Stone Rose

[maderr]

Chapter Five


Culebra cursed himself for being stupid and weak as he stalked through the halls of the palace. Why had he broken down? For so many years he had kept his darkest secret from everyone but Isabella. Now because of one stupid argument, he broke down and told the one person he’d least wanted to know?

He couldn’t believe Corinos had known of his plans the entire time. It made him feel a thousand times stupid. Trapped. Well, fool him for thinking he could ever get away. He should have known better. There was no escaping what you were born into.

Not true part of him whispered. Gave it up so there could be choices…

He shook his head in a desperate attempt to clear it of the strange, echoing thoughts. They had no place in his head. Wasn’t he enough of an outcast?

Loneliness…

With a snarl, Culebra turned his thoughts elsewhere. Scales and Teeth, there should be only one voice in his head! He should not have to share space with a dead god. He sternly ignored the voice that tried to remind him that he was, to some degree, the dead god in question. For reasons unknown, the reincarnation of the Basilisk continued to be born. Some said there would come a day when the true Basilisk would finally return…Culebra wished he would hurry up and do it and stop whispering in his head. His own voice was already more than he could stand.

The air in the hallways was chilly. He sorely regretted stripping out of his jacket – though at the time he’d had no idea he would be leaving again. Thankfully the sanctuary would be nice and warm…and well away from everyone and everything that hurt. Culebra counted steps and turned, reaching out his fingers to touch – yes, the candelabra that should be there. Only a few more turns and hallways.

He tried to ignore the silence that surrounded him, trying and failing to convince himself that he wasn’t waiting to hear the sound of a familiar tread, a familiar jangling of sword and belt. He most certainly wasn’t waiting for a certain warm hand to land upon the small of his back. The very last person he wanted to see right now was Corinos, who no doubt was horrified at what Culebra had just told him. Forty paces to the end of the hall and his hand fell upon the handle of his sanctuary.

Breathing a soft sigh of relief, Culebra opened the door – there was no reason to lock it – and stepped inside.

Immediately his head was flooded with noise, his snakes more vocal and excited than he had ever heard them. He gasped as he sorted out what they were telling him. Snakes didn’t communicate as people did; they conveyed thoughts more as smells, impressions, for they could not see as most creatures. It always took him a moment to sort out what they were trying to say. When he finally realized it, he checked thrice more and still could not believe it. “There is someone here.”

A voice laughed, and Culebra drew a sharp breath.

He’d never heard a sound like it. The voice was…rough, almost broken sounding. It was as if something had ruined the stranger’s ability to speak properly. Cautiously Culebra moved forward, reaching automatically to pet all the snakes that twined up and around him, half-listening as they cautioned him on where not to step. “Who are you? How is it you come to be here? Why are you here?”

“You are early, Highness,” the stranger said, and Culebra was more convinced than ever that something had happened to almost completely ruin the speaker’s ability to use his voice. “I did not expect you until morning; that is when I was told you always visit.”

“It’s been a long night,” Culebra said slowly. He came to a halt not far from the voice, realizing its owner must be sitting on his rock. “You’re in my seat.”

A soft chuckle. “My apologies, Highness.” Movement, the scuff of leather on rock, the jangle of a sword belt, boots in grass and then a firm, leather-clad hand grasped Culebra’s elbow and helped him sit.

It was interesting, refreshing, the confidence and assurance with which the speaker acted. He didn’t hesitate, or ask if Culebra needed help – simply gave it without thought. Also without being annoying, condescending. He was simply matter of fact. “Comfortable, Highness?” the stranger asked, and Culebra could hear the teasing note in it.

“You may sit with me, though I sense I should have long ago summoned guards.”

“You probably should have, but at this hour there are none even remotely close to this place.” The stranger sat down beside him, and Culebra could feel the heat pouring off him. So many smells clung to him, it was hard to sort them out…cigarettes, sweet cigar, horse…the outdoors in general.

Culebra nodded in agreement, not bothering to say that if he wanted the stranger dead, all he had to do was indicate as much to his snakes. “How is it you can sit so comfortably in here? No one ever comes in here. They fear what the snakes might do.”

“True predators only kill when there is a need. I am not at all appetizing, and I’ve caused them no harm. Nor have I harmed you. They’ve no reason to attack me. Simple as that.”

