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An arrow snapped by Ant’s neck.
Gasping, he glanced back, clutched onto Velvet’s waist a bit tighter. “Just hold on, hold on. We’ll be alright, we’ll get out.” Velvet whispered, spurring the horse on. Under them, the gelding panted, white foam slicking its flanks. They were pushing it too hard. Too hard.
“Velvet—” Velvet glanced back at him. In the night, his eyes seemed to be glowing red. Grabbing onto his shoulder, Ant whispered, “No, don’t. It’s okay.”
“I’m not letting them hurt you.” Turning, he waved his hand. Ant glanced back. As he watched, the trees rustled. Sharp, massive brambles shot across the path. One of the mercenaries’ horses reared up, threw the man from its back. The others all skidded to a stop, snorting and bucking slightly.
Silk Cardinal’s eyes met Ant’s, his wife sitting behind him on the horse. He didn’t look happy.
Swallowing, Ant wrapped his arms tighter around Velvet’s middle, turned and buried his face in his partner’s back.
They just needed to get into the next province. The Cardinals’ manor wasn’t too far from the edge to the Greysons’. Just a couple miles, they could make it in a night. They might be able to make it if they kept galloping.
Reaching down, Ant pressed a flat palm to the horse’s flank. Closing his eyes, he took a slow breath. Yes, magic was illegal in this province. But he could try. After all…if they got caught, he didn’t think he’d have to worry about being jailed for magic use. No, there would be a lot more he’d had to worry about.
Taking a breath, he slid his thumb over sweaty fur, closed his eyes. Under them, the horse’s legs seemed to strengthen, breathing easing out into deeper and stronger bursts. Its stride lengthened from a quick canter to a quick gallop. Around them, the trees whipped by, and Velvet glanced at him as Ant slumped against him again.
“Don’t strain yourself.” He whispered, and Ant smiled.
“It’s worth it.” He replied. Taking a shaky breath, ignoring the weariness weighing on his bones, he asked, “How much longer until the province line?”
Velvet raised his head, looked around for some sort of land marker. He knew where they were. Somehow.
“About three miles.” Nodding, Ant rested his head against Velvet’s back. His heart pounded in his ears. Every breath was a bit more hard-won than he would have liked, and much more than he would ever tell Velvet about.
He wasn’t stupid. Using magic without proper training could be dangerous. It could be used as defence or offence.
“Okay. Okay.” He whispered.
“You alright?”
“Tired. But I’ll be fine.” He couldn’t do that again.
Behind them, there was a loud bay. Turning, Ant froze. His heart dropped to the earth below them. There were the mercenaries, this time with some of their hunting dogs. The beasts charged up, snapped at their horse’s heels. No. No, no, not good not good. Reaching down, he placed a hand against the gelding’s flank, willed more of his own energy into the poor thing. It started galloping harder, and he felt things going dark around him.
No. Hold on. Hold on, you can hold on. He swore to himself, squeezing his eyes shut.
The next thing he knew, he was falling from the horse.
Rocks and dirt slammed up to meet his face. Velvet screamed, shouted his name. Pulling the gelding to a stop, he turned and leapt from the saddle. The dogs were on top of Ant, and he screamed. With a couple whines and barks, they backed off.
“Ant!” Velvet sprinted over, unsheathed his sword and brandished it at the dogs. They backed off. Some shook their heads, ears flapping. Panting, Velvet moved, stood over Ant.
“Velvet, get out of here!” Ant yelled, and he glanced down at him with a particular look on his face. Something that said no, he wasn’t going anywhere.
Within a second, he just confirmed it. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”
The mercenaries charged forwards. Growling, Velvet slashed at a few of them. “Velvet!” Silk demanded, striding up. Immediately, Velvet flinched. Worry pinched his face together, and he swallowed. “Look, Velvet, we can figure something out. There’s plenty of people you could marry.”
“I’m not marrying anyone else. You aren’t going to make me.” Velvet snapped back, adjusting his grip on the sword. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Silk sighed. Slowly, Ant made his way upright.
There were scrapes all along his sides. His face stung, so did his palms. At first, he had to sit there in the road, kneeling with his hands in his lap. Staring down at the smeared blood across his fingertips and skin, he sucked in a slow, pained breath. Okay, Ant. It’s alright, it’s alright. You’ll be okay.
Carefully, he pulled himself upright. There was something wrong with his legs, although he wasn’t sure what. He just couldn’t really…stand up properly.
Velvet glanced over at him nervously. Swallowed and frowned slightly. “Ant?” He whispered.
“I’m fine.” Smiling weakly, Ant raised his head and looked at where Silk was scowling at him. Slowly, he took a quiet breath. Ignored the pain shooting through his ribs and sides. “Trust me, I’m alright.”
“Okay.” Velvet murmured. Looking ahead, he stared down his parents again. Shaking his head, Silk made a gesture to the mercenaries, shaking his head. Velvet’s face paled slightly, and the mercenaries began approaching. All of them had weapons. Velvet gripped his sword more.
And that was when something happened.
A massive shadow blotted out all light. Gasping, Ant looked upright. In his chest, his heart dropped to the leaf mould beneath him. No, please. No. Please, no. Boots crunched in the leaves and twigs. Everyone pulled to a stop.
“What are you doing?” Brown eyes glowed bright amber. More swirls of the same colour glittered in the royal patterns along the man’s limbs, and his coverts shone like stars.
Wilbur.
