Chapter 36 See you in hell
Dean
“Keep moving.” A guard shoves me forward, and I barely catch myself before I fall.
The heavy enchanted chains bite into my wrists, the stench of old blood turning my stomach. I don’t even want to think about how many innocent lives were bound with these chains before they were sent to their death.
And I’m not going to be one of them.
Everything was going perfectly… until it wasn’t. We barely stepped into Tiberius’s room before the guards flooded in, forcing us to disarm like they were waiting for us around the corner.
Tiberius looked far too smug as they bound us and dragged us towards the grand hall. I wanted to break his jaw on sight, but didn’t want to give the bastard the satisfaction, so I kept my cool.
Can’t go off script. Not yet.
The grand hall is packed. Motherfucker has gathered every soul in this cursed kingdom to watch the spectacle as he parades us like trophies.
Anxo and Seiji are shoved to their knees, two warriors with spears standing behind them, waiting for one wrong move.
One of Tiberius’ sons forces me to my knees, earning a proud nod from daddy dearest. Barf.
Zale glares at me, a sharp warning in his eyes. I smirk right back, not afraid of getting under his skin.
“No need to be so rough, brother.” His jaw clenches. I can practically hear his teeth grinding to dust.
When he finally steps away, I take in the crowd of thousands watching their king boast about capturing us, eating up every word.
I almost laugh when he calls himself the most powerful king in all realms.
A scoff slips out. Most powerful king? Please.
His ass would’ve been chewed up and spit out a long time ago if he weren’t hiding underwater like a coward.
He should add “delusional” to his list of titles.
Right before “soon to be dead.”
The platform stage floats high above the crowd, adding a touch of authority and power to his words, but that’s all it is… theatrics.
But since I am the one on my knees right now, I’ll play along. For now.
The plan was to quietly drag Tiberius out of his room without anyone noticing, but here we are… about to be executed publicly, because, of course, Shrimp King wants to do this in front of an audience.
The motherfucker thrives on others’ fear. He’ll do anything to keep Eldoris under his thumb. Making an example out of us is the perfect opportunity, one he’s not going to pass up.
“Silence.” One word and the entire hall falls quiet.
His lips purse, barely hiding his satisfaction.
“I’m sure you’ve all heard the rumors…” His gaze finds me, and my heart drops.
Fuck. So that’s how he knew. It wasn’t surveillance or luck. Her name reached him before we did.
“I’m here to confirm it. Your queen, Flaw, has returned.”
Silence follows the announcement. Not a single cheer.
I see the way his jaw clicks. He hates their reaction.
“Her absence hurt his kingdom, but that ends now. After I punish her for abandoning us, she’ll be ready to serve again.”
“Like hell she will. She’ll claw your eyes out before that happens.” The words barely leave my mouth before a boot slams into my side.
Tiberius smirks at his son, the proud glint in his eyes making my stomach churn. “Well done, son. I’ve taught you well.”
Zale’s jaw tightens as he steps, his gaze flickering to me for half a second.
The crowd stirs, restless, and his mood shifts instantly.
And I already know where this goes.
“You’ll die here, Reaper. Forgotten. Torn apart and fed to the sea.” He leans closer, a sick grin spreading over his face. “And after you and your friends are gone, I’ll take what’s mine. She’s my Flaw… not your Hazel.”
“Keep her name out of your filthy mouth.”
Tiberius laughs, entertained by my anger.
He won’t be smirking for long. As soon as I get out of these chains, I’m going to choke the smugness out of him.
“She’ll kneel before me soon enough. Just like you.”
He’s mistaking restraint for submission. Good.
“Listen. Acting like a dick won’t make yours any bigger.” The blow lands before I can move, the end of his sword cracking against my temple, just above my eyebrow.
A trail of warm blood slides down the side of my face, blurring my vision. I blink it away to see past the blood coating my lashes. Worth it.
Pain sparks, but my grin stays. “Wow, you’re real sensitive about that. It’s okay, Tiberius. Some boys have different gifts.”
He hits me again, harder this time, his frustration amping up as Seiji and Anxo laugh.
He quickly realizes he can’t shut me up without killing me, so he turns to Anxo, desperate to keep his audience engaged.
He forces Anxo’s head up with the tip of his sword.
“Any last words, Conquer?”
“See you in hell.”
I’m so proud.
Tiberius laughs, pity clear in his voice as he raises his sword, but before he can bring it down, a voice cuts through the silence.
“Stop!”
The voice makes my blood freeze.
The crowd parts, and my stomach drops as I watch Nevaeh running toward us, tears streaming down her face.
