CHAPTER THIRTEEN
As the ship approached its destination a festive atmosphere came over the crew.
Simi had dyed her hair, tugging off her cap at dinner one night to reveal swirls of pink and purple. Mags wore a fond expression and held Bo’s hand when he talked about the baths that Gwaii, the port they were landing in, was famous for. The doctor just wanted to get off the ship and go for long walks outside. Kaz scowled a little less. Even the captain, who had been gloomy since leaving the Sprawl, had some of his sparkle back, getting out his swirliest coat for their arrival. They talked about the fancy meals and new clothes they would get when they finally got their shares of the pay for delivering the cargo.
All Rylan could feel was dread.
The last few days had been good in so many ways. He and Jaime spent every spare moment together. There was plenty of sex, but also just lying there together, Jaime reading out loud from his silly — but, truth be told, very engaging — books. Their respective pasts were minefields for both of them: Jaime because of the recent deaths of his friends and lingering anger at the Commonwealth; Rylan because he worried that if he started talking he’d tell Jaime everything, including his secret mission. So they focused on the present. It was as close to peaceful as Rylan could remember feeling since he was a little kid. When they slept together there were no nightmares.
And Rylan knew he was going to shatter all of it.
He had no delusions as to how his betrayal was going to be received. He was going to hold his brother to the promise that the crew of The Wayward Prince wouldn’t get into trouble once the cargo was delivered and the buyers unmasked. He’d see that Garcia kept his ship and all of them left free and clear, with nothing more than an official warning. But he knew they would still hate him. There wouldn’t be the promised payday, but more than that, Rylan knew his deceit would rankle the most. They were loyal to each other, this crew, and he wouldn’t be forgiven.
He told himself he was being loyal to a larger ideal. He didn’t know what was in the sealed box in the locked room off the cargo hold, but he knew it was important. Dangerous tech that could hurt — even kill — people instead of defending them from outside threats. Ending the ring that stole and sold Commonwealth weapons was important. Protecting the Commonwealth meant protecting all of humanity, even the people, like the ones on this ship, who saw themselves as living on its fringes, operating outside the rules. Rylan still believed that.
Then there was Jaime.
Rylan knew Jaime didn’t want to go back to working for the Commonwealth. He viewed it as a prison, even though Rylan had seen plenty of wizards, or MMIs, of high rank in the military and Commonwealth government. The difference was they were drafted into it, while for the general population, compulsory service had ended a generation ago.
In his more fanciful moments, Rylan pictured himself after this mission ended. Obviously, he wasn’t fit for combat anymore, but he could do some meaningful work, maybe training recruits or keeping the peace at a quieter spaceport. In his most hopeful imaginings, he saw Jaime there, too.
But he wasn’t going to deny him the choice. He’d keep Jaime’s identity secret from his brother and the other Commonwealth agents when they came, and he’d let Jaime go. No matter how impossible that seemed.
“You’re so grumpy-looking,” Jaime said, dragging Rylan from his thoughts. Rylan was sitting on the bunk while Jaime was at the sink. He’d used Rylan’s depilatory gel to take off the smudge of dark hair on his upper lip and along his jaw. Rylan had thought about cleaning up his own face, but he looked too much like his old soldier self without the facial hair, and settled for just trimming the whiskers back.
Jaime finished towelling off his face and pulled his shirt back over his head. “You’d think you’d be happy,” he said. “We’re finally here. Mysterious cargo off the ship, credits in your pockets, hip hip and hurray.” He tugged on that oversized coat of his and gave Rylan a quizzical look. “What are you thinking about?”
Rylan arranged his face in less despairing lines and raised an eyebrow at Jaime. “I’m thinking, first thing I do once we land is buy you some clothes. Ones that fit.”
“Oh,” Jaime said, looking at his clothes like he’d forgotten how mismatched they were. “I kinda like this coat. Anyway, once we get paid, I’ll be able to buy my own clothes.”