“So few understand that,” Culebra murmured, running his fingers along the half dozen snakes that had curled about him, with still more close by. “I have tried to explain that, but they never listen…”

The stranger laughed again. “That is a pity. You have a fine collection here. So many lovely creatures. Some of these even I have not seen, and my travels have been extensive. I saw one that had orange and red markings, somewhere in Verde. I could not tell you if it was a true snake or one of the blasted Highlanders, but I do know I did not like the look of its teeth.”

Culebra’s lips twitched. “I believe I have one of those. You should be doubly grateful that it has no interest in human prey, for it prefers to stun its food and eat it while the heart still beats.”

“I am doubly grateful, then, as you say. What of that bright green snake in your lap?”

“Do not startle it,” Culebra murmured, his fingers easily finding the snake in question, knowing it from the other one in his lap. “They strike quick, and the poison kills quicker still.”

That rough, near-broken voice laughed again. “A fine collection of assassins you’ve got here, Highness. I am glad you have not yet chosen to sic them upon me, which I sense you could.”

“Who are you?” Culebra asked. “What do you want?”

“I’m…a jack of all trades, you could say. I think mercenary is the popular term. I have been quite handsomely paid to kidnap you, Highness, and deliver you to my current employer.”

Culebra nodded, feeling a calm fall over him. “Who paid you?”

A laugh. “That would be telling, Highness. Anyway, I do not know. I took the money and agreed to the job.”

“I always thought a kidnapping would be more…”

“Violent? Messy? Highness, messy and violent would not get me very far. Besides, my investigations have led me to believe you didn’t want to be here, anyway. That plays to my favor.”

Culebra frowned. “I can’t go yet. Not like this…Corinos…” He didn’t want to leave while there was still the argument between them. Before his plans had come crashing down around him, he had planned to leave on a positive note. He wanted Corinos’s last memories of him to be positive. He didn’t want Corinos to think he’d run off while there was still unhappiness between them.

“Your bodyguard?” The stranger said. “I’d rather not involve him, Highness. He would force me to violence, I feel certain, and I would really be happier to avoid that. I’ve heard a great deal about the fierce wolf that guards the Basilisk Prince. I do not think I would win…but I do not think he would win, either, Highness. Though of course your snakes would get me well before I could get him…but I think that my employers would just send others after you. I do not think your snakes will catch them all.”

He didn’t want Corinos hurt. Not because of him. He’d tried his whole life to spare Corinos what pain he could. Even when the stupid man didn’t realize it. He’d already cost Corinos his brother… “You really are a merc,” he said. “I don’t want anyone hurt.” He paused. “I’ve never met a mercenary before, but I sense that very few of them are anything like you.”

“People rarely know what to do with me,” the stranger agreed lightly. “What brings you here at this hour, Highness? I did not expect you until morning.”

Culebra frowned and restlessly petted his snakes, nuzzling into the one curled around his neck. “The night is filled with unhappiness. I came here seeking solace. Corinos…” He shook his head, furious that he was explaining things to a stranger – to his kidnapper. “If you are going to kidnap me, grant me one boon.”

“Depends on the boon, Highness.”

“Make it clear I was kidnapped.”

There was a silence, and Culebra could tell his words had startled the man. “Very well, Highness. Just know that if your bodyguard comes after us, I will have to take appropriate measures. It would be better for him if you appeared simply to have run away.” He stood up and then a hand wrapped around Culebra’s arm. The snakes slithered away, suddenly anxious. Culebra silently soothed them. He stood as his kidnapper tugged him up – but tripped on a fleeing snake and stumbled up against him instead.

He froze as shock coursed through his body. Hastily he drew back, feeling his cheeks heat as he pulled his hands away from where they’d landed on his kidnapper’s chest. “Y-you’re a woman!”

“I will forgive you, Highness, for not already realizing. Men with all their senses available – though in my experience men have very little sense at all – do not immediately realize I am female. To give them credit, only my chest gives it away most days. I…have led a colorful life. It has left its mark upon me.” A wry laugh. “All over me.”

Culebra could feel his cheeks burning. “I did not mean to…”

The kidnapper laughed again, and Culebra went completely still, shocked beyond belief as she ruffled Culebra’s hair. “No harm done, Highness. I assure you that you are not the first to take a tumble into my bosom. At least you did it by accident.” She ruffled his hair again.

