Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

trail and followed it swiftly into the deepening copse of bushes and trees.
    As he ran, the sound of footfall behind him grew fainter and fainter until he was positive that he had put enough distance between himself and Con allowing for him to stop for a moment to draw breath and ease the stitch in his side. Pausing briefly, Ren doubled over, gulping in huge lungfuls of air. When he was able to breathe more freely, he took off again, this time at an easy jog until he came to the mouth of the cave that marked the lesser-known entryway into the lower realm. With a final backward glance, Ren stepped into the gloom toward the waiting arms of the madman he had come to kill.
    ****
    Con retraced his steps for the third time, wondering again at how Ren had managed to elude him. He sighed in exasperation and turned one more time toward the main entrance to the lower realm. There was nothing to do now but try to make his way inside without being detected and hope he found Ren before Anzel did. A shiver of worry prompted Con to move more briskly through the outer maze of rooms and hallways. Thankfully, Gael had managed to get to their source within Anzel's palace to let him know Con might need his help, making this the easy part. Con had used the man previously to help him gain access to the palace during the many rescue missions for Ren. Con only hoped that this trip didn't turn out to be another one of those.
    Con pushed that thought away. It wouldn't do to have his focus waiver now, not when he had such limited time to find Ren and pull him out of here before Anzel discovered them both. He did not relish the idea of trying to convince the boy to come away with him. He knew Ren could be stubborn, even more than Con himself, but he wasn't going to let that stand in the way of ensuring his safety. No, Ren couldn't face Anzel alone; that would be disastrous.
    It had always been Con's intention to let the boy have his way until they reached the palace of the lower realm. Once there, Con's plan was to actually keep Ren from ruining his own life by taking Anzel's. While Con would like nothing more than to see Anzel die for what he had done to Ren, he did not want to see the boy locked away in Nephali for the rest of his life. Gael had made it clear at their meeting that Con was responsible for the boy's safety and for making sure that Ren's hands were kept clean so that no blame could be leveled against Ren for Anzel's death.
    " If this idea of yours goes south, I don't want the final result to be the convening of a tribunal to discuss Ren's guilt for my brother's murder. Do you understand me?? You keep that boy from doing anything stupid Con or so help me you'll answer to me and it won't be pretty!"
    Con understood all too well what Gael was trying to tell him. If Ren killed Anzel there was no way either he or Gael could save the boy. Despite Anzel's less than stellar reputation, Gael's brother was still a powerful man and his death would have to be answered for in a court of law. The assassin would no doubt be either imprisoned for life or sentenced to death. Either way Ren would be lost to him.
    Con swore silently to himself. He never thought the boy would give him the slip, yet here he was, alone, and trying to hunt Ren down before he did something they'd all regret. Keeping to the shadows, Con moved with cat-like agility through the maze of rooms and hallways until he found himself standing in the throne room.
    Normally this would be the last place Con would have thought Ren would confront Anzel, given that anyone could walk in and that guards were more likely to be found in the common area; but apparently he was mistaken for right in front of his eyes he watched Ren drag the Lord High Commander into the room and throw him into a chair. Anzel's hands were bound in front of him in a rather haphazard binding, his face all bloodied and bruised.
    Ren didn't look much better himself. Con noticed that his lower lip was split and bleeding and his shirt was torn and filthy as if he'd been rolling around in the dirt. In his hand, Ren held something that looked like a paddle made from a solid piece of wood. At least it looked like a paddle. Con was unsure as to why Ren was holding the thing at all. Then Ren spoke and all the answers began to fall into place.
    "What's it feel like to be tied up, and under someone else's control, Anzel? How does it feel to be beaten and treated like an animal? Do you like your paddle now, Anzel?? Let's