13.1

Zyrdicia and Magnus walked quickly toward the coliseum, holding hands as they turned down a maze of alleyways to save time. They were going to be late for the night's gladiator matches - not that they cared much. They were several bottles of wine beyond caring, for caring would imply that the city did not revolve around them. And tonight they were quite certain that it did.

They had spent far too long at dinner. They had held court at the city's trendiest restaurant-of-the-moment. After dancing with the dragon, it was the first night that Zyrdicia had felt like going out in public since her return. Her reappearance in Lyr was always cause for sensation. It had seemed that every noteworthy person in the city had to stop by their table to exchange pleasantries and be seen with them. The chef had showered them with attention, enthusiastically using his craft to curry favor with the most important fashion makers in Lyr.

Magnus was relieved Zyrdicia was finally in a sociable mood. He had the distinct impression that the person he cared most about in the world was slowly going mad. He had invested considerable effort into convincing her that the overthrow of Hell idea could wait. He hoped it would pay off. For now, he was grateful to have a semblance of the old Zyrdicia back, though he suspected it was just a pretense for his benefit.

"Wait! We have to go find a copy of tonight's Liar! My interview!" Zyrdicia announced, referring to Lyr's most popular tabloid.

He answered, "They changed the schedule. Special editions don't come out til midnight on Fridays now." Grinning, he added, "When it comes out, you'll be mobbed by fans."

"So will you after what I told them about you," Zyrdicia smiled devilishly.

"What did you say?" Magnus asked.

"You'll see on Friday!"

He commented wryly, "You are going to get me in trouble again. Samantha will go ballistic. She's already upset that you are back in town. She's even more upset that you are staying at my house instead of Philip's now. She doesn't understand why you won't stay at any of your own residences. This will be a convenient excuse to cut her loose." He had been dating Portia's younger sister on and off for several months. It tended to be more off than on, though they had briefly gotten back together while Zyrdicia was in Aparans. Now that she was back, Magnus naturally spent most of his time with his best friend. He had slept at Philip's every day that Zyrdicia was there. Samantha found him distant and unapproachable now. To say that she was threatened by his friendship with her sister's boss was an understatement.

Samantha, a jewel thief by profession, floated on the outskirts of Zyrdicia's social circle. She was never part of the Sanctum, and neither Portia nor Magnus was particularly interested in bringing her into it. Magnus' romantic companions changed like the weather; he did not want to pollute the Inner Sanctum with past entanglements. He was, in fact, annoyed by this particular entanglement's insistence on meddling with his life. She showed up at his house unannounced far too frequently. She even had a habit of coming to the Guild unbidden, then pestering the goons at the door until someone finally went to tell him she was outside. Lately he had told them to tell her that he was busy or out of the building. Then she would wait for him downstairs at the Cauldron, pouncing on him the moment he showed up. As if that were not irritating enough, she made a point of telling everyone she talked to that she was his girlfriend.

"You've never hesitated to use me as an excuse in the past," Zyrdicia teased.

"I would never!"

"Liar. Electra? Katrina? Inga? Do you want me to go on? You dumped your very first girlfriend claiming with some tale about involvement with me - and you were maybe thirteen!"

"It was your idea," he countered. She knew more about his history than anyone else alive. "Nothing ever changes!"

They reached the main entrance to the coliseum. Had they the time, she would have made a grand entrance. The roar of the crowd told them that the first match had already started. They slipped in one of the side entrances. The guards did not even bother to slow them down, knowing it was pointless to tell them it was an exit only. Whatever those two wanted to do, they did. The guards were used to this. They stepped aside and smiled in greeting as the pair rushed by, hands still clasped as they raced up the stairs to their seats.

"Your box or mine?" Magnus asked as they bounded up the stairs. Each Council Member had a prime viewing box on the most desirable balcony. Magnus' was next to Zyrdicia's. If one was in use, it could be assumed that the other would not be.

"Mine! People will notice us more."

"Like that is ever a problem!" he laughed.

They took their seats just in time to see the new champion thrust a sword into some hapless opponent. "Damn!" Zyrdicia pouted.

"Should I send word that they should bring the loser back to life since you missed it, Your Grace?" Magnus asked ironically.

Zyrdicia ignored him. She leaned far over the edge of the balcony to take inventory of who else was here. "The whole fucking Council is convened! Not a damned person is missing," she whispered.