“Stop that!” Culebra said, pulling away.

“Yes, Highness,” the kidnapper said, clearly amused. “Fidel hates it when I do that, too.”

“Who is Fidel?”

“My partner. He’s waiting for us just inside the forest with some rather fine horses.”

Culebra grimaced. “Horses.”

A soft chuckle. “You will be riding with me. Fidel has our supplies.”

“Where are we going?”

“That would be telling. I will tell you it is some distance away, and not an area even I frequent. You are not really dressed for travel…lucky for you I did not think you would visit your sanctuary dressed for a long journey.”

Culebra almost laughed, and was horrified with himself. He was being kidnapped, nothing should be amusing. Nor should he feel so comfortable with a woman who so casually spoke of kidnapping a royal prince, so lightly of using violence should Corinos get in the way…who he had mistaken for a man. “Such a thoughtful kidnapper,” he replied, trying to sound caustic, wincing as he realized he only sounded amused.

“Merely efficient,” the kidnapper replied. “I don’t think I’d get my money if I delivered you frozen.”

“You won’t tell me anything about why this is being done?”

“To be honest, Highness, I don’t know myself. My job was to kidnap you and meet the ones that want you at a certain location. I don’t ask more questions than is strictly necessary. Too much information is as deadly in my line of work as too little. Now here.” She stepped close and Culebra heard the swoosh of heavy fabric cutting through the air before a heavy, wool cloak was draped over his shoulders and fastened about his throat. A deep hood was tugged up over his head, and then leather gloves were pressed into his hand.

“Why are you being so…congenial?” Culebra asked.

He had the impression she shrugged. “I find it goes further, when there’s opportunity to employ it. We both know I don’t need to be; I would have taken you by force if necessary. I’d prefer we keep things…congenial.”

“I don’t want anyone hurt,” Culebra said. “I’ll go along with you if it keeps the peace…but know that if you do anything to hurt me, I have my own ways of protecting myself.”

A firm hand settled on his arm and began to guide him away from the rock, toward the back of the sanctuary. “I know, Highness,” she said, sounding almost gentle. “While you are in my keeping, no harm will come to you if it’s within my power to prevent. This is only a job to me. Whatever you choose to do after I’ve delivered you is wholly up to you. I will neither help nor hinder. As I said before, it is patently obvious that had you wanted me dead, I would not be having this conversation. Your beauties clearly adore you, and would do anything for you. I can see it is only because of you that I am still standing.”

“Yes,” Culebra said softly. “Let us hope you have not stirred Ruisenor. She only listens to me when she feels like it. I could not say with confidence that I would be able to keep her from killing you.”

The hand on his arm tightened, and then his kidnapper laughed softly. “I think I would like to meet this Ruisenor, Highness. A strong-minded woman always holds well with me, even when she wants me dead. Wait here a moment.” She let go of his arm, and Culebra listened as she fumbled with something – the wall, he realized. She was doing something to the glass. He heard the clink and scrape as she set glass to rest against glass, and then the cold air of the coming winter was rushing in, biting hard. “My snakes,” he said. “The cold.”

“All will be well, Highness,” his kidnapper soothed. “I kill nothing unless I absolutely must.” Taking his hand, she led him through whatever opening she had cut in the class, and he listened, shivering, as she did something to the glass once they were outside.

“What did you do?” he asked. “How did you get in and out?”

“The glass is just large panes set into wooden frames. I teamed up with a group of men in Pozhar once, working a job for someone, and they taught me a couple of tricks involving getting past glass without making a huge mess.” She laughed softly. “That was a fine trip, that one.” He listened as she stood and walked away, moving to what sounded like…bushes, and then he heard as she strapped things into place, settled them on her person.

“All right, ready to go. The half-moon is high and bright in the sky, we have good horses and maybe even food waiting for us, and there was not a single hitch in the plan.” His kidnapper sounded…cheerful. “This job is accomplished several hours ahead of schedule, and we will be well away before anyone is the wiser.” She took his arm and began to lead him away – then abruptly stopped. “Ah, one more thing. Highness, is there anything beneath that strip of silk covering your eyes?”

“Bandages,” Culebra replied. “Do not remove them.”

“No worries there,” she assured. “I want the bit of silk, though. So they know you’ve been kidnapped.”

Culebra nodded slowly and reached up to carefully untie the silk that covered the tightly wound bandages hiding his eyes. He handed it over.

