Thorn sat on one of the plush couches in the office, Kenneth
next to him. The light of the magelights in the room was homier than usual, sending out a yellower color than the white glow Thorn was used to
seeing from magi. It was more like the artificial shine from a lightbulb, actually, and it
helped relax him as he listened to Maibell speak.
The warm presence of Kenneth
by his side helped even more.
“Now,” she said, her robes swishing as she sat across from
the two men. “Lifemates are typically those who’s magic is identical—they are
identical in power, so to speak. The resonance creates an increase in power
when they are near, giving each person increased control over the aether.”
Kenneth nodded, clearly bored. Thorn leaned forward. The
idea of resonance, at least, made sense. He had explored the concept often
enough in his studies.
“New lifemates can have an array of side effects, of course.
Increased control over the aether can sometimes have the paradoxical effect of
a mage being intoxicated by it. Is that how you feel, Kenneth?”
“I…” Kenneth’s face reddened, blue eyes sliding over to
Thorn’s face, and then up and down his body. “Not quite.”
“I see.” The doctor nodded, and Kenneth shifted on the
couch. Thorn almost laughed. At least he wasn’t getting drunk off some
invisible force. “Well, how do you feel, then, when Thorn is near?”
“I…” Kenneth spread his hands, his face red. “I feel
amorous.” He cleared his throat as though lessening the embarrassing nature of
his words. “I desire him. Physically. And when I do, and we…act on it, that’s
when I begin to lose control to an embarrassing extent.”
Thorn realized she had a clock somewhere in the room when
the silence made its ticking obvious. “I see,” she said finally. “I suppose in
that case, a demonstration would be unwise.” Kenneth’s face was as red as a
cherry, and the doctor laughed, the tension broken. “Do not worry, Lord
Victeni. What you experience is common. In fact, it’s usually the easiest
affliction to treat. Of course,” she held up a hand, and her gaze fell on
Thorn. “Typically when it happens, both lifemates feel it. Do you, Thorn?”
“No,” he said, and regretted his tone when Kenneth’s face
fell. “I mean, I am attracted to him, of course,” he added hurriedly, “but I
don’t feel this…aether thing. I just feel the same.” Kenneth frowned, and it
made Thorn’s stomach flip. Had he said something wrong? He was no mage, damnit!
What was he supposed to feel?
“Well, I can tell you, Lord Victeni, that though you say
your control fails during those times you are physically with your lover, your
control at the moment is not as fine as you think,” Maibell said. “Even now,
its fluctuating, testing and re-testing the aether.” Kenneth muttered
something, his gaze distant. “This is very common in lifemates. You are simply
not used to the level of power you now experience. But luckily for you, the
cure for this is the same cure for your other little complication.”
“And…what would that be?” Thorn asked.
“You two simply must stay near each other at all times for a
duration,” Maibell said. “Most likely, about a week or two. That will be enough
time for you to re-establish control, Lord Victeni, and learn to deal with, ah,
the distraction Thorn here presents you with.”
Thorn froze, blinking with surprise. On the one hand, he
loved spending time with Kenneth. His mage was sexy, gorgeous, and kind.
But spending all of his time with a mage? At the magi
collegium? Tension flowed through his body.
“Thorn?” Kenneth said. His brow was furrowed, his blue eyes
full of concern. “I suppose we should talk about this, shouldn’t we?” he
sounded disappointed.
Damnit, his reticence was hurting Kenneth, but he couldn’t
think of a way to make it better. “Yes,” he said. “I…we should talk.”
“However you wish to organize it, give it a week,” the doctor
said. “Then return if the solution does not work. I would be interesting to see
if any unusual complications occur due to the…unique nature of your
relationship.” She stared at Thorn, muttering something once more, then shook
her head. “A talentless lifemate,” she said. “This could be revolutionary.”
***
The air outside the infirmary was cold, and Thorn pulled his
cloak tighter. He enjoyed the open air, at least. The less he saw of the
infirmary, where he had lain after Alder attacked him, the better. He flexed
his metal hand, wishing he could hurry up and replace it with the new one he
had designed.
“So, we stay together, for a week,” Kenneth said. “I…do you
not want to do that?”
Thorn sighed, dropping his gaze away from Kenneth’s
beautiful blue eyes. “It’s not that I don’t want to be with you,” he said. “It’s
just…” he stared up at the collegium, at its imposing stone walls and towers.
The knowledge of the wealth and luxury magi had, that he never would, sent a
cold shiver down his spine. “It’s just that I don’t belong here,” he said. “Staying
with you in the collegium…”
He’d be an oddity. The talentless lifemate, a power source
to a mage. Just like he would as an Enforcer.
That was his fear, but he didn’t want to admit it to
Kenneth. He would say it wasn’t true. And Thorn knew Kenneth believed that.
But he didn’t know if he did.
“Who says you have to stay here?” Kenneth asked. Thorn
looked up with a blink.
“I’m the one with the problem,” Kenneth said with a faint
smile. “And I’m the one who can more easily claim a week off for illness of
this sort. What if I stayed at the inventor’s college with you?”
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