Page 46 of By Mistake

Andrus stared. "What? Why? I don't need money, I have money now, and a spoiled brat lover with a hundred times the money I possess who will probably say something stupid like his money is my money."

Oresti didn't bother to reply, just stole another sandwich from the table. By the window, Shimari smirked.

"What in the world am I supposed to do with so much money?"

"Spend it, give it to charities, whatever you like," Shimari said.

"I'm sure you'll come up with something noble and endearing before the day is out.

Almost a pity Farthing is no longer alive, so we can enjoy watching him froth at the mouth as he watches you bleed his accounts dry.

I'd rather have Renik get a body back, though, so… " He shrugged.

"Farthing has gotten exactly what he deserves.

" Andrus should probably feel some sort of pity, because being burned out of your own body, or whatever exactly had happened, must be a nightmarish and painful way to go, but until he'd met Oresti, he'd never known what it was like to not be hungry.

To be warm. To be safe . To sleep without worry and be able to simply enjoy himself instead of always struggling.

It was a problem Farthing could have fixed at any time, but instead, he and his worthless family had let the suffering continue. Instead of helping him, building some sort of relationship to bridge the divide created by their great grandfathers, he'd tormented and hurt Andrus for years .

So he really didn't give a fuck how much Farthing had suffered.

Hot satisfaction, a bit of vicious glee, bled into his mind, and he looked at Shimari to see his eyes glowing jewel red. Of course he approved of violent thoughts.

"Whatever you do, it will be better than Farthing could have done in a thousand years," Oranti said.

"Now then, I've kept you long enough over a painful matter.

There will be a public announcement, but it won't be for some months yet.

You'll have plenty of time and warning." When they stood, he hugged Andrus briefly.

"Grieve as you need, my boy, and you've only to ask if there's anything you need. "

"You've all done more than enough for me, and for no reason at all, really."

Oranti smiled, soft and bittersweet. "You're family now.

My son is much like me, in that once his mind is made, it is made, and he has most definitely made up his mind on you.

" He cast a brief look at Oresti over Andrus's shoulder, then squeezed Andrus's shoulders.

"Go on, then. Do as you like. I'll handle the matter of transporting your parents and other relatives here until they can be honored and given rest properly in whatever way, with whatever rites and wishes you desire.

I'll coordinate with Oresti once you've settled on their grave markers. "

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Oranti is fine, please."

Oresti came forward and wrapped an arm across his shoulders, leading him out of the room.

In the hallway, though, rather than return to their chambers, Shimari said, "There's something we need to do first, and it's best if we do it downstairs." He took hold of their hands and whisked them away, and just a beat later, they reappeared in the chamber where Renik lay.

"Is everything all right?" Andrus asked. He looked at Renik, but he seemed wholly unchanged from when they'd been down here earlier.

"He's fine. This is about you," Shimari said, a timbre to his voice that only appeared when the greater measure of his power came forward. He stepped back slightly, then extended one hand.

Andrus drew a sharp breath as the hand seemed to fade away bit by bit, until only the bones remained, clacking softly as he extended his hand. "Cut your palm and take my hand."

Oresti stepped in with a knife already drawn, rubbing his thumb over Andrus's palm, soft magic making his skin tingle.

When the knife cut, all Andrus felt was the brief pressure of it.

He rested his hand in Shimari's bony one, so much like that moment in the ballroom but without all the fear and hostility.

Though Shimari did not fully transform this time, there were shadows of his true form behind him, those shadowy hints of something more that he'd noticed right from the start.

That echoing timbre in his voice was stronger than ever as he said, "My domain is death, the harvesting of souls, and what becomes of them after the harvest is beyond my purview.

But—" His eyes grew brighter, sunlight pouring through red glass "—as far as I may, I see no souls with your spiritual echo lingering in the places where souls are left to suffer, in those places where they become lost. As best as I can determine, all those souls have been reborn or gone to happier, brighter places that are beyond my dark sight. "

He let go of Andrus's hand, his own fading back to its more human appearance, and it was Oresti who surged forward to catch him as he swayed and started to fall. "Stupid demon," Oresti murmured, sweeping him up and carrying him over to the sofa.

