The Darkest Sword

as Soryn rose to his feet. He walked close, and then he reached over to push damp hair from Soryn’s cheek. “I don’t need a lover, Soryn. I can have anyone I want. I want a friend.”
Soryn trembled under his touch, closing his eyes. Then he cleared his throat and wrapped the towel around his waist with some difficulty. “I suppose as long as you aren’t disturbed by how much your presence arouses me, then I can indulge you.”
Ashiyn bit back a comment about Soryn not having much choice, but he remembered his lessons and what he’d walked in on. He scowled. “Why do you let Rurik use you that way?”
Soryn stared at him then his cheeks colored. “You were watching?” Soryn shook his head then pulled away to hurry to dress, suddenly ashamed. “Do I have a choice? He favors me. I am his servant. If I allow him to have me, he leaves the other boys alone. Many reasons. Most you won’t understand.”
“Do you want him to do that to you?” Ashiyn asked.
Soryn turned and gave him a glare. “Do you want your Master to beat you to death?”
Ashiyn bristled a little, but he understood. He dropped his gaze to give Soryn at least a semblance of privacy as he dressed. He realized he had no idea how to speak to a friend. He only had experience with the servants, the army, and the women his Master now encouraged him to seduce.
“Sorry. I should not bring that up. It is the same thing, though. Neither of us has a choice in the matter,” Soryn said now that he was fully dressed. “I think I would like to be your friend, my Prince. What shall we do?”
“Have you ever ridden a horse?” Ashiyn smirked.
“I don’t even know what a horse is,” Soryn said slowly as though he was trying to figure out if it was some obscure language for something untoward.
Ashiyn held out his hand. “Come. I will show you my horse, Illusion.”
Soryn hesitated. Then with a deep breath he walked over to take Ashiyn’s hand. He made a shocked sound as Ashiyn yanked him through the shadows to the stables at Rhadamanthus’s castle. He let go of Ash’s hand and backed away, startled. “You can travel through shadows like my Master.”
“It’s not difficult,” Ashiyn said, waving a hand dismissively. Then he grabbed Soryn’s shoulders and turned the other young man to the stall in front of them. “This is my horse, Illusion.”
Soryn stared at the massive equine with a mix of awe and fear. Then he cowered behind Ashiyn when the horse snorted at them. “Does he eat people?”
Ashiyn laughed and walked over to pick up one of the fresh fruits he had imported just for the horse. Then he held it out to Soryn. “No, he is a plant eater. Here, if you give him this, he will love you. Just watch your fingers, he can’t see them.”
Soryn took the fruit and hesitantly extended his flattened hand to the horse. Illusion snorted, pricking his ears forward as he smelled the fruit, then snatched it from Soryn’s hand and started to munch on it.
Ashiyn opened the stall, walked in, and mounted while Illusion ate. Then he held out a hand for Soryn. “Come, we’ll go for a ride. It’s fun.”
Soryn hesitated momentarily before he grabbed Ashiyn’s hand. He let out a startled yelp again when Ashiyn easily pulled him up to sit in front of the saddle. He blushed again when Ashiyn’s arms wrapped around his waist to grab the mane of the horse. “Won’t people see us?”
“People have learned to mind their own business and stay out of my affairs. If they don’t, I’ll kill them,” Ashiyn said. “Hang on, Illusion is swift.” Then Ashiyn called a command to Illusion.
The horse tossed his head up then burst from the stall into a full-blown gallop, roaring out of the stable and through the courtyard, scattering any servants that might have been watching. Soryn grabbed onto Ashiyn’s arms for support in alarm, but as they raced out of the castle gates and into the dark stone lands beyond it, Soryn relaxed and drank it in. He glanced over his shoulder at Ashiyn, thrilled and breathless. “This must be what flying is like.”
“I told you it was fun,” Ashiyn said with a laugh. He let Illusion run and just enjoyed the ride with his new friend for as long as he dared. Then he returned the frothy horse to the stable and helped Soryn back to the ground. He frowned as he faced Soryn.
“I should go back before my Master misses me. Or yours finds us again,” Soryn said softly, staring at the ground.
Ashiyn felt selfish. He wanted to take Soryn and keep him like he had Illusion. But even if he were able to take Soryn from Rurik, he knew Rhadamanthus would remember and kill Soryn. “Yes, I’m sorry. We have to make certain neither of them knows about this.”
“I understand. You’ll come back again?” Soryn asked hopefully.
“As often as I can,” Ashiyn promised. Then he took Soryn’s hand and they walked the shadows once more to Rurik’s tower. Once Soryn was there safely, Ashiyn reluctantly withdrew to his own chambers.

CHAPTER EIGHT
Ashiyn watched the group of elves enter the throne room. They weren’t quite as strange as Diredin had seemed at first, but they still looked out of place here. So far, the dignitaries at his Master’s court had been minor ones from the surrounding kingdoms. The elves were one of the last races to hold out against Rhadamanthus’s armies. The woman who stalked at the head of the pack was clearly furious and a predator. She had blue-ish white skin and dark blue hair that fell in waves to her waist. Her robes were crafted from silver and gems and revealed quite a