sandor. We've had that debate already and decided it was worth the risk. Go wizard, and warn us if you notice anything that should worry us."

Tael called the drak to him and gave his horse to Aeri. A moment later, the creature was taking flight and the troop had resumed its journey at a fast pace.

Alina bolted her horse forward to the side of Sandor's and said just over the noise of the galloping horses, "Sandor, we must take measures after what the wizard told us."

"Yes, we will ride by forced march. It will be hard on the boys, but we have no choice. That way, we can reach our destination one day earlier."

"We'll do that."

"I'll have the boys tie themselves to their saddle to avoid any fall; some might find sleep safely that way, we will stop only to rest the horses and eat."

"Agreed, but there is another matter – Hegron."

"What about him?"

"The stakes are too high, tell Astar to watch over him with Safir, a crossbow always ready. They'll have to kill him at once if we are attacked, no warning, no hesitation. We cannot let him be taken back by the Alliance and risk seeing the Archons return. Meeting them was a blessing and incredible chance, but it could bring not only our end but also to mean the destruction of our world, of all we cherish."

"I'll tell them," Sandor answered simply.

***

Security was tight around the boys that had been freed from the Dark Harem, which was quite logical after the attempt on Leto's life and considering that Count Kyllian's sons had joined them when they were supposed to have been executed.

For Tamerlane, who was back after leaving Stalfort, this was a time bomb that would do a lot of harm when it exploded. It was impossible to keep all those boys silent; eventually, the information would leak out and ignite the whole Kingdom.

Leto was a child-killing monster on one side; he was not true to his word and had shown weakness by sparing the count's sons; he was a liar on the other. Which one was the most harmful or more likely to catch the people's attention? He did not know. For his part, he would have put them on a boat and sent it as far away as possible with no possibility of a return, which he considered merciful enough when the alternative would have been to sink the boat in the middle of the ocean.

Everything needed to be done now, to delay the leaks for as long as possible. His orders were strict to avoid any contact with the boys by anyone that could not be fully trusted, and the less they knew, the better. He recognized that the enemy was there, watching, and would gladly use those rumors to undermine Leto's authority. His goal was to make sure no witness or direct account fell into their hands. He considered himself a good man and, after all they had suffered, was sorry for those poor boys, that feeling not extending to the count's sons, but when the fate of the Kingdom and more was at stake, this became irrelevant.

"Lucian, Miniver, I tell you again, be wary, I understand that your intentions are noble, they must not blind you. I very much doubt those boys can forget or forgive all that happened in the Dark Harem or accept that Lord Leto was under the influence of a curse. They might say so, but it's unlikely it will be the truth."

"We're doing our best and I'm not as pessimistic as you are. Do not forget that Leto raped and flogged me most viciously and I did forgive him," answered Lucian.

"Really, you did?" replied Tamerlane.

"I did, I was witness to his change, and I hold no grudge."

"Those boys did not have the same experience; they are not friends with the Prince or are aware of the whole story, as you are. It is quite different for them."

"You are certainly right. Still, I've tried to explain – prove – that he wasn't himself. I'll keep at it; I'm sure I've had some success. We'll see how it goes from there," said Lucian.

"Good luck then. I do hope you're successful. You will have to give me the names of those that don't listen, though; this is part of your task too."

"I know that, even if I don't like it. This is no game and we must win the war. Come on, Miniver; let's go see how they are today."

They reached the enclosure where the boys were gathered, and which was a little apart from the main camp, surrounded by soldiers of the purple guard. This still looked very much like a prison, and it was not helping to build trust.

Lucian was by now familiar by name with many of them. Some he felt sympathy for, some stayed away from him, fearful, defiant or hostile.

"Hobb, how are you today," he called to the boy who had lost his twin and tried to kill Leto.

"Not too bad, considering." He was with Raziz, the eight-year-old survivor whose twin had been hanged by Leto; with Hobb's brother, they were now inseparable. Close by were Atlan and Betan, and also Ebert and Effiet. All had been chained and brought together to the Dark Harem. This had created strong ties between them, with the terrible events that followed, deepening their bond even more.

Strangely, Hobb had become Lucian's best ally in trying to persuade the boys of Leto's possession by the Beast and his will to right all the wrongs done to them as best as possible. Hobb's wounding of William instead of Leto had made him feel guilty and convinced him, that you did not have control of everything, sometimes your actions brought unwanted results. Losing his brother had been a terrible blow, their life had been a hard one, but they had always stayed together, side by side, helping and supporting each other in adversity. His anger had subsided and he now had taken little Raziz under his wing and become some kind of a leader among the survivors.

"How are the boys this morning? Any complaints?"

"The usual, it is not because we do not bear chains anymore that we are not still prisoners."

"I quite understand that and I'm doing my best to find a way to end it. It will take some time, I fear."

"Many of the boys think they are being deceived, played with, that it is all one more cruel game, that the Beast will come for them one day, that nothing changed."

"Your fate could have been much worse with a different Lord. Many of his counselors wanted you all to disappear for good, as I explained to you already. The war has not even really started and they think we should take no chances. We must not be weakened in any way."

"I understand that, but many here are younger than me and haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about; war, magic, politics are far beyond their grasp. All they want is to get as far away from Leto as they can, and for those who have a family to be reunited with their parents."

"So, having them serve as pages or squires in the army is not a good idea?" suggested Miniver

"For some, it may be. For those that have survived weeks or maybe months exposed to the Beast's savagery, it is out of the question. Send them home; they've earned that at least."

"I'll talk with William and see what can be done; he'll be our best advocate in that matter."

Miniver nodded in support of the idea, and spoke up, "I agree with Hobb, if I had been submitted to such treatments, I could not bear to stay close to Leto and be reminded of that nightmare every day. Why not send them away to a secluded place where they would be safe, unable to talk or be used as pawns by anyone."

Lucian was very receptive, "That's a possibility and certainly better than this. I just thought of something else, why not ask Tristam to do with you all what he did with the count's sons."

"What do you mean? Who is Tristam?" replied Hobb without enthusiasm.

"Do not worry; it is nothing bad. Tristam is the king's magus, if you let him, he can read your mind. He could tell us, much better than any of us, who we can trust, and what is best to do with them."

"Do you think he would do that? I heard he was quite busy with his research," said Miniver, "still, I like the idea."

Lucian was determined. He felt sorry for those boys, voicing, "I'll tell William, I might even be able to go see the magus myself. Come to think of it that could be better; he can't refuse me anything; we've been very close for a time now."

Hobb, being remorseful, asked, "How is the Prince? I am so sorry for what I've done."

"He's fine. I'll ask him to come over himself so that you can see for yourself."

Hobb had some difficulty believing that he had recovered so fast, he had felt the knife go deep between the breastplates.

"I'd be honored." The boy was smart and spoke surprisingly well for a whorehouse brat.

"He'll be glad to meet you. By the way, tell me, if we succeed and you are free to do as you wish, What would you like to do?"

With determination, Hobb answered, "For myself, if Leto is true to his word, as you say, I would join you to serve in the army. The Beast took my brother and so many others. I want to fight this evil and those that support it."

"And what about you?" asked Lucian, addressing the two pairs of twins that had listened in silence so far.

Little Raziz was the first to speak, taking the hand of the bigger boy.

"I'll stay with Hobb; he is my new brother. I don't want to go anywhere else."

Hobb smiled, his arm tightening its grip around the boy's small shoulders protectively.

"Can't get him to leave my side most of the time, which can be embarrassing," he added, looking at Atlan and Betan, whose cheeks were reddening.

"We will do as Hobb says," Atlan answered for the two pretty younger twins, as was his habit. It was clear there was more than friendship among those three, "We also want to stay with him."

Ebert was the first to speak for the last pair.

"Sorry to say, but all we dream of is to be reunited with our parents, our brothers and sisters, we miss them dearly as they certainly also miss and worry for the two of us. We had a good life in Soonlure," he added with regret in his voice.

Lucian paused and looked at the boys now gathered around, he could see a spark of hope in their eyes, an eagerness to put the past horrors behind them, yet he did not want to give them false hopes. Responding to Ebert, "I quite understand your wish, but I doubt it will be possible before this war is over."

"Then we will fight beside you and do our best to shorten it."

"Well spoken, boys." Tamerlane had been listening to their conversation, attentively from a distance.

"You were spying on us!" Lucian exclaimed. He knew the man was one of the least likely to hear the boys' plea and the most determined to refuse any improvement to their status.

"Yes, and I learned a lot. It will surprise you, this is contrary to what I thought so far, but I will agree with all the propositions you made, they are reasonable and wise, and I'll even go with you to see the magus."

"Really … this isn't a joke," stated Lucian, incredulous.

"No, I'm quite serious. Those approved by Tristam will serve with you, and the others will be sent away to mend until it is safe to free them. You all convinced me. We will fix the details at dinner and ask Leto for his approval. Do not talk of it to the others until it is settled though."

"Certainly, sir," said Hobb, taking the lead once again.

"The army is breaking camp and we will be on the move in less than thirty minutes."

"We'll be ready," answered Lucian and Miniver as one.

"One more boring day riding in a wagon for us," said Hobb.

"I heard you'd found ways to be entertained," said Miniver looking at Atlan and Betan.

"It's not only with them, at least he's not tried it with Raziz," said Ebert.

"There's nothing much to do in those wagons to pass the time," appealed Hobb.

"You aren't bothered by the promiscuity?" wondered Lucian.

"Not that much. I come from a bordello, the others, they've seen it all, and I'm not the only one who's horny, isn't it so Ebert?"

"There's no comparison. For you, it's all the time," answered the boy, blushing.

"Well, I'm alive, what better way is there to celebrate that?"

"Do you think I could ride with you in one of those wagons? I would be curious to see how you go about it," teased Lucian.

"Is that a proposition?" asked Hobb.

"Be careful, Lucian, he never misses an occasion to score," insisted Ebert.

"I know how to defend myself, or not," answered Lucian with an ambiguous smile, "We'll see. For now, I must go to the Prince. I'll visit you again later and perhaps ride with you some…"

***

Olgred was hungry and horny after the night's sustained ride.

"Crit, Soren, to me," he called to his familiars.

