Page 134 of Xerxes Ascendant
Akira
Being on speech restrictions came with an unexpected silver lining, and that was freedom from the weight of social niceties. Akira could just hover at Kyle’s shoulder, unsmiling and silent, and let his vivacious boyfriend handle all the greetings and small talk with the other Masters. Perhaps it was a reflection of Akira’s deficient conversational skills that only a single remark was made about how quiet he was tonight, to which Kyle laughed, patted Akira fondly on the arm, and seamlessly changed the subject.
“I know how much effort it takes to stop yourself from saying mean things to everyone,” Kyle whispered to him afterwards, running his lips teasingly down the line of Akira’s jaw. “I’m proud of you, pet.”
He tried to hide how much that comment pleased him – or how his resulting shiver made the plug inside of him shift against all those sensitive nerve endings – but nothing escaped Sir’s notice. Akira had made a successful career out of reading people and acting to fulfil their deepest desires, but with Kyle there was no pretence. Stars, he couldn’t eventhinkwhen Kyle was around, let alone try to be something he wasn’t. It was a good thing his man never wanted more from him than that.
Because Akira was not his kink. Kyle was the only one who could separate the two, who could make him submit and degrade himself in the bedroom and yet treat him as an equal outside of it. And not with the conscious effort of carefully tiptoeing around Akira’s switch nature, but as something that justwas. Kyle cared for him as a submissive, and respected him as a man.
And loved him as all of it.
A few minutes later they were seated around the Coterie’s table, Akira perched gingerly in his usual chair and Kyle standing protectively behind him. Theta’s empty seat loomed to their left.
“The separation of Upper and Lower Xerx...of Xerxes and Nitobe proceeded smoothly,” Omicron corrected, their home’s newly christened name tripping him up. “Putting fifty kilometres of distance between us has decreased runic outages threefold.”
Akira had spent his twenty-nine years of life with the certainty that there was nothing beyond Xerxes, and that the one remaining sky city was humanity’s final hope.
But nothing was certain anymore. Not that, not their collision with the Earth, not the corruption of Benedict Mackenroth’s rule.
Under the Coterie’s guidance, the final wires and struts connecting the two halves of the city had been severed, and using a controlled curtailment of magical energy to funnel power to the engines, they had propelled the enormous structures far enough apart that their runes wouldn’t interfere with each other. Each city still had their own runes to manage, but the demands on the ether had been significantly lessened.
And now they stood on Nitobe, formerly Lower Xerxes but determined to claim its own name and place in the sky. A citynamed for a person of peace, not war, of co-existence rather than invasion.
With the stronger runic energy now available to them and their engines, both cities had been able to ascend back to a stable altitude of ten thousand metres and had paused the clock on their previously inevitable doom.
Life for Nitobe’s million-something residents was still far from perfect. Poverty and violence were as prevalent as ever. But there was a tangible energy on the streets these days, born from a hope they’d never had before.
If two cities could sail the skies of Earth once more, why not three? Four? Instead of merely existing, could humanity have the chance toflourish? Because if enough resources could be scavenged from the surface to build smaller engines, perhaps they could hold aloft their own towns or villages. Smaller settlements with less runic proximity interference, that would redefine the limits of technology and imagination.
Pipe dreams, most likely, but it was a future that held the excitement of infinite potential. Akira had never expected to wake up in Kyle Randall’s arms each night, to be blessed with both his boyfriend’s unconditional love and that of his wife and daughter, or be prepared to listen to Bon Jovi’s fullSlippery When Wetalbum on repeat, but all three things were now an inescapable part of his life.
“Nitobe needs a representative,” Nu was saying, resuming a topic they’d previously canvassed. “Someone to meet with Miles Mackenroth and negotiate deals on our behalf, to communicate changes to the people, and represent what we’re trying to achieve.”
“A mayor,” Kyle said approvingly. “We should hold an election.”
“That’s exactly what we’re doing, Mr. Randall,” Sigma drawled from where she was sprawled in her chair opposite them. “I vote for it to be Master Sigma.”
“You can’t-”
Six exasperated pairs of eyes turned their way.
“I guess you can,” Kyle conceded, deflating. He sighed and rested his hand on Akira’s shoulder as if seeking comfort from the injustice unfolding before him. Powerful people making decisions on behalf of the masses?Thatwas something that would never change.
Akira reached up and laid his hand over Kyle’s.
“House Theta, as it currently isn’t operational, doesn’t get a vote,” Omicron said hastily.
Akira suppressed his own sigh. He and Kyle had put House Theta through a renovation and psychological assessment of its staff, and it was set to re-open next week. This vote was conveniently timed.
“Master Tau,” said Tau.
“Master Omicron,” said Omicron.
“Are we all just going to put ourselves forward?” Rho demanded, shaking her head so her bronzed auburn curls shivered around her shoulders. “We’re never going to get anywhere like that.”
They all looked at her expectantly.
“Master Rho,” Rho said, surprising no one.
