Page 80 of Castor
“I understand your anger,” Alastair said, moving to Baxter’s side. “But what reason would we have for betraying you?”
“In my experience, men don’t need a reason for violence.”
“We came here for your help. Not to start a fight.”
“Then explain why one of my own is dead!”
“Elon didn’t want the alliance!” Baxter’s voice boomed around the beach, silencing everyone. “Not with Alastair’s group. And not with your clan either. I think he killed one of you to ensure that this happened, that we would start fighting amongst ourselves and destroy each other. To weaken us.”
Sirena narrowed her eyes at him. “Why was he against the alliance?”
“Because he wanted to side with Asa.” Baxter dropped his gaze, shoulders slumped. “I didn’t think he would ever do this though.”
“You’re right about one thing,” Alastair growled, still angry from when he’d learned that truth earlier. “You didn’t think.”
Sirena looked at the group of her warriors standing to her left. “Find the archer.” They nodded and took off into the woods. Her green eyes moved back to us. “No mercy will be given to him. And if I learn any of you were behind this, you will share the same fate.”
“Sirena,” another warrior called out as she knelt beside the dead body, confusion in her voice. “Valeria wasn’t just shot with an arrow. Her throat was also slit.” She looked at Baxter, her cheeks wet with tears. “Elon butchered her like a beast.”
A pang of fear knotted in my gut. The feeling had come from Alastair.
“Wait,” he said, eyes widening as a shuddering breath escaped his parted lips.
“Al?” Bellamy placed a hand on his back. “What is it?”
Alastair approached Sirena, which earned him several spears aimed at his throat. Not that the weapons would do much damage to him since they weren’t celestial blades. It would still hurt like hell though.
“When we first came through the barrier around your island, I sensed enchantments and warding against demons. I admit, it could be stronger.”
“Your point?” Sirena asked.
“Demons were able to break through the barrier around our mansion earlier this year,” Alastair explained. “And our protections are much more powerful than yours. Mypointis I think I know why Elon killed your warrior. If I’m right, we need to prepare ourselves for a fight.”
Understanding slammed into me, and my breath caught in my throat.
“Castor?” Kyo slid an arm around me as I lost a bit of my strength.
“He needed her blood,” I whispered. “He shot her with an arrow from a distance to take her down and then slit her throat to bleed her out.”
Sirena looked horrified. “Why?”
Alastair gazed up at the sky. Although he looked calm, I felt his fear. Just as I was sure he felt mine. “There’s a spell the demons can use to temporarily weaken the barrier long enough for them to get through. It requires the blood of a Nephilim who helped make it.”
My knees wobbled as memories pounded into my skull.
I remembered Belphegor screwing with my head as he searched for the location to the mansion. I remembered Phoenix and his goons torturing me—ripping out all my piercings, slicing open my flesh, and stabbing me all over my torso to gather enough blood to perform the spell once Belphegor got the information he’d wanted.
“Hey, Red.” Kyo gently patted my cheek. “Come back to me.”
Raiden came up on my opposite side and helped Kyo keep me upright. “Come on, Cas. Don’t let those memories consume you. We need you.”
“I’m okay,” I managed to say. My throat was so fucking tight, and my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. “I’d kill for a drink right now.”
Kyo grabbed my face and grazed his lips across mine. He helped chase some of that bad shit away. I hooked an arm around his waist and lightly kissed him before drawing back and looking at the others.
“So, you’re saying Elon didn’t kill Valeria to make us fight each other?” Baxter asked. “He did it to break the barrier?”
“Yes,” Alastair said.
