Curse of Blades (Blades #1)

Chapter 37

[Note: This was originally included in Curse of Blades: Book 3, but as of July 28th, 2021, I began combining the 3 Curse of Blades books into a single one.]

As the days passed, Coulta felt his strength building. He could get out of bed for short periods, usually just to bathe with the help of one of his wives or Ralix, who didn't seem to mind. The attendant had come through the battle with a few minor scrapes from falling off his horse, and had apparently won the respect of most of the soldiers who used to scoff at him for wanting to fight when he killed multiple enemy soldiers in hand-to-hand combat.

Wildas and Shelton were constantly busy during the day, but Shelton always made time to work with Coulta and his new powers before retiring for the night, and Wildas always spent the night with him, though chastely. For the first few nights Coulta had been far too exhausted to even think about sex, until Wildas started slipping into bed already smelling like it. Coulta tried not to let it get to him, but it just made him want to recover even faster.

Finally, on his sixth night of bed rest, Wildas kissed him and murmured, "Myri says it's all right as long as we're careful."

Coulta wasn't about to argue.

And, even though they heeded Myri's warning, it was still the most incredible of all their nights together. At first, Coulta assumed it was only due to his happiness at knowing Wildas was alive and well after what they'd gone through.

Then, after a long moment in which they both tried to catch their breath, Wildas asked, "What was that?"

Coulta looked at Wildas as he lifted his head and was stunned to see, in the light of the single night candle, a thin black line that was disturbingly familiar tracing its way from Wildas's right ear to his collarbone.

"I think it was a power share," he whispered, lightly tracing the line with his fingertips.

"But I'm not a sorcerer," Wildas pointed out, sounding obviously confused.

"It's the curse magic," Coulta tried to explain. "You should go see Shelton in the morning."

Wildas nodded. "But if power shares are always like that, I won't complain."

Coulta couldn't help smiling. "Me neither."

***

With the immediate threat of war over, and a coronation date yet to be set, the morning meetings of the court were no longer taking place on a daily basis, only every other day so that every member of the court knew what was being done to rebuild the country. Wildas was glad the next morning was not one with a meeting so he could speak to Shelton without worrying about his uncles.

Shelton was sitting at the desk in his office, holding the violet pendant of his necklace. His eyes were closed and Wildas knew he was speaking to someone outside the city. Wildas had a feeling it was one of his relatives who had been sent to one of the cities Varin had controlled to sort out whatever mess had been left. Shelton somehow knew he was there, though he didn't open his eyes, just pointed to a chair beside the dead hearth.

As Wildas sat and waited, he considered the fact that he felt no different than he had before this supposed power share had happened. The mark was still on his neck, though, and he sat rubbing it, even though it didn't hurt or even itch. He'd seen it in Coulta's mirror and Myri had taken special notice of it. It was like a thin vine that twisted from the very bottom of his ear to his collarbone, very similar to the marks that covered Coulta's body. What it actually meant, he had no idea.

Eventually, Shelton let go of his necklace and rubbed his face with both hands. "What do you need?" he asked as he removed his hands and looked at Wildas.