Savage

Chapter 13

Xev stood with his brothers on top of a hill as they watched the line of Malachai demons that seemed to go on into infinity in the valley below. They marched toward the lands Braith, who now went by Apollymi, had set up for them to make their homes.

While each of the Malachai had a pair of wings, the Primals had forbidden the demons from using them unless they were in battle, or were practicing for battle.

It made no sense, but then, neither did the gods.

“I can’t believe she did this.” Malphas crossed his arms over his chest. “Have you ever seen anything more terrifying?”

Xev snorted. “Azura on a rampage. A hungry Charonte. My father naked.”

Malphas shoved playfully at him. “I’m serious. How many of them are there?”

“Thousands.” Shadow let out a long sigh. “All fully grown. Ready to battle.”

“Ready to protect Monakribos,” Xev said, reminding him of the real reason they’d been created.

Mal shook his head. “Why do I have the feeling that we’re watching the end of everything we know?”

Xev agreed with Malphas’s observation. “They’re every bit as powerful as the Sephirii.” Or more so. That was his real fear.

“How did she do this?” Shadow asked.

Xev didn’t speak. He still didn’t dare. But he was grateful that Apollymi had kept her word and told no one of his part in the demons’ creation.

He wasn’t sure why, as the other gods were screaming for a scapegoat they could tear apart. It would be nothing for her to offer him up, especially after Kissare’s brutal execution. Honestly, he was expecting it.

And yet both she and Xiamara remained silent. He had no idea why they protected him. But he was truly grateful for their silence.

Daraxerxes!

He winced at the strident summons in his head.

“Mom?” Malphas asked sarcastically as he saw his reaction.

“Who else?” Xev sighed heavily.

Shadow let out an evil laugh. “Give her my best.”

“Yeah, I’ll be sure and do that.” Dreading her tantrum, Xev went to her throne room.

For once, she didn’t attack him as soon as he appeared. Even stranger, they were alone.

That made every sphincter in his body clench so tightly that he was amazed he wasn’t leaving a trail of diamonds behind him. “Something wrong, Mommy Dearest?”

Azura glared at him. “Oh, I think you know what’s wrong.”

There were so many answers he could give. But one in particular came to mind. “You birthed me?”

From across the room, she backhanded him. Xev cursed at the pain that exploded through his head. He hated whenever she did that.

“Don’t be so impertinent.” She closed the distance between them. “You helped out my sister, didn’t you, brat?”

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

She cocked a brow. “You didn’t give up blood for Braith to create her new army?”

Xev ground his teeth. A part of him prayed she was only fishing for information and had no idea what she was talking about. Maybe it really was just a lucky guess. “Are you inhaling herbs? Or are you just delusional by nature?”

She tsked at him. “You really think I can’t smell your blood in their veins? That I don’t know the powers of my own child?”

He forced himself to show no emotion, but inside, he was screaming. I should have known better.

“But more to the point, do you think your father won’t know, too, as soon as he nears one?”

Xev’s stomach hit the floor. There was a nice tidbit he’d never considered. No wonder Braith had said she wouldn’t tell them. She didn’t have to. They’d know instinctively.

Azura walked a small circle around him. “Just what do you think ole Jaden will do once he realizes what you’ve been up to?”

He’d slaughter him.

“Or Cam, or Rezar? While there’s nothing specifically barring you from creating a new race, I’m not exactly sure they’ll be thrilled by it. Especially a race that rivals their pets.”

Xev felt sick as those words echoed around his head. Images of Kissare went through his mind.

What was he going to do?

Right now, he was going to continue to play stupid. Because really, this wasn’t his fault. Braith had done this. He’d had no real choice in it.

Had he said no, she would have killed him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Azura clicked her tongue. “I think you know exactly what I’m talking about.” She stood up on her toes so that she could whisper in his ear. “Do you think Braith will protect you?”

No. He wasn’t that stupid. She had as much love for him as his mother did. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“You’ve done nothing right.” She brushed her hand down his cheek.

Xev caught her wrist. “What do you want from me?”

An evil smirk twisted her lips. “A favor.”

He laughed bitterly. “As if I’d ever do anything for you.”

“Oh, I know you will. Because if you don’t, I’ll hand you over to the others, and if you think what was done to Kissare was bad…Well, you’ll wish you had it that good.” She manifested an amulet in her hand. “Take this and swap it for the one Jaden wears.”

What in the name of the Source was she planning? “Why?”

“Because I want you to. Do it and I’ll give you what you want most.”

What he wanted most was Myone, but thankfully, his mother had never figured that out.

Or had she?

Forcing himself to betray nothing, he met her gaze. “And what is it that I want?”