"That hasn't happened in over a year," he leaned over the balcony with her. "It's like the old days."

She smiled in greeting to several people. Now that she had been seen, she already observed a few individuals getting up to come speak to her. Magnus groaned when he saw the current mayor. "Oh, fuck. Here comes Gordo."

They both found the man annoying. He seemed to sense it, and thus made a special effort to ingratiate himself to them at every opportunity. They had discussed gutting him on several occasions. His popularity with the rest of the Council was his only claim to life. Zyrdicia was positive that someone even more irritating would be appointed if he were to die. Annoying mayors were a time-honored tradition. There had never been one who did not grate on her nerves unknowingly. After she killed the last one, they waited until she was out of town, then appointed a replacement who was much worse.

She whispered quickly, "He'll stay all night jabbering if he gets in here. The whole Council will be in here next. I'm not in the mood to talk about city business. We need a diversion!"

They could already hear the fat man's footsteps in the hallway. Magnus looked at her and shrugged, "So let's decapitate him and toss his head into the crowd like a greasy version of one of those inflatable balls."

"And then the rest of them will put his deputy in his place. Gag! That would be even more annoying. There's got to be something to make him go away on his own..." Her purple eyes twinkled. She looked at Magnus and arched an eyebrow knowingly. He stared at her a moment in surprise, recognizing the expression from the hundred times she had used it as a call-to-arms with Portia. He did not have time to think about it. Gordo was already at the door.

Zyrdicia and Magnus melted together quickly, their lips locking in a feigned, passionate kiss. When the mayor entered the box with his entourage, he exclaimed, "Oh, my!" He cleared his throat loudly. Getting no response, he politely excused himself. He was terribly embarrassed. He had no idea that he would be intruding.

The moment he left, the pair erupted into a fit of giggling. They were still entwined in one another's arms. Magnus' laughter stopped when he glanced out over the balcony. Thousands of faces stared intently at them. The box was designed to be very visible from below. "Oh, my!" he whispered, imitating the mayor's weasel-voice.

"What are you talking about?" Zyrdicia asked, still enjoying the laughter that had become all too rare in recent days. She turned her face to see what he was looking at. "Oh, I don't think we have ever had an audience this big. Sorry!"

"For what?" he smiled, clearly basking in the exhibition.

"If my interview does not cause Samantha to dump you, this will."

Magnus rolled his eyes, "That is not a concern of mine." He pressed his lips to her cheek, "So who taught you to kiss like that?"

"You should know by now that no one can teach me a damn thing. Why?"

"You kiss better than any woman I know. And I know a lot of women. Amazing."

"Really?" Zyrdicia asked, smiling. She had not even been trying. It had been completely staged. Still, it had been fun. It was like a more complete version of a hug.

Magnus nodded, his expressive brown eyes fixed upon her. He was certain that he was the luckiest man in Lyr at this moment. There was no question that every man in the city would envy him after tonight. He smiled when he felt her hands behind his neck unbinding his hair. He knew that she liked to wind her fingers in his long, sleek, dark locks while they cuddled. Anyone else touching his hair would have earned a sharp rebuke or worse, but she could do as she pleased.

She kissed him again, this time for the sensation of it. She suspected this would be another way to overwhelm her conscious thoughts with sensory perception, temporarily short-circuiting Baal's voice. A series of short, frisky kisses followed. There was no desperate hunger, no explosive ache to be satisfied. Instead, there was a delicious, playful quality to it. Instead of Azriok's unholy power or Dirk's antagonistic possessiveness, warmth and affection permeated this gesture. Its character seemed a logical extension of their friendship, punctuated with humor and laughter.

"Enough already! If that isn't like kissing your sister, I don't know what is!" Kaz announced loudly when he walked in, interrupting them. The slavemaster carried a large bottle of champagne and several glasses.

"Wrong!" Magnus countered. "If I had a sister, and if she kissed like this, I would have the Council legalize incest."

"Should I start calling you 'Portia'?" Kaz teased.

Zyrdicia shook her head, "No, he's more enjoyable than Portia is."

Kaz uncorked the champagne effortlessly. "I don't know about that. She used to be a lot of fun, back in the day. Where is she tonight?"

