Page 74 of By Mistake
"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 besafe.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 foryears.
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 evendreamof 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 receivedmysterious palace intervention."
Oresti chuckled."All right.Where are they?"