Azura’s icy gaze burned him with its coldness. “Your freedom.”

Okay. That was a close second to Myone. He’d do most anything to be free of her and all their politics.

She pressed the amulet into his hand. “All you have to do is exchange this one for the one Jaden wears.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

It couldn’t possibly be that easy. He knew his mother. There had to be a vital piece of information she was withholding. “Why?”

“I want the Eye of Verlyn that he wears. Bring it to me.”

He studied the duplicate. It was a nice forgery, but his father wasn’t stupid. “Won’t he know the difference?”

“Do it while he’s sleeping, and he’ll never know. Bring me his medallion, and I’ll set you free. That’s all there is to it.”

Why didn’t he believe her?

Because she always lied.

She was setting him up. He felt it deep inside his gut. “Why don’t you send one of your other demons or goons?”

“They won’t be able to get near him. You live there. He’ll know nothing if you flit around those shadows you love so much.”

She was right about that. He could easily get into where his father slept and exchange the necklaces.

Still…it just didn’t seem right.

Don’t do this.Every part of him screamed out in warning.

Yet the thought of being free…of never being summoned again…

It was more than he could resist. He’d give anything not to have to answer to her.

But if his father ever learned of it, he would be furious. Justifiably so.

Not to mention his father treasured that stupid necklace. He always wore it. He probably valued it more than he did his sons.

“What does the amulet do?”

“It allows him to temporarily control others.”

That didn’t make any sense. “Can’t he do that already?”

She let out a frustrated sigh. “Do you want your freedom or not?”

Of course he did.

“Or would you rather suffer and die as Kissare did? What do you think they’ll do to you when I tell them that you helped Braith create a new race out of your blood so that she could fight their Sephirii?”

He winced at the very thought. The last thing he wanted was to do this.

But there was no one who would protect him. Definitely not his mother, who was threatening to throw him to the gods.

And he already knew where he stood with his father.

He had no one. If he didn’t do this, she’d definitely see him dead or punished eternally.

If he did it, there was a chance he might go free and be able to run with Myone. Maybe. Surely some chance was better than none.

Taking the medallion, he inclined his head to her and prayed for the best.

* * *

Xev creptout from the shadows, into his father’s huge bedroom. Oddly enough, he’d never ventured here before. Never really cared much about his father or how Jaden lived.

He’d kept to his side of his father’s temple and never been curious about the rest.

Weird that his father had a massive carved bed that held images of dragons on it. That seemed oddly whimsical for such a stern god. Xev would have never picked that out for his father. And he was grateful Jaden was sleeping alone in it. And clothed. Last thing he needed was more trauma.

As quietly as he could, Xev crept toward the overly large bed. Jaden was entwined in his furs, peacefully asleep and unaware that the son he hated most was about to betray him.

Don’t do this. You know she’s lying to you.She was keeping some secret hidden. She had to be.

Why does she want it so much? There had to be more than what she’d said.

Xev knew nothing about the amulet, other than the fact that his father never removed it. There was no telling why. It could be a treasured gift from someone. Or something he’d won in battle. Maybe a token from one of the other gods, or a demon…

Or it could have something to do with his powers.

Did Xev really care?

His gut told him not to do this. Yet if he didn’t, Azura would see him dead. Or worse. There was no doubt about that at all. He’d never meant anything to her and even less to his father.

She wasn’t leveling an idle threat. He knew that, too. Azura would see it through and hand him over to the others, gift-wrapped.

I want to be free.

That was the truth. If he could have that one desire…surely it was worth this risk.

Freedom.

He could be with Myone. That was the only thing that really mattered.

Holding that elusive dream close, he crept to the bed.

Jaden didn’t move.

Terrified of his father waking and catching him, Xev used his powers to trade out the necklaces. Jaden growled and reached out.

Xev froze instantly.

Jaden rolled over, then quickly settled back down with a heavy sigh.

Grateful he hadn’t soiled himself in panic, Xev sank back into the shadows and took the necklace to his mother, who was waiting for his return in her throne room.

Azura laughed as soon as she saw him. “Put it here.” She held a chest out.

That was a little strange, but then, his blue-skinned mother had never been particularly normal.

Xev dropped the necklace into the box.

Before he could ask about his freedom, Noir came rushing into the room to grab Azura into a tight hug. “You did it!”

Azura laughed. “We did it. He’s ours now.”

Xev went cold as a bad feeling went through him. “What just happened?” What had he done?

Smiling, Azura approached him with a gleam in those white eyes he hated more than anything. “Thank you, my pathetic little waste. Without you, we’d have never been able to strip your father of his powers and imprison him. Never been able to control his demons. I owe you.”

