Chapter 11
Eleven
LIAM
Kaspar wasn’t pleased with the decision to come down here, especially since I refused to let the others come without us.
I understand why he’s hesitant; this is the second time we’ve had to step into portals to face situations we have little to no information on.
He’s not thrilled with realm jumping outside of visiting our home, but I doubt this will be the last time we do it.
The inter-realm conspiracy is huge, and though we’re forming alliances, it’s not a leap to assume we might have to visit places we have yet to go in order to stop it.
But I’m not mentioning that right now because he’s irritable enough with another old, powerful dragon in our midst—especially a royal one.
“How do you suggest we parse the groups?” I ask as the demon men lead us to the room at the end of the hallway.
That must be the prince’s room—this floor is structured exactly how any royals in school would place their people.
The door nearest his own is likely his second’s and that big guy is one hell of a number two.
Kaspar is threatening, more so in dragon form, but Slash is physically large enough to back lower supernaturals off without a word.
The small red-haired demon is escorting Jasper, and it’s not hard to figure out that their relationship is similar to mine with Lucas.
I glance over at the tall, muscled athlete and he gives me a wink that would start my engines if we weren’t caught in this unfamiliar place with people we barely know.
I wait for the whole group to arrive at the door, and when we do, I cross my arms over my chest impatiently.
I’m not big on throwing my princely weight around, but I should get a fucking response to a simple question.
Finally, the rainbow-haired demon turns to face my family.
“We prefer having more sensitive conversations within the walls of our rooms. Zav, Xerxes, and I frequently check them for all manner of surveillance to prevent any… traveling issues or plants from intruding. Please come in so we can properly discuss the division of labor.”
Oh… this place is more like Faerie than the surface.; I get it now.
Nodding, I walk in behind the demon prince but before the demon twins.
Somehow, we’ve all been sorted into an order that means something to the hosting caliphate.
I’m unsurprised that crowns enter first, and even less so that Kaspar is growling and I can hear Iggy whispering with Slade.
Our group is gelling well, but we have issues to overcome unlike the Bay City group with the missing member.
Prince Jasper’s bonded family is floundering in the wind as far as I can tell, but this is their turf and we have to follow their rules.
“Again, the difference in these goddamn rooms,” the bespectacled twin says as he finds a place on the floor in the main area. “It’s shocking, honestly.”
The prince gives him a toothy smile, and I roll my eyes.
Aggravating everyone because he and the revealed girl in the other room are fighting is ridiculous.
I know he’s easily as old as I am, if not more, and yet he’s still acting younger than the grad student he is.
Members of his own group give him dirty looks and I chuckle as I find a chair to sit in.
Protocol will dictate they give me one even if there’s only enough for their caliphate, and rather than argue about it, I’m going to let it go.
“Prince Liam, can I get you anything?” The fluffy tailed hybrid Kitsune smiles nervously and I shake my head. “Anyone else?”
“While we appreciate the hospitality, Draven, I think everyone is eager to hit the bricks. Our time here is limited, and we all have shit we need answered,” the elder demon twin says. “Someone get this show on the road.”
Jasper settles in his seat and looks around at everyone. “Fine, Gemini. This was not my plan, but I believe that we need to ensure equality of skill sets in each group. That requires us to know the basics of what you can do—mind, I’m not asking for a full disclosure, just basics.”
Lucas arches a brow at him. “That’s why we had to come in here? Doesn’t make sense, dude.”
“Probably because they don’t want their skills known if there’s bugs,” the blond from Bay City grins as he leans against the wall. “When he’s not stuck as a funky chicken, Javi and D keep track of our spaces, too. D’s the tech guy, which I guess for you dudes is the foxy one, right?”
“Yes, Archie.” The Kitsune looks at me seriously. “Who do you have that is tech-skilled?”
Kaspar snorts. “We don’t have someone in our family who does it. We have associates. Next.”
That makes the other two groups raise a brow and I jump in before it gets uncomfortable.
