Chapter 26
CHAPTER 26
H ades appeared in Zeus’ office, where he and Ares were talking.
“Brother,” Zeus said warmly, but with worry wrinkling his brow.
“Hey. I’ve just come from the Fortuna Pack, I’ve called some demons to help. I might even see if they want to stay there,” he said, flopping down in a chair next to Ares.
“Protection for your mate,” Zeus guessed.
Hades nodded. “Especially when word gets out he’s my mate and consort.”
“Do you think that’s why the explosives were set?” Zeus wondered.
“No,” Ares replied for him. “If Barnabus was targeting Frederick, the bombs would have been placed around the pack house. We think he was trying to pit the gargoyles against the dragons.”
“Why then blow up both? Would it have not made more sense to just target the dragons?” Hades asked.
“Unless he just wanted to cause chaos,” Ares said.
Hades sat forward as a thought hit him. “To keep everyone occupied. I’ve got to go,” he said, vanishing.
“I’m coming, too.” And with that, Ares followed him.
They both reappeared in the gardens where the acrid smell of smoke permeated the air.
“The wards around the estate will keep out anyone intent on harming its residences,” Ares strategized out loud to Hades as they walked closer to the destruction.
“But it doesn’t stop anyone who’s already here from doing something. Who knows how many people were affected by the dream walker?” Hades clenched his fists.
“Barnabus will want to kill the kings.”
Hades nodded and halted to point. “Blake, Puff, and my mate are by the dragon building. Tudor and your Jason are working by the gargoyle building.”
“I’ll go there, you go with your mate.” Without waiting for a reply, Ares vanished and reappeared next to Jason, who was helping shift debris off a gargoyle soldier.
Ares spotted Alex helping a guard sit down with the rest of the wounded. Ajax was helping the injured, patching them up. He looked for Tudor and found him inside the damaged building, digging out an injured guard.
The fire was dying down thanks to Oz, but water was soaking those inside. Amidst the shouts, grating sounds of moving debris, the grunts of helpers and the groans of soldiers, Ares heard a creaking. He noticed a damaged wall – if that fell it would crush Tudor and the injured guard he was helping, as well as any other guards inside. He stumbled over the rubble to Tudor’s side. “We need to hurry, that wall is about to collapse.”
“Sire, God Ares, leave me and protect yourselves,” the young guard said.
“I’m not leaving you what kind of person do you think I am we will all get out of here before that wall squashes any of us,” Tudor declared, yanking more debris off the guard.
The wall started to fall and, using his magic, Ares got everyone in the gargoyle building out.
“Tudor!” Alex shouted in a panic, running towards the building as the wall crashed down and dirt puffed out.
I’m over here, love Tudor sent via their mate link.
Alex stopped running and searched for Tudor. He sighed in relief and rushed to his side when he spotted him. He pulled Tudor into his arms, hugging him tight.
Ares touched his brother’s shoulder. “I got everyone out safely.”
Alex smiled at him. “Thanks.”
“Sorry I’m a bit wet and now you are I probably shouldn’t have hugged you ...”
Alex clicked his fingers and both him and Tudor were instantly dry.
Jason walked over to them and wrapped an arm around Ares’s waist. “How was your meeting with Zeus?”
“Enlightening. Tudor, I need for you to either stay with Alex or make sure your guards are with you at all times.”
“Why?” Alex asked.
“Because Barnabus probably wants me Puff and Blake dead and we don’t know if that dream walker person only managed to infect one person or many more and what better time to kill us then now,” Tudor summarised, running out of breath.
Jason’s eyes widened. “I need to warn Blake and Puff.”
“Hades is with them now.”
Hades appeared beside Frederick, who was helping pull an injured dragon guard out of the rubble. He saw Blake helping others with Saxon putting out the fire.
It looked like chaos: walls had been blown out, some had fallen down, and a ceiling was partially down. Injured dragons were being taken to a quiet area, or were in dragon form healing.
The smell of smoke hung heavy in the air. He saw Winnel helping Frederick and Jaxton was close by helping others.
Puff, Mateo, and Atticus were hard at work, lifting debris off three dragon guards who were trapped under a collapsed wall inside the building.
Crap, now would be the perfect time for someone to strike at the kings, Hades thought to himself.