The two boys, despite their tiredness, were dependent on the vampire's kiss and came at once with a large and thick fur mat. Olgred settled comfortably against a tree trunk, taking his near-naked playthings with him, his hands coursing over their satiny skin, his lips lingering in their necks ready to bite but taking his time. He wanted to make them beg for it. He knew they were in a withdrawal state and dependent on his goodwill to get their daily dose of Sumok, the fluid they were addicted to and procured them intense pleasure.

He could sense the blood running under the skin, the veins and pulsing arteries, the nectar he desired more than anything else within his grasp. He had asked Roagg to give them a double helping of boy meat and to spice it up to compensate for the lack of blood bags at their disposal. It had worked but it was not quite perfect: their blood had thinned and lost part of its richness and taste. This, he noted, much more for Soren than Crit. He could feel it without having to pierce the skin, the difference even more pronounced than in the previous days.

They were getting closer to the Vale, with only a few days left before they reached their destination. He would deliver Leto's children and receive a substantial reward. Teo was one thing he hoped he could ask for besides everything else – he craved the child's blood and flesh. It had been some time since he had trained a new familiar, he always relished the experience; that boy had a special quality, an innocence he would delight in perverting.

He would have loved to be able to work on him during this journey, but contrary to what he had told his big brother Ladisk, he had been ordered to bring back the two boys, at all cost, and untouched. He was not going to take chances with the High Priest or even with any of the lesser ones.

The lack of blood bags and the diet it imposed on his men and familiars were annoying to the point he considered attacking an isolated farm or hamlet to replenish their reserves. Since they were so close to their goal, he wondered whether the risk was becoming acceptable. It would certainly cheer up everybody…

He pushed Soren away, who definitely was not up to his liking this morning.

"Go see Roagg and eat some more meat; you are displeasing me, beware! You may get your fix after that if you're replenished enough. Hurry and come back with Teo when you're done."

Olgred could not touch the child, but disappointed by Soren, he had just devised a game he might play with him. Thinking of it, he sank his teeth in Crit's neck and immediately felt the desired rush of blood in his mouth, sipping and savoring each mouthful with delight. He hated to be limited in his enjoyment and could understand the frustration of his men, who had only a few boys left to share. The effect of the Sumok was instantaneous; Crit was purring in his arms, his not-so-little hard-on poking up and demanding some attention. Olgred did not care; the familiars were there only for his own satisfaction. He set free his erect member and penetrated the boy in one go, each powerful thrust that followed accompanied by a sampling of blood. Crit was well used to his master's needs and rendered oblivious of anything else by the drug that brought him so much pleasure, oblivious of the loss of blood.

Soren, strangely, did not regret being sent away, he was surprised he did not miss his daily dose of Sumok that much. He knew he had always been less susceptible than Crit to its effect; still, he had never been deprived of it. He had no intention of taking a single bite of the boy meat but dutifully went to Roagg to ask for it – you did not disobey Olgred. The cook pulled out a plate and cut him a good portion adding seasoning.

"You'll taste wonderful with that piece, and you'll get more later when I have roasted the new one." One boy or blood bag as they were called had died during the night ride. The vampire had hanged him by his feet and was about to butcher him."

"Certainly, sir."

"I'm no sir; I'm the cook. Come closer, boy."

Soren obeyed; it was not the first time he was asked to do so by lesser vampires who wanted to get a feel of what a familiar could be worth.

"Such a beautiful creature, such a wonderful smell of nectar, a delicacy, how much I would give to have one like you," Roagg recited not for the first time as one of his hands caressed the boy's flank and one finger followed the veins at the child's wrist. He bent over, bringing forward his nose, the tip of his tongue touching the boy's neck where the carotid was close to the skin and frowned, disappointed, "What's wrong? You lack the usual aroma. I understand why Olgred is sending you over. Let me add some more." He poured more spices on the meat. "Now you can go? I have work to do and eat it all even if the taste is strong; otherwise, Olgred may be quite dissatisfied."

Soren left him as the knife started cutting the hanging boy, Roagg, licking at the gashes seeking whatever blood was left.

Once alone, Soren stopped, looking around to be certain no one was watching. He scraped some of the seasonings from the meat to put it in his mouth. It should be enough to spice up his blood and please Olgred, to thicken his blood he had taken the habit to bleed a horse, being careful not to be found or leave any trace. Then dug a hole in the ground to bury the contents of the plate, making sure, as best he could, that it was deep enough, Vampires had a well-developed sense of smell.

The familiar was thinking of escape, which was preposterous, impossible, and inconceivable. Still, the idea lingered. It should not have, it was unheard of, no familiar had ever escaped; they were meant only to serve their master until they were replaced, and Crit, who was older, was logically to go first.

Those ideas all came from Ladisk, who he should never have listened to. Well, if he was honest, it had started earlier when they entered the Vale. Before that, he was quite happy with his fate, with his daily dose of Sumok and his much higher status than the common 'blood bags' serving a powerful master. It was as it was meant to be, and there was no question to ask.

Then the invasion came with its senseless killings and abundance of blood, ad nauseam, somehow it had an adverse effect on the Sumok, which slowly lost some of its influence. His thoughts had cleared up, and he discovered he could have ideas of his own. It was not a complete makeover, though, and he somehow missed the state of bliss given by the Sumok. He could not decide what was best, but it had given him new perspectives. Then he met Ladisk, who skillfully showed him that his life expectancy was short and that he could be replaced soon. Was it luck that sent that boy on his way? Or doom? What he knew was that Olgred would shortly see the changes that had occurred in him and that he could no longer fake his growing disgust of the vampire lord and for this horrid life.

In the end, Crit might not be the first to go. They were promised a life after they had done their time, but he never met someone that could tell of it. All he had heard spoken of was a different and definitive end to this miserable life. Now that he could think by himself more clearly, he saw the truth in Ladisk's words. That raised many questions, and he had none of the answers. Could he survive without the Sumok or simply bear the pain the lack of it could bring. He remembered the terrible feeling it had brought during his training, and to a lesser extent, the few times when Olgred had deprived him of his daily dose for fun, was it to recall him of his dependence? Or to punish him? If he overcame that first trial, what were his chances to escape? What would he do, where could he go in this foreign country? He would be considered an enemy."

The two prisoners were half asleep. When he shook Teo's shoulder, Ladisk had to make some effort to shake up the fatigue he felt after so many nights spent riding, but he was not about to stop watching over his little brother or let go of any occasion to plead for his cause. Soren was probably their last chance at freedom.

"What do you want with my brother? Did you come to a decision? Will you help us?" he whispered. The vampire on guard was watching but far enough not to overhear what was being said.

"Olgred wants to see him, and no, I've not decided yet."

"What for, what does he want from him?"

"I don't really know."

"Nothing good certainly," said Ladisk; he hated being so helpless.

"You think he could hurt me? We've done nothing bad. I don't like the way he looks at me or touches me," said Teo, quite concerned by Olgred's persistent attraction to him."

"I worry about that too, but I think there's nothing he can do," answered Ladisk. "We're too valuable, not like you, Soren. He spoke of having a new familiar; I think he wants Teo to become one; he spoke of it several times as a warning. Probably he would replace you or Crit."

"I know all that; you told me numerous times. Even if I helped you escape, What would become of me? What would be my place in your world? That is if we were successful and I survived the lack of Sumok."

"I told you, my father is a powerful lord, perhaps the most powerful in the Kingdom, he would welcome you, find a cure … make you rich. But the most important thing, you would be free."

"So you say. Come, Teo, we must not let Olgred wait anymore."

"I'll come too," said Ladisk.

"No, he asked for Teo alone. Don't make him mad."

"Very well, I'll listen to you, and I hope you'll do the same." Ladisk was in no position to make any demand. He did not believe his luck that Soren even had accepted to listen to him. To have him changing camp would be a feat. Time was running out. The guard had stood up, ready to intervene. Ladisk sat back frustrated and angry.

"Go Teo; remember there is nothing he can do to you." At least I do hope so.

A moment later, Soren and Teo could watch the vampire coupling with his familiar.

"Ah, here you are!" exclaimed Olgred as he saw the two boys, "At last, I was getting bored." He was naked and unceremoniously pulled out of Crit, pushing him aside, his glistening shaft obviously ready for more. "Undress him," he ordered curtly.

"Are you sure?" dared ask Soren.

"Quite sure, yes. I want him to partake of our enjoyment, but you're right, it will be much nicer if I do it myself. Come forward, Teo."

The boy had seen enough to know that he would dislike what Olgred had in mind and stepped back. Crit was upon him in three strides and helped by Soren, who had no choice, brought him to the vampire lord who held him in his arms with an unnatural force.

"Let me go, let me go," pleaded the struggling boy.

"There are so many things I would like to do with you. This is not one of them. Perhaps it is because there are limitations that I am so caught up with you, boy. Fidget all you want, you'll go nowhere, and I rather like it, it is a nice change from my obedient familiars and our other captives, the few that are left are too feeble and terrified to put up much of a fight."

Olgred was enjoying himself enormously as he undressed the child one item at a time, as Teo struggled to free himself, the boy's desperate and useless moves, the rubbing of his naked skin, his meaningless pleading enhancing his pleasure. The familiars were standing back, watching, Crit smiling, Soren more reserved and wondering what was to come next.

Soon, Teo knew his efforts were futile and stopped fighting, limp and fully exposed, at the vampire's mercy, awaiting Olgred's good pleasure.

"Clever boy, you realized it was all in vain. Perfect, now we can have some good time together." Olgred sat Teo in his lap; his still engorged member snugly settled in the boy's crack and started licking his neck. "I can feel it, that luscious blood of yours, rich and tasty, even without any of our diet of spices. Perhaps I should ask Roagg to change your diet. This would be quite harmless, but it would make you even more attractive, could I resist the temptation? You would make a great familiar. Would you like that?"

The question did not call for an answer.

"I hate you," said the child nonetheless, trying to express with these simple words all the resentment that had been stored these last days.

"It will not last, isn't it so, Soren, Crit, don't you love your master?"

"I do," said Crit.

"Yes, Master," said Soren.

"You see, child." Olgred was grazing the boy's delicate skin with his teeth, the desire to pierce it and taste his nectar for real getting stronger. He was playing with fire and knew it. "Soren, come over."

The familiar stepped forward, ready to obey as Olgred lay Teo on the ground over the fur.

"What, should I do, Master?"

Without a word, the vampire pulled him down to cover the child's body. He felt his master's rod pushing in, and he was filled at once, his need for Sumok flaring up at once.

