Page 28 of Midnight Kingdom

“Noni heavy?”

“Well, you ain’t light, that for sure!” Actually, she is light. I guess Shadow Dick was onto somethin’ when he say I like the sound of my own complainin’. I got a real sexy voice, so‘course I do! Good thing I asexual, otherwise I be up to my fuckin’ neck in naked people tryin’ to get a piece o’ Flumph.

Noni take us right to the front door o’ the big freaky castle. She outta her mind if she thinks I goin’ in there. And then, whatta you know? I’m actually fuckin’ goin’ inside.

Theren and his big dumb soldiers don’t even sees us, ‘cause Noni can make us all invisible an’ whatnot, but it still scary as fuck. She take me right into some weird meetin’ in a big echoey room where Aima an’ Assface—er, Kolvar the satyr—kneel before Cambion’s fuck-head brother. Then, I hear some real fucked-up shit.

“Aima Nafliari, former advisor to the throne, I hereby sentence you to execution bysoulfire. Kolvar Zylioth, Chieftain of Banefire Horde mercenary clan, you are sentenced to the same fate. Let the judgment be passed and may the gods turn a blind eye to your suffering as you face the executioner on the full moon.”

That only three days away! Fuck. Fuck. Shit. An’ more fuck!

Noni gasp. We hurry back to the portal, an’ she cryin’ real hard-like.

“What a soulfire?” I ask.

“It burn the spirit, Mr. Flumph. That mean no afterlife, no rebirth, no soul, no Veil, no nothing. Just... just nothing but darkness. Noni don’t likenothing. It not natural. There’s got to be something, Mr. Flumph. Come on. Noni tell the others.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

EILISH

The Ashland

My hands tremble as I lean Pyre against the trunk of a felled tree. He breathes deeply, but I know each step is painful for him. My healing is all but complete, despite the hunger that continues to rise inside me. I need to feed. Pyre is too weak to be much good, so I have to control myself. What terrifies me most is that I can feel the hunger rising, but there’s little to no warning that the succubus side of me is taking over.

Flumph says my eyes turn black and I smell sweet, almost syrupy, but I’ve never actually seen myself. But I know each time I’ve fed from Baron, a strand of my hair turned black. From what the Midnight Queen said about me needing to balance the light and dark within me, I figure I need lovers from both light and darkness. Morrigan called me the manifestation of the balance, which means I risk losing one side to the other, if I’m not careful.

I feel so out of control whenever I feel the seduction take over.

“Pyre, why do I feel differently when I use my angel abilities than when the succubus takes over?” I ask. Pyre is somewhat a mentor to all of us, as well as a friend and a loyal ally.

He blows a strand of crimson hair from his brow. Those sightless eyes flutter closed, and he takes a deep breath. “One is instinct, one is skill. Your angel abilities are a gift, but they must also be nurtured and strengthened over time. It’ll take many years of practice and discipline for you to fully master them. The succubus,” he continues with a sigh, “that side of you is something that can’t be taught, only managed. It’s like your heartbeat, something that’s just part of who you are. You have no more control over it than you do a surge of adrenaline or the need for food and sleep.”

“I hate that,” I mutter.

He nods, but his attention isn’t mine. It seems as if another conversation plays out in his mind. “Just accept it.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You’ve got unlimited power.”

“All power has its limits,” he replies. “And remember, this power didn’t come without its pound of flesh. It cost me my soul and bound me to the spirit world. You must still figure out whatyourpower will cost you.”

I help Pyre to the ground so he can rest as I turn to scout ahead. I feel his hand around my wrist and I glance back at him.

“Your need,” he starts.

“I’m doing everything I can to try to suppress it,” I answer, swallowing hard.

“Let me touch you,” he replies.

“You don’t have the strength. You need to rest, Pyre.”

But his fingers are already moving down my waist and before I can stop him, I feel the heat of them between my thighs.

“Pyre, this won’t help me,” I breathe heavily, as he begins to tease me over the leather of my pants.

“I know,” he answers in a breathy voice. “I can’t feed your hunger, but I can… feed my own.”

“Your own?” I ask, surprised.

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