Frayed Ties (Ties, Book 1) | ✓

Chapter 8

"Oh, yes, I can see that."

"He's badly out of balance, sir," Cailan explained. Oh, he was there too, pressed in against Danya's other side. Hello.

"Thank you, sweetheart, that is more helpful than me getting snippy," the man — presumably Liam, if he was calling Cailan sweetheart — said. "He should be okay, but you really ought to be more attentive to his needs. This kind of stress isn't good for his system."

Danya wanted Simon. He wanted him as close and he could get him and then closer still. Liam and Cailan pressing against him from either side, though, that was helping. Words were at least making sense to his brain again.

"Liam," Simon said. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Oh, goodness. I should have guessed that was what was going on, but I was too busy being judgemental. Please accept my apologies."

"Liam."

"Yes, well — he's out of balance, you see," Liam said. "Sweetheart, would you mind explaining how it works? My own ignorance put you where he is now a time or two."

"Of course. When mages gather energy from the world around us — such as by eating food — it is naturally stored within us in an unstable way. It's like there is a scale inside of us, and that scale tends to get stacked unevenly if we are left to ourselves. This problem compounds over time, until..." He looked down at Danya. "But through physical contact—" he lifted Danya's arm "—the magic within us is brought back into balance."

Danya smacked Cailan in the face this time. He had enough of his senses back to realise smacking Liam was inappropriate.

Simon watched them, his face blank. "He never said anything about any of that to me."

"Well, they're taught that's shameful, aren't they?" Liam said. "They're Companions, Simon. If they're serving their role as expected, this is not an issue that is supposed to arise."

"I see," Simon said coldly.

Liam held out his hands in pacification. "But in the real world, of course it does. Cailan was thirteen when my father gave him to me. I was hardly going to bed a child, but if he'd told me he needed me to cuddle him from time to time then I certainly would have done that for him. But, in the end, it took us years to get to a point where he felt comfortable simply communicating his needs to me in an honest and straightforward way."

Danya smacked himself in the face this time. Everything felt weirdly numb.

"Why don't you take over holding him now?" Liam suggested. "He seems to be coming back to himself a bit more."

"Oh — ah — I don't know." Simon shifted so that he was leaning away from them slightly. "He seems quite fond of Cailan."

"Captain Bell, if I have to come back here and do this all over again for the poor boy, I will not be impressed. Now," he lifted Danya's under his arms and held him out, "take your slave and learn how to take proper care of him."

Simon was strong and warm and his energy felt like sunshine. Danya couldn't even find it in himself to care that Simon was doing this out of obligation, he just wanted more. He let himself be shuffled around until he was sitting in Simon's lap, leaning back against his chest. He let out a long sigh. This was where he belonged.

"I do outrank you, you know," Simon reminded Liam.

"I will keep that in mind for any circumstances where it might be relevant."

Simon let out an amused huff that jolted his chest. "You and Hamish must have had fun drinking together. You're just as tenacious as he is."

"He and I both made more than our fair shares of enemies early on. I find it has made me quite good at seeing to the heart of who people are. I saw your face when you were worried about Danya. That told me enough."

"I hope that anything you've gleaned through that superior insight will stay between us."

"Captain, do you really think I'm this open about my relationship with my slave with just anyone? I know I have a reputation, but this level of open affection would never be tolerated. So, yes, we have an understanding."

"Thank you. And... thank you for your help."

"Of course. I'm glad you thought to send for me." Liam smoothed a hand over the top of Cailan's head. "I think you two should be fine now, so long as you let him share your bed tonight and have a conversation later about his needs. If there was nothing else...?"

"Yes, of course, it's getting late." Simon tried to stand, but quickly gave up when Danya made himself into an immovable lump. "If you're interested, I'll send Hamish around tomorrow to talk to you about a potential position in my new unit."

"Yes, Captain, I think I would be very interested. Goodnight."

For a long time after Liam and Cailan left, they simply lay together. Every time Danya tried to think about the situation his thoughts would flitter away from him. Eventually he gave up and let himself simply relax and drift off to sleep.