Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

boy at all, or Anzel will make him suffer because of you."
    While Con knew the truth of Gael's urgent plea, his hands still itched for his sword. If there were any chance he could have rescued the boy right then without endangering Gael or Ren's life he would have. Defeated, Con realized that for now the boy would have to remain behind. So, with a heavy step he turned to follow his friend back to the upper realm, and away from the boy who had captured his heart.
    ****
    Present day…
    "So you mean to leave him there, naked as the day he was born with nothing but the sun to keep him warm? Pray do tell me what happens when the sun goes down tonight and the chill rises off the mountaintop and wraps her hoary arms around the boy? What then? Will you stand by and listen for the pitiful cries Ren will surely utter as he freezes to death? For god's sake Con, the boy has been out there for several hours now without food or drink, how much more do you think he can endure while you stand there making up your mind?"
    Con angrily turned from his observation post to shoot an angry glare at his best friend.
    "Don't you be giving me that look Constantine Aurelius! I know that damned glare of yours has made many a lesser man quake, but I am Lord and Master of this realm and you had best not be forgetting that fact! Now I say we'll be wasting no more precious time on this senseless argument about retrieving the boy. See to it now Con, or so help me we will come to blows over this!"
    Gael's chest was nearly heaving after finishing his speech. His anger evident in both his raised voice and his rigid posture. Expecting yet another argument from Con, he was shocked as he watched his friend literally deflate before his very eyes. Con leaned forward and ran his hand through his hair, blowing out a shaky breath and looking for all the world as though he had just lost everything precious to him.
    "Don't you think I want nothing more than to rush down this mountain and save the boy Gael?"
    Gael paused, confused. "Then why don't you, Con? Is it fear that the boy has somehow forgotten you in all this time? Are you worried that he no longer returns the feelings you so obviously still have for him? Is that what keeps you locked into place here?"
    Con shook his head and looked one more time out the window.
    "Do you really think that bastard of a brother of yours would just let Ren walk free after all these months?"
    "But he has Con. You see the evidence sitting below us. Anzel's tossed Ren out like he was garbage, stripping him of everything including his dignity. Hasn't he suffered enough? My god, after all the countless thwarted attempts at rescuing the boy, now we have him within our grasp, don't you think it's finally time he came home? "
    "Oh for fuck's sake Gael of course I think that! But don't you see? Look at him Gael; really look at him for once. Don't let your emotions rule your head! Look at what this boy's release means!"
    Gael shook his head again, opening his mouth to issue a final order for Con to retrieve the boy; but before he could do it his friend exploded in anger.
    "God dammit Gael, he's a trap. The boy is being used as a trap somehow. There's no fucking way Anzel would let him walk away without there being a price to pay and we're that price! Mark my words, that boy has been sent to kill either you or I or both of us. Gael, don't you understand? Please just give me a few minutes to figure out the best way to get the boy back here and keep him from destroying both himself and us. Please!"
    Gael looked at his friend. It hadn't dawned on him till now the full extent to which his friend had fallen in love. Oh he knew that there had been affection, a love of sorts, but this raw, naked pain he saw in his friend's eyes whenever he spoke of the boy…this was different. He knew Con was right about his suspicions but he also knew that Con's emotions couldn't be the deciding factor about how they proceeded with the boy. Ren had to come off that mountain regardless of his potential to cause chaos.
    "Fine, I'll take all that you said under advisement…" Con's relief was so evident that it almost hurt Gael to continue, but continue he did. "… After the boy is safe! Now, begin the rescue operation immediately." Before Con could protest again, Gael held up his hand and spoke quickly.
    "To put your mind at ease and to ensure that the boy is not a risk, I've decided he'll have a guard detail."
    Con shifted, his stance reflecting his