Flux

was sure of it.

    ***

    Ennek found him some berries quite nearby. Neither of them knew what they were called but they were very good: tart-sweet and juicy. They stuffed themselves with the fruit, staining their hands and lips; and once Miner was full, Ennek amused himself by placing a series of single berries in Miner’s mouth, brushing his juicy fingertips over Miner’s lips as he did so.
    Then they rinsed again in the stream and sat beside it, still dripping, to take stock of their lives.
    “Where shall we go next?” Ennek asked. “We’ve no more obligations and nothing to fear from anyone.”
    “I…I don’t know.” Miner had never allowed himself to think that far ahead.
    Ennek chewed on his lips a moment and looked away. “You know…if you don’t want to stay with me, you don’t have to.”
    “There is nowhere in the world I’d rather be than at your side.”
    Ennek smiled. “Good. Because honestly, without you I don’t think I could go on. But I wanted you to know this, Mine. You’re a free man.”
    “Free?”
    Ennek reached over and stroked Miner’s neck. “Free.”
    Which was when Miner realized that the collar was gone. Ennek must have broken it when he broke the cuffs on their wrists and ankles. With all the other things happening, Miner hadn’t even noticed. He rubbed his own neck and it felt strange to him.
    “Thank you,” he said to Ennek. “But I still belong to you and I always will.”
    “And I am yours.”
    They kissed after that, not in a hard and possessive sort of way, but slowly, softly, each of them enjoying the feel and taste of the other. There had been many times in his life when Miner had been certain he would never kiss anyone like that. It made his heart thump quickly and his chest feel warm and fluttery.
    When they pulled apart, Ennek stroked Miner’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re staying with me. But we still have problems to solve.”
    “Like where to go next.”
    “Exactly. Things are going to be very unsettled here for a while with Akilina dead. And after what we did in Donghe, matters aren’t much calmer to the north. The king to the south might take advantage of all this disarray and decide to invade or…I honestly don’t know.”
    “I hope we haven’t made life more difficult for Luli and her family.”
    “I hope the same. I think we should return to their village and tell them what’s happened. At least then they’ll have some degree of warning and they can make a more informed choice about what steps to take. They’re smart people, and brave. They’ll figure something out.”
    Miner nodded his agreement.
    Ennek went on. “But I think this is going to be an awkward time for a pair of foreigners in this land, especially if word gets out from Jiangbei that people of our description were with Akilina right before she died. I can’t imagine there are too many people like us wandering the countryside.”
    “That would seem unlikely,” Miner agreed. After a moment he added, “You know…you’re more powerful than Akilina ever was, especially with her powers added to yours. You could rule this place in her stead.”
    Ennek recoiled. “No! Miner, you’ve seen what happens when wizards taste control over others. I’ll wager that Akilina was convinced that she was acting in her people’s best interests. I know that Thelius was convinced that Praesidium would be a better place with him in charge. But we get intoxicated with our own abilities, Mine, and we become monsters.”
    “They became monsters, En. But you have something neither of them did. Something no other wizard in history has possessed.”
    Ennek frowned in confusion. “What?”
    “Me. You have me, En. And I promised you before that I won’t let you destroy yourself with your own magic.”
    “That’s right. You’ll be my conscience.”
    “No. I’ve reconsidered. You’ve quite a good conscience already. I’ll be your…your rudder. I’ll keep you heading on the right course.”
    Ennek’s face smoothed into a smile. “You’ve picked up nautical terminology despite yourself.”
    “I have. Next thing you know, I’ll be climbing the rigging.” And as he pictured himself aboard a ship, happy and helpful instead of cowering below decks, another thought formed in his mind. “Um, Ennek?’
    Ennek tilted his head. “You’ve thought of something.”
    “I have.” Miner took a few moments to put his thoughts in order and to find the proper words for them. Then he took a