18. Orcus
EIGHTEEN
Orcus
I lean back in my chair, watching my youngest son stride confidently into the room, his face drawn in a blank expression. His emotions are schooled and probably set to the side as he moves past the guards that line the room. I can't stop the small burst of pride I feel as I watch him, a smile almost cracking my own expression despite my anger and frustration toward him.
I wince as I eye the lavish trappings that now adorn the throne room, hoping that Garthelaun is too distracted to notice. Viviane needed something to distract her while the boys went on their mission. It took a combination of her redecorating the entirety of this room, and private suite…along with near daily sparring with me for her to calm down. I try not to groan as I shift in my chair, looking forward to letting my bruises heal rather than just adding to them now that our sons are home.
Garthelaun has grown over his year away from home both physically and magically. But it's the mental growth I’m currently worried about.From what I managed to pick up from my sons when they rode into the courtyard earlier and how well Nox had shielded his own emotions, I know something is going on, and I know it has to do with that girl Heldakar had in his arms.
I straighten on my throne and nod to General Vega, signaling him to leave and take his Legion with him as Garthelaun steps in front of the dais and falls to one knee, dipping his head to nod respectfully. I wait for the throne room to clear before fully turning my attention to my son.
“Rise,” I clip out, ripping the ridiculous crown from my head and tossing it on my wife’s throne, my hands gripping the ornately carved armrests as I lean forward.
I eye Garthelaun as he stands and ascends the steps before me, grumbling under my breath when I see how close he is to my height. He’ll surpass me in a few years if he doesn't stop growing at this rapid rate.
“Sit.” I gesture to the chair I had brought in so we could talk casually. Hopefully, the less formal situation will calm him enough to let me grasp his current feelings. I have to say, I’m impressed with his emotional control. He had always struggled with it before he left for the human world. But it does make gauging his mood much more challenging since I now have to rely on instinct rather than magic. “Now…” I drawl, eyeing him as I sit at an angle to look him in the eye as I steeple my fingers in front of me. “Explain to me what’s going on and why you and your brothers felt the need to challenge me in front of everyone in the courtyard, and why that girl is currently being held in Yannos’ room like she’s in danger?”
I keep my tone light, or rather, I attempt to, but the last word holds a bite of my anger that I never manage to control fully.
“Is she in any danger?”
I narrow my eyes at my son and grit my teeth. “Have I ever hurt or endangered a female without cause?” I point out, frustration building at the lack of answers to my questions.
“No,” he finally admits after a long pause. I nod my head and lift a brow, waiting for him to continue. Whatever is going on is enough to have him doubt me. Was I surprised at the girl's appearance? Absolutely. That will happen when someone with the devil's magic appears on my doorstep, but I wouldn't have physically harmed the girl without cause. I am, however, wary of her presence in my kingdom and the attachments my sons seem to have with her.
“We didn’t challenge you,” Garthelaun denies, and I scowl at him, making him sigh as he nods. “Fine, perhaps we did, but that wasn't our goal. We were only trying to keep Meyer safe,” he mutters, glaring at me when I arch a brow at him.
“Meyer? The Dream Walker Heldakar had with him on his Nuckelavee?” The girl is more than a simple Dream Walker; but it does seem like she holds more Dream Walker traits and magic than any other.
“Creed,” my son corrects, and I blink at him.
“Pardon?”
“Creed, not Heldakar. He’s currently going by Creed or Credence when he’s being an asshole. We are going by them instead of our birth names since they are the ones Meyer knows us by,” he explains, and I nod.
“Very well. Did Creed at least earn the name he’s currently going by?” My son grins, eyes flashing with magic as his teeth sharpen, his Demonic form rising to the surface at whatever memory he’s thinking of.
“If killing the corrupt man whom the name belonged to and ensuring that he had an excruciating and slow death… then yes. He earned it. We all have, well, besides Valen. He hasn't taken a new name.” I grin back and nod in approval, not surprised that Valen has kept his birth name.
Stealing names is a Versipellis thing, granting us more power as we harvest the soul of the person we steal it from. A Dream Walker will use the power of a name to make deals and bargains to escalate their magic and twist a situation in their favor. Valen has never taken a second name and probably never will.
“Right… and you?” I ask, wanting to get all the information I need before my wife storms the throne room and demands her son's attention.
