Chapter Seven
All too soon, the Reaper was shaking Ryker awake. "Wake up now." He hissed, already dressed, enfolded in a warm cloak with his sword strapped to his side. A set of clothes was set-aside for the Radantian as well.
Ryker shot up in a flash with the sound of breaking glass, pinning Apollo to the bed with a shard of broken glass to his neck. The vase near the bedside lay in shambles. Ryker’s eyes opened blearily, and he looked at Apollo with confusion before getting off of him.
Apollo only had time to gasp, chest heaving when he felt sharpness against his jugular. "What the fuck?" He demanded, though his voice was still quiet. He sat up and rubbed his neck, watching Ryker get dressed.
"Sorry," he offered, eyes spotting the clothing as he walked--albeit a bit stiffly--over to the clothes. He began to don them, surprised that they fit.
The Reaper rolled from the bed, standing and adjusting his clothes. "Ready?" He asked with a raised brow, lips pursed.
Ryker nodded, pulling the hood up over his head. He looked to Apollo, waiting for him to move.
As much as he wanted to, Apollo didn't take Ryker's hand; instead, he headed from the room, making sure that the hallway was empty. He motioned for the Radantian to follow and took him down hallways that weren't often used that led towards the back gate.
The Radantian moved like a shadow, following Apollo silently, and blending with the shadows. As they arrived to the back gate in the shimmering half-light of the tri-sunrise, Ryker looked at Apollo. "Thank you. I won't soon forget it," he said earnestly as they continued on their way.
Apollo took a moment to pause and brush back Ryker's hair once more. "You'll forget soon enough." The Reaper murmured before looking to the horizon, creeping towards it. There were many entrances to Radant, but Apollo only knew a few.
"I can take you to the edge of this city. Can you find your way back from there?" He asked.
Ryker nodded, wondering what was wrong with the male. Soon they reached the end of the city, and Ryker could see the city down below. His city. A soft look passed over his face as he stood looking over the city. He unfastened the heavy cloak, handing it back to Apollo. His hand brushed over his neck, and he blinked. "You mind taking this off?" he asked, motioning to the collar.
Apollo blinked at the tender look that crossed Ryker's face, finding himself wishing the male would look at him like that. The Reaper sighed, taking the cloak. Before he unfastened the collar, he gave Ryker a quick kiss as he unsnapped the silver trinket.
"Try not to die. Okay?" The Reaper asked with a wry smile, his blue eyes darting down to the delicate silver ring in his hands.
Ryker blinked as the male kissed him. He started to ask why before he looked at the male, shaking his head and turning to get ready to make the first jump down the pillars to get into the city.
Offering a small wave, he turned and stepped off the edge.
Apollo waved, watching until Ryker disappeared. "Damn it." He muttered, scrubbing his hand over his face as he turned to leave. He wished for the millionth time that Ryker could have stayed.
~*~*~*~ Meanwhile, Jeta was in a fury. "Find that damned Dog and bring him to me! Tell Apollo he needs to report to me this instant!" the formidable man roared.
Servants scurried to do as Jeta bid, ducking the flying objects and papers. Slade stood confidently in the corner, smirking. Everything was coming together.
*~*~*~* It was Camilla who had found Apollo after the Reaper and just reentered the room. The boy was frantic of course, as Jeta's bellows were practically heard by the whole fucking city.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Apollo shouted back to the empty air. Throwing his shoulders back with his head held high, he entered his uncle's study like he had done nothing wrong.
"You summoned me my lord?" The Reaper asked, bowing at the waist. He school his features into practiced indifference as he faced his irate uncle.
"Where is that Radantian scum? He killed two of my best prison guard and wounded the Chancellor. And you allowed him to live, much less take him into your bed? HOW DARE YOU NEGLECT TO INFORM ME OF THIS?!" the male glared at his nephew.
Apollo looked up giving an elegant shrug. "He is in my room where I left him." The lie came easily, no pause. "I was told he was mine, I knew of the killings, yet did not care." Another shrug and he knew he was pushing the envelope. "Those men were foolish anyhow. To be killed by an unarmed prisoner? Such men do not deserve to be apart of your empire my uncle."
"Which is another thing. Why didn't you contest my judgment? If I know you at all, you would have brought the issue up to me at least once." Jeta frowned, looking at his nephew with suspicion.
"He's beautiful. What can I say?" That should be excuse enough. Apollo wasn’t known for his discretion when it came to bed partners.
"Master!" came a frantic call from the same slave that had watched Apollo and Ryker last night. "The Radantian has disappeared!" he called.
When the servant burst in, Apollo did his best to look startled and make his voice angry. "What are you talking about?" He snapped. "I left him locked in my room with another servant!"
"Which servant?" Jeta demanded, the male was growing steadily angrier by the second, and Apollo knew not to test his wrath.
"Camilla uncle." Apollo replied looking confused. "The Radantian dog wasn't exactly up and about if you know what I mean." He gave his uncle a knowing look.
"Bring him to me," Jeta growled. "I want to know how he escaped."
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, said dog was still making his way through the complex pipe systems that lead to Radant. Entering into one of the lines, he walked slowly, carefully. There were tracers everywhere here.
Ryker treaded carefully for a time, before he became clumsy and tripped over an upturned piece of stone. "Fuck!" he cried as the stone pricked him he felt the blood leave him and immediately started running. He had just run into a fucking tracer.
"Shit!" he growled as he took off running.
*~*~*~*
Back in headquarters, an analyst servant raced towards Jeta's office. "Master! One of the tracers picked up the Radantian’s blood!” he informed.
