Chapter 22
The morning came too quickly. Yuri fed them a breakfast of fresh bread and jam, light but filling. Theo ate only a nibble, claiming travel always made him nauseous.
Star had only left this world between twice.
The first time had been fruitless as he’d searched for Yuri, the second he’d somehow drawn a slew of sentient shadows to him and found himself frozen in terror.
He’d been gone long enough that they’d sent Michael to find him, who appeared in a huff, but sent the shadows back into shattered nothingness.
A handful of worlds had destroyed themselves, leaving nothing for the dark to latch onto.
The Nephilim’s world was one of those, which meant the shadows from those places wandered to others searching for some place to feed.
Star shivered, but said nothing as everyone gathered in the circular section of the front lawn.
Lucian crafted the area as an anchor to the cottage.
“Aren’t you going to go horny?” Theo asked Star.
“What?” Star asked. Why would traveling make him horny?
Yuri chuckled. “He means like that,” Yuri pointed as Lucian and Radu came out of the cottage in their Onari forms.
“Oh,” Star said. “I won’t change until we get there.
” He would be forced to change when entering Dahna.
Auroi’s Onari residents had one large distinction between them and the Onari nobles of old, and that was that they didn’t have a second form.
That Lucian and Radu could still change elevated them in status.
But that ability had been lost in future generations, as they weren’t meant to hide.
“Does it use a lot of your energy and magic to stay like this?” Yuri asked. He squeezed Star’s hand.
“Not here. But in Dahna, I have to be the other me… it’s not a choice.”
“Oh,” Yuri said. “Do you hate it? Since it’s not a choice?”
“It’s not painful or anything. But I don’t want to frighten you.”
“I’m not afraid,” Theo said. “I love the horns and pretty skin.”
Star didn’t think his horns or skin were pretty in his other form. He didn’t have the fire beneath like Lucian and Radu, rather he felt it looked like a giant bruise as the universe swirled beneath his skin in purple and navy with hints of teal.
Yuri gave him a dazzling smile. “I’m not afraid either.”
Star side-eyed him.
“You don’t believe me?” Yuri raised a brow.
“I’m not pretty like them,” Star said.
Radu snorted as he stepped into the circle and unfurled his wings, sighing as if it were a relief to let them out. “Self-delusion at its finest.”
“I’m not deluding myself.” Star glared at him.
“I still wish I had wings, but the space they require is a bit of an inconvenience,” Lucian said. “I may need to expand this anchor point.”
“We rarely all travel at once,” Radu said. He stared at Star and took a step closer, his gaze hot, filled with lust. “I like this little form.”
Star released his other form as if to prove he scared everyone, the size and eruption of wings making Lucian grumble and grab Yuri and Theo to his side. Radu’s gaze further heated.
“I like this one, too,” Radu said, purring as he reached out to stroke Star’s throat with gentle fingers.
Yuri wrapped his arms around Star’s middle, small to Star’s Onari form, but they still fit together as if they were meant to.
“You’re so beautiful,” Yuri said. “Like a peacock rainbow where the sun touches your wings and horns.” He ran his fingertips over Star’s bare shoulder, the ripple of muscle beneath his pale flesh glittering in dark iridescent navy.
“From one direction you look purple, from another it’s blue green. So cool!”
“Right?” Theo said. “Same way Lucian is red one way and orange/yellow the other.” His gaze landed on the blond prince, who busied himself with tugging everyone inside the circle’s minimal edges.
“Peacock rainbow…” Star grumbled, annoyed that the comment pleased him.
“Oh sorry. Am I supposed to be afraid?” Yuri concentrated hard for a moment and Theo giggled as Yuri’s expression turned to exaggerated terror.
“Oh my, how scary! Someone save me before the pretty horned man has his naughty way with me.” Theo burst into hysterical laughter, and Lucian muffled his own chuckle in Theo’s hair.
“Wings in, old man,” Lucian commanded Radu. “Else you might lose them in the transition.”
“Can only Lucian create these travel things?” Yuri asked.
“No,” Radu said, as he folded in his wings and encircled them all in his wide embrace. “But it’s easier to have one guide us and the others save their energy. Very few can travel between worlds. Which is for the better, as it keeps the worlds from spanning into chaos again.”
Lucian dropped them into a clear field overlooking the dock and a slew of boats that could take them to Auroi. The magic stopped and Star let his wings free to stretch, the breeze ruffling through them like a gentle caress. Yuri clung to him, and when he looked down, Yuri was smiling up at him.
“I love you,” Yuri said. “Even when you’re grumpy ‘cause you are overwhelmed.”
Star opened his mouth to protest, but Yuri wasn’t wrong.
“I’m not a fan of boats,” Theo confessed. “Maybe we can fly this time?”
“Air defenses will shoot you out of the sky,” Lucian said. “Sorry, angel. It’s a short ride to the island.”
“We have wings for a reason,” Star said.
“And here I thought they were just to give you more personal space,” Lucian snarked as he stepped out of the anchor circle, grabbed Yuri and Theo’s hands and dragged them toward the path down to the dock. “Come, littles.”
“Littles?” Theo asked, but clung to Lucian’s side.
“You’re little and cute,” Lucian said. “So is Yuri, and sometimes Star.”
Star grumbled, but slid his wings into the ether. Radu struggled to do the same, frowning as he stood in the center of the anchor.
“Deep breath,” Star instructed. “It’s a little like opening a portal. Only think of it as a pocket, but for your wings.”
Radu stared at him a moment, then shut his eyes to breathe and focus. The wings slid away. “Thank you.”
