Page 40 of A Surrender Of Hope

“Yes. However,” he holds a hand up when I open my mouth to ask him to elaborate. “I think it best if you have that discussion with him.” I snap my mouth shut but nod in agreement, more than a little anxious to find my son. It's been too long, and I haven't been able to greet him properly yet. “I still have no idea how the fuck he did what he did,” Lennox mutters under his breath as he steps away from his chair and dips his head. “There is more to discuss, but maybe we could save that for another time. I need to find Meyer,” he admits.

“The mark on her wrist?” I ask, and he nods, grimacing.

“I can't get it off,” he admits, and I nod.

“You won't be able to. But I’ll look at it and see if anything can be done with it. It's been over a hundred years since I’ve seen the Devil's mark. Do you know how she got it?”

“He was in her dream. She has no control of her Demonic magic and makes everything physical in them. He… Fuck, Dad. Inanis physically touched her, and his magic put her in a trance. If Jesthren hadn't been there to help, she would have been lost to us. I don’t know what to do. Is it a death mark?” he rasps, theemotional mask he had in place since walking through the doors of the palace shattering, hitting me with his full wave of panic and fear as I shake my head.

“She would be dead already if it was. Try to stay calm, son. We will do what we can to fix this.” Lennox swallows, running his hand over his face as he grunts in agreement. “When did you mate her?” I ask, curious whether his Demon form is still running the possessive show here or if my son is genuinely back in control. I didn’t mate Viv until I was almost two hundred years old, and I still had difficulty allowing her to be around other males. Lennox shifts back and forth on his feet, his attention falling to the door that leads from the throne room.

“Four days ago,” he admits, and I freeze, my eyes widening in shock, then fury as I slowly stand from my throne.

“Four days?” I ask in a strained voice, eyes moving to my son's hands, finding them shaking slightly, then to where his black eyes spark with extra magic. There is sweat dotting his brow, and the shoulders that I thought he was slumping in defeat are much bigger than I thought. He wasn’t upset at my answers; he was hiding his lack of control. “By the Gods, Lennox! You need to get that girl secluded and handle your shit before you kill someone. I didn't let your mother leave my rooms for almost a month after our mating!”

Lennox grimaces and steps back, shooting me a disgusted look. “I really didn't need to know that. And I’m fine. It's a strain, yes,” he whispers, eyes darting back to the doors as they suddenly open, letting Vivian into the throne room. I almost shiver at the warmth that courses through me the moment our eyes meet, her beautiful smile lighting up her face when she spots me. After a prolonged moment, when my magic immediately reaches out and locks with her, she moves her attention to Lennox and hurries toward us. “But the Legion bondis keeping me level. As long as she’s with one of them I can handle the pain it causes to be away from her.”

“Garthelaun!” Viv rushes our youngest son, throwing herself into his arms and nearly strangling him with the strength of her hug. “Are you alright?” she asks, pulling back enough to look him over before shooting me a dirty look, no doubt upset at the small challenge that happened between me and the boys in the courtyard. I will undoubtedly be getting an earful from her tonight.

“I’m fine, but I need to get back to Meyer,” Lennox whispers, hugging Viv tight and kissing her cheek before releasing her and turning to leave the room.

“Valen has her,” Viv calls out, grinning like a Leviathan with a whole clutch of eggs in its nest. “Dinner is in an hour so do hurry them along,” she instructs, and Lennox nods, smiling softly at his mother.

“Oh, good. Maybe I can talk with the girl afterward,” I add, making Lennox’s smile fade as he looks back at me.

“If you hurt her, I’ll kill you,” he whispers, the words not a threat but a promise, and I can’t stop the manic grin that slips on my face as Viv gasps in shock, her mouth parting in horror as I start to laugh and nod in agreement, watching as my son turns and leaves the room with his head held high.

