11. Auslin

Chapter 11

Auslin

A fter Auslin rested a little after breakfast and changed into more comfortable clothes, he was ready to visit the Fate's Gate Temple with Kitsuki. But a rude surprise awaited them after exiting the castle gates. "Where the fuck have you been?" Kio yelled.

The last thing Auslin wanted was a confrontation, but it was unavoidable when Kio was in such a quarrelsome mood. "I was recovering," Auslin answered in a neutral tone, despite his heart pounding from running into Kio so suddenly.

"From being his fuck toy?" Kio pointed at Kitsuki for emphasis.

Before Auslin could blink, Kitsuki grabbed Kio by his throat with his newly restored arm to haul his younger brother off the ground. "You will hold your tongue, or I shall remove it from your filthy mouth." Kitsuki threw Kio aside with a disgusted expression.

Kio got up with a groan. He stared at Kitsuki for a long moment before narrowing his eyes at his older brother. "What forbidden necromancy did you use to get a new arm, asshole?"

"I did it," Auslin answered for Kitsuki.

" You did that? What are you talking about? You don't know shit about necromancy. Plus, it's been illegal since the Necromancer War, which was millennia before either of us was born."

"I used my healing powers to restore his arm," Auslin explained.

"Bullshit," Kio immediately denied. "Even if that were true, why would you heal that bastard?"

"Because I love him," Auslin said, knowing Kitsuki needed to hear those words.

The statement incensed Kio. "You can't love that pathetic icicle-dick virgin—you're mine!"

Before Kitsuki could protest, Auslin responded. "I haven't been yours for a long time—if ever. This shouldn't surprise you. My brother told you we were through."

"Pfft, like I'd believe his bullshit? He was lying to drive us apart."

Auslin shook his head. "He wasn't lying. I've moved on, and you should, too."

"If you weren't mine, I wouldn't have wasted so much time looking for you while you were gone!" Kio's growl was so fierce Auslin instinctively stepped back, bumping into Kitsuki. "I went all the way to Kunushi trying to find you!"

Auslin started to ask why Kio would search up there for him until he remembered a critical detail. "You didn't go there for me. You went there for Maseo." Auslin knew the half-wolf shifter was from Kunushi and had a terrible relationship with his father, but the mage hadn't been aware of any other details. For the first time ever, it didn't hurt to hear Kio had pursued Maseo. "And that's fine. You're free to pursue him."

"I don't want that pathetic loser."

Auslin's temper flared. "Don't call him that!" Despite Maseo's role in the downfall of Auslin's relationship with Kio, he hated hearing Kio disrespect the half-wolf shifter.

"What the fuck do you care what I call him? He's a piece of shit. I'm better off without him."

"If anyone's better off, it's him. I hope he's found happiness with someone who actually loves him." Auslin sincerely meant it. He wanted Maseo to have someone love him the same way as Kitsuki. "He deserves better than your abuse."

"Abuse? Yeah, okay," Kio scoffed. "The fact that you care shows you still love me."

"I care more about Maseo than I do you," Auslin shot back. It was strange realizing that was the truth.

Kio narrowed his eyes. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"Unlike you, Maseo has a heart—one you keep breaking. And I don't want any further part in that. He deserves better, and so do I."

"Are you sucking his dick, too?"

Kitsuki's hand tightened on his sword hilt. "I would advise you to cease such foul accusations before I end your life."

Auslin tried to get the conversation back on track. "What other reason would you have to be in Kunushi if you weren't chasing after Maseo?"

"Don't get it wrong. He's the one on his knees for me ." Kio scoffed as if it was a ridiculous notion. "I risked going up there, even though his old man hates me. That should prove to you how serious I am."

"Perhaps I should introduce myself to Maseo's father since we seem to be of the same opinion about your worthlessness," Kitsuki said in an ice-cold tone of voice.

"Introduce yourself to him?" Kio repeated with a bitter laugh. "That fucker has been chasing after you for centuries , and you want to introduce yourself to him?"

Kio's words formed a sinking pit of anxiety in Auslin's stomach. His worst fears were confirmed when Kio continued. "Nasume is Maseo's father. You know, Nasume, the guy who has spent legendary centuries chasing after the Ice King. You remember him, don't you?"

Kitsuki's expression was completely blank as he stared Kio down with a chilling glare.

The revelation twisted Auslin's stomach into knots. How had he not made the connection between Maseo and Nasume? It would have been easier to piece together if Maseo was as nasty as his father, but the half-wolf shifter lacked Nasume's cruelty. Was that why Kitsuki had also failed to realize who Maseo's father was?

When that failed to get a reaction out of either of them, Kio turned his attentions back to Auslin. "Maseo is officially out of the picture, Auslin. There's nothing standing between us now."

"Liar!" How many times had Auslin heard that same story before? He didn't believe it in the past, and he certainly wasn't about to believe it now. "Maseo is only gone until you get bored."