“I need some help over here,” someone from further inside called.
Before Hades could say anything, Puff motioned to Atticus and Mateo that he would go and help before stumbling his way over to the dragon guard.
Hades moved closer, unease building in his gut, while the guard said, “There’s someone under here, I heard their moans.”
Puff nodded and bent down, starting to move bricks out of the way.
Unseen, the guard quietly drew his sword.
“Stop!” Hades shouted, rushing into the building and throwing his hand out. The dragon guard flew backwards and crashed into the wall, before falling to the floor unconscious.
Puff jumped up and spun around, looking first at Hades and then the felled guard. He spotted a sword on the ground near him. Mateo and Atticus rushed over to Puff's side. Hades joined them.
“Thank you,” Puff whispered, holding Hades’ gaze.
“You’re welcome. Puff, I don’t want you going anywhere alone, stick to your mates’ sides or your guards. We have no idea how many more attempts will be made on your life, Tudor’s, or Blake's,” Hades cautioned.
“You think there’s more?” Atticus looked at the fallen guard.
Hades nodded grimly. “Yes, what better time than now, when there’s so much chaos, to kill the three Kings?”
Puff started to move. “We have to warn Tudor and Blake,” he tried to say.
“Ares is with Tudor, I’m off to warn Blake now.” Hades scanned the destruction and waved his hand. “All trapped guards are now outside. The attacking guard is in your cells.”
“Thanks,” Mateo clapped him on the back. As the four of them hurried outside, they heard an angry howl.
They rushed forward while a partially shifted Blake punched Charlie. With that single blow, Charlie was down and out.
“We need a way to find out how many more people the dream walker got to,” Atticus groaned as they came to Blake’s side.
Blake shifted back.
“Blake,” Baylan shouted, rushing over with Frederick beside him.
Baylan looked at Blake in concern, pulling him into his arms. “You okay?”
Blake nodded. “Charlie tried to attack me,” he said, still hugging Baylan. “I’m okay, mate,” he whispered.
Baylan nodded and dropped a kiss on Blake’s forehead.
“He was obviously affected by the dream walker, too. A dragon guard just tried to kill Puff,” Hades informed them.
Blake looked around. “What about Tudor?” he asked urgently.
“Ares went and warned him,” Hades replied.
“Frederick, can you put Charlie in the cells for now? We need to check on Tudor. Chances are there’s at least one more infected person somewhere on the grounds,” Blake said.
“I’ve got it,” Hades said, and with a wave of his hand, Charlie vanished. He paused. “Ares said the final infected person has been caught.”
“Let’s go and see.” Blake walked in the direction of the gargoyle building with the others following.
Baylan grabbed Blake’s hand and linked their fingers together. “Are you really alright?”
Blake nodded. “Frustrated, but physically fine.”
Frederick caught Hades’ hand.
Hades smiled at him. He still couldn’t believe he had a mate and that said mate was Frederick. How lucky was he?
They rounded the corner and saw a gargoyle guard frozen in stone form, sword drawn. Tudor stood in front of him, hands on his hips and partially shifted.
“Been having fun?” Baylan asked Tudor.
“This silly gargoyle tried to kill me but I really shouldn’t call him silly should I he didn’t have a choice but we must find the others,” Tudor said.
Alex gently touched his arm.
“Hopefully the others have been caught. Hades saved Puff and I stopped Charlie,” Blake told him.
Tudor rushed to Puff and pulled him into a hug, then reached to hug Blake, before pulling back. “I’m so glad you’re both safe this is a horrible day and we need to find a way to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“And we will, Tudor,” Blake promised. “But now we need to arrange funerals.”
“We have the names of the dead dragons,” Puff whispered.
Atticus touched his shoulder. “Save your voice. General Delinga will have the contact details of our fallen’s next of kin.”
“Dane has the names of my fallen gargoyles once we have the next of kin names I should really go and tell the families in person it will be scary and sad but it’s the right thing to do really.”
Alex touched his arm. “I’ll come with you.”
“I should do the same, but ...” Puff whispered.
“We can go with you and talk for you. Bob can tell us what to say,” Mateo offered.
Puff nodded and leant against him, and sighed. What a horrible day.