“What in the seven realms of hell was that about?” Viv asks, moving to my side and stepping into my arms as I reach for her. I hold her tight, bending down to kiss her soft hair, and close my eyes in contentment.

“That was our son growing up and falling in love,” I whisper, sitting back on my throne and tugging my beautiful wife into my lap so I can kiss her properly.

NINETEEN

Valen

Ipace the floor in front of my large primary bath, listening to Meyer hum a soft song under her breath as she steps from the shower, where she rinsed off all the mud, and into the bath I had drawn for her. She had mentioned her shoulders and back were still sore, sending my anxiety spiking even more than it had been, and I had insisted on a bath to help soothe her tired muscles. When Nox is finished talking to Father, I will have him look her over to ensure she’s not still injured from her fall.

The need to keep her in my sight is pressing at me, hounding me to go into the bathroom with her instead of pacing out here like a fool. But I’ve kept to my room, knowing I would have little to no self-control if I had joined her in the bath, and after all she’s been through the last few days, I don’t want to pressure her into something she might not be in the mood for.

“Valen?” her sweet voice sounds from the room, and I still, head snapping toward the partially opened door. “Which of these is shampoo? There's like a hundred bottles in here,” she giggles.

“All the bottles on the right are shampoo. The middle section is conditioner, and on the left, there is body wash and bathsalts,” I rumble out, my mind still spinning with worry, my heart beating too fast for comfort. Swallowing hard, I close my eyes and try to calm myself, knowing my control is in tatters right now. Ever since I released my Shade on the battlefield after Meyer’s death, I’ve been struggling.

I didn't realize how strong my Shade form had become. I knew my magical capacity had grown since I had been taken. Having four years of nothing to do but master and create every spell imaginable for a Dream Walker, would do that to a person, but I didn't realize my Shade form would also grow in strength by that much. Honestly, it terrified me. I had never wrought that much destruction before. I had been in several battles over my life span, and not once did I manage such a feat as I did that night outside the castle.

There is a brief pause from Meyer before she starts to laugh again. “Uh, you have thirteen bottles of shampoo?” she asks, and I frown, feeling my cheeks heat at her remark. I have always had a fondness for the finer things in life. My clothes and personal items often times were much finer than my brothers, who only cared about their basics. But there’s something about having a selection of different items and clothes that brings me immense joy. “And they are all color coordinated,” she adds, and I sigh, moving toward the door, deciding it’s useless to fight my need to see her. I already know I’ll eventually break and rush in there to check on her. I might as well do it now and stop torturing myself.

“Is that a bad thing?” I ask, leaning against the door frame, watching as Meyer grabs a bottle of shampoo, opens it, and brings it to her nose before she closes it and opens a new one. I marvel at the room in front of me, noticing how every bottle is exactly where I left it. The rugs I had selected years ago are still on the floor. The comb I used the day we set out for the European rift still lays on the vanity like I haven’t been gone allthese years. It both soothes and hurts me to see it all. I have missed so much, but I am beyond grateful to be back home.

“No, I love a selection. I think this one is my favorite,” she adds, pouring the shampoo into her hand from the ornate, amber bottle and lathering it through her long ash-blonde hair. I smile when I see her using the shampoo I use the most, thrilled that she will smell like me.

“Are you going to come in or watch from the door like a creeper?” she teases as she leans back in the water to rinse out the suds. I have to bite my lip as the soft curve of her breasts appears above the water, her back arching so she can rinse out the soap in her hair, gifting me the most mouthwatering view of her pebbled pink nipples.

“I’m pretty sure there is only enough room for one creeper watching us, and that title belongs to Razar,” I rasp, licking my lips as I shift on my feet, trying to subtly arrange the bulge in my pants.

“True,” she agrees, grinning as she sits back up and holds a hand out to me, her fingers wiggling in the air. “Come on.”

“I probably shouldn't. Mom is waiting for us to have dinner.” I shake my head, and Meyer narrows her eyes at me as she nods slowly.

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