Page 52 of Witch Queen

“I apologize again, treasured guest,” Us’gorith said, contrite.

Some fiends approached him. He excused himself and wandered off with them.

“Is Vlad still training with his father?” Cortes asked.

Nikolai smirked. “Why? You miss your boyfriend?”

Cortes lowered his brows. A distant explosion sounded from a mountain to the west of the valley before the sorcerer could deliver a cutting reply.

A crimson haze rose above the treetops near its base.

“He’s a fast learner,” Astarte said.

Nikolai made a face. “You can see them from here?”

“No. But I can sense the power of Ilmon’s son growing exponentially.” She glanced at him slyly. “He could still prove to be competition.”

Nikolai wasn’t sure if the Goddess was teasing him or not. “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.”

Cortes cocked his head at the forge. “So, where are they at?”

* * *

Dusk was fallingwhen Armaros finally finished melting Hellreaver. Mae and Brimstone panted beside the demon. They retracted their magic, bodies trembling and cores half drained.

Armaros poured the glistening metal into a stone mold. “Your weapon is a hungry little monster.” He frowned at the sight of their pale faces. “Why don’t you two go get some rest?”

Mae hesitated, her racing heart finally slowing. “What about you?”

Armaros shrugged. “I’ll be fine. It’s not like this is the first time I’m going to be up all night making something.” Crimson flashed in his pupils. “After all, Iamthe best metalsmith in all of Heaven and Hell.”

“Violet said that Artemus guy is just as good as you,” Brimstone piped up.

Hellfire exploded on the tips of Armaros’s horns. “Oh, did she now?!”

“How about you stop winding him up?!” Mae hissed at the familiar. She worried her lip as she watched Armaros cool Hellreaver’s liquefied form in a vat of cold water. “I should stay.”

Steam filled the forge.

Armaros scowled at them through the fumes. “You’ll only get in the way. Now shoo! Both of you!”

He waved them off dismissively.

Brimstone shifted into his smaller form. Mae picked him up and reluctantly made her way across to where the others sat at a table that Us’gorith had had some servants bring outside. The skeleton key Armaros had fixed hung on Hellreaver’s chain around her neck. She hoped she would eventually figure out how to use it in their battle against Vedran.

Some of her weariness lifted when she spotted Vlad and Ilmon. A warm feeling blossomed inside her chest.

Brimstone looked at her curiously.What is it, my witch?

“I’m happy for Vlad.”

A shrewd gleam appeared in the fox’s crimson eyes as he studied the incubus.He has become stronger.

Mae blinked. “You can tell too?”

If you mean his sex appeal has bloomed,yes, Brimstone huffed.You only have to look at the demons ogling him with lustful intent to know his seduction powers are through the roof right now.

Mae clocked the twitching curtains at the castle windows. Scores of figures were giving Vlad covetous looks, peeking at him from behind the glass. Several hulking demon soldiers were squabbling with one another next to the armory, fighting for pole position to spy on the incubus.

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