Free Beyond the Hell Cliffs by Case C. Capehart Page B

born under the Elemental of stone, cursed with opaque eyes.  The stone Elemental was a much more chaotic patron element than the others, which is a bit ironic since stones appear to be solid, immobile and the symbol of uniformity.  Faeir born under the stone Elemental are influenced by the chaotic magic of the element, normally coordinating with a particular gemstone.  The only other Stone Seer Onyx knew of was an old, male hermit named Garnet who had darker skin and pure red eyes.  As Stone Seers were considered a mutation and their chaotic magic a heresy, they were treated as inferior and normally wound up in servitude or seclusion.
    “So does being a Stone Seer allow you to manipulate water like that?” Raegith asked as Onyx scrubbed him down and attended a cracked rib.  He was standing naked inside the tent with his left arm raised as she prodded him and appraised his winces.
    “No, one has nothing to do with the other,” Onyx said.  “ My Stone magic is of mending flesh, but I channel it through the element of water in order to focus the power.  I have had a natural ability with water all my life, which makes being a Stone Seer so much more tragic.  No one trained me to work the element; I did this on my own, in secret.”
    “How have you made it this far being a Stone Seer and a heretic?”
    “Luck,” Onyx said, letting his arm down and pulling the bucket closer to her.  “You’ll need completely washed down, there are too many wounds that could fester and you’ve gone five days without one.”
    “It makes me tougher,” Raegith replied, slipping his shorts off.  “I can feel my skin hardening and my pain tolerance widening.”
    “Raegith, five times I have had you remove your shorts to be washed and each time you are in a similar state of… excitement,” Onyx said. 
    “Well, you see, I normally have a lot more time to myself than this, so I haven’t had a chance to… uh…” he tried to explain.
    “I can create something that will cure you of this without affecting your will, I promise it won’t.  We can’t let you go on like this.” Onyx continued.
    “I’d rather we find some other way of remedying this,” Raegith said, turning around to face her.   She immediately backed away.
    “What…” she stammered.  “My prince, what exactly are you getting at?”
    “You can’t possibly be that oblivious, Onyx,” Raegith said.  “My hard-on has nothing to do with some bodily malfunction.  It comes from hearing your voice, the smell of you in my nose and the touch of your hands.  It comes from the need that I have for you, Onyx, surely you’ve figured out that much.”
    “You don’t know what you’re saying,” Onyx said.  “You’re young and your body is changing and…”
    “I’m sixteen years old, Onyx, not twelve,” Raegith said, edging closer to her.  “I’m only young to those who live twice as long as I.  When I was thirteen I stole a kiss from a Twileen girl bringing me food and that was the last time I have even seen a female, much less been in the presence of one.
    “Then you come to me, fix my wounds, wash my body and open up to me about your amazing life and you think I could keep things professional between us?  It’s you I burn for, Onyx, and no matter how much water you pour on me, I won’t be extinguished until I have you.”
    “We are not doing this,” Onyx said, approaching him and grasping his shoulders.  “ We are on a mission together and once that mission is completed, I will return…”
    “No, you won’t ,” Raegith replied, reaching up to touch her face. “You will not return to your kingdom to waste away your talents and your life.  I will always have need of you, Onyx, and I would place you above all that would treat you as an outcast.  Promises have been made to me.  I will not go back into imprisonment after this and neither should you.  If your people will not allow you to join me, then I will steal you from