Rylan stood up, pulling him in close and resting his chin on the top of Jaime’s head. “Maybe I want to buy you something.”
Jaime nosed his way to the bare skin above Rylan’s shirt, pressing his lips into the hollow of Rylan’s neck. “Hmm, well, if you’re so eager to spend credits, I have an idea.”
The port of Gwaii was a wide island on a small sea-swept planet. Most of the other islands in the planet’s temperate zone were covered in tall trees, but Gwaii had a flat lava plain, left from a long-extinct volcano, that was perfect for landing spacecraft.
There had once been a city on Gwaii — one made of tall, spindly spires that rose above the trees that lined its coast — but in the Dark Age, those towers had been impossible to maintain, so the surviving population had built a much smaller and sturdier town out of lumber, closer to the geo-thermal springs that powered the colony. Rylan had read that old Gwaii had been a busy and bright cultural center, but the re-ordering of trade routes and priorities had left the planet all but off the map. It was still a stopping-off point for long-haul ships and idiosyncratic wanderers. It was also now an excellent place for clandestine meetings and smugglers of all sorts.
When they stepped off the ship, the spires of the old city were still visible across the black plain, but they were broken now and covered in moss. Rylan turned away from the past towards the new town, just visible near the shore. It hugged the edge of the endless blue water, and white-sailed fishing boats could be seen in the distance.
“You don’t all have to inhale so deeply,” Bo said as they started walking towards the port master’s station, a log cabin. He looked slightly annoyed. “The air on the ship is just as good as anything planet-side.”
“Of course, dear,” Mags said, taking his hand.
The air did smell amazing; a cool breeze was sweeping in from the sea, bringing with it rich oxygen from all the trees. Rylan felt almost giddy from it and he angled away from Bo to take another deep breath.
“You’ll smell the sulfur when the wind changes,” Bo added, peevishly. “From the hot springs. Then you’ll appreciate the environmentals on the ship. Also, it’s very damp here.”
“That would be the rain part of the rainforest, I suppose,” Mags said serenely.
The captain came back from conferring with the port master. “No messages from the buyers yet,” he said, shaking his head. “But the window for the meet is the next thirty-six standard hours. Might as well head into town and have a drink while we wait.”
“C’mon,” Jaime said, tugging at Rylan. “This is our chance.”
Gwaii catered to the visitors it did get by offering what space travelers were missing. The town, made up mostly of long, low wooden buildings, had plenty of restaurants, brothels — which Simi helpfully pointed to when they passed them — and especially baths. The planet had water in abundance, and, no matter how good the water reclamation was on a ship or station, baths were a rare indulgence for off-worlders. Signs for private or public baths were everywhere.
Nemo’s, in the center of town, was the place where most people who visited Gwaii ended up. It had a long bar of carved wood, plenty of tables, and seafood specials. It also rented rooms with private baths overnight or by the hour. The captain waved them off indulgently when Rylan asked if he and Jaime could disappear for a couple hours. Bo and Mags had already taken off, and Garcia, Simi, and the doctor were at a table looking at menus. Kaz had elected to remain with the ship.
Rylan felt guilty at leaving them — at this point he felt guilty over everything. He was supposed to provide security when they were off the ship, but he also thought, with a sickly lurch of his stomach, this might be his last time to be with Jaime.
The room he got them was essentially only a bed and a bath — the latter sectioned off by a sliding door. They soaped each other and rinsed off before finally easing into the oval wooden tub. It was big enough they could sit at opposite ends, Rylan’s legs bracketing Jaime and the water steaming around them. Jaime used his toes to traces patterns on Rylan’s chest, until Rylan lifted one foot up to tickle the instep with his tongue. Then they had to get closer and feel the silky slide of each other’s wet skin.
When their hands grew wrinkled, they finally left the tub to move to the other part of the room. The bed was wide and the sheets made of some natural fiber that felt unbelievably soft. Rylan stretched out while Jaime poked around the room, a towel wrapped around his shoulders as he absently worked a wooden comb through his damp hair.