“You should visit the mortal worlds more,” Star said.
“I will if you will,” Radu said as he followed the others down.
"The shadows will always be drawn to me," Star said.
“But you can scatter them. Perhaps it’s you who need more time in the mortal realm to understand why your fear overwhelms your self-reliance. The choice will always be yours.”
Star scowled.
Radu chuckled. “I’m happy to accompany you whenever you’d like.
” He spun on his heel and slid his arm around Star’s waist, pulling them close enough to bump horns, which gave rise to Star’s traitorous dick.
“As I said, I like both forms. I would also like to see Yuri exploring this pretty Onari body of yours. I think he’ll be very fond of the nubs you’re still hiding from him. ”
Star swallowed, the idea of Yuri bouncing on his cock while Radu took Star from behind made him painfully hard.
“Would you fuck him harder if I told you to?” Radu whispered as he slid their cheeks together.
Star was about to burst. Why did giving up control turn him on?
“You are a paradox,” Star said, stepping out of Radu’s embrace to follow the others. He longed to drag them all back home, but knew he’d freeze up before they got down to much of anything.
“How so?” Radu asked.
“The tortured artist, who likes his men kneeling at his feet.”
“I can’t help that you all look divine there. And now that I know you are a god-blessed general, I suspect I will enjoy it even more.”
“A title from the people who love romantic fiction.”
“Stories are an escape for everyone. I’m certain there is stress and pain, even in your utopia. It’s part of life.”
“I thought I understood it,” Star said as they made their way down the hill. Yuri and Theo hung back as Lucian made his way to procure them a ride to the city. “He should have guards or something. King and all that.”
“Oh, yes, let’s remind him. It’s been a while since I’ve seen my nephew scowl.”
“You could act like you care about his welfare.”
“I do,” Radu said. “But he also single-handedly defeated some of my best generals. He’s hardly a child to be beaten and shoved in a corner. He might not wish to lead, but he’s the best choice I can think of among all the Onari remaining. Are there any in Auroi that might better take his place?”
“No,” Star said. “Auroi is a society of the people. No one is above anyone else. That’s why the leadership roles cycle. The goal is for everyone to hold a seat at least once in their life.”
“I look forward to seeing how it works,” Radu said as they reached Theo and Yuri’s side. “Perhaps we can expand it to all of Dahna.”
Yuri clung silently to Theo. “Something wrong?” Star asked.
“I can’t understand them,” Yuri said. “Even if I listen hard. It’s not translating.” He met Theo’s wide gaze. “Can you understand them?”
“Some of it,” Theo nodded. “My Onari isn’t perfect, and their dialect differs from what I’m used to.”
“You are human,” Radu reminded him.
“I’ve always been human,” Yuri said. “At least in this life.”
“You were the catalyst,” Radu corrected.
“I’m not anymore?”
“You’ll always be the catalyst, Yuri,” Star interrupted, placing himself between Radu and Yuri. It wasn’t a conversation he was ready to have yet. Why couldn’t Yuri have some happiness for a while? “There’s Lucian. It looks like he has our ride arranged.”
Yuri took Star’s hand, his expression troubled. Radu sighed, but said nothing. Theo skipped forward to launch himself into Lucian’s arms. Lucian caught the seraph and held him as he waited for the rest of them.
“We’ve got a quick shuttle ride over. The speed means it’s a little rockier than usual, but it will only take a few hours, rather than half a day, to get there,” Lucian said.
“Is it very far away?” Yuri asked.
“Auroi is in the middle of the Dahna oceans, which cover most of the planet,” Radu answered.
“The port was concealed by an illusion barrier,” Lucian added.
“Part of our arrangement is that they remove the barrier and have an immigration process.” He pointed toward a building off to the side of the docks.
“Information filed, access to transport, and a way to get to Auroi. Hopefully, we can build new cities like Auroi once the plant life has settled a little.” He led them down the long rows of docks, Theo tucked to his side, until they reached a smaller vessel, sleek and narrow.
“This won’t be a pleasant ride for you, angel,” he told Theo. “I’m sorry.”
Theo folded himself tighter to Lucian’s chest. “It should be all right. I didn’t eat much.”
“Theo gets very seasick,” Lucian answered Yuri’s questioning look.
“I’ll be okay,” Theo promised. “Have you ever been on a boat?”
Yuri shook his head. A sailor led them up onto the ship, Lucian in the lead, Radu bringing up the rear. It was unspoken between all of them that they protected Yuri, but as they entered the ship and Yuri strayed several yards ahead of them, Radu gripped Star’s arm.
“Do I have to remind you again of what secrets do?” Radu asked.
Star flinched. “I’ll tell him.”
“When?”
“Later,” Star hedged.
Radu sighed.
“Do Theo and Lucian know?” Star whispered.
“Lucian. I don’t know about Theo,” Radu said. He shoved Star forward, forcing him to follow the rest. The inside of the boat was lavish despite the smaller size, with cushy seats and windows everywhere. “Lucian also seems to know you’re hiding something else in Auroi. What am I missing?”
“Only the past,” Star said.
Radu’s gaze studied him with firm resolve, as though he could peel back the layers of Star’s projected indifference and discover the truth. “Why do you fear the past?”
“I don’t fear the past,” Star protested, but before Radu could call him on the half-truth, he continued, “I fear the reaction to the past.”
“Because you did things you’re not proud of? We all have endless regrets.”
Star said nothing as he sat down beside Yuri, taking a spot near a window. They would all know soon enough. He gripped Yuri’s hand and stared out at the gleaming water while the others chattered around him.