Xev felt sick to his stomach.

What did I do?

But then he knew. He’d shifted the balance of Primal power.

Deep inside where he didn’t want to look, he’d known something like this would happen. Why else would she have made such a threat?

He wasn’t that stupid. How could I have fallen for her lies? He’d just made her stronger at the expense of his father. Why hadn’t he thought of that?

The other gods would kill him, anyway, once they found out about it. Even Malphas and Shadow.

And he deserved it.

His mother was now in control of everything. She had the greater power.

It’s all my fault.

Terrified of what he’d done, Xev returned to the shadows with her laughter ringing in his ears.

But there was no reprieve there. Shadow met him with a scowl on his face that said he already knew what Xev had done.

“Tell me you didn’t do it, Xev. Tell me that they’re lying. You had to know better!”

He couldn’t look Shadow in the eyes. “She promised me my freedom.”

“Are you insane?”

“I was desperate. I had no idea what his necklace did. She lied to me.” He didn’t dare tell Shadow about the Malachai and his part in their creation. That his mother had used them to blackmail him.

What am I going to do?

Everyone would be after him now.

“Do you understand what you just did? How much power you’ve given our mother?”

He did now. Xev wanted to scream from the nightmare he’d just created. “I can never go home.”

“Forget that. You just handed over control of all demons to her and Noir. How did you not know what the Eye of Verlyn was?”

Maybe because no one had ever told him.

Besides, he’d been too worried about his own ass to think about his father’s. “He doesn’t control all demons.”

“Except for the Malachai Braith created, and the Charonte, yes, he does. The rest sprang from his blood.”

So Xev had been right about that after all. Maybe if his father hadn’t lied to him, he would have known that, too.

Not that it would have mattered. He still would have agreed to it. His fear of Azura telling them what Braith had done with his blood had been too great.

“I had no idea what his necklace did, Shadow. No one ever told me.”

“You had to know there was a reason our mother wanted it. A reason why Jaden never removed it.”

Xev raked his hands through his hair. “What do you want me to say?”

“Nothing. Undo this. For all our sakes.”

It wasn’t that simple. Especially given the fact that Azura knew he was the one who’d helped Braith create the Malachai. Her threat was still hanging over him.

What am I going to do?

But then he knew. He had to make this right. Even if it meant his life. He couldn’t leave his mother with this kind of power.

Either way, Myone would never forgive him once she found out. She’d be worse than Shadow.

For that matter, he would never forgive himself. He shouldn’t have betrayed his father. While they had their issues, his father hadn’t deserved this, and he knew it. Had she been honest with him, Xev would never have imprisoned his father with Azura. Nor drained his powers. That had never been part of their bargain.

Never make decisions out of fear.

Michi had taught him that. She’d returned him to his mother out fear, and it had cost her, her life. The worst mistakes always came from that very thing. He’d known better, and he’d been a fool.

Fear clouded rational thought. Always.

Make this right.

Leaving Shadow, Xev returned to his mother’s palace and went to the dark underbelly where she kept those she hated most. To where he’d lived at one time.

Before his father had given him a reprieve he’d repaid with betrayal.

Don’t think about it.

But how could he not?

And sure enough, Azura had wasted no time in capturing her enemy. He could hear his father’s curses and demands that everyone else ignored.

“Let me out of here!” Jaden banged against the walls and cursed everyone.

This was probably the dumbest thing Xev had ever done in his life, but he had no choice. Shadow was right. He had to undo what he’d done.

He approached the reinforced iron door where Jaden was being held. “Father?”

“What are doing here? Come to gloat?”

Xev wanted to die in that moment. “It’s not like that.”

Jaden struck the door so hard that Xev was surprised that he didn’t break through it on his own. “No? I welcomed you into my home! Why would you do this to me? You are vile! I should have killed you the moment your mother sent you to me!”

That set his temper off. There had never been any real welcoming into Jaden’s home. He’d always felt like an outsider there.

Even all these years later.

Jaden had never been a father to him. Had he been such, Xev wouldn’t have been afraid of his mother. But he knew his father would never stand beside him the way Apollymi stood by her son. Jaden would never summon an army to protect him.

Never once had his father held an ounce of love for either of his sons. He didn’t stand by them. Hell, he barely acknowledged them.

How dare the bastard be so angry when all Xev had ever wanted was a father?

He glared at the door, grateful that it stood between them. How many times had he been caged here while his father slept in luxury?

All those memories tore through him now, awaking a hatred so feral, he couldn’t see straight. “For all the years you didn’t welcome me, Father. For every lash and insult I’ve been given in your name, and for all the years I was forced to serve them as an animal because you refused to acknowledge me as your son. She said that if I did this for her, that I’d go free. You owe me this!”