"No, I really mean it this time!" Kio insisted. He tried to move in to kiss Auslin, but the human avoided him before Kitsuki could intervene. Kio seethed over the rejection. "You're lucky I even want you back after you abandoned me! After being gone for almost two years, you should be dropping to your knees and sucking my dick gratefully!"

Kitsuki drew his sword with a threatening growl. "You will cease such foul language, or I will end you here and now."

"This has nothing to do with you!" Kio yelled.

"Surely, even your half-breed nose can smell Auslin is my intended," Kitsuki taunted. "You renounced any claim on him long ago with your atrocious behavior."

"Now who's the liar? Auslin, tell him he's wrong! Tell him you belong to me."

"It's not a lie." Auslin stepped closer to Kitsuki to touch his arm in silent reassurance. "I'm with Kitsuki now. If you ever cared for me at all, you would respect my happiness with him."

"Bullshit!" Kio spat. "You could never be happy with that unfeeling Ice King!"

"I'm happier with him than I have ever been with you," Auslin replied. "I'm with him, regardless of whether you approve or not."

"I refuse to believe that!" Kio drew his sword. "He's brainwashed you somehow. I'll save you from him!"

Auslin resisted the urge to sigh. "Kitsuki didn't brainwash me. He showed me what real love is supposed to be. He taught me I deserve better than settling for your abuse."

"You're mine, damn it!" Kio shouted, turning his rage on Kitsuki. "I'll kill you before I let you steal him from me!"

Kitsuki assumed an offensive stance. "Try it and die."

"Stop it, both of you," Auslin said, stepping in front of Kitsuki's sword. "Kio, you've repaid your debt to me several times over. You're free to do as you wish. All I ask is you leave me alone to live my life as I wish."

"If I've repaid several times over, then you're actually in my debt," Kio argued.

The comment angered Auslin. "I've more than paid my debt for every time I patiently waited for you while you were away with Maseo and for all the times I said nothing when you used me as a substitute in Maseo's absence. I'm done with you, Kio. It's over between us. It has been for a long time."

"No, it's not!"

"It is if you know what is good for you," Kitsuki threatened.

Kio launched an attack but was stopped by Auslin drawing a protective barrier around himself and Kitsuki. He pulsated his powers to force Kio back. "I'm not some prize to be fought over!" Auslin ran his fingers through his hair in agitation. "You don't even want me! You're only mad because I chose your brother instead of you."

" Half brother." Kio refused to be deterred. "This isn't over!"

"No, it's been over for a long time—even longer than I've been gone. Do us both a favor and go away in peace."

"But I love you, damn it!"

Auslin's smile was tinged with sadness. "I waited a long time to hear you say those words, but they're meaningless now. I've stopped living my life for your sake. It's over, Kio."

"Like hell it is!" Kio shouted.

Auslin took hold of Kitsuki's arm. "Let's go."

"With pleasure," Kitsuki replied. He sheathed his sword, then gathered Auslin into his arms. The dragon shifter spread his white wings to fly them to the temple. Auslin heard Kio angrily shouting at them, but nothing in the world would ever make him return to his former lover. Not when Kitsuki was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

"Why did you defend Maseo?" Kitsuki asked as they flew to the temple.

"Why is that your first question?" It seemed like the last thing Kitsuki would want to focus on from the encounter.

Kitsuki was silent for a long moment before answering. "You meant it when you said you care more about Maseo than Kio. Why?"

Auslin shrugged. "Because it's true?"

"How can you say that, knowing he was the reason Kio cheated on you so much?"

"Kio cheated because he wanted to. The other person is almost irrelevant at that point. But he treated Maseo even worse than me. Why wouldn't I want Maseo to find the kind of happiness we have?"

"How can your heart be so forgiving?"

Auslin shrugged. "All he wanted was to be loved. It was unfortunate we both chose a person who was incapable of loving us the way we both deserved. I have you now, but he has no one. It feels wrong. He deserves our kind of happiness, too."

"Your heart is a remarkable gift." Kitsuki gave Auslin a gentle kiss that went a long way to reassuring the human everything was okay between them.

"Did you really not know Maseo was Nasume's son?" Auslin asked.

"Nasume did everything he could to make the world forget about his half-human son. He never used Maseo's name in front of me, so I did not make the connection between them." Kitsuki frowned as he shook his head. "I could smell he was a member of the Venrik pack, but because Maseo never acted as arrogantly as Nasume or his cousin, I assumed Maseo was related to a distant member of the family I had never met."

It made sense to Auslin based on his own perspective of the situation. "I had never been to Kunushi, so I didn't know who the king was. Let alone understand who Nasume was before I went through Fate's Gate. Maseo is nothing like Nasume, so even knowing the truth, I still can't believe they're father and son."

Auslin expected Kitsuki to ask questions about Kio, but he remained silent until they landed on the grounds of the Fate's Gate Temple. Before Auslin could say anything, an older mage exiting the temple exclaimed in shock, "Auslin, you've finally returned! And you've, uh—brought company?"