Olgred took his wrist simply to open the vein there with the simple passage of a sharp canine, letting the blood flow onto Teo's neck and face, and while steadily pounding his familiar's ass, he lapped at the hot blood.

"You see, Teo, I'm not touching you and not consuming your blood, but getting as close to it as I can and Soren's nectar becomes so much better that way."

The familiar, head turned to the side, exposed his neck, waiting for the vampire's bite and his fix, but it was not coming, Olgred still letting the blood flow from the wound in his wrist. He was only interested in Teo, whose face and upper body was now smeared in red.

The child was silent, crushed under the two bodies above. As a defense, he had sent his mind away, back to Ramatel, his mother and the happy times spent there; Ladisk had told him how to do it. Time would pass and it would be over. Their father, who he barely remembered, would come for them and save them, his figure imposing and all-powerful in the child's imagination.

The vampire was ramming his member with frenzy up Soren's sheath, wanting to vent his frustration. The prize he coveted was unfortunately out of bounds, for now.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Elegir was reciting spells, with the cadavers of two children by his feet and five small Valean captives cowering close by, watched by the Wreckers. His dark magic required a lot of energy.

Having reached the outpost this morning where Hegron and Tael had stayed earlier, it appeared more and more that the young wizard Tael was gifted, and he had found many ways to lead them astray.

Salgar was watching the High Priest, hoping that, at last, he would be told that they were close to success. All indications showed that Tael was alone in this endeavor and that they would soon find Hegron, and he would soon be able to focus again on the coming invasion of Alsoon. This was not his place: he was a general; his role was to lead armies and to win battles, not to hunt fugitives. He felt ill at ease with Elegir and his dark magic, so, the further from the High Priest he was, the better.

Only a few of his men were with him; vampires were not welcome for this hunt. So why did Elegir insist on his presence? He had the Wreckers, and those were more than enough to succeed.

The High Priest was coming out of his trance.

"What have you seen?" asked Salgar, "When do you think we can catch up with them?"

"This might be more complicated than we thought," answered the man while signaling the Wreckers to bring him one of the captives.

"What do you mean? This wizard can't be that talented to mislead you again?"

Elegir grabbed the child with surprising force and raised him, bringing his lips to his victim's mouth. A few seconds later, he discarded the desiccated body to join the other two.

"Magic can be demanding. I needed that. I'll consume one or two of those left, later, this time for my pleasure."

"We certainly brought enough; you can have as many as you want." Salgar wanted to get back to the matter at hand.

"Princess Alina was there, with knights. I would say no more than one or two days ago," said Elegir in a subdued way.

"What? The kingdom's heir? How can that be? That's impossible!" exploded Salgar.

"I would agree with you, but this cannot be faked. This Tael is good, but not that good."

"This is a conspiracy then, Tael can't be alone in this."

"I'm as baffled as you are; it cannot be a coincidence. There are things we must have missed. The Valeans may have more stamina and resources than we thought."

"We surprised them, we've won all the battles, slaughtered them by the thousands, how can it be? How could they know of our plans? When did they learn of the importance of Hegron, the Essence? We've been betrayed. I see no other explanation. How, and to what end? Who could be involved? I don't want to think of the consequences."

"I hear you, Salgar, but I do not have the answers yet."

"We will have them as soon as we catch them," the vampire General stopped in mid-sentence," wait a minute, What if it's a trap? The princess could be waiting for us with large forces; they could plan to capture you, kill you and most of our wizards still with powers."

"All this is absurd, it reshuffles the cards, questions all of our certitudes. There must be another explanation. We need Hegron back; that is our first priority. Call for more troops and send scouts ahead to avoid any surprises. We're getting closer; they went south to the mountains; there's nothing there, so we will be cautious and take our time."

For the first time, Salgar saw the High Priest in doubt; he hurried to give his orders."

***

Their lovemaking was considerate, playful, and amiable even when it became passionate. The old man and the very young boy's goal was the same, to give and take, pleasure went both ways in equal measure. Was this love? It may have been and the consequences were spectacular.

Tristam's tongue felt the child's cocklet spasm for the fifth time. The boy never tired of it, it seemed. He envied the ability of youth to orgasm several times in a row, as demonstrated here. Of course, they were dry cums, but the squeals he heard illustrated their intensity. For his part, he was careful not to let the boy, out of enthusiasm and with great talent, spill his seed too early. There could not be a second emission before quite some time. He could have used magic, but he refused; it would be like cheating and take away the authenticity of the act.

"Haven't you had enough already?"

"One more time, please, then it will be your turn." Lichan loved to be sucked; he could have kept at it the whole day.

"Very well, but my mouth is getting tired."

"My hole will be all yours after that."

"For as long as I can last, you mean," commented Tristam, between mouthfuls.

"If you want, I can stop licking yours; I don't mind."

"What change will it make?"

"Delay your orgasm. I don't know; we can try."

"Next time, I propose we start with a good fucking."

"We did that already, but afterward, you're too tired to be of much use," said the boy with a smile.

"Don't mock an old man, rascal; I'm doing my best right now."

"Very well, do it with your finger too. Just one more time, go slow, then I'll be all yours."

Tristam pushed his lubed finger inside the tight orifice. Right away, he found the little nub that brought such pleasure to the boy, pleasure that he would soon experience again by way of the Magus' hard tool.

In fact, the old man had no real preference and would be satisfied whatever way he got his release. It was all a game, a wonderful game – a serious one too.

Thanks to it, quite a few discoveries had been made. The sigils that adorned the boy's body had a life of their own. Some had completely disappeared while others had grown and multiplied. Tristam had thought that the Archon magic was the result of pain and suffering, and it was true, but he had discovered that love and pleasure could become just as potent.

He believed the child was benefiting from the sigils magic powered by the love they shared: it infused the boy with positive energy, it had an effect on his appearance, health, and spirit, and there was more. He had told the Magus that Melchior stored the Archon stone in his anus, probably to absorb the energy produced by the sigils, the result of the pain, hunger, and misery suffered by the child all day long. Tristam was no Archon stone, but each coupling with Lichan brought him renewed strength, and this enhanced his own magic – which bode well for the future – the final fight with the Beast was drawing to a close, and he now needed to decide how these finds could be safely used.

"Why did you stop? I was almost there."

"Sorry Lichan, I was lost in my thoughts for a moment."

"Come on, let's be done with it, my bum itches to see you come for a visit."

"I promise you; I'll make it last as long as possible this time."

"I must say, it's been working much better lately. I think it's thanks to me. I have a good influence on you."

"You certainly have, Lichan, I'm sure of it," replied Tristam with a smile, as he redoubled his efforts to take the child over the edge: feeling the boy spasm one more time, he slowly removed his finger and announced, "My turn now."

They shifted around and ended face to face, Lichan with his legs raised, offering himself.

"I'm all yours, Magus."

"Yes, you're all mine. You don't know how lucky I feel to be with you. You are a true blessing."

His hard as stone member was already inside and forging ahead; it was painless and exhilarating. They kissed and held each other. They felt as one and stayed joined even after Tristam had spent his seed, quite sometime later…

***

Leto was restless, and he left the bed where the three boys were sleeping. Their bouts of sex lasted a long time, always a loving, soothing, and fulfilling experience: this night like the others. Unfortunately, it was not always enough to dispel the infamous recollections of the past years.

He threw a last look back at the naked boys, all blonds he suddenly realized with a smile. Etos, who had joined Focker and William, surprised him with his eagerness and forgiveness. He had almost killed the boy under the Beast's influence, not so long ago.

Etos was a beautiful child with a delicate look of innocence. He was well versed and generous in the art of sex, lacking only some practice compared to Focker, and of course, he could not compare with William, with whom Leto was bonded for life by magic and true love. There was no trace left of the past aggression, the nose had not been broken, the bruises had gone, and his love canal had been restored and been used more adequately since he had become his page. Being given the position of favorite, which he had sought with all his heart since he had entered the Elysium, had driven out any resentment he could have felt. He had also been easily convinced that the Beast was to blame when confronted with Leto's true self these last days.

The light was subdued, originating from a lighted chandelier six feet away. Leto was looking at himself in the large mirror that stood away from prying eyes, in front of which he dressed every morning, aided by his pages.

The next full moon was in a few days – and the Beast was still there, he could feel it, a shadow lurking in his mind, in his thoughts, and since the previous day, there was more.

He was naked, with one hand spread out and reflected in the mirror, its fingers changed into claws. He brought forward the second one and it changed too. This was not the Beast's will but his own. He was in control, or so it seemed. Would he dare go further? What would happen then?

First, he turned them back into human hands and repeated the process several times. Then he went ahead, fascinated, he was getting taller, thicker, stronger, fur sprouting everywhere on his skin. He was afraid, terrified, but could not stop experimenting. He willed the transformation to stop, and it did, he inverted the process regaining his human form.

Finally, he went all the way. It was strangely painless, his bones and muscles elongated, his skin stretched and hardened, his eyes became alien, his sight transfigured. The Beast stood in the mirror in all its glory and horror.

He smelled the boy getting closer; he heard his soft footsteps on the thick carpets, should he hide?

He went into the shadows and watched the tapestry pushed aside as Etos entered. He was careful that his reflection could not be seen in the mirror.

"My Lord, Are you there?" questioned the boy in a whisper, looking around.

Leto was now right behind him. In this form, with a single strike of his clawed paw he could have cut the child in two, by opening his maw he could have engulfed his head and crushed it, savoring the squishy brains and the jets of blood from his ruptured jugulars, but he did none of that, to Leto's surprise and relief.

"Do not fear, Etos, it is me, Leto." The man, the Beast, had retracted his claws and placed his paw over the child's mouth to silence him. Then, in the same swift movement, he used his other massively muscled arm to encircle Etos' chest, pulling the child against his monstrous frame. Engulfed by the fur and met with the mass of solid flesh, Etos found his neck level with the Beast's ridged and impressive member.

"WWWhat?" mumbled the alarmed boy.

"Quiet, I don't want to awake William or Focker, not yet. I shall not harm you." To reassure the child, he took his paw away from his mouth.

"But what, who are you?" Etos was slowly turning around to discover the creature that stood behind him.

"I am Leto and I am the Beast," he stated simply.

"You will kill me, you will eat me?" said Etos, terrified, tears in his eyes and taking a step back.

"No, I shall not. Do not fear; I am as surprised as can be. I am in control. I have taken the appearance of the Beast, but none of its cravings. This is quite inconceivable but true." He knelt in front of the child to be less menacing and show his good intentions.

