Page 74 of A Surrender Of Hope

“He thought he saw a pack of Beastia ahead and wanted to ensure the area is clear,” Creed whispers, scowling in the same direction. “Shit, I should’ve grabbed my coat before we left. It's going to be freezing on the North Ridge.”

“I have Elaine meeting us there with some supplies,” Nox grumbles, and Theo's eyes widen in alarm.

“My mom’s going to be there?” Nox slowly turns his head toward my friend and arches a brow.

“Is that a problem, Ranger?” he asks, annoyed.

“No,” Theo squeaks out while giving me a look that says it’s very much a problem. I can't imagine the hell Elaine is about to put her son through after he snuck into the Demon realm after us. I offer him a sympathetic look before I see something dark shift between the trees, Razar’s Beastia silently prowling toward us, his enormous body moving through the night like a deadly shadow.

“Beastia?” Nox asks the moment Raz is close. The black Beastia huffs, shaking its head in a jerky motion, and Nox nods. “Let's go,” he whispers.

“Hold up. I want to walk with Raz to the rift and make sure it's open before you show up with those two,” Jesthrenpoints at me and Theo. “The last time I came through on this side, a Therion was attracted to the magic and didn't show until I was already there,” he says, hopping off his beige-colored Nuckelavee and holding his reigns out to Creed, who glares at him.

“Hmm, yeah, us too. Plus, I would rather not use the remainder of my magic to open it, and Valen’s tapped out,” Nox says and nods. “We’ll wait a few moments before following, but make sure Raz watches your back while you're connecting the rift. It takes more magic to open the Veil from here rather than Earth.”

“I know,” Jesthren states, shaking his reigns at Creed, who still hasn't taken them.

“No! That thing hates me, and you know it. The last time I tried feeding it for you, it almost took my damn nose off.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do with her? She is too loud and will attract more attention if there are Therion or Beastia. How far did you go to search? Did you go all the way? If you did, then we are probably good and don't need to go ahead,” Jesthren asks, looking at Razar’s Beastia, who flattens his ears in annoyance. “What does that mean?” he asks, looking to Nox, who shrugs.

“I can’t talk to him, Jesthren. Ask him a yes or no question and pray you don’t piss him off,” Nox suggests, and I snort when a growl rumbles from Razar’s chest.

“Did you go all the way to the rift?” I ask for the two men, saving them from Razar’s anger. The Beastia blinks at me once, then shakes his head and growls again.

“Right. So we need to go ahead,” Jesthren nods and glares at Creed to take his Nuckelavee. “Really?” he growls when Creed shrugs and nods to Valen.

“Have him take her.”

“I already have an extra,” Valen mutters, thumbing behind him at Theo and making Jesthren grunt and nod.

“That’s actually a good idea,” the big Demon Prince says, striding over to Theo and plucking him off Valen’s horse. Theo gapes down at Jesthren in surprise before he's heaved up onto the saddle on the beige Nuckelavee.

“That was not an idea! Shit! No, no, no,” Theo panics as he immediately tries to wiggle out of Jesthren’s hold and off the monster horse he just found himself on.

“Hold here and stop jerking around in the saddle, or she’ll buck you off,” Jesthren scolds, whacking Theo upside the head, making him glare down at the Demon Prince.

“I don’t know how to ride this thing,” he admits.

“Yeah, I got that from the mini meltdown you're currently having. You're not a toddler, hold the damn reins and man up. It's a Nuckelavee, not a Leviathan.” Jesthren rolls his eyes and forces Theo to grab the black leather reins before he nods in approval and turns to walk away.

“I hate you so much right now!” Theo grinds out, yelping when the Nuckelavee shifts and snorts, pawing at the ground.

“Oh no. Whatever shall I do?” Jesthren scoffs, clutching at his chest and smirking over his shoulder at Theo. Theo grinds his teeth together, and I briefly wonder if he’s going to do something stupid like throw the blade that his fingers are currently twitching toward at Jesthren’s face. Thankfully, my friend only glowers at the Prince, who shakes his head in amusement as he reaches down and pets Razar like he’s a giant puppy, and not a killing machine. I smile, glad to see I’m not the only one who isn’t scared of Razar’s Beastia, and eye Jesthren’s black gloves that protect his hands from the poison-tipped spikes on the Beastia’s back.

“I need some of those,” I whisper to Nox, but it's Jesthren who nods, overhearing me.

“I’ll make you a pair once we get this shit handled. You ready, buddy?” he asks Razar, scratching behind his big deformed ear, then laughing and jumping back as Razar snarls and nips at him. “I’m going to take that as a yes.”

“You're fucking insane. He’s going to kill you one day,” Nox remarks, watching the two with a bored expression. “I’ll wait five minutes, so you better run.”

“Five minutes? You think I need that much time?”

“Well, I figured in your old age, you were slowing down,” Nox casually says, making Creed snort and then slap his hand over his mouth as Valen bites his lip, trying to stifle the laugh breaking free at Jesthren's outraged expression.

“My… old… age? What the fuck?! I’m not old, Lennox! I’m just not a baby like you are.” Nox shrugs and chuckles, his big body shaking as I try to hide my grin behind my hand. “Give me two or three minutes tops. I’ll have it opened, and you will hear the Therion if they sense the magic,” Jesthren instructs as he turns away from us.“Five minutes,”he repeats under his breath, flipping Nox off as he starts to run away from us, his steps as silent as Razar’s, who runs at his side until they disappear from view.

“He’s so testy,” Nox teases as Creed gives into his laughter, wiping at his eyes as he tries to keep his laughter quiet.

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