“Excellent,” his kidnapper said softly, and Culebra listened as she did…something. Then he heard the snap as a bow string was released, a muted thunk as it landed close by in the grass. “There,” his kidnapper said, no small satisfaction in her voice. “That will let them know that I took you away. Be flattered, Highness, it is not often I leave a calling card.” Once more she took his arm and began to slowly lead him away from the castle. “Careful, Highness. There are rocks and such, and I will not be able to see them all.”

“Thank you,” Culebra murmured. They walked in silence, occasional curses breaking the still of the night as he tripped or stumbled. His cheeks heated with humiliation, but there was no help for it – he did not know the lay of the land, and no one could guide him half so well as Corinos.

Corinos…Culebra’s gut twisted as he thought about how upset his bodyguard would be. He did not doubt for a moment that Corinos would come after him, would somehow find him, but that would not stop him from being upset. He would all but kill himself for ‘failing’ to protect his prince.

There was no reason to feel that way, of course. Of all places, Culebra should have been safe in his sanctuary. Scales and Teeth, it was where he was supposed to flee if everything went horribly wrong somehow. Corinos…

All he’d ever wanted was to spare him further pain. Corinos deserved better, even if he was too stupid to figure that out. Now he would worry himself to death, push himself too hard, trying to find Culebra.

It made him sick, to think about how hard Corinos would push himself. Corinos loved him, he knew that all the way to his bones, and would therefore stop at nothing – and the whole while would be blaming himself. Culebra wanted nothing more than to reassure him somehow, and he couldn’t, and that made everything worse.

Was this how it would have felt running away? This sick twist in his stomach? The heavy ache in his chest? Surely that would have felt different, because he’d planned on doing it for Corinos. It was his choice. This was against his will. If he didn’t go, there was no telling who else might be sent to kidnap him. Eventually, his snakes would not strike fast enough…

He thought being free of the castle and the burdens it came with would feel lightening. Instead, all he felt was heavy and tired. He wished he’d never left his room…never left Corinos. Too late now.

So until his situation changed, he would have to make the best of things. “What is your name, by the way? I know your partner is Fidel…”

A soft, rough laugh. That broken voice was endlessly fascinating. It was like…smoke and shattered glass. She also smelled of smoke, as he had only slightly noticed earlier; he could smell both the sharp, pungent scent of a cigarette and the softer, more appealing smell of a sweet cigar. The scents of grass, leather, and horse mingled with the smoke. Was that how all mercenaries smelled? “How rude of me. I apologize, Highness. My name is Cortez.”




Chapter Six


“Tell me why I shouldn’t have you beheaded, Corinos.”

Corinos bowed his head low. “There is no reason, Majesty. My head is forfeit. I failed to fulfill the one duty to which I was sworn.” His fingers dug deep into the carpet of the royal throne room. “My life is yours to do with as you see fit. I ask only that you allow me to retrieve his Highness first. His loss was my mistake, and I would like to fix it.”

Gone. He still could not believe it. Just two hours ago he had gone to the sanctuary to retrieve Culebra, so certain they would finally resolve the problems that kept them apart…only to find him vanished. Not a single clue as to how it had happened, save for the arrow which pinned a strip of silk to the ground just outside the sanctuary. From Culebra’s eyes.

“Tell me again what happened, Corinos.”

Corinos nodded and slowly recounted all that had transpired. “His Highness was understandably upset after the events of last night, and that led to an argument between us. His Highness decided he wanted to be alone in his sanctuary, and forbade me to follow him there. I thought to give him time to calm down, and so waited a few hours before going to retrieve him. This has happened before in the past, and there were guards enough in the hallways to protect him on his way to the sanctuary.”

“You are to guard him at all times,” Pruebas said coldly. “That means you remain by his side no matter what. You let him go because of an argument? Sloppy, bodyguard, very sloppy. Your father was one of the best; we had been led to believe his sons were trained to his level of skill. I do not care whether my brother is in a snit or not, you are supposed to stay with him.”

Corinos let the implied insults wash over him. Pruebas understood nothing, and so his recriminations meant nothing. “I am also to follow his orders,” Corinos said slowly, eyes fastened on the carpet. “He has always been safe within his sanctuary, Majesty. Not even you, his brother, will venture into it. What little evidence we have gathered indicates he was taken from within his sanctuary and away into the forest. There are signs that a campsite was made a mile or so into the woods, obviously waiting for the return of the kidnappers.”

