Page 33 of A Surrender Of Hope

Valen follows behind Nox, not looking the slightest bit upset anymore as he walks over. He snatches my hand and tugs my fingers to his lips, dusting them with feather-soft kisses. Andras darts his eyes toward Lennox with a fearful hiss, waiting for his reaction.

“Don’t worry. We all have an understanding,” Creed says, his hand resting possessively on my hip, making Andras sigh, close his eyes, and shake his head.

“Your father is going to lose his mind. You know that, right? And there will be no understanding between a king and his mate. Valen, you’re playing with fire, and you know it. Kings do not share their mates. There is a reason for it. Nox will eventually lose control of his shifted side, which will be bad. So fucking bad!”

“There hasn’t been a King that was a part of a Legion. Lennox is,” Valen states, looking up at me with bright gray, almost white eyes. They look like tiny crystals twinkling up at me as he presses one more kiss to my fingers and moves to his horse,jumping onto the massive monster with no issue and taking the reins. “And it’s also not your problem or concern to meddle in our business,” Valen reminds him. Not in an unfriendly way, but there was definitely a hint of warning in his words.

A loud snarl breaks the tension forming in the air, and Andras shouts and yanks his horse back several strides as Razar, still in his Beastia form, stalks up to our side. His black eyes are trained on Andras like he’s a snack. I frown, kicking Razar’s side with the toes of my boot, surprising even myself when I scoff at his Beast’s responding growl.

“Knock it off. He’s only being friendly, and you're being an asshole,” I chide, staring at him in challenge when he tilts his head to the side and studies me, maw parting, sharp teeth dripping with what I know is toxic saliva. “Yeah. You're bad and scary. Now, stop making things more complicated. You can growl at me later.” I roll my eyes at him, making Creed chuckle as he moves his arms around me, grabbing his reins and moving his horse behind Nox and Valen’s.

“By the Gods. You're all fucking insane,” Andras mutters, voice cracking a little as he keeps tugging his reins, getting his horse to move further away from Razar when the Beastia growls and snaps his sharp teeth in his direction, obviously not liking his words.

“Andras, send four men ahead and have them clear the streets. We don't need to make a spectacle of this. Let's get to the castle as fast as possible without scaring the people,” Nox says, his eyes moving to Razar with those last words. Andras immediately opens his mouth, words falling from his lips that sound harsh and foreign as he commands four of his men to lead the way.

“Hold on tight, Lemon Drop. This is going to be a fast but fun ride,” Creed whispers into my ear, his hips adjusting in the saddle behind me so that I’m tucked protectively againsthim with no room to move or get jostled around. After a few moments, the gates open, and Nox clicks his tongue, his horse starting to lead our group forward. Our pace starts out slow but picks up speed the closer we get until we fly through the gates of the city. I can feel the eyes of several people on us, the shouts of voices as we move through the beautiful streets. I try to take it all in, but we’re moving so fast it blurs together in one beautiful picture.

“Drakas!”

“Prince Drakas!”

“The Princes!” The excited voices shout, and Creed chuckles and leans close when I squeeze his arms.

“Are you alright?” he rasps into my ear, and I nod, watching several people gasp and point in my direction before balking and stepping back when they spot the black Beastia at our side. “Almost home,” Creed promises, as we ascend the large hill at the city's center. My eyes immediately move to the larger-than-life castle in front of us. Its size is impossible to compare to any other structure I’ve seen before. Grand arches and sparkling windows reflect the pastel light of the dwindling sun as we draw closer. I hear Nox yell something in the language I don't understand just as giant black glittering gates open, allowing us to ride through to the castle without stopping.

My eyes instantly take in the lush lawns and fountains lining the white stone path that weaves through the land, taking us to the castle where two prominent and beautiful Demons step out onto the top step. Silver crowns adorn each of their heads like glittering halos, and I smile when I see a slightly older version of Lennox wrap his arm around the stunning brunette at his side.

