“The Lost God is lost.” Master Dorian’s breath hitched as he glanced up at the ceiling. As he swallowed, I saw his throat bob and a look of near-completion on his face. “We listen to the magic. Not some accursed god who fled through the gate.”
What did that mean? Accursed?
“The Spine—shit—should still fall as it will!”
Master Dorian leaned forward, still slapping his hips hard against Elex’s ass. With one arm holding him up, he wrapped the other around Elex’s neck.
“You like breath play, boy? While my cock drills you?”
“Yes…” It was a strangled answer.
His hand closed tighter on Elex’s throat, and his face went red.
I saw the twitch of Master Dorian’s hand at his throat, and a fingernail scored across the line of Elex’s neck, opening the critical vein that led to the heart.
It seemed nothing more than a quick nick, but that spot would kill him, drain him of his life’s blood.
I had to choke back vomit.
“The Spine will fall when the Breaker says it will fall,” Master Dorian ground out.
“No one should have that say,” Elex managed.
“Only the magic has that say.”
“Why give that power to a stupid little cunt like Kimber? That’s proof enough—gaaaaahd!—that it was not meant to be controlled.”
The grip on his throat changed, holding his windpipe even tighter, and Elex was suddenly staring straight at the closet.
And then, he was staring at me.
Roran and Rilen had pushed the doors open.
Elex’s face was a mask of terror. But Master Dorian didn’t give him enough air to speak clearly, to get out more than a few words at a time.
“Kimber.”
My chest heaved, and my face was soaked with tears as I stared at him. Master Dorian held him still while he still pumped in and out of him.
“I would have done nearly anything for you, Elex.”
“…lies…”
“No, I won’t hear it. I heard it last night and in the lounge downstairs. I know the truth.”
“…S’kir must die…”
I stepped out of the closet and walked toward the bed. “You say that, but what do you really know? You’re a liar, you’re a rebel, you’ve got no clue what the magic tells me.”
“…shouldn’t control the Spine…”
Moving even closer, I stared at his reddened face. “I don’t. No one does. The magic tells me what to do. The magic you denied me. The magic I need to save the people of S’Kir from the mountains falling on them.”
“…temple wrong…”
I stared into his deep black eyes. Something Roran had said to me came back.
“The temple doesn’t make the rules, Elex. They never have. They only listen to and conduct the magic through our land.”