Andrus followed, sat down on his right side as Oresti took his left, and offered up his throat. Shimari took the offer gladly, wickedly sharp teeth slicing through skin and drinking deeply from a vein. When he'd drunk from Andrus, he healed the wound and took more from Oresti.

"Not so long ago, I struggled to buy a few shitty turnips, and now I'm feeding my demon lover in the secret basement of the royal palace," Andrus said. "All because some busybody, domineering investigator insisted on replacing my groceries."

Oresti grinned, leaning over Shimari to kiss him briefly.

"I think the blame falls fully at your feet, beloved, for trying to do magic you shouldn't have been doing.

Not that I'm complaining. I gave up thinking I was meant for the romance my siblings found a long time ago.

Never thought I'd wind up with Sendrus's descendant and the most dangerous demon in existence. "

Shimari reached up to lightly caress their cheeks, looking much revived. "Sendrus and Kolik would be pleased and amused to see me here, lover to their descendants. That you two could have and be what they could not would mean everything to them."

"Thank you for…doing what you did. I don't even know what to call it. Seeing them?"

"I'm not sure I could properly explain it, but seeing the echoes of your spirit, or essence, works well enough.

When people speak of things like soul mates, true love, that sort of thing, what they're really referring to are echoes of previous lives.

Souls that remember a bond they had in a previous life, sometimes a soul literally split that recognizes its other piece or pieces.

I've oversimplified matters extensively, but that is the general idea. "

"Fascinating," Andrus said. "Thank you, I cannot say that enough.

I…I'm glad they're…getting another chance, or resting happily, or at least simply no longer miserable.

That isn't knowledge I ever thought I'd have.

I didn't even dream of such a thing. So thank you, Shimari.

Everyone makes fun of me for being terrible at magic, but summoning you was the best thing I ever did.

" He smiled faintly, and looked at Oresti, "Well, and letting you inside that first day. "

Oresti kissed them both. "Come on, let's go kick Telish out of our chambers and be lazy and indulgent the rest of the day. I think we've earned it. Tomorrow is soon enough for all the work we have to do."

Shimari took them back upstairs, but just as they were heading into the bedroom, a knock came at the door. At Oresti's bidding, a servant entered. "Your Highness, Commander Riman and Captain Lymont have come hoping to speak with you."

"I see," Oresti said. "Of course, I'll come at once."

"We'll come with you," Andrus said. "I'd like to meet them, the commander you've worked with and the captain who received mysterious palace intervention ."

Oresti chuckled. "All right. Where are they?"

The servant bowed. "Your private receiving room, Your Highness."

When the servant had gone, Andrus said mockingly, "Your private receiving room, Your Royal Brattiness."

Smirking, Oresti said, "Don't worry, you get one too."

"I don't need one!"

"You will once you're royalty and charged with all manner of new duties," Oresti replied.

Andrus stilled, everything going muffled and distant as the shock rippled through him. Finally he managed, "That had better not mean what I think it means. You've known me a matter of weeks ."

"His mind was made up the moment he met you, or are you the only one who hasn't noticed?" Shimari asked. "Enough of this. You two can be theatrical later. Right now you have to behave."

"I'm going to kill you," Andrus hissed.

There was no way on earth Oresti had just baldly stated they were going to be married one day. It was far too soon to be speaking of such things. Whatever his silly thoughts on the matter, he hadn't actually believed…

"My father proposed to my mother just three months after they met, you know," Oresti said, not looking at him, just speaking between nods and polite greetings to people they passed in the hallway. "But he bought the engagement ring a week after they met."

Andrus just shook his head. "What about Shimari?"

Shimari scoffed. "I don't need your ridiculous human performances."

"We'll do something just the three of us, and all three wear rings," Oresti replied easily. "I've thought of everything, don't worry about it."

Andrus cast him a scathing look, but before he could voice his equally scathing opinions, they'd reached the private receiving room where Riman and Lymont waited.

They stood speaking by a beautiful bay of windows, the top portions stained glass in the shape of flowers and leaves and even some bees and butterflies. Shock filled Lymont's face. "You really are—" He stopped, shook his head. "My apologies, Your Highness."