Pruebas’s lip curled. “So they were obviously lying in wait. They knew he would be there, though you claim he only traveled there so late because of an argument – and an argument about which you are being remarkably vague.”

“Majesty, I will not discuss private matters. The argument is for Culebra to relate or not. I cannot recount it without revealing information he would not want shared. As to them knowing…Culebra visits his sanctuary every morning, usually for a few hours. It is my belief that they intended to snatch him then. He rises early, which means there would have been plenty of dark under which they could have snuck away.”

“The only flaw with your reasoning, Corinos, is that if they had done it then, my brother would have called for help.”

“No, Majesty,” Corinos said softly. “I do not believe he would have.” Culebra insisted on being stupid and stubborn about everything. Given a choice, he invariably chose the most difficult route, usually for obscure and foolish – if well meant – reasons.

“You are his bodyguard. Why would he not call out to you for help?” Pruebas narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “I should have gotten rid of you years ago, I think. I never approved of you or your foolish brother.”

Corinos tried to summon patience, truly he did, but after spending all night miserable only to find his entire world gone, he was not in any way in the mood for dealing delicately with Pruebas. Especially after hearing his brother insulted. That was more than he could take. “He would always call for me, Majesty. His Highness trusts me implicitly.” He loves me. “I gather your Majesty has never bothered to notice the despondency which wears constantly at your brother.”

“Despondency?” Pruebas asked. He rolled his eyes. “You exaggerate. My brother lives a life of leisure, and there is not a single person alive who would dare to cross him other than the Brotherhoods from which you have utterly failed to protect him.”

“Scales and teeth, Majesty!” Corinos stormed to his feet. “Are you so lost in your own world that you notice nothing that pertains to your own brother? He is miserable, Majesty. He has no friends, his only family can barely stand his presence, and everywhere he goes he is chased by rumors that he is a curse, that he is the reason people die. He could do nothing more than listen as his best friend was killed and devoured by mermaids. Every single day of his life is spent enduring fear and loathing. You who should most support him instead ignore him as much as possible. The only comfort he finds is in his sanctuary. If someone wanted him kidnapped, he probably went along with them to spare the rest of us further trouble. He went because he does not feel his own brother would care if he were gone or not.” Corinos glared at Pruebas. “That is why he would not have called for help.”

When Pruebas said nothing, Corinos turned sharply around on his heel and strode from the throne room. He needed to track down Culebra, not waste his time here.

“Seize him,” he heard, and spun just in time to punch the closest of the guards that came after him. He drew his sword as the other guards moved in on him. “I am going to find Culebra,” he said to Pruebas, never taking his eyes from the guards. “When I return with him, Majesty, you may do to me as you see fit. I accept full punishment for my failure. However, I will not be kept from saving Culebra.”

Pruebas shook his head. “Forget it, Corinos. You are going to be imprisoned as…”

Corinos frowned, confused as Pruebas’s voice trailed off – then he watched as the faces of the guards visibly paled. Then they dropped their swords and stumbled back, clearly desperate to get away from…whatever was behind him.

Having a sneaking suspicion he knew what – for only so many things could cause that level of panic – Corinos sheathed his sword and turned around. “Ruisenor,” he said softly, and held a hand out as the snake reared up. He stroked the slick scales of her head. “Shall we go find our prince?”

“What in the name of all that is holy is that?” Pruebas asked, voice trembling.

Corinos barely kept back a smug expression. He had not acted so when first he’d seen the giant snake – and he had discovered it sleeping with Culebra. Pruebas said Culebra lived a life of leisure. It was blatantly, pathetically obvious which brother was soft and pampered. “This is Ruisenor, Majesty, the snake most dear to Culebra’s heart. Isn’t she beautiful?”

“She’s hideous,” Pruebas said. “A monster. No snake should be so large.”

“She is beautiful,” Corinos asserted. In the pomp and glitter of the green and silver throne room, Ruisenor looked like a shadow come to life, blue-black scales gleaming like dark jewels. “We are leaving. I would suggest not trying to stop me,” he said, expression hard as he stared at Pruebas. “Do you recall what I said about the snake from last night? About it strangling its prey?”

