Page 6

Being left at the altar without any explanation was infuriating.

This elf would have told him if Narsus was sick, or injured, wouldn’t he?

Lune tried to keep his temper, but it wavered between concern and annoyance.

With each step, he became more riled. Especially since Brightside was not the type for idle chatter.

A defensive spell flashing in warning snapped Lune out of his thoughts and left spots in his eyes.

Brightside crowded up in front of him. As if to protect.

Brilliant blue light danced around the elf’s hands, and Lune could sense the leashed destruction should the magic be shot forward.

He tensed, and let the elf handle the situation.

Lune knew how dangerous magic could be from his father. Calico had also warned him of thieves, especially out on isolated country roads. Especially of pickpockets in the towns and cities.

Scanning for the danger, Lune found it. The cockatrice again. He was leaning up against a tree. Watching intently. His glowing compass dangling leisurely from his fingertips.

When Brightside’s spell grew even more luminous in defense, the avian serpent-shifter again turned his back, permitting them to be on their way.

What in Nolth’s underworld realm was going on? Was the cockatrice just bored, waiting around for his fated mate to show up? Or did he just want to be a stalking creep? Lune was relieved his escort was deemed enough of a threat to deter any trouble.

Brightside grabbed Lune’s arm and escorted him past the other Compass-bearer. Then kept checking back to make sure they weren’t being followed. Walking over the hill, the elf glanced at him for the first time since leaving the temple.

“We’re here.” Brightside pointed toward the edge of the forest .

Lune made out a dark, shrouded figure, also loitering beneath the canopy of a big, leafy tree. Seeking shade was a common activity here in the Star Lands because of the excessive heat.

His fated mate was tall. The mask worn—Lune prayed it was a mask—was matte black, and sported a large beak. The eye holes were covered in convex shiny black crystal lenses the size of oranges.

Lune grunted, and wobbled in confusion and fright. The mask! This was the mask of the undead phoenix god. Lune’s labored breathing had Brightside reaching for his elbow to hold him up. The touch shattered Lune’s shock, and logical thinking kicked in.

No. The Grim god wasn’t his mate. His Intended had just adopted the trademarked mask. A mask that wasn’t even used by the populace during festivals. Because it was a sacred item. So why was Narsus wearing it?

This day was growing stranger and more stressful by the minute. Where was his father? He needed a friendly, familiar face about now.

Lune put a fist against his mouth and stared.

When Narsus seemed to twitch at the scrutiny, Lune took out his compass to confirm his silent query.

The directional Compass-rose lit up and pointed directly to Narsus.

It had never shone this intensely before.

The birthmark on his ass felt warm, as if it too, had lit up.

Lune gasped when Narsus glided out of the shadows. Glided . On curling tendrils of multi-green flames. Those flames, flailing beneath boots that didn’t burn. It was as if there was a thin layer of air that buffered the fire.

When paired with the bird mask, it was starting to make sense.

Was Narsus a phoenix? An undead phoenix, by the looks of him. Or was he one of Grim’s high priests, by evidence of the mask? No. Not even Grim’s sacred servants wore such a mask .

Lune couldn’t be sure of any of this without more evidence, even though he was raised by a phoenix. There were one or two other phoenix forges native to the island archipelago, and their population was strong. But the green-flamed Verdigris was not one of them.

As Lune approached, trying to get a better look at his mate, the sun shone down on that towering figure, casting greater shadows within the folds of that cloak and mask.

The effect made Narsus more fluid than before.

More scary. Especially when his mate retreated into the dappled shade at his advancement.

Lune squared his shoulders. Even by the middling distance between them, Narsus was at least a foot and a half taller.

With each step Lune took, Narsus took two steps back.

So Lune backpedaled, halting the perceived aggression.

If Narsus was the nervous sort, he didn’t want to brand himself as domineering and pushy.

It was unfortunate the priests or even Brightside hadn’t provided him with Narsus’s proper title of address.

The morning sun highlighted the metallic rivets of that black-beaked mask.

Made the shadows cast upon it deeper, with more texture.

Lune didn’t know whether to stay terrified, or find comfort in what was his husband.

So he would do what his father would do. He bowed, but only slightly. “Hello, Narsus. I’m Lune. I’m very pleased to be here. To meet you. Even at this unusual method of introduction.”

Great gods, he was starting to babble, to talk like Calico.

Lune was insulted at the way his husband’s shoulders drooped. Was he that lacking, while Narsus hid himself from the same judgment?

This marriage was already off to a very poor start.

The negative response prompted Lune to close the compass lid and hook it back onto his belt.

That immediately prompted the towering mountain to slowly walk around Lune.

The beaked mask bent in study. As if making sure he wasn’t the one who was a fraud.

