Loyalty and War Read online

  Loyalty and War

  The God Jars Saga Books 7-9

  Devon Vesper

  Loyalty and War - Marshal © 2020 Devon Vesper

  All rights reserved.

  Cover art © 2020 Devon Vesper.

  Cover Figure Painting digitally painted by Mathia Arkoniel.

  Cover Background, Font Work, and Design by Devon Vesper.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, at [email protected].

  This book contains explicit material in regards to childhood abuse, violence, murder, and M/M (male/male) sexual encounters, and is not intended for any persons under the age of 18 years.

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  Short, newsletter-exclusive stories are on their way! Did you like Kerac in the first few books? The first short story that I'm working on now is picked by reader poll from my newsletter, and features Kerac and Darolen's romance!

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  Contents

  Marshal

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Anchors

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Incursion

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Epilogue

  Bonus Chapter

  Want to Know More About God Jars?

  Also by Devon Vesper

  About the Author

  For Cassie, because she's awesome. You and your wife are one. Literally. May they live on into eternity. <3

  Marshal

  Chapter One

  “No. NO! PAPA!”

  It had to be Kerac. Tymor wouldn’t be carrying anyone else, and Valis would know that silver stallion anywhere. Even in the darkness of night where Valis had trouble seeing anything else but moon-silvered grass and the darker darkness of the distant tree line, he could make out Tymor’s coat and the distinct, elegant shape of his breed. The moon lit up the surrounding area just enough that Valis could see the glint of the horse’s silver coat and the shine of armor. And the person slumped over the saddle had long, dark hair that dragged through the tall swaying grasses. Just the sight made Valis wish he could fly. Kerac had to be alive. He just had to.

  Another horse exited the tree line with a tired whinny, and Valis cried out, “Xyna! That’s Father’s horse! I know her whinny anywhere!”

  But Xyna bore no rider, and Valis’s stomach pitted. Where was his father? Valis coughed to clear his throat and let out a cracked scream, “PAPA!”

  “Valis! Don’t kill your horse!”

  “Something is wrong with Papa,” Valis called back. “Where is Father?”

  Valis’s heart thundered, sending jolts of panic through his veins. It thumped faster than Rasera’s hooves, even as he urged his horse to go faster, farther. And even though Valis knew his heart was in his chest, trying its damnedest to crack his ribcage, it felt like it was in his throat, strangling him as he wheezed for every gasping breath as if he ran instead of riding his horse.

  “Papa, I’m coming!”

  The body slumped over the horse didn’t even twitch with Valis’s choked cry. With every thundering beat of hooves, Valis felt his entire world tilt on its axis, and feared he would fall off. And as he raced, he frantically tried to call his friend.

  Thyran! Thyran, please answer me!

  Thyran took only a moment to answer and sounded harried. Gracious. What is wrong, Child?

  I found Kerac slumped over his horse’s saddle, but I don’t see Darolen anywhere. I need a search party to my location. Can you see it in my mind?

  No, but I can scry after you. Leave it to me. Bring him home and let me handle the rest.

  Thank you!

  Clouds passed over the moon, obscuring Valis’s vision. He pushed magic into his eyes until the area lit up again. As he neared Kerac’s silver stallion, he urged Rasera to slow down so they wouldn’t bowl the poor horse over or terrify him. Rasera didn’t have his augmented vision and trusted him not to let them run into anything.

  “Papa!”

  He pulled Rasera to a stop next to Kerac’s horse. The poor beast looked exhausted, his head hanging down. He neighed tiredly when Rasera pressed his nose to Tymor’s neck.

  Valis let Rasera comfort Kerac’s horse while he vaulted out of the saddle and brushed Kerac’s matted hair away from his face.

  “Valis?” Tavros called.

  “Here! Push magic into your eyes with the intent to see.”

  “Got it. I’m coming!”

  Valis frantically searched Kerac’s neck for a pulse. Tears scalded his chilled cheeks, but he ignored them. Finally, he found it. Kerac’s pulse came thready and weak, but it was there. Now that he wasn’t as frantic, he could hear Kerac’s shallow breathing. With as much care as he could manage, he pulled Kerac off his horse’s back and laid him in the grass to start removing armor.