If Ant’s vision was correct (and it usual was), he would have sworn the stars themselves were forming a halo around the prince’s head with the moon silhouetting him. Crowning him the prince of nighttime. No matter how many people compared Wilbur to the sun with his golden magic and bright wings, the silence of his approach and the gleam to his eyes suddenly made Ant think of nothing but screech owls and late nights spent reading books by a campfire. It didn’t help that the prince wasn’t in regal clothes, he was in the sleek black and gold suits of the Delta Wing. Elite flyers who patrolled the Empire at night, using wings blessed to them by magic, by blood, or by intelligence. Most of them were deadly hunters.
And considering that Dream and Wilbur were close friends, considering Velvet’s conversation with Ant earlier…well, he didn’t have high hopes.
Straightening up, Silk Cardinal smiled. “Prince Wilbur, Your Highness! I didn’t expect to see you.” Wilbur focused a glowing gaze on the man. Clearing his throat and ducking his head, Silk continued, “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
“The stars told me something was off.” Looking to Ant and Velvet, Wilbur decided, “It seems I was right.”
Ducking his head, Ant slowly dropped into a kneel. Beside him, Velvet glanced over. Then, he moved between Wilbur and Ant, sword drawn. Ant stared up at him. “What are you doing? He’ll kill you.” Reaching up, he tugged on Velvet’s sleeve.
Looking down at him, Velvet smiled tightly. “I’m not letting them take you.” Raising his head, he turned to look at Wilbur. “Prince or not.”
“Your Highness, you have to talk some sense into my son! He’s insane, thinking about eloping with some silly stablehand. There are plenty of noble children who would die to marry him.” Silk said, gesturing to Velvet. Swallowing, Velvet braced the sword even more. Prepared to fight.
For a moment, Wilbur glanced between Velvet and his parents. His eyes narrowed.
Turning to Silk, Wilbur took a slow breath. His eyes narrowed slightly. “I know you. Dream talked about you.” Striding forwards, he flared his wings out.
Around them, the wind kicked up. The sky suddenly…paled somehow, like something had changed. The hair on Ant’s arms rose up and he dragged Velvet down beside him. Immediately, Velvet moved. Wrapped an arm around Ant’s shoulders, pulled him close and pressed a kiss to his hair, sheltered him. The wind kicked up even more. Around them, the grass suddenly started growing, leaning over Ant and Velvet almost like a shield of sorts.
Still, between the deep green strands, Ant could see exactly what was going on.
And it was terrifying.
Wilbur had expanded his wings to their full length—which wasn’t exactly small. No, Ant knew how wings worked. Each one was fifteen feet long at least. The feathers had the same razor-sharp edges as his father’s. But more than that, they had intricate patterns, barring and freckling and a thousand different shades of rich browns, that glowed in the darkness. Not yellow, not orange. They were glowing brown.
And so were Wilbur’s eyes. Instead of just the iris like before, though, his eyes had become solid gold. The swirls of magic, the patterns representing his bloodline, glittered like jewels in the sun, almost blinding. As he strode forwards, the others seemed almost frozen where they stood. Like they wanted to move but couldn’t for some reason.
“You disobeyed my father’s laws. There is no difference between bloodlines, not in the way you chose.” As Wilbur spoke, his voice was…different. Ringing out in rustic gold and rich tawny while also echoing with a hint of pine bark and mossy logs. It sounded the way a sunlit forest in the afternoon looked. But there were two other voices to it. One, Ant recognised. The king’s. The other, however, was softer. Where King Phil’s voice rolled like soft breezes and the calm before the storm, this rang with the death toll and the silence shrouding graveyard willow trees. The quiet beauty of flowers left on headstones and of silent mornings spent sitting underneath trees.
Arms shaking, Velvet pulled Ant closer. Held him tighter. Taking a slow breath, Ant watched Wilbur.
“Wh-what?” Silk asked, stumbling back. Immediately, he pushed his wife behind him.
“You chose this yourself. If you’ve chosen to ban magic, then you’ve chosen to forsake your own kingdom.” Fanning his wings, he continued, “Get out of our kingdom. All of you.”
“You can’t do that!” Catrina said. Lifting his chin, Wilbur took a slow breath.
“Get out. May the Raven Queen be with you. Until you realise what you’ve done, then may your legs and tongue be as stone and may your dreams be forever restless.” Turning, Wilbur dropped some of the glowing. His eyes settled on Ant and Velvet. Striding over, he dropped down slowly to them. “Both of you come with me.” He brought their horse over. Bending down, Velvet scooped Ant up.
“Arms around my neck, sweetheart. Just for a second.” Velvet replied, with a soft tone. He didn’t turn to look back at his parents. When Ant glanced over his boyfriend’s shoulder, he could see the Cardinals staring after them with something like shock. Neither of them spoke. The mercenaries were gone already, bringing the dogs with them.
Turning back to Velvet, Ant buried his head in his chest and closed his eyes.
+++
When he woke up that morning, the first thing he noted was the feeling of someone next to him.
Cracking his eyes open, Ant looked over to see Velvet lying next to him on top of the covers of the medical bed. Smiling, he reached up, brushed his fingers along Velvet’s cheek. There was a twitch along Velvet’s face, nose crinkling up for a second like a rabbit’s. Then, his eyes fluttered open, met Ant’s.
“Hey.” Ant whispered. With a pang, he noticed the red look to Velvet’s eyes, the one that meant he’d been crying. “What happened?”
Velvet didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned over, gently kissed the side of Ant’s head. Then, he stayed there for a moment, whispered, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Ant replied. Taking a breath, he grabbed onto Velvet’s hand, interlaced their fingers. Velvet’s free hand curled over his cheek, rubbed under his eye and along the skin there. Smiling, he closed his eyes.
At some point, he dropped off into sleep.