Zyrdicia had to think a moment. She was too focussed on the tactile sensation of being pressed up against Magnus. It was the first time they had hugged that she had ever noticed him aroused. She found his desire intriguing. She wondered suddenly whether it had been there before, and she simply had not noticed. She turned around in his arms so that she could look at Kaz. Magnus pulled her back against him fondly, nuzzling her neck with his cheek.

"Portia's dealing with some business. She'll be at the Cauldron later," Zyrdicia advised Kaz, smiling suddenly as Magnus' arms tightened around her torso, squeezing her affectionately. She reached up and took the glass of champagne Kaz offered.

Anthony walked in then. "OHMYGOD! What the hell was that all about?" he grinned as he entered.

"What?" Magnus asked innocently, his cheek still pressed against the side of her neck. She lifted the glass of champagne to his lips and let him take a long swallow. She knew he had no intention of moving his arms off her body to drink himself.

Anthony put his hands on his hips and scolded, "Magnus, if you pulled the 'what' any closer against you, you would be Siamese twins." He looked at Zyrdicia, "Oh, baby, that was classic. You upstaged one of the biggest gladiator matches of the season."

"The main event is up next," Kaz advised. "Best friggin' gladiator from the East matched against this season's champion. They paid me a fortune to get him."

"You captured him?" Zyrdicia wondered.

"No, we bought him from the promoters out there. The coliseum paid me a mint for him, but judging by tonight's attendance, they did pretty well. If you are placing bets, my money would be on the challenger. He's fabulous."

"The crowd will go nuts if he kills the champion. It would be a damned shame too. He's the cutest champion yet this year." Anthony observed.

Magnus looked at the usher lurking in the doorway. "Put fifty thousand on the eastern challenger," he ordered. "Zyrdicia, you too?"

"What the hell. New blood is a good thing. Another fifty thousand," she shrugged. The usher nodded and scampered off to notify the bookies.

Before the boy could leave, Magnus added, "Place them anonymously. If they find out she's betting, it will kill the odds!" People would flock to the betting windows to follow her lead, expecting Zyrdicia to use magic to ensure a win.

The crowd roared as the current champion took the field again. He marched around grandly, as though he owned the arena. He was, in fact, a slave. His antics, however, endeared him to the populace. Kaz excused himself to return to his seat near the field. The gladiator promoters were among his best customers, and he needed to ensure that they remained loyal to his slave market, rather than the competitors. Fight nights were work nights for him.

Anthony left a moment later, preferring to watch from the main seating area where his friends from the Cauldron were waiting.

Alone again, Zyrdicia and Magnus settled into their seats and finished off the bottle of champagne. Several more bottles appeared, sent as gifts from various acquaintances who thought they must have something to celebrate. She nestled into his lap as she did at the Cauldron. While she waited for the fight to start, she touched her lips to Magnus' neck then nibbled on his ear.

"Whatever is with you tonight is fucking phenomenal," he smiled, wrapping himself around her to smother her in adoring kisses. They missed the entire fight. They hardly noticed the fact that they collectively lost a hundred thousand plats the moment Kaz's challenger fell below the champion's sword. The champagne buzz combined with the sensuality of the affection to tune out most other thoughts.

The moment the match ended, Zyrdicia pulled away slightly and said, "Let's get out of here before the schmoozing starts. I don't feel like being polite to the other Council members right now."

Hand-in-hand, they escaped through a service exit to avoid getting stuck in the crush of people who would want to talk to them in the main gallery. A light, misting rain began to fall. "I need to stop by the house to check my messages on the way. Do you mind?" Magnus asked.

"Of course not." Zyrdicia answered. This was a common practice for him. Clients often left word for him at his home rather than at the Guild, when they had urgent matters to be dealt with.

They entered his compound through a hidden, vine-covered entrance, facing a darkened alley. Several of his men stood guard. Using this entrance made it difficult for anyone observing the property to see him coming or going.

Once inside the house, he leafed quickly through the sheaf of papers waiting for him near the entry way. One caught his eye. He laughed as he read it. "Nevvert wants to meet with me Saturday night. Twirp. I'm guessing this has to do with you."

"No doubt! I'm sure he wants me dead in order to have his way with my corpse."

Magnus grimaced, "Thank you for that very unappealing image."