“Lennox and Yannos is Razar.”
“Jesthren?” I ask, curious to know if my oldest has also decided to take one. Lennox shakes his head, and I nod, not surprised. As far as I know, Jesthren has only stolen one name and hasn’t harvested another since. Though, I did suspect that he had based on the sudden increase in magic he attained some years back. “Hmm, speaking of Razar. Do you want to explain whatever that was back there? It looked as if he wouldn’t listen to me… until you commanded it.” I observe my son, happy to see his own curiosity burning in his eyes as he shakes his head.
“No. Razar has grown in strength; ever since Archer’s assumed death, he has been…” he pauses as if trying to come up with the right word. “Darker than before.” I frown at that assessment, not liking it in the least, but before I can ask, Lennox continues. “Mara? Is she alright?” I instantly shake my head, my concern for my daughter returning with a vengeance at the mention of her name.
“No.” Lennox frowns and sighs, lowering his head into his hands as if the idea of Mara’s suffering hurts him as much as it does me. She may be a daughter only by a mating bond, but Mara has been in the family since she was a young girl. She and Archer had a bond from a young age, which is why my wife started negotiations for her to be betrothed to our son.
“The babe?” Lennox whispers.
“Born a few months ago. She’s the picture of health,” I add, smiling as I think of my granddaughter. “She looks like Arch.” Lennox releases a wounded sound and shakes his head at the knowledge.
“Back to our original conversation,” I mutter, trying to move past the pain I now feel coming from my son. I want to comfort him, but I don’t think I can until we know what's going on. “Where did you find Meyer? I had search parties looking for any surviving Dream Walkers. Inanis wiped every one of them from existence besides your brother.”
“She was on Earth. Creed is the one who discovered her.” Lennox frowns as he sits back on his chair. “She was brought to the Castle in North America to be trained as a Hunter since she had the sight. She tested positive as Regalis; her magic had been dormant, and besides her coloring, there was no evidence that she was anything but a Hunter,” he adds. I nod, already knowing her origin the moment my magic felt hers.
“Obviously you found out the girl was more since she’s here,” I point out, and he nods.
“I… she couldn’t heal, and my magic responded to her and healed the injuries without my bidding. I knew then something was up since I don't possess the ability to heal outside of our race, but I…” he trails off, looking embarrassed. “I didn't know she was a Dream Walker at that point. Her magic didn't start showing until after my magic touched her. It must have sparked something and rekindled it,” he says more to himself than to me as he tries to puzzle everything out. “As you stated, we thought Valen was the last Dream Walker. It didn't cross my mind who she might be until Creed mentioned she was talking in her sleep and mentioned Valen’s name.”
My eyes narrow in suspicion at this remark, but Lennox is already shaking his head.
“No, she didn't have anything to do with Valen’s capture, and yes, I’m one hundred percent sure. Valen has all but mated her at this point,” he adds with a growl that echoes through the large throne room, making me tsk at his lack of control. “He wouldn't tie her to him if she had anything to do with his kidnapping. She had stumbled into a dreamscape and called Valen to her. In fact, Meyer was the key to Valen’s release. She managed to save him before I even knew his exact location.”
“So the girl completed the mission you had taken over a year to accomplish?” I ask, finding it rather humorous when Lennox flushes red but nods.
“Alright. Valen will not be completing the mate bond since it's evident you have stupidly bound the girl to you. I’ll let him know myself to save you the hardship of doing it. I don't want your relationship with your brother affected by this. But you will be the one to tell Vickar and his Legion mate that you are breaking the engagement with his daughter and…” I grind out, “You will handle the repercussions alone. You made the decision to take the girl as a mate, which I highly disapprove of, by the way. So you will be the one to handle the inevitable contention this will bring to our ranks.” Lennox nods, jaw clenched as he stares at me, not arguing with my decision.
“I will be talking with the girl… Meyer, to ensure she will be strong enough to stand at your side,” I add, ignoring the threatening rumble that breaks from my son's chest as I threaten his mate. He’s the one who decided he was strong enough to take a mate; who am I to disagree? But as the King of Versipellis, I will have the final say on who will sit on the throne next to my son. If I have to get rid of the girl, I will. “And you will not interfere with that conversation,” I command, adding a whip of magic to the word and making Lennox flinch, snarling under his breath as he nods in agreement.
