Page 137 of Blood and Reign

I chuckle as Rion hauls Cillian’s body over his shoulder.

“I’ll keep an eye on the other one.” Axel walks over to the next room beside us, picking up a long blade on his way.

Jax follows him, narrowing his eyes on the room. “We’llkeep an eye on the other one. I’ve still got a shitload of energy to work out.”

“Same.” Luka’s eyes flash as he joins them. I turn to leave when Axel calls out.

“Kai?”

I turn back to Axel just as he narrows his eyes. “Make sure they make it slow.”

I give him a savage smirk. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

CHAPTER 29

“Draven announcedto everyone that if he’s to stay on as leader, he’s going to put his mate and family first from now on.”

I nearly choke on my coffee as I glance at Jazmyn. Her eyes sparkle with laughter at my shocked expression.

“What? When did he say this?” Draven seemed more focused on duty than anything else and went to extremes to make sure he upheld the rules in place. Even if they were old as hell and made no sense.

“Before everything went to shit.” She shakes her head. “The fucker announced it in his big speech right before we went out to fight.”

“To everyone?” As in the entire supe community.

She nods.

That was ballsy, but it’s about damn time he finally started fighting for her.

“Is that something you want?”

Jazmyn rolls her eyes. “I don’t know. In a perfect world we’d all be together, but the truth is he fucking hurt me when he picked hisdutiesover his family. I can’t just forget that. If he wants this…reallywants it. Then I’m going to make him work for it.”

I laugh at the mischievous look on her face. “Good. He deserves to work hard for it. How’s Kane and Malik?”

She smiles, her whole face lighting up at the mention of them. “Both are fine. Malik still has his episodes but they’re getting better. I made something for him that’s helping and Kane’s just happy to have his family around him. That’s all he ever wanted.”

Kane never gave up when Malik went missing. He’s always been there for Jazmyn and even me. I’m glad he got his family in the end.

Jazmyn gives me an unreadable look before she glances out at the city. “It’s crazy that it took the world ending for everyone to realize how fucking stupid they all are.”

I laugh at her thoughtful expression. “Want to elaborate on that?”

She smiles, shaking her head. “This whole divide among the supes, especially the demons and witches. I know not everyone thinks that way, but it took the end of the world for them to realize that the only way we can get through shit is together. Now most don’t want to go back to the way it was. They want change.”

Apart from getting King off our backs. If there was anything good to come from all this, it would be that.

“Change is good. It can be scary at first, especially for those that are not used to it, but it’s the only way we can truly grow. And the only way any of us will be able to move forward after everything.”

I doubt it’s all going to happen overnight, but it’s a start and that’s what we all need right now. A fresh start unhindered by useless rules made in the past.

Jazmyn takes a sip of her tea. “What about you? Now that King’s gone, what’s the plan?”

I lean back in the chair, a small smile on my lips. “I don’t know.” I glance out at the clear blue skies and the bustling city below. Such a contrast to Manhattan, where it’s desolate from the aftermath.

“I’ve lived most of my life in a cage and most of it has been about trying to escape… to be free. But I don’t think I ever really thought about what it would mean, because now that I have it, I don’t know what to do.”

Or I have too many things I want to do that I can’t just choose one.

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