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Jari didn’t object or comment on what Aurelius wanted later when they left. With Aurelius behind him and against his back, he guided Mercury after the group like it was nothing. Aurelius leaned his cheek on Jari’s shoulder blade as he held on.
He was going to take every bit he could get. Jari seemed more at ease and probably thought the salt bandage trick would work forever, but Aurelius wasn’t sure.
He wasn’t sure of anything anymore. What if more salt was still just a temporary fix? Jari surely had to have considered more possibilities that didn’t end in happiness for them. He wouldn’t want to say it and drag Aurelius down.
He probably thought he’d stay by Aurelius’s side to the bitter end if it came to it.
He wasn’t letting his guard go that far. It would tear him apart if the salt just prolonged his time which was surely quite short. He had more gold in his eye than Eurig, and he’d had the key for so long in him. Only a sliver of blue remained, and that was the root of Aurelius’s doubts. Mammon was held at bay, and it might not last.
That’s why he was going to take everything he could get in case he lost it all. Didn’t Aurelius deserve some good memories to take with him if he had to leave this realm once and for all?
It probably made Jari more hopeful when Aurelius started initiating something nearly every morning or night. He still wasn’t sure if he could manage sex, but he didn’t have to worry about going soft when Jari’s hand or mouth was on his cock.
Jari let him guide things entirely, and sometimes, in the morning, if they weren’t doing something, he’d climb on top. An orgasm was one thing. It was something else when Jari held him and kissed along his neck.
Este left a good deal of the army on the border of World’s Edge and sent a rider to tell Tomson just in case someone grew worried and reported them. Those remaining would wait for Este, behave, not start trouble with the locals, and remember who they were representing.
The smaller group moved through a pass and into World’s Edge. Aurelius had never been beyond the borders of Nova, Wockston, or Zora. A part of World’s Edge hugged the western edge of Nova, and the ocean lay beyond that. Mountains bordered it, so the only way in was to go north in Nova. Zorians could take a pass in the west of their country far to the south, but there wasn’t much in that strip of World’s Edge.
Aurelius was sure the sunlight was different. No mountains lay ahead, and where grassy plains and rocky areas were common back in Wockston, Zora, and Nova, the grass, bushes, and shrubbery were greener, and thicker. The soil was a bit darker. Werewolves lived in some parts, although they tended to stay away from fairies.
Their goal was World’s Edge City which was on the coast. She knew someone there with a ship who owed her a favor, although she wasn’t inclined to say what.
Aurelius didn’t pry. Whatever it was, it could stay private.
They avoided towns and cities and only sent a few soldiers to get more supplies as needed. Aurelius was pretty sure he saw a werewolf in the trees one morning, but it had been too far for him to properly tell. Fairies and werewolves were no longer at war anywhere in the current time, so he wasn’t worried about it following and attacking.
He smelled the salt when they reached the city. Tucked against Jari’s back, he let it fill his lungs and didn’t lift his head as they rode down the city. It was just his imagination, that was it. Nothing more. He wanted something, and his mind was playing a trick. He tried to let the sounds distract him as they slowly made their way down the streets.
The way out couldn’t be that easy. Nothing was ever easy for him.
They passed a fish market with its less pleasant odor. The people stared at the group of soldiers, but since everyone seemed peaceful, they didn’t appear worried. More than one person walked by with a bucket of fish or some sea creature they intended to make a meal from, and sailors drank outside of taverns. They passed a whorehouse that had a picture of a merman in a suggestive pose on the outside.
They edged around what must have been a newer neighborhood. The terraced homes looked fresh and allowed the residents a nice view of the ocean and whatever boats were docked that day.
Passenger ships could be taken to go elsewhere, including the Windswept Isles where the Queen who used to be a pirate ruled. Or at least that’s what people said. Aurelius tried to focus on the sights since what he wasn’t feeling couldn’t be real. A group of kids raced by while shouting.
Twin boys with brightly colored ropes skipped at the base of the steps that led to one side of the massive Temple. The pillars were painted with silver with swirls of blue, and on top of thedomed roof, a silver statue of Elira stood with a Norian crystal held above her head.
The crystal was bigger than her head, and since it absorbed the sunlight all day, its light could likely be seen by ships miles away at night. Aurelius had heard that on the Temple of Qualquetty far to the south on the coast of West Bay, they had a crystal on top that was even bigger.
Este took them to the docks on one end. Steps led to a beach area, and in the distance, Aurelius spotted some people walking and kids playing in the sand. His eyes drifted to the foamy waves racing up the beach. Green gulls squawked overhead while he sat still against Jari.
“He runs people up and down the coast, or he does messages or small packages. Er, he also does specialty work for people with certain…kinks.” Este turned her horse, and Aurelius tried to pay attention to her, but his eyes kept drifting out to the water.
It went forever, and he was more clear in his head than he’d been in ages, except for those few seconds when he came in Jari’s mouth or hand.
“I’ll go down and check if his ship is around.”
“There’s a lot,” said Jari.
“Trust me, his is pretty noticeable. Give me a bit. If I don’t see him, I’ll ask around. We might have to find an inn to stay at while we wait if he’s off somewhere.” Este’s horse clomped down the boardwalk.
Aurelius itched at the top of the new bandage Jari had stuck on his arm and filled with salt that morning. It was against his skin, so how was this better? He started to slide down off the horse.
It wasn’t his imagination, and he was feeling something. Or more like, a lack of it. If there was hope for him, he’d never go more than a few feet from the ocean again. Fuck, he’d live on it if he could. Jari would surely stay with him.
