Page 112 of Conflicted

“For now,” I added.

Dimitri gave a clipped nod. “Okay. Whatever you guys want works.”

“What are you going to do now?” The question came from Cal, the eldest of Lucifer’s sons.

Arthur stepped forward. “They need to come with us to answer for their actions.”

I had to give Arthur credit—if I’d had the four sons of Lucifer, a deadly mage, and the former Grim Reaper glaring at me, I might’ve backed down. The regent didn’t though, just raised his chin slightly higher and gave them all a look that invited them tofuck around andfind out.

“Are you willing to start a battle with Hell over them?” Dagon’s question sounded almost bored, but the threat was obvious in his stance. “Nox is under our protection.”

Arthur’s gaze flicked to Micah, something like pity there. “If you don’t accompany us willingly, our next order is to arrest Ezekiel and Benji.”

Micah stiffened. “What? Why?”

Damon was the one who answered him. “We haven’t been told.”

“But they haven’t gotanythingto do with this.”

Micah’s fear was almost choking the bond. The lack of it on his face had goosebumps rising on my skin. Just how often had Micah had to mask his true feelings in the past?

Arthur brushed his hair from his sympathetic eyes. “I’m not sure that’s going to matter. I suspect it won’t just be us they’ll be sending, either. All the regents have been called in from the borders. We didn’t know why earlier, but now…”

His voice trailed off. Beside me, Micah’s guard started to slip. It was barely noticeable, just a slight tremor working through him, but it hit me with the force of an earthquake.

“No, that can’t happen,” he said.

My grip on Micah tightened. The selection of Benji and Ezekiel couldn’t be a coincidence. Before today, they’d been the only Seraphim who knew for certain that we were mates. It revealed the true scale of what we were facing. This wasn’t about Emilio’s death, but the fact that we were mates. That, and they weren’t certain of Micah’s loyalty.

I thought I understood why, too. Micah was a fearsome soldier, one they’d trained to the highest standards. His power and control were unrivalled. They weren’t prepared to let him exist unless they knew he was loyal to them.

Andonlythem.

If his mate had been any other supe or human, it likely wouldn’t have been an issue. But a demon?

It was tantamount to treason. My actions were likely just the catalyst for something that was going to be set in motion regardless.

Micah looked at me, the grief in the bond echoed in his eyes. We’d both reached the same realisation. Neither of us were prepared to letanyof the Seraphim pay for our actions. They might not be my brethren, but they were Micah’s.

Allowing them to be hurt was the same as Micah being hurt. I couldn’t let it happen.

Neither could he.

“We’ll come willingly,” Micah said. “There’s no need to drag anyone else into this.”

No one in the clearing suggested otherwise. From the grim set of their expressions, they all understood. Loyalty couldn’t be demanded, it was earned.

And the Seraphim had earned Micah’s a long time ago.

“We’ll do what we can,” Amelia said quietly. “This isn’t right. Regardless of what Nox has done, a mating bond is supposed to be sacred.”

Ferry snorted, drawing the curly haired human tighter to him. “Believe me, that’s never been true.”

“What do we do now?” Harlow asked. “Do we fight to free them?”

“No,” Micah said quickly as I shook my head. “Doing that will put the Seraphim at risk.”

“That’s all very well,” Harlow said, “but, being brutally honest here, I don’t really give a shit. My concern is for our mates. If we don’t continue to protect you, won’t the deal be enacted again?”

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