At my silence, he drags his fingers through his hair with a sigh. “I know that this is a hard thing to ask of you, especially now, but I need you totrustme in this. Trust that I will bring you home safe.”
Before, trust was such an easy thing to give, but now? I’m not sure I can. Arlon’s already proved he’s powerless against this command. Who’s to say there won’t be another he can’t avoid?
As my silence stretches, he says, “And if you can’t grant me that, at least grant me your cooperation. The last thing I want is to bring you there in chains, little one.”
Hearing him call me that nearly breaks me. I swallow back tears, forcing the hurt aside. There’s no escaping this, but I damn well better get something out of it in return.
“I’ll go with you to Marikadar under one condition.”
“What?”
“You give me a sending spell. And don’t tell me they’re too precious of a resource - I know how many we made.”
Arlon’s frown grows more pronounced. “You’re going to contact Dom.”
It’s not a question, but I give an answer all the same. “Yes. You know as well as I do that he’snot alright, Arlon. And yet you’re letting him go into the mountains without so much as backup!”
Anger simmers behind his frown, and if I hadn’t just seen the same thing in Cancassi I might not recognize it for what it is. Arlon’s... hurt by Dom leaving. “He won’t be alone.”
That gives me pause. “Who are you sending?”
Arlon’s frown only deepens as he reaches for the small strand around his neck. The ones he’s started carrying ever since the failed assassination attempt against him. He pulls a focus off before dropping it into my hand.
“Pack your things, Olbric. We’re leaving for Marikadar at the end of the week.”
Sending
Sometimes, a caster doesn’t even need to touch their conduit to exert control over them.
Advanced Casting Principles: Collaring by Felix Kessler
Please note this chapter contains long-distance sex, toy use, and mutual masturbation.
ON THE FIRST DAY, Iride as fast as Mo and Valar can handle. I expected pursuit, a chase. I imagine the thunder of hooves, the sound of shouting, though every time I look back, the road is empty. I make it out of the foothills and into the mountains proper before the sun starts to drop, and only then do I pull a huffing Mo to a stop.
We’ve made it to the narrows, the spot just past the foothills where the river has cut a sharp ravine into the mountains. This time of year, the river is low, a slow rush instead of the high roar it can be in spring. But there’s tall grass for grazing growing up to the shoreline, and with the mountains towering up on either side, the grass has avoided getting scorched dry by the sun. Yet in the shadows, a chill cuts through my shirt, sending a shiver up my back.
Arlon’s pissed.Thora’spissed. When Olbric and I were planning, it was easy to ignore the possible repercussions of leaving, but now that I’m on my own, I can’t think of anything else.
Am I going to get kicked out of the Crux for this?
I force the thought aside before I swing off of Mo and loosen his cinch. He seems to realize we’re done for the day, his head already hanging low.
“I know, buddy,” I say and give his sweaty neck a pat before I hurry to get him and Valar unburdened. Once their saddles and packs are pulled off, I brush the sweat off of them before I give them a bag of grain each and a bundle of hay.
Then, I start to make camp. The kindling I find is crispy and dry, and a fire comes to life with a strike of flint and steel. Once the fire is crackling high, I use the light to set up everything else.
It hits me halfway through rolling out my bedroll that I have a spell for this. The conjuration I made after my first chastity stint with Arlon. It would provide a safer camp than any I could set up on my own.
I rummage through my pack to grab my spells. Olbric had made me wear them on our way out, but after a few hours on the road, I had started to hate the feel of them bouncing against my chest. I’d stored them in my pack, but I’m getting jumpy as it gets darker. Yet as I go to release my conjuration, I stop short.
The cold isn’t hereyet. Not truly. It’ll be better to conserve my spells until I need them, so I tuck them under my shirt before I grab my cloak. Once I douse my fire, I’ll be nearly invisible in the grove of trees.
It feels strange to get settled down. It’s been over a year since I’ve camped alone. On the trip out east, we set up with the caravan, but now there’s nothing but the sounds of the horses, the gentle noise of the river, and the crackle of my fire to keep me company. As the sky darkens, the few bugs that have survived the oncoming cold stir, calling out across the water.
I draw in a deep breath as I listen to Mo and Valar contentedly munching behind me. They’ve already made it through their grainand have started in on the hay. We didn’t have the space to pack all they’ll need for the trip, but the inns I plan to stop at along the way will have more feed for them.
Now, I just need to feed myself, but I’m too tired to think of cooking. Instead, I reach into the rations Felicity gathered for us. The kind little cook did well, too. There’s a loaf of bread, some hard cheese and sticks of cured meat, along with a large bag of toasted grains, nuts, and dried fruit. I eat a bit of everything and realize that in all my time wandering the mountains, I don’t think I’ve ever been so well equipped.