“Vaguely,” Pruebas said, clearly ready for Corinos to be gone.

“Ruisenor here is another example of a snake that strangles its prey rather than poisoning it. She is big enough, however, and quicker than her size would make one think, that she could strangle a human with very little effort.” He let the warning hang in the air as he turned and left the throne room. That Ruisenor would probably not be able to swallow a human was something they did not need to know. Let that stalk Pruebas’s dreams in his absence. Perhaps when they returned, he would be more inclined to be more civil, if not kinder, to Culebra. Honestly, he did not know how Granito managed to deal with Pruebas as he had. Especially given that of the two of them, Corinos had always been the more patient.

Outside in the hallway, he ignored the gasps and strangled screams as waiting courtiers caught sight of Culebra’s fearsome companion…calling her a pet just did not fit. “Beauty, I will meet you just outside the sanctuary…somehow I think you know where I mean.”

The snake angled her head up at him, then dropped completely to the ground and slithered across the room. If she noticed the way people screeched and panicked as she passed, she gave no indication. Corinos laughed softly, and felt every so slight better for it, before finally turning and making his way to Culebra’s room.

Once there, he wasted no time in gathering everything he would need – he had stopped maintaining his own room not long after Granito died. He went there only to clean up and change in the mornings, and that only to indulge Culebra’s need for alone time. Everything of importance he kept in Culebra’s room, close to hand.

Everything went into either his own bag, to be slung across his chest, or a set of saddlebags he’d ordered brought to him earlier. He took his time only to make certain he balanced the weight of them. His heavy winter gear he would not need quite yet, though a sturdy cloak was definitely necessary. Food for several days, so he was not forced to stop and hunt…was there anything else?

His hand went to his jacket, slipping inside to a hidden pocket. He pulled out a thin strip of shimmering, dark blue silk. It was wrinkled now, from much handling and being stuffed into his pocket, but not too long ago it had covered the bandages around Culebra’s eyes. Corinos loved to see the prince in dark blue. It complimented his pale skin, made his hair look like frosted silver…

With a rough sound he shoved the silk away again and threw on his cloak, then hefted his bags and strode from the room.

In minutes he was at the stables, two grooms waiting patiently with his horse – a mare specially trained for the work involved with being a bodyguard. She would be able to make the long journey, endure the weather as it worsened, and wouldn’t suffer as quickly when she had to bear two people instead of one.

“Come on, Tenaz,” he said softly, nodding to the grooms before he led her away from the stables. He petted her nose and settled the saddlebags into place, then swung up into the saddle and turned her in the direction of the sanctuary. “We have a prince to find, girl. Do your best for me.”

He tried desperately to focus on the task at hand, but despair clawed at the back of his mind, pushing to the fore every time he dropped his guard.

Culebra had let himself be taken away. As near as he could tell, he hadn’t tried to fight the kidnappers at all. There was no sign of a struggle – there was not even any indication of how the kidnappers had gotten in or out. They must have gone through the palace, but he did not see how they would have gone unnoticed…then again, the number of halls and back ways….but he was so careful about making certain they were always watched. Nor did it explain how they had gotten into the sanctuary. No one went in there. He didn’t go in there, even with Culebra.

Had their argument driven Culebra to such action? Had he been so desperate to get away, so upset Corinos had ruined his plans that he’d taken the opportunity offered by the kidnappers? Surely he wasn’t that foolish.

This was all his fault.

If only he hadn’t driven Culebra away. He should have kept his mouth shut. Patience was the key when dealing with Culebra, patience to outlast his stubbornness. Never mind that he’d let Culebra go off on his own when he should not have.

Scales and teeth, how could he have done this? Now Culebra could be anywhere, with no one to help him, guide him…the strange smells and sounds would drive Culebra insane. Corinos closed his eyes and fought back the panicked despair that was trying to consume him.

He would find him. He would fix things. If he died doing it, he would see Culebra returned home and made as happy as possible. Though that would be hard to do, as Pruebas was probably more eager than ever now to take his head off.

Stupidity, obviously was catching. Instead of curing it in Culebra, he seemed to have caught it from the prince.

Shaking his head, Corinos shoved the doubts and panic away and forced himself to focus. Letting his thoughts get the best of him would not find Culebra any faster. All right. Culebra had obviously gone peacefully. He slid from his horse to kneel on the ground to more closely examine the trail that remained.

