Page 55 of A Broken Ember
Chapter 60: Anastasius
I groaned, rolling over. The sun was cresting over the horizon, and streams of bright light illuminated my otherwise gloomy room. The chambers I had been given were simple. From what I knew of the Circulus, they lived a plain life, sticking to old traditions. They didn't place extra value on their lives. Life was just a part of the path toward death. It was comforting, the way they were at peace with death. The Circulus didn’t fight it like De Vita did.
I jolted fully awake to the sound of someone knocking. I flipped over to see that the sun had risen high in the sky. Rohit stood by the window. “Come in,” I mumbled, wiping the sleep from my eyes. Whoever was at the door silently came in and approached the bed.
“What do you want?” Rohit spat from where he stood between me and the draconis in the entryway, allowing me only a glimpse of the draconis beyond. Sivert dressed finely, carrying a tray of bowls and brushes. His jaw was pronounced and set in a hard expression.
“I am the Ruptor’s second. It is my duty to prepare the prince for his Entwining,” Sivert grumbled. Rohit’s hand flexed at his side.
When I didn't move, he jerked his head, a sneer on his face. “Well, get up. We don't have all day,” he groused. Rohit let out a low growl which Sivert ignored. I flung back the blankets, flushing when I remembered my nudity. I reached for my clothes which sat in a pile by the bed. Rohit shot daggers into the man with the intensity of his glare. Upon closer inspection, the bowls revealed brightly colored gold, white and silver paints. “Sit,” he jerked his hand toward a stool that hadn't been there last night.
“Shall I not get dressed first?” The question tumbled out of me, my mind acutely aware of my vulnerability. At least my cock wasn't hard. Sivert shook his head and pointed firmly at the chair again. I straddled the stool.
Immediately, the man got to work, binding my braids in a knot at the top of my head. They were heavy and made it awkward to hold my head high, but I didn't complain about the minor discomfort. Heat enveloped me as Sivert approached, standing a little closer than I thought necessary for his task. Seconds later, a feather-light touch tickled my back, making me squirm. Sivert huffed irritably. Bumps lined my skin, in an attempt to escape the forced intimacy. When the brush stroked my neck again, I shuddered, and Sivert cursed in the name of his gods. My body stilled as he drew fine Circles along my spine and shoulders. All the while, the sensation sent chills through my body. It was overstimulating—not painful, but my body wasn't used to such intimate touches. When he got to my lower back, I jerked violently away, the skin too sensitive.
“Can you not even sit still?” he snapped, making me blush and murmur an apology. For the next few minutes, I kept myself rigid despite the ache that grew at the base of my spine. Eventually, he moved on from my back to my chest. He painted Circles all over my body, leaving no space untouched.
“Well, you look much better than you did when you came in, I’ll give him that. But I still don’t know what he sees in you other than a well of power.” His words startled me from my stupor, and I couldn’t help my flinch, earning a growl. Rohit folded his arms over his chest and made a displeased noise loudly.
I wasn’t sure what to say to that, so I kept my mouth shut. It was clear from the tension in Sivert’s body and the expressions that crossed his face that he wasn’t fond of me. I tried not to let that bother me, but knowing who he was didn’t help the anxiety. Claeg’s second in command. Did that make him a Ruptor, too? The thought didn’t bring me comfort like it did with my Chosen. With Claeg, I saw Eleos—peace. Sivert only exuded bitter anger and something more dark and sinister.
It was an eternity before he announced he was finished. Only my cock had been spared the symbols that covered the rest of my body. “Stand,” Sivert ordered. My body followed his commands, and air sent a chill through my body. Heat rushed to my face again at the reminder of my nudity. I shifted on my feet as Sivert cleaned his hands. When he was satisfied, he grabbed a pair of thin, white trousers and tossed them at me. “Put this on,” he instructed, but I was already pulling my feet through. “Now sit.” He gestured toward the chair again, and my heart fell. Surely, there was nowhere else to paint? Regardless, I did as he said, my ass hurting from the long period of sitting. I was eager to get up and walk around, but when he began unbraiding my hair, I knew I wouldn’t get the opportunity for a while yet.
Sivert worked on the laborious task of releasing my hair from its braids forever. When he was done, he brushed the hair thoroughly before weaving it in a new pattern. This one was a circle upon my head, imitating a crown. When he was done, the sun was well past its peak and my whole body ached. My stomach grumbled loudly, the pain twisting my insides, but I refused to miss the numbness that took away simple discomforts.