“I owe you nothing, save my hatred.”

And that Jaden had given him in excess. “Then we are even after all.”

Furious, Xev left him there as he’d done him and returned to his room. The only place where he felt safe.

Let him rot!

What did he care? Like his father, he was cold-hearted.

That’s not true.

He loved Myone. More than anything else.

And this would kill her. If she ever learned what he’d done, she would never forgive him.

He could hear her in his head, chastising him. She’d be absolutely horrified by his actions. And honestly, so was he.

This wasn’t the man he wanted to be. He wanted to be the man she thought he was. The man she made him feel like whenever she came around.

She didn’t see an angry beast who wanted to lash out at the entire world. She saw the decency inside him that Michi had created and nurtured. The part that only wanted to love and be loved.

To protect and be protected.

Why couldn’t he just be that Xev?

Go back…

Torn by indecision, he didn’t know what to do. He was damned by either option.

A knock sounded on his door.

“Enter.”

It was Malphas. “Did you hear? Noir and Azura have imprisoned Jaden. They’re going to unite the demons with Braith’s Malachai and the Charonte and attack the Kalosum.” The Kalosum consisted of the light gods—Cam, Rezar, Jaden—and their servants, the Na?āru and Sephirii.

It meant that Myone would be directly in the line of fire.

Because of him.

“Wait…what?” Xev asked.

“They’re already uniting their armies to destroy the Sephirii, Na?āru, and light gods. The war’s begun.”

Xev wanted to vomit. “Why?”

“Braith because she’s blaming them for killing Kissare, and she wants to protect her son. Noir and Azura because they want to put down Rezar and Cam so that no one will have any way to limit their powers. They won’t rest until every member of the Na?āru and Sephirii are dead.”

All he heard out of that was that they were going to kill Myone.

I have to let Jaden out. His own anger be damned.

Every part of Xev cringed at the thought of it. If he let his father out now, Jaden would never trust him again. And he couldn’t blame him for that.

If he didn’t…

Better he should suffer for all eternity than anything happen to Myone. There was no other way. He had to set this right and make sure she wasn’t harmed because he’d been stupid and scared.

I am so screwed.

No matter what, he’d do this and then he’d beg her to leave with him. Maybe they could find someplace safe to live among the humans…or in another realm. Anywhere other than here.

I don’t care, as long as I’m with her.

He held tight to that thought as he returned to where Jaden was being held.

This time, he opened the prison door before he spoke a single word to his father and risked getting angry again.

Xev wasn’t prepared for the sight that awaited him. His father appeared frail. Brittle.

His long black hair hung around a gaunt face.

“What did they do to you?” Forget his powers—it appeared they’d sucked the very life force out of him.

Jaden jerked at the amulet he couldn’t remove. “This weakens me. It feels like it’s made me mortal.”

Of course it did. Leave it to his mother to find something that would turn his father into a hollowed-out shell. He probably was mortal, and they would kill him soon.

Xev had been lucky that it hadn’t affected him, too. No doubt his mother would have considered that a bonus. Two gods in one strike.

“Why did you come back?” Jaden growled.

“To free you.”

“After you did this?” Jaden backhanded him so hard that, for a moment, Xev saw stars. So much for being weakened. His father could still pack a punch.

Even so, he’d deserved that.

Pushing himself to his feet, Xev slowly approached his father again. “I’m going to make this right.” He removed the scarf from his neck, then he used it to hold the medallion. With one quick yank, he pulled it free of his father’s neck.

Jaden instantly recovered his strength. The color returned to his flesh and his hair returned to its thickness and dark hue. He went from appearing as a withered husk to a man in the height of his youth.

It was done.

Xev let out a relieved breath.

Until he realized what Jaden intended.

Faster than Xev could move, his father placed that amulet around Xev’s throat.

He stared in horror at his father. “What are you doing?”

Jaden curled his lip. “Giving you what you intended for me.”

He gasped in disbelief as he tried to remove the amulet that was taking away all of his powers as they’d done his father. “You can’t leave me here…You can’t conceive what she’ll do to me for it!”

There was no pity or mercy in his father’s mismatched eyes. “Like I care? Rot here with your mother and her demons. I never want to lay eyes on you again, you treacherous bastard! You are no son of mine!”

“Please, Father! Please! You can’t do this to me. I freed you.”

Jaden didn’t even look back.

Xev sank to his knees as he realized what this would mean.

His only hope was that his mother killed him. But deep down inside, he knew he would never be that lucky.