Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 2

the tip. And down at the base, where the edge would normally be dull, Sai had cut vicious, razor sharp fangs that would slide into a man smoothly but tear like hell coming out.
    It was a massive sword made for killing, a bestial companion to the elegant, curved scimitar he'd crafted for Arick. It would be the blade that led him to his lost love, or to his eventual death. It was the true offspring of the Sword Master, a reflection of his very soul.
    Lifting the blade, Sai pressed it to the skin of his forearm, feeling its razor edge cut painlessly into his skin. His blood trickled, and then it flowed freely, wetting the pommel, the grip and the wicked guard. In the darkness, the blood looked black. Sai smeared it freely over the weapon, feeding it liberally. He shook his arm, and droplets of blood sizzled in the coals of the forge, like a fine mist of bloody rain.
    When the sword sang of its birth, the melody was dark and without joy.
    CHAPTER 4
    "You refused?" Juliana rode next to Sai; her chestnut mare was steady and strong, it had no problem keeping pace with Sai's white gelding. They rode under the merciless sun, puffs of dust rising to join the cloud that accompanied the large force as they marched.
    "I know life doesn't hold much charm for you, but it's the opportunity for your line to continue, Sai. You don't have to be father to the child; you merely need to sire it."
    "Why? Life offers little but pain and loneliness. Why would I wish that on a child?"
    She snorted. "Were you in pain during your years with Arick? Even when he was campaigning, I wager that you were far from lonely. If your nieces and nephews weren't hanging around your smithy, all the neighborhood youth were badgering you for training of some sort. You have much to offer; it's a shame you've given up on life."
    He didn't answer. Why should she understand? She'd never loved Arick beyond the bounds of friendship. They'd contracted a child together, leaving them both to their lives and freedom. She'd grieved when Arick had vanished, but moved on. She'd never shared Sai's obsession to find him. Juliana believed Arick was dead.
    Sai knew otherwise.
    "Why did they choose you?" She glanced at him and smiled, shaking her head. "Beyond the obvious. You're damned handsome and your body is impressive enough. Not what I'd expect a pair of Sylphs to seek out, though."
    He shrugged.
    "Seriously, if they hope the child will follow in their rather warped footsteps… but then I'm not one to talk." She laughed, keeping the conversation up on her end. "I mean, they fuck and entertain for a living. I just kill people."
    "They think I'm going to die soon, so they'll be able to raise the child without my interference."
    That should have been a conversation killer. In fact, Juliana rode quietly for awhile.
    "And they want a child who will be free-born. They were born and bred into the caste of the Sylph. There was no other profession open to them. They want the child to have choices."
    He'd been thinking about that late-night conversation. He'd never thought about the choices in his life; Sai had inherited the metal-working magic of his family. It possessed him, body and soul. However, if he'd wanted, he could have moved into other occupations, as his sister had. Juliana was the daughter of a soldier and had been expected to choose his career. But Arick had been born to a noble ruling class. He'd had the freedom to choose what his future held. The twin sylphs had been born to be whores. Their bodies betrayed generations of selective breeding. By choosing Sai to father their child, they guaranteed that their offspring would have the freedom to break out of that world. By choosing Sai, who bore a superficial resemblance to the pair, the child could remain in the profession or break out into another life, not limited by the androgynous appearance that burdened the parents.
    He sighed, regretting his summary rejection of the whore. Hell, he couldn't even remember their names.
    "Sai?"
    "Mmm?"
    Juliana rode for a few more moments. "I think of myself as your friend."
    He glanced at her, feeling the pall of anger fall over his mood. She wouldn't be the first well-meaning acquaintance to give him a lecture, nor would she be the last. He looked forward at the rump of the horse ahead of them.
    "Why did you come on this mission?" He looked sharply at her. "I mean, there's been no rumor of Arick for months now. We're marching against the Delphines. He fell to the Urichs. There's