The Last of the Wilds

“The Gull and The Twins were younger,” she said thoughtfully. “What about The Librarian?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I doubt he still watches over the Library of Soor. That place was a ruin even before the gods’ war.”

She sighed. He considered her carefully. His interest in her was still there, though dampened by the conversation. She was too distracted. If he got her attention, what would she do?

“This is too morbid a conversation for a celebration,” he told her. He reached out and took a piece of fruit, then carved a slice from it. She turned to watch him, but her gaze was still far away. Reaching across the table, he held the slice up to her mouth. “Life is too long to ignore opportunities for pleasure,” he murmured.

Her eyes widened, then narrowed. “You said that...”

“A long time ago. I wondered if you would remember.”

She took the piece of fruit. “I could hardly forget.”

He looked meaningfully at the slice. “Are you going to share that?”

Her pupils widened and a smile slowly spread across her face. “It would be greedy of me not to.” She rose and moved around the table, her eyes bright. Placing the slice of fruit between her lips, she leaned forward and offered it to him.

Oh, yes, he thought. He caught her waist, pulled her closer and bit into the slice. Their lips touched, their mouths met around the crisp sweetness of the fruit. He felt his teeth break through juicy flesh, felt her hands slide around his back, and the firmness of her back beneath his own palms.

His interest flared into desire. He felt her respond to it with equal passion. Suddenly he wanted too much at once. He was pulling her down onto his bed and trying to undress her at the same time, but achieving neither. She laughed and pushed him onto his back, then straddled him. Pulling off her clothing, she tossed it aside. He caught his breath as her breasts were uncovered. She was perfect, but how else could she be when she could so easily change her age?

She brushed his hands away long enough to pull off his vest and tunic. Her hand moved to the waist of his trousers. The ties came undone. She tugged the waistband down, then looked up at him and grinned. Then, without a word, she sidled close and he felt the warmth of her begin to envelop him.

No!

The thought was not his. An emotion tore though him, jangling his nerves. He could not put a name to it. Horror? Anger? He gasped in confusion and shock. He felt as if his entire being was sinking into misery. The fire in his blood was doused by a chill that he could not shake, and a lingering sense of another will fighting his own.

Leiard.

“No!” he protested. He sat up, the sudden movement causing Emerahl to lose her balance momentarily. “You bastard!”

Emerahl braced herself and stared at him. “I trust that’s not me you’re talking to,” she said dryly.

He found he could not reply. It took all his will to keep control of his body.

I can’t let you do this, Leiard said. I can’t let you betray Auraya again.

Auraya doesn’t matter! Mirar fumed. You can’t go back to her. You don’t even exist!

Emerahl was watching him through slowly narrowing eyes. Mirar felt Leiard’s will weaken. He took a deep breath, trying to rein in the anger. “I didn’t mean you,” he explained to her. “I meant him. He did it. He... stopped me. I can’t believe... I thought...”

“That if you didn’t let him take control he couldn’t bother you any more?” She shook her head and climbed off his bed. “I told you it wouldn’t be that easy.”

“What am I supposed to do?” he exclaimed, standing up and yanking his trousers up to his waist. If it was possible to die of humiliation he felt he might have then. “Is he going to stop me from bedding any woman from now on, just because he feels loyal to... to that...”

“Auraya,” she finished. She reached for her clothing and began to dress.

Her acceptance of his sudden impotence was somehow more mortifying than if she’d been amused by it. She could, at least, behave as if she was surprised.

“You have to accept that Leiard is a part of you,” she said. “He cannot feel anything that doesn’t exist in yourself.”

“Obviously he can. I don’t love Auraya.”

She turned and smiled at him. “No, but a part of you does. A part you don’t like, unfortunately. You have to accept that part and everything that Leiard proves that you can be. Otherwise...” She frowned and looked away. “I fear you’ll never be whole again.”

“You don’t know that for certain.”

“No, but I’d be willing to bet on it.” She moved back to her table and sat down. Unwrapping the roasted girri, she began to tear off pieces of meat. “Eat. I’m not offended. A little frustrated. Perhaps a little embarrassed. But not offended.”

“You’re embarrassed,” he muttered. “I’m utterly humiliated. I’ve never been unable to—”

“Let’s just eat,” she interrupted. “I don’t need another tall story of your sexual prowess. Not now. And definitely not while I’m eating.”

He shook his head. Anger had subsided into a sinking, dark emotion and he found he could not be bothered with it any more. He sat on the edge of his bed and glowered at the food. Seeing the skin of Teepi lying on the edge of the table, he topped up his glass, tossed the drink down, then poured himself another.

“They’re not tall stories,” he growled.

“I know,” Emerahl said, in an overly placating way.

“I really—”

“Just eat.”

Sighing, he did as he was told.

Teiti’s legs shook as she stood on the bank of the Children’s Pool. An hour had passed since Imi had disappeared. She could still remember the last glimpse she had caught of the princess as she dove into the water.

She and the guards had questioned the other children, but none had seen Imi leave. Teiti had sent out all of Imi’s guards but one to ask people around the many entrances to the cave if they had seen the princess.

“She’ll be back,” the remaining guard soothed. “Most likely she gave us the slip so she could get a bit of private time with that boy.”

That doesn’t reassure me at all, Teiti thought. She’s too young to be interested in boys. If she was, I’d be just as alarmed that she was with some lowly trader’s son.

“Lady?”

She looked down to see a pair of girls standing in front of her.

“Yes? What is it?” she asked.

“Just thought you should know,” one of the girls said. “There’s a tunnel at the deepest part of the pool. It flows out into the city. I know Rissi’s used it before, when he wanted to avoid getting beaten up by Kizz.”

Beaten up? Teiti smothered a curse. Why did I let Imi play with these ruffians?

“Where is it?”

The girls pointed. “At the deepest place.”

“I’ll go and look,” the guard offered. “If they’re right, we’re going to have to start searching the whole city.”

The whole city. Teiti sighed. The chances that the king would not find out about this were dwindling rapidly. The longer Imi was missing, the less Teiti cared what the girl’s father would say or do. What mattered most was whether Imi was safe.

“Go,” she said. “Find it. Find out where it goes. I’ll send for more assistance.”

As he waded into the water she turned away and started toward the main entrance of the pool. One of the guards was there, questioning people. She would send him to the palace. It was time to inform the king of his