"You can change at will?" asked Etos, who was gaining back assurance now that his fate seemed not so dire.

"I don't know; it just happened."

"But you could?"

"I could," and he did, adopting his human form again.

Etos was grimacing at the sight of the transformation that lasted a few minutes.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, getting more confident.

"No, feels just like stretching your muscles."

"Show me the Beast again." The boy was gaining assurance while the man realized how dangerous it was. The Beast could lash out at any time and no magic would save Etos.

"This is no game."

"You said it doesn't hurt. I want to have a good look at it."

The temptation was too great and there was that feeling of unlimited power that went with the transformation and the presence of the Beast. The process started again, his mind sending warnings at every step that he chose to ignore.

Etos was fascinated and oblivious of any danger, coming closer, to touch and caress the fur, one finger following the length of a claw, his eyes focusing finally on the shaft that looked more like a weapon than an organ made for love.

"We should call Tristam and ask him what is happening," said Leto, finding back some reason, "Go fetch him."

The boy's eyes were transfixed, "Wait," he whispered. Fascinated by the Beast's monstrous sex, he extended his hand to touch it. He had always been a determined boy, often too eager, trying too hard to please his Lord and to secure the position of favorite.

"No, you should not do that."

"Why, it is beautiful in a way, this Beast is the most extraordinary creature I have ever seen." Etos was now caressing, stoking, and awakening the quiescent member, which twitched and was now thickening and rising.

"No, this is all wrong, it's only purpose is to main and kill, you have not seen what it can do."

But the boy was not listening, now kissing, scratching, stimulating its hard cartilaginous ridges and the man was taken up by an intense pleasure that forbid him to step back. The blood surged forward and the formidable tool of deadly rapture rose with majesty, its length and girth impressive.

"Wow!" exclaimed Etos, pausing in his ministrations to contemplate his creation.

Leto was too far gone to let him abandon his task, one paw seizing the blond head, gently but insistently to bring him back to his demanding and leaking pole.

The child's two hands and adept mouth were barely able to handle it.

Leto, as far as he could judge, was still in control, he felt the desire to fully possess the boy and penetrate him. He knew the consequence of such an act. He compelled himself successfully to enjoy what was offered to him and nothing more, while recalling the ripped flesh, the cries of pain, the flows of blood. Nothing stopped his coming ecstasy. The organ pulsed and exploded several times.

Etos, satisfied and excited, watched the jets of beastly cum travel a great distance, some hitting the mirror.

Leto recovered after a moment, still stunned after what had taken place.

"This was utter folly, Etos, but what a feeling, incredible, I almost killed you in my human form and here you've serviced me under the Beast guise and nothing happened."

"Nothing, Really?" replied the boy with some humor.

"You have no idea what that thing can do to a child such as you. How many times it has maimed and killed boys, bringing terrible bliss to the creature I still harbor."

"I don't really know about that but I can easily imagine another image. Think of it, the Beast in shining armor on the battlefield, what a sight it would be, what terror it would bring to our enemies." Etos' eyes were wide open: you could easily guess what scenes of glory his mind was creating for him.

"Boy, come back to earth and go fetch Tristam this moment, we need his advice. None of this makes sense. I'll wake up William." As he talked, he was reverting to his human form.

"I don't know if I don't prefer you as the Beast," said Etos dreamily, before putting on a tunic and slipping out of the room.

***

One had to say that the Chasm of Darkness was rather ominous even for battle-wearied men. Long before you reached it, there was something in the air, the whole environment changed, becoming strange and alien.

"We're getting close," said Sandor, his tone of voice betraying his concern. Silence had fallen over the column of riders. The usual chatter coming from so many young boys gathered together had trickled down and then stopped altogether.

Only Alina was her usual self, urging everyone forward.

As the mountains were closing around them, the light was dimming; a grayness was descending upon them.

"Did you ever come this way?" asked Sandor.

"No, this will be the first time."

"How will you find the caves then?"

"I'm not going to spoil the surprise." Alina was enjoying being the only one not taken by the group's unease, and as they rode on, she added, "We will shortly need to light the torches."

Ahead of them, the darkness prevailed, Levit brought his horse as close to Sandor's as he dared, looking around with dread.

Alina told him, "Do not fear, boy, nothing bad will happen to you … as long as you are with me, that is."

Sandor interpreted her words as irrelevant teasing and replied, "It would be better if you tried to lighten the atmosphere rather than scare us with your innuendos."

"Sorry, you're right, Sandor, but truly there is nothing to fear. This is only a dark and strange place. All you should think about is that it will be our gateway to Alsoon and take us away from danger."

This time, her words had a beneficial effect, but some anxiety lingered.

"With so many people with us, don't you worry. Your secret, sooner or later, will be revealed?" asked Astar, "Perhaps we should do something about it."

"The Chasm of Darkness is a big place, and anyway, no one but me can find the entrance to the caves."

"And you won't tell us how?" asked Sandor.

"Not with words," she answered, smiling.

"I was thinking of Tael and Hegron, mostly Tael, he wields magic," insisted Astar.

"Look!" exclaimed Levit before Alina had time to answer.

Twisted trees surrounded them and plants never seen anywhere else, some of them started to glow as they passed.

"What is that?" questioned Sandor.

Suddenly, creatures appeared all around them, their eyes were of unusual shapes, watching the riders with interest, they were small and reptilian with multicolored scales; there were many of them.

"Are they dangerous?" Levit had one hand on the pommel of his sword: he had not forgotten their encounter with the razors not so long ago.

"No, they should not be, but we are entering a world rarely visited. It is time to light the torches," ordered the princess.

"How far to the caves? Do you know?" asked Sandor.

"Perhaps an hour, it seems we've made it."

"I'll say that when we're safe inside. Lead the way."

As one could guess, magic had a large part to play. Princess Alina had no map or instructions to follow. She simply knew how to get there; the instructions had been stored in her brain long ago like with any potential heir to the kingdom. She showed no hesitation as she moved to the head of the column.

The Chasm was not as dark as a moonless night: it was more like going through heavy smoke, with some light refracted by the mountainsides. As they progressed, they met with more of the strange vegetation and fauna that inhabited this peculiar land. They mostly had just glimpses of it. Some were repulsive, like that heap of giant worms slithering on the ground, which they gave a wide berth. Others beautiful and multicolored which was unexpected in such an environment, some birds notably. They also met with quite a few plants or animals that produced a diaphanous light at their passage.

There was no road, trail or any indication that could serve Alina to guide them, still, she was riding at a fast pace and they spurred their horses behind her in a tight group. No one wanted to get lost and left alone in this place.

They could feel the steep mountainside that encased them getting closer, Sandor wondering if the promised caves and passage was a reality until he could discern a small breach just ahead, like an axe blow in the rocky wall that faced them. It was narrow, no more than ten feet wide, at the most. Alina, slowed down to warn them.

"From now on, be sure to keep in sight the rider in front of you, this is like a labyrinth, if you get lost you'll never find an exit. We'll go at a slower pace."

"What about the drak?" asked Tael?

"I'm afraid it's too narrow to fly in there. We will leave it behind us."

The wizard seemed upset by this answer but knew he had no choice; he had to send it away.

Alina stirred her mount forward, they were on the move, and this time without the torches, the darkness would have been complete. At a trot, they followed the princess who at each junction went sometimes right sometimes left, sometimes straight-ahead and it happened many times.

It was only rock all around that pressed on them, the passage occasionally narrowing, a leg or arm grazing the side. It was suffocating for some of them, but they had no choice but to follow and wish for this journey to end.

Their meandering in the labyrinth lasted for a long time, close to an hour, Sandor would have said, but time was difficult to estimate in such conditions.

Alina halted her horse as the sound of running water could be heard ahead; she turned around and told Sandor.

"Tell them to follow the light in the water. They must not deviate from it."

"The light in the water?"

"Yes, the path that will take us to the other side."

Sandor passed the word, not really sure of its meaning. It was revealed only a moment later.

A wide, deep, and fast river was blocking their way. It cut through the mountains, the diffused light was back and you could guess the existence of similar openings in the opposing wall beyond the expanse of water that went straight up to the unseen sky, at least seventy feet away. There was more space around and Sandor was able to move forward beside the princess.

"How do we cross?" he asked, taken aback by the spectacular vista and looking for a bridge or something similar.

"We follow the light," repeated Alina getting off her horse and placing one foot on the frothing water.

Instantly, a lighted path appeared zigzagging to the other bank and she was walking on it, pulling her mount by the reins behind her.

"I'll ask you to care for Losfend and help him across. Would you believe it, he's taken a liking to you despite your rebuffs. Tell them to watch out for the wind; the current is not a problem as you'll see."

After a moment of amazement, Sandor signaled Levit to follow in her steps.

"Do not fear. You just have to mimic everything she does, watch out for the gusts of wind and stay safely on the path." He caressed his soft cheek and gave the boy a gentle pat on the back to embolden him. The child's last experience at crossing rivers had not been a good one.

Levit, with some trepidation, clenched his teeth and set one foot on the water with caution, taking some time to check that, beyond logic, it did not sink, then he brought his other foot forward and started walking slowly with a fair amount of apprehension.

Sandor watched him, attentively making sure he was doing fine; he held back Losfend before sending Kervan on the same route and kept repeating the same counsels to each member of their troop. There was no incident until he, himself, took the path of light with the little boy clinging to him. He was walking on water – the feeling was unsettling, a mix of fear and wonder. As Alina said, the only difficulty was with the cold wind that swept through the corridor of stone and water; on the other hand, you did not feel the current as you stepped forward.

"You are doing fine Losfend el; we are almost there," he said to the trembling boy beside him.

He had had few contacts with him since they had crossed another river a short while ago and recalled the strange arousing feelings the boy had induced then. His lowered gaze, again lost in the child's deep blue eyes, his arm holding him tight, his hand digging into his soft flesh. The stirring in his loins was back. Fortunately, there were only a few steps left to reach the other side.

Once on the other bank, he hurried to let go of Losfend and his mischievous little smile and their journey resumed. All of them were exhausted after almost two days of sustained riding with little rest. The same kind of labyrinth was waiting for them on the other bank of the river, and they had no other choice but to blindly follow Alina's lead.

