A month or so after Braern’s second heat, a little over two years since they had been together, a crash from the kitchen startled Adrissu out of his studies. His head snapped up, immediately alert, and an instant later, a wail rose up from the lower floor.
“A-Adrissu!”
Braern’s voice was not startled or upset, but absolutelyterrified. Adrissu was at the stairway in an instant, looking down into the lower floor; he could not quite see into the kitchen, but could hear Braern’s frantic breath and a scuffling sound, as if he were struggling to walk.
“What happened?” Adrissu called, hurrying down the steps as Braern emerged from the kitchen. His face was pale and his hands trembled as he reached for Adrissu.
“He’s here,” Braern sobbed. His hands were cold as he clutched at Adrissu’s robes. “He’s here—he’s here, I felt him—he found me.”
Adrissu froze, processing. His shock lasted only a moment, though; without even having to think, he knew what he was going to do. The man who had hurt his mate was near, somewhere in Polimnos, and Adrissu was going to end things. A cold calm settled over him as he grasped Braern’s trembling hand with his own, swishing the other to gather up the pieces of the broken plate that Braern must have dropped and sending the mess into the trash chute.
“Can you tell where he is?” he asked softly, holding Braern but leaning back enough to look into the elf’s eyes. For all his panic, Braern managed to stay focused on him—his gaze wide and fearful, but completely locked on Adrissu.
“No,” he croaked, shaking his head. “Just—he’s close. Somewhere in the city. A mile or so.”
“A mile,” Adrissu repeated, mapping out Polimnos in his mind. Nothing of note was to the north of the tower, and to the east was the ocean. The school surrounded his tower to the south and west, but not so far out. The town square, with all the inns and the main road, was to the southwest, further than a mile. If the elf had found out about Adrissu, it would have been easy to find the tower, and he could already be making his way up the main road toward them.
“Braern, listen to me,” he said, his voice low and even. His calm tone surprised even himself; Braern blinked up at him, as if Adrissu’s relaxed tone shocked him as well. “I know we discussed this before. But you don’t have time to be unsure anymore. I’m making this decision for us. I’m cutting off your bond, now, so that you won’t feel anything that happens to him in the future.”
Braern’s eyebrows knit together, his hands trembling anew in Adrissu’s grip—but after a beat, he gave an almost imperceptible nod. Adrissu released him to place one hand on the elf’s temple, just beneath his hairline.
Adrissu closed his eyes and carefully reached out with his magic. The tingling warmth of Braern’s life force was familiar now, and he could easily hone in on the bond in the back of his skull: the singular point that resonated differently to the touch of his magic. He had the faintest sense of whatever it was beingawareof him—then he surrounded it, found the tether that linked it to the elf he had never met, and smothered it until the strange resonance that resisted him was crushed.
Braern hissed in pain; Adrissu felt him flinch, but not enough to pull away. That was all it took for Braern to now be unmarried by elven law: it was so simple that for a moment Adrissu hated himself for not simply doing it of his own accord sooner, and he wondered why Braern had been so reticent for so long. But when he opened his eyes again and let his magic fall away, Braern’s eyes were still squeezed shut, and a small stream of blood was trickling from his nose down his lips.
“Are you in pain?” Adrissu asked, frowning as he swiped at the trickle of blood with one finger. There was not a lot of blood, but still he had not expected it. Braern slowly opened his eyes, breathing hard and shaking his head as he reached up with one hand to touch his nose. He blinked down at his fingertips when they came away with blood, before absently wiping his hand on his robes.
“It stung at first,” he said, his voice stronger, but still tremulous. “But I’m alright now.”
“I think it’s safe to say he felt that as well,” Adrissu said, releasing Braern to stride toward the front door, locking it. “My guess is that he somehow knows you’re here, with me, and is already on his way here. Vesper!”
He could feel the snake watching him with uncertainty from the top of the landing, but when he called, she started thudding down the stairs.
“Guard the door, Vesper, and stay close to me when ourguestarrives,” he said, and obediently Vesper headed toward it.
“What are we doing?” Braern asked softly, still standing where Adrissu had left him. When he glanced back over at the elf, for a moment he looked like a lost child, afraid and unsure. Adrissu’s chest boiled with hate—somehow, someone had hurt Braern so badly that his mere proximity was enough to fill his mate with terror. But he was going to make him pay.
“I am making a decision for us,” Adrissu continued briskly, heading for the stairs. The necessary alchemical ingredients were all in his study, but the gem that he needed was down in his lair. “And I am doing exactly what we discussed doing. When he arrives, I’m going to take his soul from his body, so he can’t harm you ever again.”
Braern’s expression twisted in a way that Adrissu could not quite place; but then he nodded, once, holding Adrissu’s gaze. His agreement sent a wave of relief through Adrissu, even through the cold calm that had otherwise overtaken his body. He managed a tight smile, before turning away to head up the stairs and into his study, gathering the materials that he would need. He was sure Lorsan would turn up at their doorstep before long, so he moved quickly.
When he arrived back down on the first floor, Braern sat rigidly on the chaise lounge in the front room, still looking shaken. Adrissu set down the crate of his supplies on the table before him, then knelt at Braern’s side, meeting his eyes.
“I’m going to let him in here when he arrives,” he said, voice still low. “Do you want to wait in our room? You don’t have to see him at all if you don’t want to. But I need to let him in here to get him down into the lair.”
Braern shuddered, glancing away nervously. “No, I—I want to be here,” he finally said, after taking in a shuddering breath. “I want him to know this was my decision.”
Adrissu looked up at him silently for a long moment, considering. Despite the obvious fear in his voice, Braern now met his gaze steadily, and a slow smile crept across Adrissu’s face.
“Brave boy,” he murmured, leaning up to kiss him softly. “I’m going to go stand outside. I’d expect him to come up the main road, so I’ll keep an eye out.”
“Alright,” Braern murmured, nodding once. “I... I’ll be here, I suppose.”
“You can change your mind, if you want,” Adrissu said as he stood. “There’s no shame in it.”
“I won’t,” Braern said firmly, and he managed a weak smile at Adrissu.
When Adrissu stepped outside, he could feel Vesper’s fierce protectiveness well within his own chest—wanting to keep Braern safe just as much as he did. It was a small comfort to know that she was just behind the door, only feet from Braern, watching over him.