“You will not hurt her,” he simply says, not a question but a demand, and I scoff.
“That will depend entirely on the girl,” I answer and shake my head when his nails lengthen into claws. “This shouldn't be a concern to you. You mated her, so obviously, you thought she was the right choice to be your mate and wife,” I point out, relishing the glare he sends my way. “Are you confident in your choice?”
The boy has definitely grown in his defiance in his time away, and I bask in the revelation. As my heir, he must be strong enough to go against even me if required. I’m not raising him to simper and bow at my feet for the rest of his life. I want him to become as strong and as capable as possible.
“I am,” he grinds out while his claws retract, and I nod.
“Good, because your reckless decision may just cost us our biggest ally. Now, let's discuss what happened at the castle the night you believe you saw Archer. I want to go through that before your mother tries to get you. She is still fragile from Valen’s imprisonment and Archer’s death.”
“You haven't told her he’s alive?”
“Of course not,” I snarl, leaning closer to him and lowering my voice. “Do you have any idea what that information will do to her? Your mother and Mara will not be told of it until we know everything and collect all the information. They have suffered enough.” Lennox looks like he wants to argue, but instead, he nods.
“The night of the battle, the Hunters from the Asian and European divisions attacked, the Seniorem leading the battle with Hunters and Beastia amongst them.” I frown but nod, already knowing this part. “The fight was going well; we were driving them back and keeping them away from the wall. Jesthren and I managed to move Inanis’ tomb into the dungeons below the castle, and Valen charmed them to add protection.”
“Do we know how the North American Seniorem had the tomb? I didn't even know the location of it; only Varak did, and he took that secret to the grave to keep the Devil locked away,” I grind out, hating that my friend's sacrifice may have been in vain.
“No. To my knowledge, the Seniorem didn't have the power to release the Devil's tomb. Even with the magic they were harvesting from Valen, it wouldn't have been enough to accomplish the task,” Lennox snarls, his hands fisting in rage as he shakes his head.
“What happened after that?”
“Arch showed up and tried to kill Razar. He had a Demon’s bow crafted with onyx and shot at him three times.” I lean back in my chair, my stomach rolling at the picture my son paints me.
“Why would he do that?” I ask, not to Lennox but to myself. I raised my sons together and encouraged them to bond rather than pit them against each other as the kings of old had. I allowed the Legion bond between them to avoid history repeating itself, yet here we are with a very real situation that is all too familiar to me.
“I—I don't know. But Razar saw Arch himself. He has no doubt that it was Archer who tried to kill him.” I frown, looking at my son, a question burning in my mind.
“Archer doesn’t miss. His aim is impeccable. How is Razar alive if it was truly Archer?” I already know my son isn't dead. His body, the one I had cried over with my wife and buried in the crypts myself, is missing. The moment I received word from Lennox about Archer's appearance in the fight, I went down to the crypts myself and tore the massive granite lid from my son's grave in order to prove his innocence. But instead of his dead body lying in that cold tomb, it was empty.
“He didn’t miss,” my son rasps out, his eyes shuttering as he inhales sharply. “Meyer saw him as he climbed on the wall and took aim at Raz. She—” Lennox stops talking, looking away from me as he visibly swallows, but from the pained expression on his face, I don’t need the rest of the story to understand what happened.
“Razar as well?” I ask, wondering how the hell this slip of a girl managed to enchant four of my sons. Lennox nods, and I groan, running a hand over my face and then gripping at my beard, tugging it as I study my youngest son. “Do you have any idea how strained your relationship with your brothers will become if they hold actual feelings for this girl? Valen and Creed were going to be hard enough. But Razar? Your Mother is going to kill me if I take something that boy actually cares for,” I point out, a flicker of unease passing through me when I remember how Razar’s Beastia protected the girl, something that I’ve never seen happen, not even for my wife, who Razar cared for the most.
“You won't be taking her from anyone,” Lennox responds, making me tilt my head in question. “There will be no conversation with Valen, Creed, or Razar.”
“You’re going to break the bond?” I ask in surprise, then jerk back when magic explodes from Lennox, the black tendrils spiraling through the air like tiny daggers. I release my magic to try and contain my son’s. The only problem is that it's not as easy as it used to be, and I start sweating at the physical effort it takes to calm him.
