Page 107 of The Devil's Chaos

As we made our way out of the mausoleum, Kai's hand never left mine. The night air was cool against my flushed skin, and I inhaled deeply, savoring the freedom and unity that surrounded us.

Mila was waiting outside, a knowing smile on her face as she embraced me tightly. "You did it, Haven. I'm so proud of you."

I hugged her back, grateful for her unwavering support and friendship. “Thank you, Mila. For everything.”

Kai's hand found the small of my back, guiding me up the steps and through the front door. The house was quiet, the usual bustle of activity replaced by a hushed reverence in the aftermath of The Ceremony.

We gathered in the study, the crackling fireplace casting a warm, flickering light across the room. Archer poured us each a glass of amber liquid, the crystal tumblers clinking softly as he handed them out.

“To Haven,” he said, raising his glass in a toast. “For proving her worth and cementing her place among us. May she bring strength, wisdom, and loyalty to our Brotherhood.”

“To Haven,” Kai and Mila echoed, their voices filled with genuine affection and respect.

I sipped the smooth, burning liquor, feeling it warm me from the inside out. As I looked around at the faces of my new family, a sense of belonging and purpose settled over me. We had all been through so much, our paths intertwined by fate and the dark machinations of the underworld. But here, in this moment,we stood united, bound by love, loyalty, and the unbreakable vows we had taken.

47

FORTY-SEVEN

HAVEN

The night wore on, and we drank until all of us were drunk and giggled at the smallest things. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so utterly weightless and free. Or the last time I had laughed so hard my sides hurt. I watched Archer and Kai tell stories about each other, from drunken tales to their lives together.

Archer’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he recounted when Kai had accidentally set fire to their kitchen while attempting to make a romantic dinner. Kai’s face flushed red with embarrassment, but even he couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory.

“In my defense,” Kai interjected, “I was trying to impress a date. How was I supposed to know that oil and high heat don’t mix well?”

I nearly spit my drink out from laughter. The image of Kai frantically trying to put out a grease fire while his date looked on in horror was too much.

As the night progressed, the stories grew more outlandish, and the laughter more raucous. At one point, Archer stood up toreenact a particularly hilarious moment, only to lose his balance and tumble onto the couch in a fit of giggles.

I couldn't remember the last time I felt so at ease and accepted. Watching Archer and Kai's easy banter and obvious affection for each other made my heart ache with a longing I hadn't realized was there.

Kai leaned back in his chair, a lopsided grin on his face as he recounted a particularly embarrassing moment from Archer’s past. "And then, if you can believe it, he stumbled right into the pool, fully clothed! The look on his face was priceless."

Archer snorted, taking another swig from his bottle. "Oh, like you're one to talk! Remember that time in Vegas when you thought it would be a brilliant idea to climb the replica Eiffel Tower?"

Kai’s eyes widened, and he nearly choked on his drink. “Hey, that was supposed to stay in Vegas!”

I leaned forward, my curiosity piqued. “Oh, this I have to hear!”

Archer grinned wickedly, clearly enjoying having the upper hand. “So, we were in Vegas for a bachelor party, and Kai here had a few too many shots of tequila. He got it into his head that he was some sort of superhero and could scale the Eiffel Tower replica outside the Paris Hotel.”

Kai groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I thought we agreed never to speak of this again.”

“No way, man. This is too good not to share.” Archer turned back to me, his eyes twinkled with mirth. “So, picture this: Kai, stumbling drunk, making his way up the tower like some deranged Spider-Man. Security was called, and they had to coax him down with promises of more tequila.”

I burst out laughing. “Please tell me there’s video evidence of this.”

Kai shot Archer a warning look. “Don’t you dare.”

Archer held up his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. I’ll keep that part to myself. But seriously, I thought I was going to have to bail you out of jail that night.”

Kai shook his head, a rueful smile on his face. “Yeah, not my finest moment. But in my defense, that tequila was strong.”

As the laughter died down, I found myself leaned back into the couch cushions, a warm feeling of contentment washed over me.

Archer raised his bottle, a mischievous glint in his eye. “To Vegas, tequila, and poor life choices!”

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