He shrugged, too tired to even think. “No... more to Thais...”
Marius nodded, not probing further. “I have a baby girl...”
Kyle smiled. “Yes, congratulations, dominus.”
He looked at him, mildly scolding. “Not in this room?”
“Of course...”
Marius turned to him, taking his hands. “I have to tell you something...”
Kyle cocked his head. “Yes?”
His blue eyes bore into his. “You know that my uncle is the emperor... and that I angered father... remember when he hit me?” Kyle nodded, unsure where this was going. “Seraphina is jealous, and she could any time find out what we have here... she might have done so already...” Kyle nodded, and Marius continued, bleeding every word. “My imperial uncle could... he could just take you away, claim you, you know?” Kyle paled, his heart racing, but he didn’t interrupt him. “So... you’re not safe here... I don’t know how long we can pretend that we’re only just fucking casually... I think Seraphina will not buy it for long... so...” He struggled, taking a deep breath. “So maybe the best would be that you went somewhere safe until we figure something out.”
Kyle stood, Marius’ hands warming his hands, not fully understanding. “Went somewhere else? But where? This is my home, here...”
His words died and his face fell, his eyes wide, and Marius’ fingers closed on his hands, feeling them tremble. “It would be temporary only... until my fucking family forgets about us, about you...”
Kyle stammered, in shock. “But... where? Where would I go?”
“Clavius’ house.”
His lips parted, and Marius felt his hands go limp, his voice choked. “You sold me to your friend?”
Marius held his hands tighter, desperate, his blue eyes filled with love. “No! No... I didn’t sell you...” Kyle relaxed, sighing, when Marius drove the knife through his heart. “I gifted you away...”
There was a dead silence following his words, Kyle’s face going from relief to grief, a bitter sadness at Marius’ words, even if his reason was screaming at him, his heart shattered into a million pieces, the shards biting into his very core. He doubled over slowly, moaning, and his legs couldn’t hold him. He wrenched his hands out, Marius’ hands burning him, his throat choked by tears, slowly sinking to his knees, looking for comfort in the only position he knew would maybe bring some mercy from his tormentors.
Marius watched him sink back into his submissive self, surrendering his will to him, his body screaming mercy, and he couldn’t stand it. He tugged at him, his voice full of tears. “Get up, please, just get up, talk to me...”
But Kyle was gone, and he lowered his forehead to the cool floor, oblivious to his desperate lover’s attempts to make him rise.
Marius whispered, frantic. “Get up... oh gods... Kyle, please, please, love...” He covered his back, squeezing his shoulders, his whole body rocked by sobs. “Please... I am sorry... I won’t do it... I’m not letting you go...”
Kyle rocked his body, gently moaning, his face on the cold floor.It feels so good... just away from this madness... away from him...Darkness fell, soothing, a black void which enveloped him like a mother’s arms.
Kyle woke with the morning light in their bed, alone, and he could not move, his eyes on the terrace, the spring breeze gently ruffling the curtains.
Clavius and Tertullia stood in front of the door, looking at the wreaths. Her eyes grew wide. “The baby is here?”
He sighed. “Fucking perfect timing...” He knocked then and Sixtus opened. He gestured them in and went to get Marius.
He was with Seraphina and the child, the tiny girl cradled in her arms. She seemed more at peace, but her face was grim, still mourning the boy she had prayed for. Marius sat next to the bed, his mind numb, when Sixtus knocked and poked his head in. “Dominus, master Clavius and his wife are here...”
Seraphina shot an angry look at him. “Now? What got into them?”
Marius sighed. “They could not know... let me deal with them.”
Clavius watched Marius approach, his face ashen, dark circles under his eyes. He patted his back. “Congratulations, I see you can’t sleep already...”
His eyes were so tortured that Clavius had to shut up, and Tertullia hesitated. “We can take him away another day?”
Marius wavered when there was another knock, and Sixtus opened the door to let their parents in.
Gaius stormed to his son, clasping him in an embrace. “Son! Where’s my grandchild?”
He gestured towards the stairs. “Upstairs... Sixtus will take you...” He had forgotten that Brandan ran to their house yesterday to tell them the good news. He watched them hurry upstairs and turned to Clavius and Tertullia. “He... didn’t take it very well... blacked out... I put him in bed in our room... he might be awake...”
