Heirot

Ren's skin buzzed wherever his fingers brushed it. His wide green eyes darted to meet his master's. "This much was nothing." He half-buried his face in his collar as he added, "Rather than atone, I'd rather you replace them with your own," he retorted, blushing madly.

Ren squeezed his hands where they rested on his knees as Laurius mentioned the sisters. He knew. He KNEW. He chewed the inside of his lip, remembering how he'd clung to Laurius earlier. It felt like a blur. Laurius had seemed happy to find him before, but what would he think now that he'd put it ...

Havi made his way down the main tunnel, doing his best not to think. Tenara had been so afraid to discuss what happened to her the last time that she'd run away from her own parents. This time, he could swear he felt her keeping the same distance with him. Or was it just his own guilt making him ...

Havi's posture was rigid as he observed their interaction. It took physical effort not to swat the other male away, even if the pain he was causing was necessary to heal her. The more she spoke of her experiences at Elias's camp, the more his stomach twisted. This drug Laurius was talking about ...

Ren shook his head. "I'm fine now," he said, pulling his right arm a little closer to his body. He was worried about how it might affect his master when he found Elias's 'calligraphy' inscribed on his property. He focused instead on leading him with care over the uneven terrain of the tunnels. As ...

Ren scoffed. "Don't worry. It's an Ivis's job to keep his master warm." He reached back and felt the man's forehead testingly. "I will keep you warm," he vowed." Havi stroked a hand gently up and down Tenara's while she sobbed in his arms. He didn't - couldn't - let himself think about how she must ...

Ren had been holding his breath tight since Tenara began speaking. He had no way of knowing how his master would react to his offering himself to someone else. Kishva would have punished him brutally, no matter the reason. He clenched his eyes as Laurius's grip on him grew tighter. But then he felt ...

Havi closed his eyes. While he'd been floundering in the snow, Artisuren had been doing what Havi should have been... protecting Tenara any way he knew how. A newfound gratitude glowed to life inside him. Havi wasn't sure he wanted to know, but something in Tenara's voice made him unable to leave it ...

Havi couldn't bring his eyes to follow her gaze. Now that they were staying still, he'd noticed the wounds on her face and neck. Violent emotions punched through him, but he held his tongue. There was no one here he could punish, so he had no choice but to bottle his rage. "This is where I'm from ...

Ren's fingers latched around Laurius's hand for dear life and he twisted to push his forehead against his chest, pressing him with his horns. This is all wrong," he said thinly. "You were never supposed to come here too. I thought anything was fine if I could last long enough to get her started here ...

The touch of gentle fingers on his cheek made Ren slowly open his eyes to meet Tenara's. At the sight of her tears, the anguish in his expression washed blank, swept beneath a dutiful mask. "I thank you, Yurivis," he murmured earnestly. Havi touched Tenara's shoulders lightly from behind her. "How ...

The command jolted through his dagger and finally jogged Ren out of his daze. The Ivis staggered to his feet and rushed for Laurius. He obeyed her by holding him still, but did so by pinning the man to the wall and covering him with his body. "Please, don't," he begged her. "Please, Yurivis." He ...

Ren looked dazed as he stared as Laurius while Laurius fled into the tunnel, and Havi after him with the princess. It was like watching himself in slow motion as he slipped in after them and tugged the grate back into place. He pushed at Havi's back, urging them forward while the tunnel grew darker ...

As the power in the room settled, Kishva stumbled back into her Ivies' arms. "What the hell was that?" she shuddered. She glared at Tenara. "You dare attack me in my own compound?" Havi scanned the men around her, looking at their hands. They each had tattooes on the back like the one Ren had worn ...

If it had been possible to go any paler than Ren already was, he would have. He stared at the man in disbelief, even while stumbling to keep up with him. Was the princess about to blow this place apart the way she had the ship? If so, Kishva was in danger. He stared back at Kishva. A Yurivis could ...