“Hey,” he said, lifting a bottle from a shelf near the tub. “Oils, of the massage variety. You want one?”
“What?”
“A massage. You know, for relaxing?”
Rylan snorted. He’d had massages during his physiotherapy, but those had all been brisk and generally painful. “We only have this room for another hour and a half. I aim to keep us busy in that time.”
Jaime dropped his towel. His light brown skin all but glowed against the rich wood of the walls and floor. Rylan felt his breath catch with equal parts desire and sadness.
“You need to relax more than any other person on this planet. What is it? You worried about the meet?”
Rylan shifted, smoothing out the sheets. “I just want everything to work out.”
“And it will.” Jaime knelt on the bed, still holding the small bottle. “But right now, I think the best thing for you to do is lie there while I rub weird-smelling oil onto your naked body.”
Rylan turned over to lie on his stomach. “Fine. I’ll try it. For a few minutes.”
“What a trouper,” Jaime said. “I promise you’ll like it.”
“Don’t make promises,” Rylan said, but it was more of a mutter into his arms as he folded them to pillow his head.
He did exhale at the first touch of Jaime’s hands, sure strokes against his shoulders. Jaime straddled the backs of his thighs, and Rylan wriggled lower, hoping for contact with Jaime’s dick to speed things along. Jaime swatted him.
“Easy. We have plenty of time.”
That was the one thing they didn’t have, and Rylan closed his eyes against the pain of it.
Jaime’s fingers dug into the muscles of his neck, chasing knots of tension. “Shh,” he said. “Don’t think.”
Rylan smiled weakly. “You’re the first person to ever believe that was my problem.”
Jaime chuckled, but his voice stayed soft. “No other people, just you and me. We’re here, right now, in this room. There’s nothing else.”
His hands, slippery and warm, worked their way around Rylan’s neck and shoulders, and despite himself — despite everything — Rylan did relax. The oil smelled like leaves just after the rain, and soon the whole room was filled with the scent. Jaime moved lower, hands pressing into Rylan’s sides. He dragged his hands from the small of Rylan’s back upwards along his spine. Jaime did that again and again, until Rylan felt like he was beginning to melt into the bed.
Hands moved lower, and Rylan felt a hopeful spark as Jaime began to knead his buttocks. He moved on to work Rylan’s thighs and the backs of his calves, but then Jaime made another grand sweep, oiled hands up each leg to rest on his cheeks. Rylan thought maybe it was safe to move again, and arched his back slightly.
“Still doing okay?” Jaime asked.
Rylan rumbled happily. “Only if you’re planning to fuck me at the conclusion to this massage.”
“Really?”
He lifted his head to look back over his shoulder. Somehow Jaime’s thick hair had gotten tousled again, and his cheeks were flushed. Rylan dropped his gaze lower. Not the only thing that was flushed.
“Your cock’s so pretty,” Rylan said. “Been wondering how it would feel inside me.”
Jaime eyes lit up. “Well, if it helps, y’know, with the relaxation.”
His fingers swept along the crack of Rylan’s ass, not pushing in, just spreading the oil around. He circled slowly before beginning a slow press inside with a finger. Maybe there was something to this relaxation thing, or maybe Jaime really could do magic, because there wasn’t the stinging stretch Rylan usually felt when he shoved something inside himself while jerking off. It had been a long time since he’d let anyone fuck him, and Rylan was expecting some pain, maybe even craving it, but he gave himself over to Jaime’s patient prep, opening easily for him. When Jaime finally slid his cock inside, Rylan felt a sense of completion he’d never known before.
“Jaime,” he gasped. “You feel — it feels—”
“It’s feeling pretty good from my end.” Jaime was draped over his back, and he lightly pressed his teeth into Rylan’s shoulder. “You okay if I start moving?”
“You better move.”
“There he is,” Jaime laughed. “Always with the orders.” He rose up, putting his hands against the small of Rylan’s back as he began to thrust.