Oresti scoffed. "You've called me Oresti for years, there's no reason to stop doing that now." He crossed the room to hug Lymont tightly. "I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you countless times. I disliked keeping secrets from you."

"Don't be ridiculous, safety comes before all else, and it was safest for all of us that as few as possible knew," Lymont said, then smiled, soft and wry.

"You're the reason I still have my job, aren't you?

All these years I wondered why someone in the royal family cared enough to send a stern warning I wasn't to be fired or otherwise punished for the deeds of my late ex-wife. It was you."

"Guilty as charged," Oresti said with a grin.

Lymont looked like he might cry for a single moment, but then it was gone. "Thank you, Oresti. Your Highness. You saved my life, more than you will ever fully know."

"All I did was see you were treated fairly, the same way you've treated so many. I am sorry I must retire from investigating. I enjoyed the job, truly."

Lymont grinned. "Rumor has it Prince Oresti is far too busy with other matters these days, especially courting his lover. The city is abuzz with the news that the most elusive royal has finally been caught."

"Surely people have better things to do with their time," Oresti said, rolling his eyes as he tugged Andrus forward. "This is my intended, Lord Andrus Bothwell."

"The only thing I'm intending is to ignore your insufferable, overbearing, overmanaging—" He broke off as Lymont and Riman laughed.

Lymont clapped him on the shoulder. "He's perfect for you, Oresti. The city guard won't be the same without you. Should we spin a story about why our best investigator abruptly quit?"

"Spin a story, tell the truth, I care not. I'll no longer be doing such work, with rare exception, so it little matters now what people know. I will miss it, but…" He shrugged, and kissed the back of Andrus's hand. "I have other priorities now."

"We should all be so lucky," Lymont said wistfully. "We'll let you get on with your day. We only wanted to bid you a proper farewell. What should I do with your severance pay?"

Oresti waved a hand dismissively. "Donate it like all the rest of my pay."

"Of course that's what you do with it," Shimari said in amusement.

"Who is this?"

"Master Marin Wheatley, Andrus's personal assistant and a dear friend."

They both would rather loudly proclaim Shimari was their lover, but the less attention drawn to Shimari, the better. And as he would probably scathingly repeat later, Shimari was no fragile human to be offended by being kept a secret. They knew the reality, and that was all that mattered.

After further pleasantries were exchanged, Lymont said, "We'll truly let you get on with your day now."

"You could never be a bother to my days," Oresti said earnestly. "Would you both like to have dinner with me sometime? Let me know your schedules, send them to my office, and I'll see something is arranged. I would hate to lose touch with either of you; I count you friends."

Riman smiled. "Dinner would be great. We'll see you in a few days, then, if not sooner. Farewell, Master Wheatley, Lord Bothwell. I'll no doubt see you at the charity ball next month. Until we meet again."

Then they were gone, and Oresti drew Andrus in close to kiss him. "Shall we try to retreat again?"

Shimari didn't bother to reply, just whisked them away.

They reappeared in their chambers, where surprisingly, Telish was already gone. Someone had tidied everything up, and a beautiful meal had been laid at the dining table in the corner, two chairs with full settings and one with a glass and carafe of wine.

"Father," Oresti said with a smile.

"Spoiled brat," Andrus said, soft and fond. "Whatever am I going to do with you?" He looked at Shimari, who'd already removed his jacket. "The pair of you, indolent and ridiculous."

"You're the one who let us in," Oresti.

"My greatest mistakes," Andrus replied loftily.

"Now I'm going to become even more hopelessly spoiled and indulgent than the pair of you combined.

Nothing for it but to suffer the consequences of my actions, I suppose.

" He went easily as they grabbed his wrists and reeled him in, settled him between them.

Shimari playfully bit his jaw, then kissed him before withdrawing just enough for Oresti to do the same.

Oresti grinned, slow and hot. "Would you like those consequences before or after dinner, my lord?"

"Right now," Andrus said, laughing as he was swept up and carried off to bed, Shimari discarding the rest of his clothes as he led the way.

End