Either the kidnappers – kidnapper at this point, for there were only two sets of tracks in the mud and grass – were simply in a hurry, or they were over confident, to leave such an obvious trail.

Perhaps a little of both. If his supposition that they had planned to take Culebra in the morning was correct, then they would not have had time to cover their trail. Therefore, they had to be quite confident that they’d be able to get well away very quickly. When Culebra appeared way ahead of schedule, their chances of escape greatly increased. So there was no reason to cover their tracks at this point.

He looked up as movement caught his eye, and nodded in greeting to Ruisenor.

No doubt the trail went cold not far into the forest…but he would be willing to bet the kidnappers had not anticipated a giant snake would be tracking them. Scales and teeth, he had not anticipated Ruisenor would be helping him. “We have to find him,” he said softly, and moved to mount his horse as the snake suddenly took off slithering away across the field toward the forest.

Far faster than he thought a snake should be able to move, but where Ruisenor was concerned the usual rules did not seem to apply. Corinos urged his horse forward, and in mere minutes they were swallowed by the dense forest.



Several hours later, the sun setting fast, he was forced to call a halt. Ruisenor could probably continue for hours yet, and he would gladly let her if it meant someone – something – he trusted would be close to Culebra.

He was grateful for the snake’s presence all the same, as she came slithering out of the trees to find out why he had stopped. Too tired to eat more than the dried meat and tack in his saddlebags, Corinos used the last of his energy to light a fire and then laid out his bedroll. He rolled up in his heavy winter cloak and stared up at the sky. Clouds were gathering, obscuring the stars, and a lifetime spent in Piedre told him they brought bad weather…in another week or two, there would probably be snow. That meant that in a month and a half, on Culebra’s birthday, there would likely be snow.

Of late, he’d been too busy to look at the sky. Once they’d done it often. With a sigh, he recalled the reason they no longer took late night walks around the palace.


“It’s crystal clear tonight, Highness. Not a single cloud anywhere in the sky. The stars look as though they go on forever.”

“I can feel it. The air is crisp, sharp. Do you think there will be snow soon?” Culebra said, shivering slightly.

Frowning in concern, Corinos tugged him close and wrapped them both in his own large cloak. “You are cold. We should go back inside.”

“Inside is noisy. It’s peaceful out here. I’ll be all right for a bit longer.” Culebra smiled faintly. “If you can protect me from assassins and kidnappers, bodyguard, surely you can protect me from the cold.”

Corinos growled at the challenge and looped his arms around Culebra’s shoulders, dipping his head to brush their cheeks together. “I would protect you from anything and everything, Culebra. You know that.”

“I know,” Culebra whispered, and turned his head, putting their faces so close together their breaths mingled. “You’re wasted on me, Corinos.”

“No, Highness. I was meant for you,” Corinos said quietly, unable to resist closing the final bit of space between them, sliding his mouth across Culebra’s, immediately enthralled at the softness of his lips, the warmth of his mouth, still flavored with spiced wine.

Culebra hummed softly in pleasure, pressing closer, and it was all he could do not to drag the prince straight back to his room and bring to life every last illicit thought that constantly tortured him.

“Culebra…” he murmured the prince’s name softly when the kiss ended, and reached up to stroke his fingers across the silk covering his eyes, over the far softer strands of his hair. He bent his head to steal another kiss, unable to believe that finally—

Then Culebra jerked away, cold air rushing in between them, and Corinos could see by the set of his shoulders that the prince had made the mistake of allowing himself to think. “We should go back inside.”

“Cul—“

“It’s cold,” Culebra said stiffly, though Corinos could hear, practically feel, the sadness in it. “No doubt my brother is missing me by this point. There are duties to which I must attend. Please take me back inside.”

Corinos stifled a sigh and buried his crushing disappointment. Culebra would see reason eventually; surely the kiss had to mean that. They were meant to be together, why was he the only one who seemed to realize that? Why did Culebra insist on being so stubborn all the time? “As you wish, Highness.”


Restless, the direction of his thoughts not helping in the slightest, Corinos sat up and stared gloomily at his small campfire. He should be moving, not stopping. Holding still did not sit well with him at all…but exhaustion would not help in the end. When he finally found Culebra, there was no telling who or what else he would be facing, and he still had to get the prince home afterward.

