Things Not Written 1/12
30k
written for novel_bigbang
art by danceswithgary
beta'd by postnotice
pg-13 (non-explicit violence, non-explicit sexual references)
What do a seer, a sorcerer, and a rogue mage have in common? Nothing once the magic starts disappearing.
1.1
“You know you don’t have to be naked,” Briar thought to point out as Tal removed his tunic in one graceful maneuver. Instead of an answer, the Elf just let his breeches pool around his long, pale legs. Briar felt his face heat up as he stared at the fine pants forgotten on the floor.
“Clothes off.” Tal’s voice was deep and accented; exotic and commanding.
Briar stared at the other, his knuckles turning white around the grip he had on his white tunic. “You know I don’t have to be naked.” Tal sat down on the bed, tucking his legs in underneath himself like he’d seen Briar do hundreds of times before, and looked expectantly at Briar. “In fact, I’ve done this plenty of times before and I’ve never been naked.”
“Good.”
Briar rolled his eyes, tugging his tunic off before he managed to convince himself otherwise. “There. But I’m not taking off my pants.” Tal shrugged and managed to look like that had been his plan the entire time. Still suspicious, Briar kept his fingers wrapped around the ties to his breeches. Tal was clever; he could stare Briar’s pants right off if he wanted to.
Sitting carefully on the bed, Briar crossed his legs and scooted closer until his knees were touching Tal’s bare ones. “Hands,” he said, extending his own. Tal threaded each finger through Briar’s with care; Briar couldn’t fight down a blush. “Now just relax.”
“That is what I say.”
“Yeah, right before you trick me into bed.” Tal looked smug, instead of properly chastised. Briar squeezed his eyes shut. “Quiet, will you. I’m trying to relax.” When Tal didn’t respond, Briar opened one eye to peek at the Elf. After Tal had offered to help with his meditation, he’d half-expected it was a new ploy to get him to relax enough for Tal to charm him out of his clothes.
Instead, the Elf had his eyes closed and he was breathing deeply and evenly. It looked like Briar really would have to meditate. He shouldn’t be surprised though; Tal took Briar’s abilities seriously. Sometimes, even, more seriously than Briar.
Focusing, he closed his eyes again and slowed his breathing, forcing his muscles to loosen up. His chin rested lightly on his chest.
“No,” Tal said. He was sitting around a table with three other people: a dark-haired woman, a man with ridiculous, wild brown hair, and Leigh. His right arm was resting on the table, twirling an aquamarine ring between his fingers. The left sleeve was empty.
The brown-haired man thumped his fist against the table repeatedly. The woman jumped, whipping her head around to stare at him. “Damn it, Rhydderch,” he snarled at Tal. “This is our only option.”
“Simmer down, Clay,” Leigh said in his usual calm voice. “Just because you refuse to address the other options doesn’t mean they aren’t there.” He stood up and started pacing the small room. “It’s agreed, we can’t stay here, yes?” Clay scowled, but nodded. The unnamed woman just stared blankly with haunted eyes.
Tal turned the ring over to stare into the brilliant jewel. “I do not want to leave Briar.”
Leigh paused, turning to look at him out of the corner of his eye. Sighing, he said, “Briar is…” Trailing off, he looked down at his hand.
“Are you okay?” the woman stirred enough to ask.
Clenching his hand into a fist, he said, “It’s back.” His voice had an odd note of wonder in it.
Frowning, Clay got to his feet and took a few steps toward Leigh. “What-” Leigh’s eyes widened and he inhaled sharply. Gasping, his hand closed around his throat and blistered the skin there. Shoving the girl out of the way, Clay tried to approach him, but Leigh batted his hands away, slumping to his knees.
Clay swore, tucking his hand close to his chest. “Leigh, you’re burning up,” he gasped out.
The girl staggered back a step. “Oh my God. Oh my God. You’re on fire,” she screamed in a voice that didn’t match. Leigh looked down, just as the fire consumed his hands, making its way up his arms. “You’re on fire.” Leigh shuddered, threw his head back and screamed. “Leigh!”
She tried to throw herself at him, but Clay caught her and dragged her back. “We have to get out of here!”
“Briar.”
Shuddering, his head snapped to the side, taking in his surroundings. He wasn’t on fire. Nothing was burning. It wasn’t even that warm. He was still sitting in bed with Tal. Choking on a cry, he buried his face into Tal’s warm, solid chest. “What happened?”
“A vision,” he muttered into his bared chest. “This, it, it was bad.” Turning his head to the side, he listened to Tal’s steady heartbeat. It was soothing to his aching head. “It’s never been this bad before. Never this real.” Hesitating briefly, he wrapped his arms around Tal’s broad back. “They’re usually fleeting, glimpses of the future. Nothing like this.”
Tal dipped his head, letting his breath ghost across Briar’s ear. He shivered. Tal was strangely enamored with his sensitive ears, though it was Tal who possessed the strange pointed tip. “Maybe it was not a vision,” he offered. “Perhaps it was just a nightmare.”
Rubbing at the spot between his eyebrows in a futile attempt to alleviate his headache, Briar shook his head. “I don’t think so.” He squeezed his eyes closed. “I think I was dead.”