Anxo and I curse at the same time when Tiberius spots her.
“Ah… the abomination.”
I’m going to kill him.
Anxo growls, but Tiberius only smiles wider, eyes lighting up like he has stepped on our weakness.
He motions his warriors to get Nevaeh on the platform with the same blade he was about to use on her mate.
“It’s so good to see you in the flesh.” He curls his finger to beckon her like calling a pet. “Come closer.”
She hesitantly takes a step forward, eyes locking with mine. I try to warn her, but she gives the slightest shake of her head.
I force myself to stay still.
Tiberius clicks his tongue. “Stop.” He points to the ground at his feet. “Kneel.”
The cuffs dig into my wrists as I try to break out of them.
Anxo keeps pushing, hurling insults until a warrior drives the end of his sword into his stomach brutally, making him bend over in pain.
A scream tears out of my daughter’s throat when Anxo slumps forward and stops moving, his cheek on the ground. Seiji tries to rouse him by nudging him with his shoulder, but nothing happens.
“No need to cry. He’s alive… I think.” Tiberius laughs, and the sound snaps something in her.
The tears disappear, replaced by a glare that transforms her into something everyone should be afraid of.
But Nevaeh is smart. She forces her rage down and kneels.
I watch in horror as her hands clasp, begging for her mate’s life.
“Please… he’s my mate,” Her voice cracks.
His slimy gaze drags over my daughter. “He came here to kill me, girl. I can’t spare him.”
“Please, I’ll do anything. Anything. Please.”
Tiberius looks bewitched by her, pulled in by the sound of her cries.
His finger brushes the side of her face, and I have to grit my teeth to keep myself from tearing him apart.
“Anything?”
“Get your hand off my daughter!” I snap, but it only spurs him on.
Tiberius grips her chin, but he freezes when he tilts her face up, taken aback by the grin on her lips.
Confusion flickers across his face as she smirks. “Gotcha ya, asshole.”
Before he can react, Nevaeh slams her head into his nose with a sickening crunch and jumps to her feet, running to Anxo.
The crowd erupts, gasps of horror echoing… then Zale moves.
He swings around with his sword, two clean strikes, and the warriors behind me are beheaded.
Nevaeh joins him, taking down the last three warriors standing behind Seiji and Anxo.
Tiberius roars and lunges at Nevaeh… only to slam into an invisible barrier. The dome ripples with the impact but doesn’t budge.
He stumbles back, looking up, and all the color drains from his face.
A gold ring hums above him, alive with enchanted symbols and the Horseman of Conquer’s Divine. His head snaps to Anxo, eyes widening in shock as he finds him sitting up, eyes glowing a powerful shade of gold.
Not so powerful now, are you, asshole?
The ring spins faster, lowering. Tiberius stumbles, but he’s too slow, and so when the dome grazes his head. A scream rips out of him from the burn before he drops to his knees.
His pain finally eases some of the rage in my heart.
Once the dome seals around him, Anxo pushes further, revealing his biggest trick.
The illusion finally peels away as Tiberius looks around in disbelief as the hall fades and he realizes he’s nowhere near the grand hall… or surrounded by his guards.
No throne. No audience. No power.
The crowd morphs into shadows of people he’s never seen before.
But I know every single face. Anxo is showing him the day our kingdom gathered to hear Nevaeh had been cast out, turning his memory into a weapon.
The air in that memory was heavy with grief and anger, the perfect bait. And I knew he wouldn’t recognize a single face. Someone like him wouldn’t know the people he’s supposed to protect.
Truth is, his defenses failed the moment we entered Eldoris. He was too busy celebrating how he caught to notice. Anxo could’ve trapped him in his room while he was still pretending to be asleep, but we would’ve been buried under his guards in seconds.
So we waited… let him build his stage, knowing we were about to snatch it away soon.
Zale cracked Anxo’s cuffs while we were being dragged here, and everything since has been a show put up by our Conquer. He warped our reality. With every step, every breath, the illusions grew stronger.
Even I had to constantly remind myself what was real because the magic flowing from Anxo today is overpowering.
And that was before seeing Nevaeh in danger pushed him further. We planned to trap Tiberius, but forcing him to his knees until he was writhing in pain? That’s all Anxo.
Zale strides over as Seiji, and I finally break out of our cuffs thanks to Hazel’s blood disrupting the magic on them.
He offers his hand, pulling me up.
“Zale.” I nod.
He rolls his eyes, the corner of his lips slightly tipping. “Dean.”
Fates, they are so alike.
When Hazel told me how she escaped, something about it didn’t feel right.