Sandor was at the end of the column, the last to see the entrance to the caves that would bring them to Alsoon. It was nothing spectacular after what had come before, a simple gateway inside the mountain. Pitch dark, no wider than the path they were on, with a low ceiling that they could easily touch with their hand, once again with branches going right and left, more than enough to get lost forever.

They rode for some time again before they reached what would be the first stage of their journey through the mountain.

Levit, who was right behind Alina, was the first to notice the difference. The passage was getting wider and there was light again way beyond the halo of the torch he was holding. The princess had slowed down her horse waiting for him with a large smile on her face.

"We're safe here and we'll be able to rest, at last."

They were entering a large cave, so big a whole town could easily fit inside, the walls were phosphorescent with a soft light that diffused everywhere. It was not only rock and stone, but plants were also growing inside, and animals as they soon noticed. It was a stunning vision.

Sandor, who had brought his horse level with Alina's, was speechless.

"What is this place?" questioned Levit.

"Am I dreaming?" wondered Kervan.

"You are not dreaming, lad, this is called Estraven by the very few that know of it, and most of them have never seen it."

"Tael, is there any chance the Alliance can find us here?" asked Sandor.

"I very much doubt it."

"They will not," stated Alina. "All those that enter the labyrinth never come out of it." Her tone was definitive and after all they had seen: they believed her.

"Is it the same on the other side?" asked Levit.

"More or less, as you'll see, very soon. First, we will rest and enjoy this place."

"I suppose there will be no need to keep a watch," said Astar.

"Indeed, you are right," Alina answered, "we are all exhausted."

"I have understood that no one could be following us, but what about the animals that live here?" asked Eleander, "and what about…" he added in a whisper and indicating Tael and Hegron with a discreet sign of his hand.

"I do not think there is anything to fear from them; I'm not going to mind if you volunteer, though," said Alina, "as for the animals, they should pose no threat to us."

"I will do it then, as part of my debt and Corran and Samwell will join me."

"Very well, we will stay here for some time, at least until we are well-rested."

They settled in the equivalent of a clearing surrounded by luscious trees and crossed by a small creek of crystalline water; a thick moss covered the ground that would be perfect for laying on. The temperature was agreeable like in summer and most of them took off their traveling clothes to refresh themselves at the creek before going to lie on the moss with their friends or lovers.

***

The Dark Council had gathered for the fourth time, it was under heavy pressure, with dissensions and accumulation of adverse news.

Melchior was convinced that the only way to set things right and stop their disunion would be for the invasion to begin. He had sent many birds to ask for a date to coordinate their actions, but all the answers he received were ambiguous and difficult to interpret. He suspected there was some unresolved problem in the Vale that was being kept from him.

If a decision wasn't made shortly, it was clear that they risked losing some of their allies. The consequence being that the planned attack on Soonlure or more exactly the king's palace, while most of the troops were away, would be jeopardized.

Many members of the council had counted on Leto's submission to the Beast, to see him turn against the king with the consequent dislocation of the army, and a civil war that would have left the kingdom at the mercy of the Alliance and its allies.

The information they received from their spies was not going in that direction. Still, the full moon was only a few days away. They needed it to be decisive and in their favor, otherwise they would have to revise all their plans with the outcome of the invasion becoming much more hazardous.

Melchior had no news from Olgred, which was normal; he expected it would come soon; if the vampire lord was successful, it could mean a lot. If all else failed, they would have one more ace up their sleeve concerning Leto.

Count Kyllian was fuming. He was seeing all of his allies hesitating, all of his expectations unraveling.

"What is that boy doing! He should have been here hours ago."

"Don't be so hard on him; he is a cunning one and cautious. If he is delayed, it is for a good reason." Melchior was himself surprised to be taking Rand's defense. Still, what he said was very true. For once, he had taken a liking to that boy, something that very rarely occurred. He had no ties, trusted no one and all he cared about was his goal of becoming equal with the Archons. It was more than ambitious, perhaps way beyond his grasp, but he was determined, and nothing would stop him.

For him, Rand was a good boy, in the sense that they were like-minded. They always wanted more than they had and were never satisfied. The boy also had a strong liking to inflict pain and suffering and the cages at Trendel had offered him the leisure to exert it fully with and without Melchior. He was much more imaginative and enterprising than his bland and sour father, who, not for one second, would worry about his son's fate, thinking only about his recriminations.

"Was it such a good idea to send him alone?"

"An innocent looking young boy is certainly the best way to gather information in the nearby town market without drawing unwanted attention. That's the place where all the rumors of the moment can be found. We must be sure that Trendel stays as secure as you say it is. With all the comings and goings and despite the fact that it is secluded and well away from the main roads, nothing is certain. He is perfect for that task."

"But he is late. If he was captured, would he talk?"

"Why would he be captured? No one is looking for a boy alone; he'll be as inconspicuous as he needs to be."

"I am losing money; three shipments have been delayed because of your demand for discretion. My clients will be dissatisfied, and also my purveyors who have to keep the captured merchandise; some might need to get rid of it in these circumstances."

"Don't you think there is much more at stake than some gold?"

"First of all, I am a businessman and I must say that your undertaking doesn't look to fare as well as we hoped."

"It is OUR undertaking, may I recall you. True, we've had a few setbacks, but as soon as the Alliance attacks, even if the Beast curse fails, which I doubt, everything will get back on track."

"I wish you to be right. I've lost my castle and position in the kingdom, two of my sons, and all for nothing so far."

Melchior thought of telling him he did not care one bit about his sons and had done nothing to try to save them but was wiser than that. He needed the man's money and influence. Some of the houses were driven according to their conduct during the Archons wars but most of the members of the dark council were motivated by a desire for power, gold, and revenge to be taken for supposed affronts, old grudges, or inequities.

Rand did not return before late that day and went straight to Melchior who was busy feeding his cock to the tattooed 'boy' that still was not named. He had changed his appearance somewhat, cut his hair short, and wore a peasant garb.

"What took you so long?" asked Melchior, not bothering to pull out and fast fucking the poor child's mouth and throat, "I'm almost done, I took out his teeth, this is much better, soft and harmless."

"What a brilliant idea! I want to try him too, may I? I've never had the occasion yet to face fuck a toothless one."

"In a moment, but first, tell me."

"I'm late because I heard at the market that a slave shipment had been intercepted. It was the talk of the town. The captured men were being interrogated, as well as the merchandise."

"Your father?" asked Melchior, giving an energetic pelvic thrust that drove his shaft fully down the boy's throat, to stay there.

"That's what I thought."

"The stupid, greedy bastard! Sorry lad."

"No need for excuses, I know my father. I went to investigate."

"Tell me."

"You're choking him, Melchior."

"Yes, you're right," said the little man, pulling out just enough to let the boy get some much-needed oxygen."

"I was able to get a glance at them; I recognized a few. It appears they haven't talked yet, but the king's men were not done."

"What about the merchandise?"

"They, fortunately, had nothing much to say."

"Whatever, we need to leave this place and the sooner the better."

"My father will be very sorry to lose Trendel and all his stock of slaves. You're right; I do not doubt his men will talk in the end."

"It is well deserved; he put all of us at risk for nothing and it might go further than that. Ahhh!" Melchior came, spraying the child's throat with his seed. "He is all yours now, Rand, but make it fast. We are leaving Trendel."

"That could be for the best; I wanted to get closer to Soonlure, to be there when we take the king's palace. I would love to take my revenge on William's twin for the lack of William himself." Rand was already at work in the boy's mouth with the same determination and callousness as Melchior.

"I don't know if this will be possible, but we'll see. I'll let you take one or two playthings from the cages if you wish."

"I will, and rather two, you know I have a tendency to break my toys lately."

"Finish while I warn everybody. All the council members still present must be gone within the hour. We will not be far behind."

As Melchior left, Count Kyllian, looking for his son, met him.

"I was told Rand has returned and went straight to you." The man did not hide his irritation.

"Count, you're lucky I owe you my freedom; otherwise your stupidity would have been known by the whole council, it could have cost you much more than you can imagine."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ask your son inside. I have important business to attend to, because of you."

Melchior's tone was belittling, he knew it would be infuriating for the count and it delighted him. He still needed Kyllian's name, connections and gold, and he preferred to avoid a discussion with him at that moment. He left without one more word, turning his back on him.

Rand was busy enjoying the boy's toothless and still slightly bloody mouth when his father entered.

"What nonsense have you told Melchior?" asked the irate father.

The boy had not yet been able to get rid of his fear and dependence toward the man that had reigned over his formative years, but he was slowly getting there.

"I told him of your last blunder. You've lost your last shipment to the king's men; it will not be long before they come here. To gain a little, you will lose a lot."

Count Kyllian did not try to deny anything and knew the consequences.

"I have a commitment to my clients; this is the way I run my business. We have to leave this place, pull out of that slut; we have more urgent matters awaiting us."

"Very well, father."

"Change your clothes while I gather the men, you have a rank to maintain. I want to try to salvage as much of the stock as possible. I'll need you, hurry."

"Yes, father."

Rand had no choice but to obey, he ran to his room and dressed according to his father's wishes. Once done, he went to the cage where his toys were stored.

"Who wants to come with me?" he asked the three boys inside. "Come to think of it, none of you. I'll get fresh and unmarked ones, that will be more fun, and I'll want a toothless one too, I'll pull them out myself, one at a time; that should make for some entertainment."

Chapter Twenty-Five

Etos awakened Tristam to deliver the news on Leto's transformation into the Beast. As commanded, they gathered within the large reception tent, soon joined by Bertram, Tamerlane, and Gravenese, all in full armor. Leto sent Etos and Focker away: it was for their own safety. He stationed the Purple Guard outside, in a layered defense. The strict orders were clear: do not let anyone or anything in or out. Those gathered within the tent talked nervously about what they had to do. Leto was becoming impatient. It was time.

"Shall we proceed," said Leto.

"Knights are you ready?" asked Tristam, concentrated on the task ahead.

"We are, as much as can be," answered Tamerlane, hoping they would not have to intervene. Creating a shield wall that faced their lord and meant to protect William and Tristam, the fear showing on their faces, for it was out of the question to use their weapons on their lord, whether human or beast. If it turned bad, Tristam's magic was their only real hope. Tamerlane worried about William: he should not have stayed with them.

"You can start my Lord. Let's do it step by step like you told me it was before."

"Certainly, Tristam, I'm curious to see how this is going to work."