“You like it.” He spread his legs a little wider.
“I love it,” Jaime gasped. He went in deeper and Rylan groaned in pleasure. “I love it when you fuck me. I love fucking you.”
“Jaime… need to see you.”
Rylan twisted around, causing Jaime to pull out. Rylan put his shoulders on the bed but swung his bent legs to one side, so Jaime, up on his knees, was able to push back in. The new angle had them both groaning. The position also let Rylan’s eyes and hands roam over Jaime.
“Look at you. You’re perfect.”
Jaime dug his hands into Rylan’s hip and thrust harder. “Me? I thought I was too scrawny.”
Rylan ran a hand down Jaime’s chest. “No, just right.”
“What about me being a mutant?”
“You’re a wizard,” Rylan said.
“That term isn’t very scientific—”
“Because you do magic. To me.” He plucked at Jaime’s nipples.
“Fuck, Rylan,” Jaime gasped. “You’re going to make me come.”
“So come.” Rylan twisted Jaime’s nipples until he whimpered, thrusts growing faster and more erratic. Rylan lifted one hand to Jaime’s hair. “Come for me.” He twisted the locks in his fingers, yanking Jaime’s head back. “Come in me.”
Jaime shuddered and cried out. “Rylan!”
Rylan watched as Jaime’s face twisted in raw pleasure. He held him up as the other man shook and then finally pulled Jaime down on top of him, stretching out his legs. Rylan stroked his own cock with one hand, Jaime’s back with the other.
Jaime lifted his head and looked down at Rylan’s hard cock. “So what are we going to do about that?” he asked, still panting from his own climax.
“Seems I have the problem in hand.”
“I want to help. I could—” Jaime paused, the corner of his mouth lifting mischievously.
“What?”
“It’s nothing. Just something Simi said.”
Rylan stilled his hand, feeling slightly alarmed.
“No,” Jaime said, patting his chest. “It’s nothing, she just had this idea… that maybe I could use your hand, you know, in a wizard way, to, uh, do stuff.” He was blushing.
Rylan’s eyebrows knit together. Some part of him immediately recoiled at the idea. To surrender control? To trust the machine part of himself? It seemed unthinkable. But this was Jaime.
“Forget I mentioned it,” Jaime was saying, talking quickly. “It’s too weird, right? Let me—”
“Use my hand,” Rylan said. Because this was Jaime, and he remembered how it had felt when Jaime had used Rylan’s arm to aim the gun, remembered that it hadn’t felt scary or wrong. All he had to do was let Jaime in.
“You sure?” Jaime studied his face. “Okay, I’ll go slow.” Jaime took the bottle of massage oil and poured a little into Rylan’s hand, before laying back down. Rylan resisted the urge to close his eyes or set his jaw. He focused on relaxing, on Jaime, on trusting him.
Jaime was still curled against him, hands on Rylan’s chest, but Rylan could feel something flutter inside the skin of his arm, a quiet shift as the control of that limb changed. His right hand moved, cautiously taking hold again of his cock.
But this was completely different than before. The grip was strange and yet the sensations — the silky hardness of his cock, the calluses of his hand — were familiar. His hand slid up and down.
“How’s that?”
Rylan had to admit it was interesting, even kind of hot. But first — “Tighter. But,” he quickly added, “not too tight.” His hand could crush metal.
The pressure increased slightly. “And now? Tell me what you like.”
“Yeah, that’s good,” Rylan hissed. “Little faster… And maybe twist a bit when you get to the tip—”
Rylan didn’t want to think about how many times he had jerked himself off in his life. It was usually fast, a way to take the edge off, mind occupied by a fantasy, hand working by rote. But this was the two of them, focused intently on Rylan’s pleasure in a way he’d never imagined. His hand under Jaime’s direction was also more coordinated than he usually managed, and Jaime got creative, sending the pinky finger down to tickle Rylan’s balls, and alternating speed and pressure in complicated patterns.
