Ginn Hale - Lord of the White Hell book Two

Kiram wanted to dispute Javier's argument but he had little evidence beyond his own deep dislike of the holy father. "He was in possession of Bahiim writings and confessions."

"Even if he did have them he wouldn't be able to read them." Javier glanced away and when he spoke again his voice sounded raw. "At this point it doesn't matter who's behind the curse. It's Fedeles who's riding with the bishop's men to arrest me. He's the one I would have to kill to win a trial by combat."

Kiram didn't need to be told that combat would be the only way that Javier could win his trial. The royal bishop certainly wouldn't accept Alizadeh's expert testimony.

Kiram tried to imagine Fedeles in any state but that of blissful mania. All that came to mind were those brief instances when he'd seemed tortured and the sad morning after he'd tried to kill himself.

"Fedeles wouldn't want to betray you," Kiram said at last. "And if the shadow curse has finally taken over his mind, death might be a mercy-"

"I won't kill him!" Javier glared at Kiram, the muscles of his jaw flexing with restrained anger. Kiram met Javier's hard gaze, though the fury in his expression frightened him.

"Refusing to think about it won't make it go away," Kiram said firmly. "You have to face this."

"No!" Javier slammed his fist into the tree and hissed in pain as his knuckles scraped open.

"Would you let him kill you, then?" Kiram demanded. Just the thought of that hurt Kiram far more deeply than any blow Musni had struck against him the previous night.

Javier met his gaze for only a moment, then lifted his head and stared up into the bare branches above him. "He's the only family I have."

"I know. And I understand how hard it is to lose your family, I do. But getting yourself killed won't save Fedeles. It won't free him."

"I know. The truth of the matter is that I'm too much of a coward to make any such sacrifice. If it came down to a duel, I'd kill him…I will kill him." He looked desolate.

"Maybe it doesn't have to come down to a duel. Maybe there is still a way to break the shadow curse and bring Fedeles back to his senses."

"There's one way that Alizadeh mentioned but it's just more of the same." Javier scowled at his bleeding knuckles.

"What is it?" Kiram asked.

"At this point the simplest course would be to destroy the vessel that houses the curse the same way Alizadeh broke the ghost locket that held Yassin's spirit."

"And that would also mean killing Fedeles, wouldn't it?" Kiram asked.

Javier gave a single nod in response.

They stood in silence, Javier staring up at the sky and Kiram trying to think of some solution. Absently, he watched their horses grazing contentedly on wildflowers and spring grasses. A pair of swallows darted through warm shafts of sunlight. It seemed terribly wrong that the world could be so beautiful even now.

A breeze rolled over him, bringing the scents of blossoms and the sea.

"My brother's ship will be sailing to Yuan tomorrow. We could go with him." Kiram didn't know what he'd have to do to convince Majdi to let him board the ship but it didn't matter if it meant saving Javier.

Javier continued to watch the faint wisp of a cloud as it rolled against the sky. "There has to be a way to free Fedeles. some way that I can save him."

Javier was wrong; there didn't have to be a way. Some problems had no solutions. A right answer was not assured, not in mathematics, not in mechanism, and especially not in the lives of men. Kiram was beginning to truly understand that and yet he needed to be able to offer Javier some hope.

And then the steel ribs and shining glass panes of Donamillo's mechanical cures whirled in his mind. Dark etched symbols shifted and blurred as Kiram tried to remember them exactly.

"What about Donamillo's mechanical cures?" Kiram suggested. "Even if Donamillo is too ill to help us you might recognize some of the Bahiim symbols that he used." Kiram nodded to himself. "If we need to, I think I could build another mechanical cure. The symbols aside, I saw enough of Donamillo's work that it wouldn't be too difficult."

"Are you joking?" Javier looked uncertain.

"Not at all. It's what Alizadeh himself said, isn't it? The key to the shadow curse is in those mechanical cures and I'm a very good mechanist, you know."

Javier laughed and to Kiram's surprise he pulled him into his arms. He held Kiram tightly, resting his head on Kiram's shoulder. "You're the best mechanist I know."

Kiram could feel his face flushing and his entire body surging with a flustered excitement.

"I'm the only mechanist that you know." Kiram drew back but Javier kept one arm across his shoulder. Kiram leaned into him despite the close sound of chapel bells ringing and the knowledge that they were in the Cadeleonian district.

"You're a genius." Javier gazed at him with proud affection.

"I haven't gotten it all figured out," Kiram cautioned. "I don't know how we'll get Fedeles inside the mechanical cure if the shadow curse really has taken control of him."

"If what Prince Sevanyo says is true, then Fedeles will come to us" Javier said. "He's riding with the royal bishop's men to arrest me and seize control of my title and holdings. He'll follow where I lead"

"All the way into a mechanical cure?" Kiram asked.

"Close enough." Javier nodded. "I've overpowered Fedeles before, even when the curse was full upon him. I can do it again."

"So that's our plan, then?" Kiram asked.

Javier was quiet for moment, thinking. "We should give Alizadeh this week to convince the Bahiim to help but after that, if they're still refusing him, then we'll ride for the Sagrada Academy."

"A week." The idea of waiting, knowing that the bishop's men could arrive any moment, made Kiram nervous but if the Bahiim could be convinced to act against the shadow curse then their problems would be solved. It was worth the risk.

"Lady Grunito would kill me if I wasn't here to stand at Nestor's wedding tomorrow," Javier said lightly.

"True." Kiram smirked. "It would be a shame if after all this you were killed by Lady Grunito."

"You'd cry, wouldn't you?" Javier asked with a teasing smile.

Kiram started to laugh but Javier quieted him with a kiss. Kiram knew it was meant to be light and fleeting but as he leaned in Javier responded, gripping him hard, and suddenly the tender touch of lips deepened. Kiram opened his mouth and pulled Javier against him, returning the thrust and heat of his kiss. Longing surged through Kiram. He needed to feel the raw strength and heat of Javier's body against his own.

"We shouldn't." Javier whispered as he caressed Kiram's back, holding him close.

"I know.." Kiram's words came out in a breathless murmur and Javier kissed him again. Reflexively, Kiram's fingers traced the buttons at the front of Javier's trousers. A stiff heat rose beneath his touch. And all at once his own clothes seemed too hot and confining. "Why does Cadeleonian clothing have to be so complicated?"

"Perhaps it ought to be done away with." Javier reached for Kiram's belt, loosening it with a hungry desperation.

Soon their clothes hung open and they fell upon each other among the grasses and flowers, crushing blossoms beneath the thrust and drive of their passion. It was rough and wanton but he exalted in the sweat and dirt, feeling alive and unafraid in the throes of ecstasy.

Afterwards they lay grass stained and spent. From across the glade the horses watched them as if they were ridiculous curiosities. Shafts of sunlight dappled Javier's bare chest like the light from the glowing blessings that had fallen from the White Tree. Javier closed his eyes, a satisfied smile curving his lips even as he drifted on the edge of sleep.

Kiram stretched and rolled to his feet.