Page 51 of Guiding Reason
I should leave, let him rest. Poor thing shouldn’t even be buffering. He’s such a skilled Conduit according to his file. But I guess it is true: the imprinting works both ways.
Hyran would roll a little to the side, abandoning touch, but it never lasted long. Whether he rolled toward Col or Col turned toward him, Hyran wasn’t sure, but in this suspended place between deep sleep and being awake, where nothing mattered for a few hours, they searched for one another, and Hyran decided that it meant they would find each other in the end.
If only Mama hadn’t talked about grandchildren, and if only I could’ve shut up about it. That was stupid.
As morning approached and the blanketing darkness faded to light, Hyran couldn’t hold on to his sleepiness even if Col was still resting in his arms, the buffering now a low thrum like sunlight on his skin.
The lack of an Op-AI was…like the plot in a very bad drama, the kind of thing that would be canceled before it could go anywhere. Hyran wasn’t sure what the Grounds would look like if that were really the case, if they truly couldn’t replace the Op-AI, but he had two ideas, one he liked better than the other, and he would need Col’s help to achieve it. Potentially also a lot of luck.
The other idea involved going outside the walls. Hyran absolutely didn’t want to take Col outside the walls for anything other than getting him home to Argentea, but Col would likely have something to say about that.
Then again, if he was born outside the walls and if he has memories left of that time…it has to be why they were fine being on a boat with a Hound. Col kept them all calm.
Col blinked crusty eyes open a good while later. He turned on his back and continued to just lie there, making Hyran wonder whether the Conduit wouldn’t have been better off at the clinic after all.
“I’m awake,” Col said eventually.
“Good morning. Did you sleep well? You buffered some, during the night.”
Col looked over at Hyran, those arresting eyes sharp despite everything. “Are you joking?”
“No.”
Col groaned and let his head roll back, his eyes falling shut again. “I can’t believe this. I should have better control. At any rate, we will be going to meet your mothers today. ThenAlesa. Or the other way around if that works out better for everyone’s schedule. And then…I’m not sure. We have to warn psionomancers everywhere, I think. I know a few Conduits all over, and Senny actually has family connections we can use.”
“I thought he wasn’t a tool for anyone to use.”
Col looked back at Hyran. “Are you trying to be funny?”
“Can’t I be?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Notice how I’m not laughing.”
Hyran shrugged. “I assumed that had to do with your head hurting. It’s very nearly time for your meds as well, and you should eat.”
“I want coffee. My head is fine.”
Hyran couldn’t help himself. He smiled at Col. “You know, that’s such Hound-crap. I think it’s adorable that you’re not giving in to giving in, but you don’t have to pretend you’re fine all the time.”
Col focused on Hyran for a long time, and Hyran got the sense he was being examined and judged. It wasn’t uncomfortable, mostly because it was Col, his Conduit, but still. Hyran was afraid he would be found wanting.
The Conduit reached out and touched Hyran’s cheek. The channeling this time was that of an adept Conduit.
“You certainly are leveled out. More than leveled out. I think I should have sent you to sleep outside my door instead of in my bed after all. Buffering in one’s sleep is exhausting.”
“I will do anything to make it up to you. Anything at all.”
Col’s eyebrows went up. “Call your mothers. Oh, and unless I dreamed you said something about having an idea yesterday, you should tell me about that as well.”
Hyran sighed. “I was thinking more along the lines of I would make sure you cum whichever way you want, whenever you want.”
Col smiled at him. “That wasn’t lost on me. Later. Not now. We need to do what we can for the people in our cities. Just in case.”
“In case?”
“In case that woman your friends outside the walls talked about isn’t done with us yet.”
Protector Mana had grumbled at the meeting request. At the same time, Hyran could tell she was excited to see Coldis again and get to know him better.