“How’s it for you?” he gasped to Jaime. “Do you feel what I do?”
“Not exactly. I can sense all the different computer subroutines, the electric impulses moving along your arm.”
“Not exactly hot.”
“This close, I can feel how they connect to you. Your nerves firing, each little pulse moving from here—” With his own finger he traced a path from Rylan’s groin, up his body, to stroke his forehead. “To here and back again. Some just tingles, others big waves of energy.” He caused Rylan’s hand to tighten on his cock and Rylan groaned. “It is sexy because it’s you, all of you.”
By the end, Rylan couldn’t give instructions, just babble nonsense as Jaime worked him faster and faster, taking him maddeningly close to the edge before easing off. Rylan tossed his head back on the pillows thrashing, feeling like his skin was on fire.
“Jaime, fuck, I need to—”
A single finger, Rylan couldn’t even tell who it belonged to anymore, dragged slowly up his shaft to tease his slit. “What is it, Rylan?” Jaime asked. “What do you need?”
“To come! Please, fuck, please let me come.”
“Let’s see if we can do that.”
His hand closed tight around his cock again and Rylan almost wept in relief. This time, though, Jaime bent his head down, and as Rylan’s hand sped up, he covered the tip with his hot mouth. And sucked.
Rylan shouted. He was thrusting up into Jaime’s mouth, both hands holding him, realizing belatedly that Jaime had released his control at the moment of Rylan’s orgasm.
He blinked up at the ceiling, briefly confused as to where he was and what his name was. There was nothing left to him but sweet relief and lasting aftershocks of pleasure. Oh, and a soft touch on his right hand. But it wasn’t Jaime’s mind, but his lips, pressing kisses to each knuckle.
“Did you like that?” Jaime’s voice sounded a little shy.
Rylan managed a clumsy pat with his left hand. “I liked it a lot. Never tell Simi just how much.”
Jaime stretched out at his side. “Just think of the places we can take your hand next time.”
“Next time,” Rylan agreed, and willed himself to believe it.
There was a long and peaceful silence, and Rylan wondered if they had time to sleep for a few minutes. Jaime spoke softly, almost to himself. “Have you ever been to a place called Verdant?”
Rylan shrugged, shifting his muscles. “Never heard of it. Sounds green.”
Jaime pinched his arm lightly. “That’s literally what it means. It’s a little farming colony in a system halfway to nowhere.” He paused. “It’s where I’m from.”
Rylan raised his head to look at him. Jaime’s brown eyes were huge as he stared back. “I was taken from there when I was a kid. Sent to that Commonwealth training facility. I haven’t seen my family in twelve years, but I told myself I would get back to them.”
The depths of regret Rylan felt plunged even further. “And I stopped you. When I grabbed you outta that jungle.”
Jaime shook his head. “That was me running blindly. I had barely any money, no way of getting off that moon. So I’m glad you found me. Very glad. But I still want to try and go back to Verdant. I have to.”
Rylan felt a sudden bloom of hope. Maybe this could be his way to set things right. “I’m going to see that you get home, Jaime.”
He could see Jaime safely home, and maybe it would be enough for Rylan to be forgiven. Maybe — maybe Jaime and the others wouldn’t even have to know about his betrayal. He could send word to Jonathan about the location of the meet, and he and the other Commonwealth agents would be able to get the buyers before The Wayward Prince’s crew arrived. For all they knew, it’d be nothing more than a deal gone sour. Rylan would take Jaime back to whatever planet he’d said and then… then. Anything could happen, but Rylan would have done his duty and also not be hated by the people he’d come to care about. He’d finally be able to truly be Rylan, and forget the other person he’d been.
He gripped Jaime’s arms tightly. “No matter what happens, I swear I’m going to help you find your family.”
“Wow, you’re so dramatic.” He searched Rylan’s face. “But I believe you.”
He kissed him, and Rylan let himself melt into it, but just for a moment. There were things to do. He stood up with purpose.
“Let’s go find the captain.”