“No,” he hisses out, the murderous look he’s shooting my way something I would usually kill someone for sending my direction. “That isn't even a possibility… is it?”
“Would you if you could?” I ask, curious to know if this whole thing was simply a lust-induced lousy decision. Lennox narrows his eyes at me, recalling his magic, and settles back into his chair, composing himself faster than I thought possible.
“No.”
“Hmm.” I look away from him, glad to know he’s at least sticking by his choice no matter how ridiculous it is. “No, there is no breaking a mate bond without death. However, a king doesn't share a mate. You will kill your brothers in a jealous fit of rage if you allow them to mate with her.”
“I won’t if the Legion bond remains intact,” he whispers, and I shoot a dark look at him.
“That won't be happening. A King cannot have any emotional ties to anyone other than his mate. Hell, we wouldn't be allowed a mate if they didn't serve the purpose of calming our bloodlust. You know this, Lennox,” I scold despite seeing his point. The mating would possibly work if I allowed the Legion bond to remain. There would be no strain on their familial relationship, and he might even benefit from the mating if he had someone to help with his mate.
Viviane is almost more than I can handle on my own; her sense of adventure and strong spirit is a joy to have around, but also a burden when I have to confine her to the palace for her own safety. I often wonder what would have happened if my father allowed her to keep the other man she loved. If he would have let the two of us mate her as a Legion, as Lennox is now proposing. I hadn't even asked back then, knowing the union would weaken me as a ruler, and instead, I allowed my wife’s heart to be broken, tearing her from her other love and destroying one of the most valued relationships in my life.
The urge to think with my heart instead of my mind hits me square in the chest, and I have to bite my cheek and shove it away. If I allowed Lennox to do this, not only would it open him up to even more enemies, but he would have multiple weaknesses that would threaten the stability of our Kingdom. No, I just have to hope that the strong relationships I have urged the boys to build are enough to test the pain of heartbreak.
“It would weaken you,” I rasp, hating the fact but knowing it's the best decision for our people. Lennox doesn't get the freedom to do as his heart wants. He’s already chosen a mate ill-suited to him, which may cause a fight between our house and one of our most loyal supporters. I cannot allow another slight to happen.
“I think you’re wrong,” Lennox argues, standing from his chair and looking down at me with confidence. “Keeping my Legion intact will not only help stabilize my relationship with my mate and brothers, it will ensure the throne's safety. No one protects a person like a Legion does their brother or mate, not even the Royal Guard.” I keep my mouth shut, not able to argue that point. “And having Valen bound to my mate would also unite the Dream Walkers and Versipellis Kingdoms. I know he’s happy staying under our roof for now, but what happens in a hundred years when he wants to rebuild? Having him bound to me and my mate would ensure the rulers stayed united, our kingdoms stronger than ever.”
“And what if Valen wants to take his mate to his own castle? What then, Lennox? Would you allow your mate to live separately from you?” I ask, pointing out the flaw in his plan.
“Valen has already agreed to a blood bargain if we were to mate the same girl,” he says, shocking me. “He would agree to stay in this castle as a family if he ever decided to rebuild the Dream Walkers. If a castle were to be built, it would be at the borderlines of our Kingdom. One where we each would hold court, but our main residence would remain here. However, the fact remains that he has no interest at the moment. Besides Meyer, there hasn't been any sign of another Dream Walker. Even if a few were found, it wouldn't be enough to go out alone. They would be torn apart by the Beastia in weeks. We would welcome them here under Valen’s rule, but by the laws of our lands.”
I lean back into my chair, not entirely swayed by his argument, but proud of the fact that he’s at least put some thought into this plan. He’s not just throwing ideas out there like I thought he might have. It’s clear he’s talked everything over with Valen and figured out what to do if this ridiculous plan was allowed.
“We will revisit this talk after I have time to think upon it some more,” I finally say, watching as Lennox's shoulders slump a little, but he nods in agreement. “Tell me what happened after Archer shot at Razar.”
“We, um. Well, I was trying to keep Meyer alive. Her heart had stopped, and everyone was freaking out,” he admits.
“And?”