Narsus pulled back his cloak and motioned to his trousered backside. Muffled by that leather mask, he said, “Neither of us will be dropping our pants for a birthmark confirmation.”

Lune’s heart skipped with joy. A gentleman. Maybe this could work out after all. Narsus was just as nervous as he was.

“You’ll do.”

Lune’s eagerness plummeted, causing him to hold tight to his shock and not let it slip away. Those rumbled words assaulting his ears almost made him lose his temper.

“I’ll do?” Lune asked, going numb. His hurt reflected upon those glass lenses set into that ugly mask. “I’ll do?” he asked again. His fingers dug into his compass as he clenched at it.

There was a round of deliberate coughing and throat clearing from Brightside. Lune had forgotten the elf was here. Apparently, so had Narsus. That mask turned toward the elf, but then soon dismissed him. Lune gulped when he felt the full, pressing weight of Narsus’s concealed stare.

“Time to go.” Narsus turned and walked away.

What to do? What was there to do? Lune contemplated his options as Narsus got farther and farther away with each step.

Brightside seemed torn. He followed Narsus for a few steps, stopped, then turned and looked at him. The elf shrugged in elegant apology and followed Narsus. Brightside kept looking back. Pausing to see if he’d come. Then hurried on.

Narsus did neither .

That struck another nerve. It wasn’t like Lune expected his new husband to fall all over him and confess undying love. But showing some respect, even the tiniest measure was expected. Maybe even a hint of interest would’ve been nice.

Faint echoes from the city’s marketplace reached Lune’s ears, helping him regain the sense of his surroundings. Narsus and Brightside were gone. He’d been so out of it he hadn’t noticed there were two separate roads.

Which one had they traveled? Lune stood there and waited another ten minutes. Hoping that maybe Narsus just had a case of nerves. Like he had. In reality, he knew it had been ten minutes too long.

Did he really want to have a mate— a fated mate —who had so little regard for him?

No, he didn’t.

Calico once said the compass magic wasn’t infallible. That there were mistakes. Hiccups in the magic because it was the first of its kind. Calico knew that much because of his affiliation with other gods. But that was his father’s extent of compass lore.

Why should Lune give someone a chance who showed him so little respect and interest?

And if he did try to follow Narsus, and found him on the trail, how would the balance of the relationship work out in the long run?

Would he forever be striving to please Narsus at the expense of himself?

Would he lose himself, and thus lose his own self-respect?

Would he learn he didn’t matter as he continued to seek Narsus’s approval?

Narsus said it himself. He’d do. He was nothing but baggage to the poison phoenix.

Lune felt a heavy sting in his jaw as he held back the tears that threatened to leak.

The more he thought about it, the more sorrow blanketed his heart.

There was no chance Narsus would ever love.

This phoenix wasn’t even in possession of his compass.

As Calico would say, this was the final red flag.

Was this why Calico hadn’t shown up? Had he known?

Taking a deep breath, Lune wiped wet eyes against his sleeve. Stubbornly, he forced himself to wait another several minutes. Several minutes turned into thirty.

Narsus wasn’t coming back.

Thirty minutes sacrificed out of a lifetime. A lifetime of emotional neglect averted. That told Lune all he needed to know. He turned and headed back to the docks.

To his beach house home.

“Narsus, will you slow down?” Brightside rushed to catch up. “He’s not following.”

“He’ll come.”

Brightside rolled his eyes and huffed. “Your mask needs to be defogged. How could you read him that wrong? I think your own doubts got in the way. Your Intended was furious. You can’t keep treating people this way. Or yourself.”

Narsus snarled.

“I don’t understand you,” Brightside admonished. “I’ll never get my compass back. It’s gone. Rotted at the bottom of the ocean. I’d give anything to have a second chance, to have a Compass-heart at my side. I know how much the loneliness kills you. You’re throwing away your chance at happiness. ”

Verdant flame flared, coiling and curling up beyond Narsus’s height. Narsus knew his friend was too used to the whipping flames to be scared. “ I’m the one who can’t touch anyone, Bree, not you. I’m the one who can’t let anyone close.”

“You’re making a big mistake to not even try,” Brightside said quietly.

“I have tried,” Narsus replied just as low. “It ended in grief and tears. Enough. I don’t want to hear anymore.”

Narsus turned away, and his cloak billowed.

Verdant magic glittered and glowed. His clothing and gear morphing, being tucked away into an unseen mystical dimension that served as a pocket.

Then his human form also faded. In its place was a whirling funnel of green flame that transformed into a brilliant, long-tailed phoenix.

Narsus launched his stocky, rooster-shaped body into the air and flew away on broad, fiery wings.