Leto did not have to concentrate much, his extended right hand and forearm were changing, thickening, elongating with the fingers growing retractable claws.

"How is that possible?" wondered Bertram aloud.

"That's the whole question. To this day, I wasn't controlling anything. It started happening a few months back when the full moon was almost upon us, but at that time, I was still the demon's pawn and possessed by his spirit, who guided my actions. I never reached a complete transformation though except on the fateful monthly nights, it only fueled my need for blood and exacerbated my appetite for the most terrible crimes."

"How did you bring it upon this time," asked Tristam on the lookout.

"I don't really know, I just thought of the two days left before the predicted and final confrontation. I looked at my hand, thinking of the Beast, that had not shown itself for a long time, and it happened, just as it did now. At first, I was terrified; I thought of the boys in the bed close by." Leto caught his breath, reminiscing the scene. "But it did not go further; on the contrary, in response to my wish, the hand returned to its normal shape. Then I started experimenting, fascinated, and certainly unwise, I finally went all the way, completing the transformation when I heard Etos waking up and coming my way. Nothing happened of what could be expected; I did not rip him apart, only tried to reassure him and told him not to be afraid. In fact, I discovered he was more attracted than repelled by my appearance. I sent him to fetch you."

"All that we know already," said Tristam, unsatisfied.

"Do you think the magic has worked and vanquished the curse?" asked William, with optimism, "It was expected at the beginning that nothing would happen, and this could be the best surprise of them all."

"Time has taught me to be wary when things are too easy," replied the Magi.

"What else could it be?" asked Leto, who rather liked and welcomed William's theory.

"Show us more, let us see what this Beast looks like, but, as I said, step by step, don't rush things. Knights, be ready for anything."

"We are," said Gravenese, as they pushed their shields forward some to emphasize the point.

Leto started the process slowly, growing in height, his muscles and limbs expanding, his skin thickening, fur covered his body: he was soon barely recognizable.

"Is this what William will have to fight in two days?" said Bertram, appalled when the Beast was finally standing before them.

"It is," said Tristam, "at least that was the plan, so far."

"Better that he doesn't have to do it," stated Bertram.

"It is certainly formidable but harmless for the moment. Are you still there, my Lord?" said Tamerlane.

"I am. So what do you say, Tristam."

The Magi was reciting spells and concentrating. Everybody was waiting anxiously for his answer.

"The Beast is still there; the curse is still at work, sorry, my Lord for the sad news," he said finally.

"This still makes no sense," said Gravenese, why doesn't it attack us?"

"It is meant to come out with the full moon, only," said William.

"But that's not what happened," said Leto.

"What if it was not the Beast but someone else that was doing it?" suggested William.

"Melchior!" said Gravenese.

Tristam agreed, "Using the Archon stone and alien magic to use you like a puppet and increasing the Beast's influence on you. That is a possibility."

"We'll never know if we don't capture him and make him talk. But why am I able to take the Beast's appearance at will?" asked Leto.

"Maybe Melchior's dark magic turned you, but the spirit of the Beast will only come out under a full moon."

"If I understand you, we've defeated Melchior's dark magic, but not the curse of the Beast and the confrontation will take place in two days."

"Yes, Leto, I believe that is true, although I'm not completely certain that Melchior's dark magic won't return, yet, I felt the curse had been weakened.

Tamerlane was skeptical, "Whatever, I don't understand. What do you plan to achieve pitting William against this creature? He hasn't got a chance; he'll be ripped to pieces, or else he would have to kill it, thus Leto."

"No, the goal is for William to hold off the Beast until Leto overcomes it from inside. If they succeed before it can kill or feed, then the curse will be broken.

"That's crazy, that thing will kill the prince and eat him. How could it be otherwise?"

"I cannot be killed," said William.

"What do you mean you cannot be killed?" asked Bertram befuddled.

Tristam interjected, "I created a spell to that effect, the boy is meant to survive whatever happens, but he will suffer, and his pain is meant to awaken Leto's conscience inside the Beast so that he can take his rightful place and vanquish it once and for all."

There was silence among the knights as they registered what had been said.

Tamerlane was thinking practically when he finally spoke up, "Why not simply lock him up every full moon? It seems less risky to me."

Bertram was aghast, "Have you thought of the shape that boy will be in when he comes out of that fight? Why would it be different now? Leto killed scores of boys already, as the Beast. He was never able to change anything to the story."

Tristam tried to explain, "Because he loves the boy and the boy loves him. They are linked."

"Is that all there is to it," said Tamerlane, obviously it was not enough for him.

"Of course not, there is magic too, but without the love they have for each other, it would not work."

Tamerlane continued to probe the plan, "That's better; there was a moment when I thought you had missed something in your grand scheme. You do think it will work?"

"The outcome is not certain, but I can tell you William will survive unscathed."

"That is magic, for sure." ironized Gravenese, watching the terrifying figure standing before them. He himself would have more than second thoughts before fighting it.

Leto's fatalist thoughts were still foremost on his mind, "Anyway, two days from now, we will know what to expect."

Bertram's emotions were starting to relax, as he asked, "What if it doesn't work? Will there still be hope?"

"There is always hope," answered Tristam.

Leto felt the doubts within those around him and sought to bring hope, as he addressed his most loyal subjects, "There has been progress already, what you've seen here would never have been possible before. The influence of the Beast on my mind is gone, and whoever was manipulating me has lost that influence. Each full moon I can be caged, the Beast will not feed on innocent children again. I swear it." Inwardly, Leto was feeling anger at his helplessness.

Tristam expressed with optimism: "I may have found something more to defeat the curse. I need to experiment first. I should be able to present it to you in a day or two."

"Very well," replied Leto, slowly reverting to his human form. I'll welcome any discovery that can help us in this endeavor. I think you can all go back to your beds now."

As the knights and the Magi left, William came to him and they embraced, both very aware of what awaited them in only two days, their love – their best ally – stronger than ever.

***

The labyrinth, and especially this place called Estraven, was truly amazing. Sandor watched as the boys made exciting discoveries, boisterously sharing it with each other … they were boys again, full of energy and living in the moment, as boys do. Soon, the clothes came off as the boys entered the creek to wash out the dust and sweat of the journey in the warm crystalline water. The splashing and horseplay did not last long, as the spurt of energy subsided and two by two, and sometimes three, the thick moss covering the ground welcomed each of them to a deep slumber, at peace for a time.

Eleander, who had volunteered himself, Coran, and Samwell to take a watch, saw the boys resisting sleep as their heads bobbed and finally succumbing like everybody else.

Tael and Hegron were no menace; everyone was exhausted, and just wanted to rest.

The wizard used Berolt as a pillow and took Aeri in his arms; he would be his chosen one to fuck in the morning. Now, like them, sleep overcame him.

Hegron went with Berit.

Astar, with Safir, chose a place from where he could see both.

The many peculiar animals that lived there were wary of the strange visitors, and none of them came close.

The place was as peaceful as it looked, with war and violence left outside.

Levit was the first one to awaken; thirsty, he went to the creek to drink and then returned to Sandor's side, cuddling against him, feeling safe and loved. He did not know how much time had passed, hours certainly. It had been weeks if not months that the constant fear and stress of the next day, the next hour had not left him, but here, now, it appeared to be gone. It was such a relief.

The man beside him had, without doubt, saved his life by adopting him as his squire; he initiated him to the pleasures of the flesh; he showed him love and respect. He would never be able to repay his debt to Sandor, but he would do his best to serve him and be worthy of his trust. He felt a sudden and overwhelming wave of gratitude toward the man that had brought him here.

His upbringing among the Takurs had made him ill at ease in the showing of his body or the ways he could express his affection toward Sandor, notably in the presence of strangers. For once, his present nakedness was of no consequence and he did not care if he was seen with the captain making love. It was one gift he felt ready to give openly and without shame at this moment.

Sandor was sporting an erection, and it appeared natural for the boy to want to honor it, for once taking the initiative.

He looked around out of habit, then hesitated. What should he start with? Kiss the man's lips, which was more romantic or the tip of his cock, which was more direct and to the point. The mood of the place made him choose the first and for good measure, he added the use of one hand to stimulate the wanting member, but first, he took the precaution to grease his hole, using the remnant on the man's pole.

Sandor, always on guard, woke up at once, his hand at first going for his weapons, close by. It did not go that far as he said between kisses, "What a pleasant sight and feeling, my dear Levit el. It has been so long since we could share such a moment of peace without all the worries of war and only dedicate ourselves to our love and pleasure.

Sandor embraced the boy with a passion that he had not been able to express since they had met. Yet he was gentle and as much concerned by the boy's needs as his own. He knew every inch of the child's lovely body but was determined to use the next hour to rediscover all of it.

"How can I serve you best," asked Levit, willing to repay the man for his life and for the love that he received.

"Simply by being the wonderful boy that you are. I'm the lucky one; I'm honored to have met you. You are so beautiful, courageous, trustworthy – desirable."

Levit smiled at being lavished with so much praise.

"Take me then, if you can't resist me," he said, feeling the man's hand kneading his rounded bum cheeks.

"Certainly!"

Sandor raised the boy slightly, aligning his throbbing shaft with its well-known target, and then he thrust forward and upward. His member slipped in effortlessly by one-third of its length. Levit let out a small gasp, as much of contentment as of pain, and then he pushed downward, letting in a few more inches.

"Is it good?" asked the boy, always afraid not to meet Sandor's expectations.

"You're the best I've had, Levit, I tell you. You should know it by now. How many times have you heard those words?

"Yes, I know, but I like to hear them again and again."

"You little devil," said Sandor as he started moving up and down the boy's chute, his hands roaming all over the child's smooth back, playing with the nape of his neck, his dark curls."

"Play with my butt. I like it when you do that."

"Let me tell you you're not the only one; you got a marvelous one, well-rounded and firm."

"What part of me do you like best? Tell me," asked Levit, taking a straight face.

"That's an important question; I need to think it over for some time and certainly sample all and every part of you again, once or twice, before answering."

"I think I would rather like that."

"The little boy is growing up, I see. You're finally losing your prudish manners, at least in your speech. We'll need to confirm that in other areas."

"I think I know which part of me you prefer, though."

"Don't spoil the game, Levit el, we are just starting. Let me finish this round first; our talk has been extremely stimulating."