  Tavros approached, his horse letting out a snort as they stopped. He dropped out of the saddle and knelt on Kerac’s other side, and without a word, he helped Valis get the armor off. Between them, they made quick work of it, and Valis got up to get Kerac’s bedroll from his saddle and unrolled it, using it as a makeshift bag to carry the armor pieces in.

  Once he had that tied to the silver stallion’s saddle, he tied the poor beast’s reins to Rasera’s saddle, Xyna’s reins to Tavros’s saddle, and mounted up. Tavros didn’t need asking. He just hauled Kerac up and helped sit
uate him in Valis’s lap, knowing what Valis needed.

  “We’ll get him home, love,” Tavros murmured. “He’s hung on this long. He won’t give up now.”

  “I know,” Valis whispered. His voice wavered, but all he could do was hope.

  Feeling Kerac’s soft, shallow breaths waft across his throat gave Valis something to focus on as he waited for Tavros to mount up. The moment he was in his saddle and ready to go, Valis wanted to race home, but he didn’t know the extent of Kerac’s injuries, nor did he feel comfortable making his fathers’s horses run with as exhausted as they were. Instead, he held on to Kerac and let Tavros lead them home.

  The festivities in Cadoras were still going strong as they neared, the sounds of revelry echoing into the night as they navigated their horses through the whiptail trees that bordered Cadoras Lake. It offered Valis a little peace, especially when they boarded the ferry and the feeling of home washed over Valis. Even Kerac seemed to relax. But that only made Valis’s heart plummet and his fingers fly to Kerac’s throat to search for his pulse.

  The weak beats that fluttered against his fingertips made Valis only marginally relax. It was a small comfort, just like the soft puffs of breath against his collarbone. And the moment they stepped off the ferry and onto Cadoras Island, Valis suddenly felt like he would break apart at any moment if he didn’t urge Rasera into a gallop.

  But the Autumn Festival was still in full swing. There were people everywhere. It wouldn’t be safe—not for the city’s citizens, and not for the horses.

  It took too long to get through the masses of people and in front of the monastery. People were everywhere, some drunk on ale or wine, others drunk on the fun they were having. All Valis wanted to do was scream at everyone to get out of his way, but he let Tavros do the talking while he focused on Kerac and those puffs of breath on his skin that let him know his papa was still alive.

  “Valis?” Aenali’s voice carried over the revelers. “Valis!”

  “Aenali, wait!” Jedai called.

  Valis glanced over to see his group of friends rushing through the crowd. Seza, the faster of them, stopped at Rasera’s side and laid a gentle hand on Kerac’s back, her eyes huge. “Jedai. Get over here. Valis, pass him down to Jedai. Maph, take care of these horses, will you?”

  “Of course,” Maphias said as he rushed over.

  Jedai reached for Kerac, and Valis carefully lowered him down. “Be careful. I don’t know what injuries he has.”

  “No problem, man.” Once Jedai had Kerac in his arms, he cradled him tenderly just like he would his baby sister. “Get down here so we can get him inside.”

  “What’s on Kerac’s horse?” Seza asked.

  “Kerac’s armor,” Valis said as he dismounted. “I bundled it into his bedroll.”

  “I will get his armor,” Zhasina said. “You and Tavros get him to the Master Healer.”

  Jedai carefully handed Kerac back over when Valis reached for him. “I’ll go with you in case you need anything. That okay?”

  “Yeah,” Valis said. “Thanks.”

  By the time they made it to the healer’s ward, his friends had raced to catch up with him and met him at the door. Tavros never left Valis’s side, so Jedai knocked to get Firil’s attention. When the Master Healer poked his head out of his office, his eyes widened, and he threw the door open, motioning Valis to head into the main sanctuary with the rows of cots. “Come in. Get him on a cot while I rouse my assistants.”

  Valis’s friends parted to let him through. In the stark white light of the healing ward, if Kerac’s breaths weren’t ghosting across Valis’s skin, he’d think his papa was dead. Kerac had deep purple bruises under his eyes. His face was so gaunt and pale, and he was so emaciated, that Valis wondered when he’d eaten last. How long had he been slung across that saddle?

  Most of all, his thoughts went to the sinking feeling in his stomach. Where is father?

  Darolen and Kerac were inseparable. They never went anywhere without the other. Not unless they had to split up to keep someone safe, or they had a short errand to run. This was no short errand. Darolen would never let Kerac get like this unless he was dead or captured.