Nor could he count on Pruebas for help, except insofar as the King would keep matters as quiet as he possibly could. If there was one thing Pruebas had a true talent for, it was discretion, if only for entirely selfish reasons.

He smiled faintly as Ruisenor settled down to sleep alongside him as she always did with Culebra. “I guess he’s the reason we get along, hmm? I am glad you have not tried to kill me for failing, though I would not blame you, or stop you – unless you did it before I knew he was safe.” Lying back down, he idly stroked Ruisenor’s head as she settled it across his stomach. “It is funny that a few days ago I was still leery of you, and now we are becoming comrades. Granito certainly never knew what to make of you.” He smiled faintly in the dark. “I am glad you approve of me, Ruisenor. Too bad that will not convince our idiotic, dense prince to let me love him. Though it’s just as well, I suppose, given that upon our return Pruebas will probably wield the ax himself…”

A sudden thought chilled him. Pruebas had as much said he was going to behead Corinos for his failure to protect the Basilisk Prince. Did that mean that once he caught up with Culebra the prince would know he was going to die?

If that were true…

Not that it really changed his mission. He had to save Culebra. It wasn’t about a bodyguard saving his prince. Culebra was his heart and soul; he had been from the first moment he’d first laid eyes on the melancholy prince. He was all that mattered…but it would tear Culebra apart to sense that Corinos was going to die. It was that very thing which had led to this entire disaster.

What a mess. All of it because he had been unable to keep his mouth shut. Why had he not waited? He should have. That would teach him that his patience could ever use improving. Had his father not said a thousand times or more that patience was key? Hasty and sloppy wound up in people dead. Obviously the lesson had not taken as well as Corinos had thought.

He had no choice, though. No one else would save the prince, except a snake that a good hunter or two could fell with only minimal difficulty.

Still…had Culebra been right all along? Was their being together more intimately a bad idea? Was he only causing everyone, Culebra especially, more pain with his selfishness? Should he let the prince go?

No. He couldn’t – wouldn’t – believe it. That kiss hadn’t been a bad idea – it was the only good one Culebra had ever had, where they were concerned. Everything about it had screamed that it was right, that it was meant to be. They were meant to be.

It was only stupid, stubborn Culebra who insisted on seeing it as a bad idea. If he started falling into the prince’s way of thinking, then he may as well give up trying to find him and let Culebra run away.

Which was exactly what the prince was doing, even if he called it kidnapping. The moment Culebra was safe, Corinos was going to throttle him, then kiss him, then drag him home and tie him down until he saw reason – or at least had no energy left for protesting.

He really wished his mind would settle enough to let him sleep. Reaching beneath his cloak, into his jacket, Corinos withdrew the strip of dark blue silk. He pressed it to his lips, smelling ever so faintly the scent of the prince which still clung to it.

Where was Culebra now? Was he all right? Unharmed? Were they feeding him properly? Ensuring that he did not trip or fall? Did any of those soon-to-be dead kidnappers truly understand what they were doing?

“If I ask you very nicely, Ruisenor, would you strangle Culebra a bit after we’re done disposing of his kidnappers?”

Ruisenor lifted her head the slightest bit, and in the light of the moon, he could see her open her massive jaws – then close them just as quickly.

His lips curved in a smile. He had a sneaking suspicion Ruisenor had just laughed.

High above in the sky, the moon was only a couple of days from being full. It shone down bright, cold light.

With a sigh, Corinos sat up and began to put out the fire. “I’m not going to sleep, Ruisenor. If you’re up for it, I say we keep going. There’s enough light to see by…and you wouldn’t need it anyway.”

The snake seemed to understand him, though he could not explain why, and moved obediently as he stood up and packed his things. Mounting his horse, Corinos looked down and reached out to stroke Ruisenor’s head as the snake reared up for precisely that reason.

Corinos froze, and blinked hard at the ground beyond the snake. Stared hard and wondered if perhaps he was as fit to travel as he’d first supposed.

He could see his own shadow on the moonlit-grass…but his shadow hand stroked nothing. Where Ruisenor’s shadow should fall, there was only grass and moonlight. The giant snake cast no shadow.

Deciding he must be seeing things, some strange trick of the moonlight, Corinos quietly gave the commands to Tenaz and led the way from the field. In mere seconds, Ruisenor was out in front of them, her dark, glossy scales shining in the moonlight.