Sandor effortlessly moved the light frame of the child to the side and then under him, all the while pumping in and out. Levit knew the sequence very well and raised his legs to rest them on the man's shoulders, offering himself to the coming pounding. The angle was perfect and the man an expert, exerting just the right amount of strength and speed to pleasure them both, slowing down only when his juices were about to discharge; he wanted this moment of perfect harmony to last some more.

"Look at those two lovebirds," said Alina, "ain't they adorable together. I'm sure you envy young Levit el and would like to take his place."

Alina was wearing a simple robe that did not cover much; she could not go around naked like everybody else. Losfend was beside her in the nude and sporting a charming erection.

Levit, wide-eyed, did not know how to react. Sandor turned his head at the sound of her voice.

"Continue, Captain, don't pay attention to us, I don't want to deprive you of your pleasure."

Annoyed and frustrated, Sandor pulled out of the welcoming sheath.

"What do you want?" he asked, not trying to hide his irritation.

"What you promised your boy."

"We are not yet done with our travels; no one knows what is awaiting us in Alsoon."

"One more reason to indulge some before our next undertaking. That will be our reward."

Alina was a princess not used to being denied what she desired.

"There are more boys here than you can wish for, pretty ones too, take your pick, and leave Levit el alone."

"Would you refuse me?"

Sandor certainly would have liked to say so. She was an admirable young woman with wit and courage but also infatuated with her rank and power.

"You know I cannot do that."

"Very well then, Levit el, you will come with me. You still have a lot to learn about the art of love, and I am a great teacher. Sandor, since you seem well inclined, you won't refuse the company of Losfend el. He is quite impressed by your coupling with the boy and it is overdue for him to be mounted by a man. See, he is more than ready."

The blond angel was still erect and smiling invitingly.

"Don't you think this is a bit too much, what you ask of me?" The moment of peace had turned sour.

"We all have our duties; I trust you with this precious boy and no one else. You should consider this a mark of esteem. This is not a whim; this boy may play a part in our future. We need to develop his potential."

"And there is no other way?"

"We will know only when it is done. Enough talking, consider it a duty if you find no pleasure in that. Although he told me, you weren't indifferent to his charms. Levit el is not your first boy; he won't be your last; you can certainly honor two at the same time."

"Very well, you've won, but grant me one request."

"Certainly."

"Levit el will be yours only if it is his wish. Let him freely decide."

Alina could not imagine the boy rejecting her demand.

"What do you say, boy? Don't you want to learn how to woo a woman?"

Levit had stood ready to follow her; he straightened his back, his voice and gaze did not falter.

"No, Princess Alina, I am honored, but I'll pass on that."

"Very well, this is sad. You will have to leave them alone while my Eros gets his first lesson, go play in the creek." She turned her back on them and left; she had not appreciated the boy's answer.

"Do you think she'll have a grudge against me?" asked Levit, suddenly worried by his refusal.

"No, have no concern; she's not like that," said Losfend.

"Anyway, I am the one that provoked her," said Sandor, "It's simply that she is not used to being denied what she wants. She'll find someone else. Still, she'll never know what she missed," he added, giving a gentle pat on the boy's right bum. "Go check on the horses and see how everyone is faring. Come back in an hour or so."

"I will." Levit rummaged through his pack and gave the small jar of grease to the man, "Make good use of it. No need to make it more painful than necessary." He winked at Losfend, showing he had no ill feelings toward him, picked up his breeches, and left them.

***

Melchior and Rand left Trendel together after the boy fulfilled his duties for his father. He organized five convoys of slaves going in different directions, hoping it would make the search for them by the king's men more difficult.

Count Kyllian's priority was to reorganize his network and salvage what he could. He said that some of their support came from this criminal activity and that it was not only a question of money, but there were also other places like Trendel all over the kingdom and customers in every city. He probably was not entirely wrong, the profit from this illicit business served to pay the mercenaries that had gathered in Soonlure, for now, hidden in Belvoir and the red quarter where the count, like Melchior, had many contacts.

They hoped to be in Soonlure when the birds arrived with the news of the invasion and perhaps the Beast's conquest of Lord Leto's mind. The later seemed now improbable, but you never know.

This would be the signal for the insurrection. The mercenaries would be their spearhead, but other troops were ready in the suburbs to join the fray.

If they were successful, it would create chaos in the kingdom, cut the supply routes for the army, and give the advantage to the Alliance. They would kill King Aluser. Prince Arthur's fate was undecided: to die like his father or kept as a pawn in the game for power that would follow.

Certainly, Rand knew what he would do with him if he had a say in the matter. They were traveling light and he had been able to take only one of his toys with him. He could not break it right away if he wanted to keep a source of entertainment on the road; he had to be careful. Once in Soonlure, Melchior had promised him he would have as many as he could wish to train on before deciding what torment to inflict onto the prince. Arthur or William, he didn't care, they looked the same and with some luck, he may have a go at both. In the end, they were to be victorious after all.

They halted for the night in the manor of one of their lesser allies.

The man was away with the army, but his wife and two sons were there. The lady of the house was reluctant to let them in; she knew there was a reward on their heads, well Melchior's for sure, and it was dangerous to harbor them. The fate of Count Killyan's sons was well known.

"This will be only for a few hours; we will be gone before the sun rises," assured the little man.

"We will serve diner in one hour, your men can stay in the stables," she announced with a cold voice.

"That will be perfect, my Lady," said Melchior, trying to be amiable.

"Stefan, show them their rooms," she told her oldest son, a comely lad of twelve. He was much more enthusiastic about the visitors than his mother was and was followed everywhere by his seven-year-old brother.

Once settled, Rand went to see Melchior.

"I fear I won't be able to play with my toy tonight, the mistress of the house would not appreciate it."

"You are right, Rand; she is not of that kind."

"Perhaps, I can find another one – or two – under this roof."

"I see what you mean, but be careful, boy, we are guests here. Let's not jeopardize our position."

"Do not fear. You've seen how gullible those boys are. All excited by stories of war and great deeds. I'll play with them and deflower them both, provided the eldest is still a virgin."

"I would think so by the way their mother behaves, it is only normal to repay the Lady for her generosity," Melchior added with a smirk, "but go no further. We have much more important endeavors to accomplish."

"Have they brought your baggage to your room?" asked Rand.

"Yes, it is right there behind the bed. I'll need to take care of it and feed it before dinner."

"Can I have a go at him, too, as an appetizer before the main course?"

"I love you, Rand. I love your wicked sense of humor. We will achieve a lot together; you are so young, with so many years ahead."

Melchior embraced the boy in a never seen show of affection: with his arm around the boy's shoulder, they went around the bed to open the baggage that contained the Archon stone catalyst. They took their pleasure together.

"Heads or tails?" asked Melchior.

"Heads, of course," answered Rand, "I'll keep the tails for later."

They were not late for dinner.

***

Mercenaries were now everywhere in Belvoir: having arrived at Soonlure in small groups by boat and by road over the last two weeks. Orville, the chamberlain, had welcomed them, but they were now forbidden to leave the palace until the coup. They had to keep a low profile and were bored, which was bad news for the pages and squires that had not left with Leto as well as for the maids and serving girls. If they could not use the town whorehouses, then they wanted to fill all of the pleasant and available holes within their reach. It did not bother Orville, whose only preoccupation was to serve the Alliance's interests and avoid any incident that would reveal their presence to the wrong persons.

Memphis, the squire overseer, like all the other boys and palace staff that did not have the complete trust of Orville, were like prisoners in the palace and at the mercy of the libidinous needs of the all-powerful mercenaries.

"Chamberlain, this has to stop, you must do something," said the squire who had asked for a meeting.

"Do not worry; it is a question of days now."

"One more day would already be too much. They have no respect for us. Can't they leave now and go join the army? What are they doing here, anyway?"

"Mind your own business. We must obey the Lord's orders without asking questions."

"This is my business and my duty: I am concerned about the welfare of the pages."

"What do you care? They are here to serve Lord Leto and his guests. You, boys, are copulating in the dormitories and every corner of this palace, this is nothing new."

"It is, those mercenaries are brutal and treat us like cattle. I've tried to shield the younger boys, but I fear it will not last and that a serious incident will occur. At least limit their drinking, they are becoming uncontrollable.

"I'll think about it. In return, I want you to make all of the boys available to them. It is their duty. How many did you hide from our guests?"

"Not that many."

"I am sure that you lie, and to punish you, we will prepare a special event for our guests. Without exception, I want all of the boys to gather in the grand hall tomorrow afternoon, where they will be auctioned. They will serve the mercenaries' pleasure. It will be good for the troop's morale."

"It cannot be, even Lord Leto would never do such a thing."

"He would and he did much worse. Don't forget to include the choirboys; their throats will serve a different purpose that day. Go now and do not disobey me, or you will suffer for it."

Memphis was furious when he left Orville. Flint, eleven since the previous day, a beautiful boy from the Isles was waiting for him outside the chamber, hidden behind a tapestry.

"What did he say," he demanded but knew the answer just by looking at his lover's face.

"He wants you and all the pages to be auctioned to the mercenaries: his only concern is to entertain them whatever the cost to us or anybody else, we count for nothing. I can tell you that you will not be subjected to it."

"Is there a way out?"

"There must be one."

"What if I'm not there? And what about the others?"

"I'll have to think of something. Careful, people are coming."

Flint slipped behind the tapestry again as four of the dreaded mercenaries appeared at the end of the corridor, coming their way.

As they got closer, he saw they were officers, no better than their troops, one of them exclaiming, "One more of those pretty boys. Ain't you interested, Braum?"

"This one's too old. I like the hairless ones, haven't seen too many of them around here yet. I like it when they wriggle and moan at the tip of my cock."

"We'll ask Orville; he must be hiding them somewhere. Is he in here, squire?" asked the taller one.

"He is; I just left him."

Without one more word, they entered the room, leaving Memphis alone.

"Come on, Flint; let me take you back to the others. I should have never listened to you; you see how dangerous those corridors can be for you."

"I see, but staying hidden like that is boring, I wanted to stretch my legs and be with you. We haven't had time to celebrate my birthday, as you promised. Can we do it now?"

Flint was Memphis' weakness: he seldom refused him anything.

"There's nothing I would like more than spending the next hour with you."

"It's my birthday; you have to say yes."

"Very well, you've won. Lead the way and be careful. It will be an occasion for me to let go of my worries for a time."

Flint, with a large smile, hurried down the corridors while stopping at each intersection to make sure the way was clear. They did not have far to go before they reached the safety of the secret rooms where Flint and others spent their days since the arrival of the mercenaries.