“The gates were breached. By the time I had restarted Meyer's heart, Arch had disappeared, and Valen had killed every one of our enemies still on the field.” I open my mouth to chastise him for being distracted but pause as his words register.
“Valen killed everyone on the field?” I question and frown.
“Yes. However,” he holds a hand up when I open my mouth to ask him to elaborate. “I think it best if you have that discussion with him.” I snap my mouth shut but nod in agreement, more than a little anxious to find my son. It's been too long, and I haven't been able to greet him properly yet. “I still have no idea how the fuck he did what he did,” Lennox mutters under his breath as he steps away from his chair and dips his head. “There is more to discuss, but maybe we could save that for another time. I need to find Meyer,” he admits.
“The mark on her wrist?” I ask, and he nods, grimacing.
“I can't get it off,” he admits, and I nod.
“You won't be able to. But I’ll look at it and see if anything can be done with it. It's been over a hundred years since I’ve seen the Devil's mark. Do you know how she got it?”
“He was in her dream. She has no control of her Demonic magic and makes everything physical in them. He… Fuck, Dad. Inanis physically touched her, and his magic put her in a trance. If Jesthren hadn't been there to help, she would have been lost to us. I don’t know what to do. Is it a death mark?” he rasps, the emotional mask he had in place since walking through the doors of the palace shattering, hitting me with his full wave of panic and fear as I shake my head.
“She would be dead already if it was. Try to stay calm, son. We will do what we can to fix this.” Lennox swallows, running his hand over his face as he grunts in agreement. “When did you mate her?” I ask, curious whether his Demon form is still running the possessive show here or if my son is genuinely back in control. I didn’t mate Viv until I was almost two hundred years old, and I still had difficulty allowing her to be around other males. Lennox shifts back and forth on his feet, his attention falling to the door that leads from the throne room.
“Four days ago,” he admits, and I freeze, my eyes widening in shock, then fury as I slowly stand from my throne.
“Four days?” I ask in a strained voice, eyes moving to my son's hands, finding them shaking slightly, then to where his black eyes spark with extra magic. There is sweat dotting his brow, and the shoulders that I thought he was slumping in defeat are much bigger than I thought. He wasn’t upset at my answers; he was hiding his lack of control. “By the Gods, Lennox! You need to get that girl secluded and handle your shit before you kill someone. I didn't let your mother leave my rooms for almost a month after our mating!”
Lennox grimaces and steps back, shooting me a disgusted look. “I really didn't need to know that. And I’m fine. It's a strain, yes,” he whispers, eyes darting back to the doors as they suddenly open, letting Vivian into the throne room. I almost shiver at the warmth that courses through me the moment our eyes meet, her beautiful smile lighting up her face when she spots me. After a prolonged moment, when my magic immediately reaches out and locks with her, she moves her attention to Lennox and hurries toward us. “But the Legion bond is keeping me level. As long as she’s with one of them I can handle the pain it causes to be away from her.”
“Garthelaun!” Viv rushes our youngest son, throwing herself into his arms and nearly strangling him with the strength of her hug. “Are you alright?” she asks, pulling back enough to look him over before shooting me a dirty look, no doubt upset at the small challenge that happened between me and the boys in the courtyard. I will undoubtedly be getting an earful from her tonight.
“I’m fine, but I need to get back to Meyer,” Lennox whispers, hugging Viv tight and kissing her cheek before releasing her and turning to leave the room.
“Valen has her,” Viv calls out, grinning like a Leviathan with a whole clutch of eggs in its nest. “Dinner is in an hour so do hurry them along,” she instructs, and Lennox nods, smiling softly at his mother.
“Oh, good. Maybe I can talk with the girl afterward,” I add, making Lennox’s smile fade as he looks back at me.
“If you hurt her, I’ll kill you,” he whispers, the words not a threat but a promise, and I can’t stop the manic grin that slips on my face as Viv gasps in shock, her mouth parting in horror as I start to laugh and nod in agreement, watching as my son turns and leaves the room with his head held high.
“What in the seven realms of hell was that about?” Viv asks, moving to my side and stepping into my arms as I reach for her. I hold her tight, bending down to kiss her soft hair, and close my eyes in contentment.
“That was our son growing up and falling in love,” I whisper, sitting back on my throne and tugging my beautiful wife into my lap so I can kiss her properly.