The guards at the door's sides dip their heads in a small bow but quickly return to attention as the guys’ parents move down the steps. Their mom tries to run down the steps just as their dad winds an arm around her waist and shakes his head, whisperingsomething in her ear. Men and women alike move around the steps, some carrying large boxes and others bolts of cloth. All of them stop midstep when they hear the horses approach. Nox and Valen pull their horses to a stop moments before Creed and Jesthren do the same, staying several feet behind them.

“Orcus!” The woman practically growls, and he laughs, letting her go and watching with a slight smile of adoration on his face as she runs down the steps.

“Mom!” Valen shouts, a broad smile breaking over his handsome face as he jumps from his horse and runs toward her. She throws herself into his outstretched arms, a sob breaking from her lips as he picks her up in tight hug as she cries into his chest.

“I thought?—”

“I know,” Valen whispers, his hand rubbing her back in a soft circle as he tries to calm her down. Nox dismounts next, nodding to a younger-looking boy and offering him the reins of his horse. Orcus moves down the steps toward his youngest son, his black tunic-looking shirt stretching over his shoulders. It looks like it might just rip in two if he inhales too deeply. I watch him in fascination, realizing just how enormous this man is. I thought Nox was big but his dad has a good six inches on him in height, and his shoulders look even wider. I know the guys have said that Nox is the youngest of them, that he’s still growing into his Demon form and magic, but I never thought about that in a physical sense.

Nox is the biggest right now, standing above everyone but Jesthren who is the same height. I look from Nox to Jesthren then to their dad and shake my head in awe. Jesus, how big will Nox get as he gets older? I mean, I can't say I won't like it, but damn, the size is intimidating as hell!

“Son,” he greets, his smile widening as he looks at Nox. He then moves to Jesthren, nodding at him in approval beforefinally landing on Razar, where his smile falters. “Why is Yannos in beast form? Is he injured?” he asks, worry filling his eyes. His attention snaps to Creed, then widen when he sees me in his son’s arms.

I hold my breath as something shifts in the air around me. This man's gaze is heavy, like a living thing pinning me in place as he studies me, from my hair to my eyes, then down and back again. In the next instant, something strong wraps around my body, startling me and I jerk in Creed's arms.

“Lemon Drop?” he asks in confusion, but I can't take my eyes off the older version of Nox, whose eyes narrow on me, lips thinning as he steps forward. Almost as fast, I feel Nox’s magic swirl around me, shoving the heavy presence off before protectively cording itself between me and his father.

“Don’t,” Nox warns, his voice pitched low and deep.

“How?” Orcus mouths just as Nox steps directly before him, cutting off his father's view of me and growling low under his breath. The courtyard stills at the sound, and every eye turns toward their King and Crown Prince as dark black magic starts to dance in the air around them.

SIXTEEN

Razar

Lennox’s and Father’s magic is thick in the air as I growl low in my throat, my eyes tracking the guards who stupidly draw too close to my brother with hands on the hilts of their swords, muscles tensed in preparation for a fight they have no hope of winning. They pause at the sound, their terrified eyes falling on me as I slowly approach the palace steps, the scrape of my poisoned-tipped claws scoring rough grooves in the stone under my paws.

My Beastia rumbles in approval when I scent their delicious fear wafting from them, and my teeth snap in response, acidic saliva welling over the edge of my curled lips. The need to feel their flesh tear and blood spill is something I can almost taste on my tongue as I move protectively behind my youngest brother.

“Yannos, stand down,” Father commands when he sees me stalking behind Nox. I have a moment when I’m worried I won’t be able to command my Beast to listen. Ever since I saw Arch again and then felt my Pup go weightless in my arms, her steady pulse ceasing, my Beastia has taken more and more control. Not only has he started to influence my decisions more, buthe’s decided there are only three souls in this awful universe he wants to protect, and Father is currently a threat to two of them.

---