Page 88 of Tortured Royals

Nate’s brows lift. “So you’re saying if I shift…”

“Then your armor will change to accommodate you,” Master Mathyl replies, his eyes twinkling.

“Whoa, that’s awesome,”Shade squawks.

The corner of Prince Callan’s lips kick up. “Now we won’t have to see your naked ass every time you turn back.”

“Wait, now I’m not sure how I feel about this,”Shade amends, cawing with laughter in my head.

I circle the armor, still finding it hard to believe that Dad had these made for us, but there’s no time to waste. I thank the master and get the armor down, dressing hastily as the war alarm continues to blare in our ears. Once we’re strapped, we load ourselves up with weapons. The only thing left is my hair, and Mason steps forward, his fingers working quickly to create a long braid.

When he’s done, he presses a kiss to my head. “There, my mate. Now you are ready.”

My lips quirk into a smile. “How did you learn how to do that?”

“I have a sister, remember?” he replies with a grin.

“Gee you guys look badass,”Shade comments, flapping her wings from where she’s perched on the top of one of the stands.

My mates are looking at me like they want to tear my armor off, and my body heats. Alaric hefts an ax, and I stare at my mates, my heart fluttering.

“We’d better go,” I say, shouts still sounding in the main room of the armory.

Grabbing me, Dante pulls me to him, and he kisses me deeply. When he steps back, Prince Callan takes his place, followed by Nate. My shifter’s hand snakes around me as he devours my mouth. “Time to be the life of the party, gorgeous,” he says when he pulls his lips from mine.

Alaric is next, and his kiss is rough and demanding. Like he’s making a promise that if I die, he’ll follow me to the shadow realm. When he breaks away, he grips under my chin and rubs his thumb over my lips. “This isn’t our final battle, enchantress. You make sure you stay alive. No matter the cost.”

I nod once, mostly because I know that’s what he needs.

Mason is the last to kiss me, and when he reluctantly pulls away, I swallow thickly.

“You don’t have to come,” I tell my centaur. “I know what happened the last time you were on a battlefield with the witches. I don’t want to put you through that.”

“The only thing I regret from that battle was that I wasn’t strong enough to help my brethren,” he replies, sadness touching his eyes before he gives me a determined smile. “This time will be different, my mate.”

I give him a soft smile. “Let’s hope so.” Stepping back, I rest my hand on the hilt of my sword. “Shade, you stay out of reach of the action,” I tell my crow friend. “Keep an eye on the area and be our eyes from the sky.”

“You’ve got it,”she chirps back.

I think of the rules Dad has taught me since I was young.Rule number three of being a demon royal: Never surrender.

Letting out a long breath, I roll my shoulders. “All right. Let’s go kill some witches.”

My boots slam to the ground outside the castle gates, and I let Dante down as Mason and Prince Callan land beside me, folding their wings. Alaric jumps from Mason’s back, and Nate roars in his large cat form, leaping from the top of the castle walls to land near us. The ground shudders, and demon soldiers move around us, giving us space.

Ranks of demon soldiers advance forward as General Josek screams at them, his war helmet already splattered with blood, and the scene ahead of us is a mess of demons and witches.

Chemical weapons fly through the air, landing on demons and incinerating them with acid. A demon lifts his hand, sending out a wave of power, and three witches fall to the ground, clawing at their eyes.

“There are four large portals a few hundred yards from the castle walls, and witches keep pouring from them,”Shade reports from high up in the air.“Gods, Blake, there are so many witches.”

“And inside the castle walls?”I say to her, knowing full well there wasn’t any action happening there only moments ago.

“Nothing yet,”she replies.“But the soldiers there are ready if any witches breach the walls.”

“Okay, good.”One of my other crows sends me a mental image of Hawke, the leader from the Bloodsky clan, fighting alongside his demons as witches advance on their clan house. I hadn’t wanted to involve my birds, but I needed their eyes, and all around the city, witches seem to be popping out of portals, attacking the clan houses, and targeting the biggest clans. No doubt, the witches have figured out that we’re weaker if we’re divided.

I curse because I’d been counting on the demon soldiers from the different clans banding together.

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