"This is Hessing, one of the elders here at the temple," Auslin introduced him.

Hessing bowed low in front of the ruler. "It is a genuine pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty. Thank you for honoring us with your presence here."

Kitsuki tilted his head in acknowledgment but remained silent. It was another reminder to Auslin that Kitsuki and Kitaro were two very different people.

The older mage still seemed uncertain about Kitsuki's presence, but he continued to be unfailingly polite. "If you will excuse me, I have an appointment in town that I must leave for now. Auslin, we'll catch up later, yeah?"

"Of course," Auslin warmly told him.

With a final bow to Kitsuki, the mage hurried off to attend to his business. Auslin looked up at Kitsuki with a questioning gaze, completely unused to the silent side of the man he had known best as Kitaro. Auslin offered, "If you want to wait here, you can."

"My place is by your side," Kitsuki said.

The comment made Auslin want to hug Kitsuki, but his general air of aloofness and royal bearing as the king of Valzerna out in public stopped him from doing what had once been so natural. Auslin had another moment of regret that he had unwittingly caused such a wall to form between them, but he resolved to overcome it. Instead of saying anything, Auslin led the way into the main hall of the temple.

A young mage named Torondo stood in the entryway. "You're seriously back!" Before Auslin could respond, the acolyte hugged him tightly. "We couldn't believe it when Sephen told us you were coming back soon!"

"I'm sorry for leaving for such a long time," Auslin apologized as he returned the embrace.

It was only when the young mage stepped back that he caught sight of Kitsuki and froze in fear. Auslin realized it must be because a shifter had never entered the temple in living memory. The young mage bowed respectfully as he said in a wavering voice, "Welcome, Your Majesty. We are honored by your presence here today."

Once again silently nodding in acknowledgment, Kitsuki remained motionless behind Auslin. It intimidated the young mage into silence.

"Is my brother here?" Auslin asked.

"I don't think he's back from the bookshop yet," the mage answered. "Elder Bancho is here, though."

Bancho was the oldest mage at the temple, who had looked after Auslin since he was a child. He wanted to meet him almost as much as his brother. "Is he in service?"

"No, I'm pretty sure he's still in the stone garden."

"Thanks." Auslin led the way deeper into the temple to meet with Bancho. Prince Kitaro had earned curious looks from the mages they passed in the past, but now their reactions to King Kitsuki were trepidatious.

They finally came upon a set of wooden doors. Auslin knocked loudly before sliding one open and softly calling out, "Elder Bancho?"

An elderly man sat on a simple wooden bench, overlooking a beautiful stone garden. He turned his head in the direction of Auslin's voice. Bancho was a diminutive and heavyset man with a kind look to him despite his advanced age. What little hair Bancho had was pure white. His eyes were milky from cataracts that had blinded him long ago. Auslin had offered to heal him, but Bancho had refused. He gestured for Auslin to come closer as he warmly greeted him, "Welcome home, young Auslin."

When Auslin was close enough, he hugged the man who had been his surrogate father. "It's good to be back," Auslin told him, overcome with a rush of emotions at finally being reunited.

Bancho looked at Kitsuki with unseeing eyes. "It appears you have brought interesting company."

Gesturing for Kitsuki to come closer, Auslin made introductions. "This is Elder Bancho, the head mage of this temple. He raised me and my brother since we were sent here as children. Elder Bancho, this is King Kitsuki. He is a friend to us."

"It seems he is more than a mere friend to you," Bancho airily commented in a way. Auslin reflexively touched his claiming mark. The older mage may have been blind, but he saw more than any man with working eyes could. "A pleasure, Your Majesty."

"Auslin is my intended," Kitsuki replied to Bancho's previous comment.

"Still?" Bancho hummed with interest. "You continue to be remarkable, Auslin. You have traveled farther than one can walk, farther than any one human could manage in six lifetimes."

The switch in conversation topics confused Auslin. He got the impression Bancho was aware of his use of Fate's Gate to travel back in time. "Elder Bancho?" Auslin uncertainly asked.

"Though you have lived through many lifetimes, you should not take this one for granted," Bancho continued. "We are all glad you have finally returned to where you belong, Auslin."

"So am I." Auslin looked over at Kitsuki, hoping he understood that feeling extended to him as well.

Bancho leaned back against the bench. "There are many who mourned your long absence. Perhaps you would like to join them for lunch while us old men humor ourselves."

Auslin looked at Kitsuki for permission, torn between not wanting to leave the shifter monarch alone and being reunited with his many friends at the temple.

Kitsuki nodded toward the door in silent permission for Auslin to leave him with the older monk. "We'll talk soon, Elder Bancho," Auslin promised. Before exiting, Auslin took Kitsuki's hand in his and brought it up to kiss it in silent farewell before he left the two men behind to talk.