Chapter 48 Bast
Something’s wrong.
My eyes fly open, and I find Talian where Aeri should be, and I know this feeling isn’t just some paranoid worry but a sign that something is really wrong.
“Fuck, man, you’re not nearly as cute as our girl.” Talian shoves me away, and as much as it would normally excite me to hear him say ‘our girl,’ despite me not being mated to her, I can’t bring myself to care right now. I kick out, catching Ruin in the ribs, but he grumbles, and I hear him move.
“Aeri’s gone.”
Those two words get both of their attention as they jump out of bed on full alert.
I can still smell her; she was here not long ago, but how long is hard to tell. This is her room after all; the whole place is drenched in her scent.
I don’t bother waiting for the others; they’re big boys. I take off into the castle and quickly find I have the same issue.
Everything smells of Aeri.
I lap the castle, once, twice, checking all her favorite places before Talian calls out to me.
“She’s not here!” Ruin shouts, his voice bouncing off the high ceiling, and I scowl at him.
We don’t need the whole castle to know she’s missing; not everyone or everything here cares for her safety.
The imps work for Lucifer, but if they were set free topside, they would have no issues eating humans. I’ve seen it. And as much as I would love to think they know better, not to cross the devil himself, I can’t guarantee that.
“Shhh,” Talian hisses, clearly having the same thought as me, as his gaze flicks around the room.
“We need to tell the others.” I press a finger to my head to let them know what I mean.
“One, two, check, is this thing on?” Talian’s voice rings out in my head, and I know it does for the others as well.
I feel Kai, Lucifer, and Asta open up communication with us but remain quiet.
“Aeri’s gone.”