The view of the scantily clad child and his bouncing lovely pert globes ahead was enough to change the mood of the squire, who, soon, with the ardor of youth, was only thinking of the moments of pleasure awaiting him.

***

Sandor, with the jar of grease in one hand, beckoned the young boy closer.

His erection that had gone down during his exchange with Alina was now hardening again, stronger than before. The same phenomenon was taking place: the child's proximity had an undeniable effect on his libido and excitement. He disliked being deprived of the control of his feelings but had to make the best of a bad job. One thing was certain: he did not want the innocent boy to suffer from this task, given to him by Princess Alina.

Losfend, for his part, did not appear in the least apprehensive when faced with losing his virginity. On the contrary, he was embracing it with enthusiasm, throwing himself in the man's arms, rubbing his smooth and blemish-free little frame against the much bigger one of Sandor.

The man, fortunately, had enough experience to know how to handle the almost virgin child. He would take the required time to prepare the boy and do his best to make his initiation into man-boy sex the most pleasurable possible. He would not be the first boy he deflowered, far from it. Levit was not his first Eros: many had preceded him, although the bond between them had never been that deep and strong. That boy had been a blessing in such troubled times.

Sandor now gladly accepted the signs of affection and enthusiasm lavished on him by the blond angel and reciprocated in the same manner. He was a beautiful child that any man, so inclined, would have wanted to possess and love. Losfend raised his head and kissed him with an open mouth and without any hesitation or reserve, their tongues met, engulfing Sandor in a tempest of desire he did not expect. His gaze plunged into the blue orbs facing him, and his world became centered on pleasuring the adorable creature embracing him, it was intense and irresistible, he now regretted he had not responded to Alina's wishes earlier.

"Take me, fill me," pleaded Losfend, with a lascivious tone, way beyond his years.

"Wait; there are preparations to be done."

Sandor had almost forgotten the small jar of grease still in his hand. He hurried to uncork it, scooping a large amount with two fingers. He had nothing to say, Losfend turned around on all fours, presenting his tempting behind and without delay spread his cheeks.

"Hurry, I want you," he insisted, "I can't wait."

Sandor was taken aback by such enthusiasm, all the boys he had known had been hesitant and fearful their first time. None of them ignored that there could be pain. Sandor's desire was now strong enough to disregard caution. Fortunately, to his surprise, his two fingers were swallowed at once and without effort, as if the child's sphincter had dilated to let them in, and the same muscle that had let them pass now held them firmly inside.

"Does it hurt?" he questioned the child.

"Not at all. Go ahead; I'm sure I can take you."

"Not yet, this is strange," said the man who presented a third finger at the entrance; it went through the same way without a glitch followed by a fourth.

"That's impossible." This boy was definitely very special. The muscle did not resist his penetration in the least, but once it had closed around his fingers, its grip was incredible.

"Ride me, why wait any longer?"

"Why indeed?" concurred Sandor, who saw no reason to postpone the next step and eager to know what surprises and sensations awaited him.

Forgetting caution and reason, he plunged his stone-hard rod inside, where it was easily welcomed as the fingers before. Lofsend showed no pain, only giving a long moan of pleasure and pushing back until he could feel the thick patch of the man's pubes slapping against his smooth butt. It was Sandor this time that gave a cry of contentment.

The ridge of flesh had closed around his shaft like a vise, each movement to and fro bringing him wonderful feelings, and there was more: the boy's chute on the entire length of his member was exerting a sweet pressure, massaging it, its warmth enveloping it. This was like nothing he had ever known.

"Oh! God!" he could only say.

"Faster," demanded Losfend, rocked with each powerful thrust of the man behind him.

Sandor could only oblige, his solid member sliding faster and faster, in and out, without restraint while the vise grip of the sphincter remained, a paradox his mind did not question. This was the best ever, on the physical sense, of course, but there was more, there was an energy coursing over the boy's satiny skin. He felt how precious, how important was the child in his arms; there was a communion, a sense of sharing that was overwhelming. Levit, his love of the previous hour, minutes, was fading away, not forgotten but appearing so ordinary compared to this.

After a short time, he thought he was about to discharge, but he stayed on the edge, ready to climax anytime and for a long moment. When it came, his orgasm was cataclysmic. His arms and legs had to let go and he crushed the boy under his weight, trying to catch his breath, regain his spirits after this incomparable feat.

He did not pull out; he wanted more, his member hardened at once, ready for a second round. Still embedded, he turned the child around, bringing him face to face. He appeared as entranced as the man was, recuperating from his multiple dry cums.

"Again," was the only word Lofsend pronounced, offering himself.

"What are you?" asked Sandor, not expecting an answer as he dived in, not knowing if he would ever be able to stop the exquisite pounding, his pubes regularly slapping against the young flesh. The moss under the child cushioned their lovemaking as they embraced and kissed passionately.

***

"I'm done," said Tristam, rather happy with his work.

Right after leaving Leto, he called for Hobb, with Atlan and Betan, the twins.

They were among the twelve boys from the dark harem that had stayed with the army. The others, including Count Kyllian's sons, had been sent away in a secluded place and would stay there at least until the end of the war. Tristam had tested each one of them, accepting Tamerlane's request to decide what could be done with them.

He put down his quail and inspected the sigils he had drawn on the three boys' skin. Lichan was by his side, giving his approval. He had to say that despite his tiredness, this drawing session had been extremely agreeable. The boys were comely and good company. He was sure to need Lichan's services as soon as he was done with his research.

"Now, let's see who wants to be first?" he asked the three boys.

All hands shot up, that first task was nothing new for them. Lucian had told him they indulged in it as often as possible without any bashfulness and did not care if there was an audience.

"I'll do Betan first," declared Hobb.

The boy was in position in seconds, Hobb presenting his not so modest tool at his friend's gate, some spit, and he was in, plowing away with gusto. Tristam envied their youth and enthusiasm; it was exactly what he needed to prove his theory.

Betan did not take long to achieve his first dry cum and then his second. Hobb held back his own pleasure, as Tristam instructed, using different techniques he had learned from his time in the whorehouse.

"Look, it's happening," exclaimed Lichan, pointing to the sigils on Hobb's back that were changing, moving on the smooth skin as living animals.

"Yes, I see it," said Tristam.

"It is not dangerous?" asked a nervous Atlan, who saw the same phenomenon occurring on his twin.

"No, it should not be, on the contrary, the magic contained in those symbols is reacting to the emotions and feelings of Hobb and your brother. From my recent experience, it reinforces their strength and welfare. The next step will tell us if it can also help them face adversity." Tristam did not add that phase might be more dangerous for them or at least disagreeable.

"I don't understand. When I was with Melchior, they did not protect me from the pain and misery, the hunger and thirst."

"No, that is because they were meant and used to pour all the energy they produced into the Archon stone placed in your bowels. This magic works with emotions, the bad ones and the good ones, it creates energy taken from you in the first case, and on the contrary, given in the second case."

"Sex is a good emotion?" asked Lichan.

"Given the right circumstances, I would say yes, the best," said Tristam, "Don't you think so?" he added, taking the boy's hand.

Lichan looked at him with a loving smile on his charming face that melted the old wizard's heart. "I do, given the right circumstances." The boy did not forget how he had been used and often mistreated before he met Tristam.

"There is no white and black magic; it is all the same as every force in the universe. It depends on the wielder and his intentions.

The two boys on the bed were not really listening, too occupied by their shared delight. Atlan watched with intensity, fingering his own erection: wanting to join their very joyful games.

"Go," said Tristam, who saw his desire.

Climbing on the bed, he positioned himself behind Hobb, finding immediately with a little shove where his erection belonged. The view was truly enjoyable for the older man, the purpose of it all forgotten for a moment.

The Magus did not interrupt them for the next twenty minutes. They were certainly randy boys who knew how to satisfy each other's needs. He took that time to play with Lichan, taking him on his knees and slipping his hand in his breeches while exchanging sweet kisses. He would have gladly participated in the romp on the bed, but this was not the time, and the boy in his lap was enough for his happiness. He recognized he was tempted, though.

It was soon apparent the boys could have been at it all day, but Tristam knew he had to put a stop to it and continue with the experiment. Standing up to address the boys, he said, "Very well, children, let's get back to business."

Too caught up in the moment, they did not immediately listen and continued to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh.

"One more minute, let me finish," exclaimed Hobb, who was now embedded in Betan, and accelerating his rhythm to finally reach his climax, sending a jet of clear fluid up Betan's colon as Atlan experienced a dry cum. Spent but still erect, they separated to face the Magus.

"What do you want us to do now, will you take off your clothes, you're certainly welcome to join us with Lichan," said Hobb, always ready for novelty and observing the new boy with interest.

"Unfortunately, no, it will not be so. I will pronounce some spells and see what effect they have on you."

"It's been quite fun, so far. We don't mind," said Betan.

"It will be nothing too extreme, do not fear, but if you are troubled in any way, just tell me."

Tristam tried some mild things at first, like ice and fire, and the sigils responded as they had done when he had experimented with Lichan. They were repelled or attenuated.

"Seems to be working fine, did you feel something."

"A chill," said Atlan.

"It tingled," said Betan.

"It felt warm," said Hobb.

"Let's try something else now. Stand up, and I'll send a spell to push you back and make you fall. I want you to resist it and stand your ground. Can you do that?"

"Of course we can," replied Hobb, mocking, "Is this all you can do?"

"Wait till you've seen it."

Tristam said a few words, and the air in front of the three boys took a life of its own.

The smiles were gone from the boys' faces, it was strong, and they had to gather all their resources to keep from being blown away.

With a final gesture, the Magus sent them sprawling on the bed.

"Boys, you can resume your games. You've been very helpful. I have some preparations to make now."

"Is that all?" asked Betan.

"It is. I think I've seen enough to reach a conclusion." Tristam could have used many other spells to test his theory, but he judged he had enough information to confirm and determine the effect of the sigils with enough accuracy. Without them, the boys would not have landed on the bed; they would have been sent across the room to crash against the wall.

"Can I stay with them?" asked Lichan.

"If that is what you want," answered Tristam. I think Hobb will be very pleased with your company."

"He'll take good care of him," said Atlan, a broad smile across his face.

"I'm sure he will, I trust him. Don't exhaust him, boys, I think I might need him later," finished Tristam as he left them with regret.

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