“Tell me: has he fucked you yet?”
The question made me flush as I recalled the pleasure we had given each other. Immediately, Rohit was on him, pushing him away from me.
“You’re done here. Leave,” Rohit demanded, staring Sivert in the eyes, his chest heaving. I tugged my lip between my teeth, the bite sending the familiar taste of blood and the foreign but comforting feeling of pain.
Sivert snorted. “You are as ready as you will ever be,” he announced as he tucked the end of my hair into the intricate braid atop my head. The minute his hands left my head, I vaulted off the stool, causing it to clatter backwards. Sivert chuckled darkly and left like a shadow at the sun’s peak.
The door clicked shut and Rohit gave me a wary look. “I knew it wouldn’t be easy.” I shrugged at his raised eyebrows. He rolled his eyes at me, shaking his head, but then he was pulling me into his arms in a hug. I let myself relax in my friend’s arms, breathing in his scent of sweet oils and sand. “Thank you,” I murmured, my hands wrapping around his waist and holding him tightly. Rohit was too good to me. A friend I didn’t deserve.
“Find happiness, Stas,” he said softly.
“I will. And Ro?” I released him and let our eyes connect. “I hope you find happiness, too.”
He smiled at me. “Come. You have an Entwining to get to.” He grasped my hand in his.
My heart raced as we made our way through and then out of the castle, Rohit obviously having been shown the way. A wave of fresh, salty ocean air hit my nostrils. The scent calmed my nerves, reminding me of Claeg.
We went down a stairwell carved into the side of the cliff. The stairs were slick and smooth from the moisture of the ocean below. Multiple times I nearly fell, cursing my own clumsiness. The high sun reflected gorgeous purples on the ocean. Upon the beach was a small gathering of beautifully dressed people, each with delicate flowers in their hair. Ercan was among them, wearing a proud smile, but it was Claeg who stole my breath. He was adorned in the finest of silks, gray with purple edges that accented his vibrant eyes. His body was drenched in symbols matching mine. Breathtaking. He stood at the edge of the water, waves lapping at his bare feet. Thana stood behind him. There was a smattering of others gathered, and Rohit joined them, leaving me without instruction. I couldn’t bring my eyes to leave Claeg, who stared at me with equal passion.
The sea’s mist sprayed my skin. I blinked. Thana was calling to me, gesturing for me to come through the line of draconis to join her and Claeg at the front. My feet waded through the sand, bringing me to stand before Claeg. A ridiculous grin spread across his face, one I was sure matched mine.
“Circulus, today I am proud to announce the Entwining of my grandson and Ruptor, Claeg. He was Chosen to merge his Circle with a mate.” Thana smiled sweetly at me as she spoke. “May this union create peace between our clans,” she murmured. I stared at Claeg as she continued speaking words from a ritual I didn’t understand but was grateful to be a part of. Eventually, Thana gave my hands to my Chosen, my Entwined.
“Prince Anastasius, before your kin and mine, please recite these vows indicating your devotion to your Entwined,” Thana invited, and I nodded.
“I am neither the beginning nor the end. Life and death are not mine to claim. I am part of an eternal Circle.” I repeated the words without hesitation, feeling their binding power as they flowed from my mouth. “I merge my Circle with my Entwined. We shall be together until our Circle is complete and everything dies, even light. For nothing truly ends or begins. Just as a Circle is forever, so shall our love be everlasting.”
When I completed the oaths, she turned toward Claeg and repeated the process. As Claeg made his vows, their binding power pulled at me. After Claeg finished, Thana bound our hands in silk and guided us to our knees.
I saw Clotho for the first time as she stepped forward. She wore a fine white gown, but unlike Thana, she did not smile.
“Clotho, please mark the completion of their Entwining in ink within the flesh,” the Janardan instructed. Clotho dipped the tip of a fine blade into the bowl of ink like the night and gestured for Claeg to lower his head. He did, revealing his neck, where half a Circle was already tattooed, the brand through it a light pink. Clotho spoke in the tongue of the witch, and the brand slowly disappeared. So, Hen had taught the Circulus the healing spell. The thought stung a little, but I pushed it aside.