"You can't tell me you didn't think the same thing when you read that. Why else would you have laughed?"

He glanced at her curiously, ignoring the question. He changed the subject, asking "So was the show at the coliseum just for the benefit of our audience?"

"For my benefit and their detriment. Should we continue it at the Cauldron?"

He imitated the innocent expression that she wore so often, "We should practice here to perfect the act. People there are much more discriminating than they are at the coliseum."

"You would know. You've slept with most of them," Zyrdicia teased.

"And you would too, if you could," he countered, as he led her from the foyer to his bedroom. There was nothing seductive or forward about the place he led her. She slept here often when she was in town, and they had spent more hours than either of them could count cuddling and laughing in that room. She liked to fall asleep in his arms after talking and giggling for hours. Next to Portia, he was the person she trusted most in the world. In some ways, she trusted him most of all.

The room was dark when they entered. He lit a single candle. Outside in the compound they could hear the weather had turned ugly. Heavy drops of rain pelted the roof. Magnus pulled her into a fond embrace, squeezing her tightly. He whispered, "I'm so glad you are back. You really scared me this time."

"Thank you," she said softly.

"For what?"

"For being there. For keeping me in this world. For caring."

"Is that what this is about?" he asked thoughtfully.

She furrowed her brow, considering the possibility. She realized that the friendship made the physical affection somehow different. It was not overtly sexual, and yet it somehow was. She was too inebriated to sort it out right now. She knew that she liked it, and it kept her tormentor at bay. "I don't know," she answered.

"You have been through a lot this week."

Zyrdicia sighed, "Which is why I have to have this right now."

He looked into her purple eyes and said, "If you just want to fool around in front of an audience, I'm fine with that. You know that, right?"

She responded wordlessly. She moved her mouth to his and kissed him eagerly. She felt him inhale sharply as she slipped her tongue in his mouth to seek out his own. Forming a psychic connection with him was impossible, for he lacked the necessary telepathic ability. She could explore his thoughts and caress his mind, but he was unaware of it. She enjoyed in the unconditional adoration she found there, though. It required no manipulative games. To her, this killer was safe and nurturing, a quality alien to her sexuality. The novelty of it fascinated her at the moment.

In his mind, she sensed a strange nervousness in him. It was as though he were somehow worried of offending her now that they were alone. That was totally unlike him. She drew away from his mouth and kissed his neck, biting it softly. Something about this frightens him, she realized. She pulled his hands off her waist and moved them to her breasts as she whispered, "What are you afraid of?"

"Damn it! This is everything I have ever wanted. Now that it's happening, I can't help but wonder if I'm somehow taking advantage of what you have been through, and you are going to hate me for it. I never care with anyone else. But thought of you hating me terrifies me. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"It is a natural extension of what we always do. Between us it's just hyper-cuddling."

"I already envision you every time I make love to any other woman. I always have, Zyrdicia," he mumbled, sighing as her hands explored him in places they never had before.

"I know," she grinned.

"What about the Edict?" he worried.

"So we won't have sex. Azriok never said I couldn't enjoy myself in other ways!" she laughed, pushing him playfully down on his bed. She knelt above him, her legs straddling his hips.

He sat up to wrap his arms around her and kiss her again, their tongues touching before their lips did. When their mouths finally parted, Magnus groaned, "Everything about you is too good to be true- the smell of you, the taste of you, the feel of you - if this is a dream, I never want to wake up."

Zyrdicia whispered in his ear, telling him what she wanted him to do.

His eyes widened in surprise. He shook his head slowly and answered, "I would rather die than hurt you."

"You don't have the luxury of that choice tonight. "

"Darling, you don't need to keep reliving Azriok. Let it go."

"Magnus, if you care about me, do it!"

He smiled knowingly, "It's because I care about you that I won't. You don't need pain. I promise. Trust me."

"The last time you told me to trust you, you drugged me and put me in a coma."

"And I would do it again. But I'd drug you instead with whatever you are on tonight," he grinned.

They spent the rest of the evening exploring the familiar feel of the other behaving in unfamiliar ways. Physical distraction disrupted Baal's hold on her, giving her mind the peace it needed to plan the Sephiroth's demise. Despite its sweetness of the encounter, Magnus was quite wrong about her - she did need pain, in a way he would never be able to comprehend. He could not save her from what she was.