  Valis laid Kerac on the cot and stroked his matted hair, picking out dead twigs and bits of grass from the ends. He stroked his papa’s cheek, ghosted his fingers over his forehead and down the side of his face to his chin, down to rest on his pulse point just to prove to himself that Kerac was still alive.

  “Let us in,” Firil said gently. The Master Healer squeezed Valis’s shoulder and nudged him out of the way. “I will not ask you to leave, but your friends should return to their rooms or duties if they are not going back to the Autumn Festival.”

  Valis glanced over at his friends and Jedai stepped forward, drawing Valis into a tight hug. “We’ll wait for you in the sitting room of your suite. Meet us there when you have news, okay?”

  “Yeah,” Valis whispered around the lump of emotion in his throat. “Thanks.”

  Jedai nodded and gave him another squeeze before ushering the rest of the group out of the room and shutting the door behind him. Only Tavros remained. He stepped up behind Valis and wrapped his arms tight about Valis’s chest, resting his chin on Valis’s shoulder. “He’ll be okay,” Tavros whispered. “He’s fought hard to get here. He won’t give up now that he has help. Not now that he has you so close.”

  All Valis could do was nod and pray that his husband was right.

  And then that thought hit him. Tavros was now his husband. Even as fear for Kerac’s life weighed him down, Tavros’s love kept him from drowning in that fear. It had only been two days since their joining night, and everything was still so new and vibrant before they found Kerac in the field.

  “What are you thinking about?” Tavros murmured against the shell of Valis’s ear.

  Valis shrugged. “I still can’t believe we’re finally married. Worried about Papa. Wishing I could do more than stand here like an over-emotional idiot while other people work on him.”

  Firil’s voice, strained from working and his magical focus, filtered over, “You are doing plenty by just being here. Your presence is keeping him at peace.”

  Valis felt a small, brief smile tug at the corners of his mouth. It seemed foreign, as if he hadn’t smiled in weeks instead of just hours. Leave it to Firil to comfort him while he worked.

  “Do you think he’ll make it?” Valis murmured, careful to keep his voice down so he wouldn’t break the four healers’ concentration.

  “I believe he will, yes,” Firil said, just as quietly. “He will need you when he wakes, I think.”

  “He can stay in our suite,” Tavros said. “I won’t force you to part with him, Valis. We can either bring a small bed into our room or set up a cot or something in the sitting room.”

  Valis leaned back into Tavros’s chest, his heart swelling with pride and love until it became hard to breathe. “Thanks.”

  Firil glanced over with a small smile, then turned back to his work as he spoke. “I am afraid he may be remaining here for the foreseeable future. We can heal much, but he will need to be monitored for some time yet. Unfortunately, we cannot heal illnesses or weight loss with magic. He must be medicated and put on a special liquid diet to regain his lost weight and battle the infections in his system.”

  “I don’t mind,” Valis said. “I’d rather he be in capable hands.”

  The Master Healer merely nodded. Sometime later, Valis glanced at the clock in the room. It had been hours, and Valis hadn’t moved, watching the healers work. Finally, Firil rose from his stooped position over Kerac’s body and stretched his back, craning his neck from side to side with a series of pops and snaps as his spine realigned. “We have done all we can for now.”

  “How is he?”

  The three other healers who had worked with Firil all smiled at Valis and disappeared through a door in the back of the room as Valis neared Kerac’s cot. He glanced up at Firil, waiting for news.

&n
bsp; Firil took his time stretching, and Valis waited as patiently as he could until Firil let out a sigh and started speaking. “He is critically malnourished and dehydrated, has a chest infection, stomach infection, kidney and urinary tract infections, and is severely magically fatigued. My apprentices and I healed his wounds, but the infections from them are still in his blood and tissues. All must be cared for with medications, nutritious foods, treated water, rest, and around-the-clock care.”

  “But he’ll live?” Valis asked, his voice cracking on the last word.

  The Master Healer gave him a sympathetic smile as he squeezed Valis’s shoulder. “I believe he will, yes. So long as he receives the proper care, he should pull through. But, the first few days will be critical to his recovery. I must start on his treatment plan immediately.”

  “Can we stay a little longer?” Tavros asked.

  Firil gave him a nod and motioned to the chairs along the walls. “Neither of you will hinder me. Stay as long as you like. Just be sure to take care of your own health as well. And if you need me, I will be in my office.”