“Morgana is a mythical shifter hybrid who felt the call for her mates when she arrived at the university. We have shifters, magicals, Fae, a storm dragon, and a siren. Because of the issues at our home right now, there’s a Society-vetted legal tac team working with us on various things, and the tech person is part of that.
It’s not a leak to be plugged; I promise. ”
The long-haired demon—Xerxes, I think—nods. “That makes sense up there. It’s like us having the doc or The Keeper in our pocket, Jas. Plus, we have two more people to begin with than either of their families.”
“If you say so, Prince Liam,” the dragon says, but I can tell he’s concerned. “That does not help you down here, though. One team will be short a being with technical gifts.”
“Won’t one of us be able to text, though?” the ginger shifter says as he hugs the tails tight to his form. “The caliphate members can use our group text to communicate between teams and if truly necessary, I can portal.”
“I don’t like over-using that,” Slash says from his seat. “But Zavida is correct, Jasper.”
“Great, let’s start divvying then,” the rainbow-haired demon says as he pulls out his phone. “There are fifteen. We can be in three groups that divide up evenly.”
Damon looks at the demon with a thoughtful expression. “So the groups can be formed around me, Zavida, and one group without a hacker, yes?”
“Excellent,” Zavida says as he nods at them both. “Anton, go ahead.”
“Who are the magic users in the room?” I raise my hand, as does Slade, Iggy, both demon twins, Xerxes, and the demon posing the question. “Okay, that’s two per team.”
I don’t interrupt because it’s clear the guy is running serious calculations in his head.
We also don’t have one of those guys and I consider how that might hurt my family in the future.
Perhaps I need to add classes to my schedule next semester to gain new skills to keep my mates safe. I’ll discuss it with Morgana later.
“Shifters and hybrid shifters without magic?” Anton says.
This time, Lucas, Archie, Jasper, Slash, Salem, and Oriel raise their hands.
“I’m sending the list to the rest of the caliphate so we have it available,” the demon says as he looks up at everyone. “It’s pretty good, I think, given that I only have guesstimates of abilities and weaknesses.”
A chorus of dings echoes in the room and I wait for one of the hosts to bring their device to me so I can see. Once the kitsune rushes over, I carefully study what his brother has done.
Group 1: Zavida, Angelo, Iggy, Prince Jasper, and Lucas
Group 2: Damon, Anton, Slade, Salem, and Kaspar
Group 3: Slash, Prince Liam, Xerxes, Archie, and Oriel
I don’t know everyone’s shit, either, but based on the general questions and appearances, I think he’s probably right.
“Does anyone have an issue with it?”
Jasper sighs heavily as he stares at his phone. “You had to put me with a Gemini, Annie?”
The demon in question snorts. “Your magic isn’t the same as a demon, and you know it, Eversore.”
Iggy shoots them both looks as he frowns. “Demon magic isn’t the same as mage magic, either. I don’t look formidable, but I assure you Briartons are well-known for our—”
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
I stand, commanding the gazes of everyone, even the snarling heir to Hell’s throne.
“I realize that with the amount of testosterone, alpha energy, beta energy, power, wealth, and fame in this room that it is difficult for us to work together. We are supernaturals of various ages, species, and the like who have found mates and centers who now expect us to figure out how to get along. That’s not simple, nor is it something that will just click in place like a seatbelt buckle.
However, none of those women are going to speak to us if we can’t do what they asked, especially since it’s vital to our realms and our families. ”
“Very diplomatic,” Jasper says as he, too, rises. “I will follow suit by saying that even if this is not my plan, I believe we have enough collected knowledge and power to actually fucking get somewhere, which we all need. Slash, which areas would be most strategic to deploy these groups in?”
The shark demon also stands, squinting at everyone like he’s memorizing who to punish if things go wrong.
“I believe we can divide the campus in thirds by the following sections. Group three will take the student dorms, library, Triclinium, and staff housing. Group two can take the admin building, knowledge enclave, and the gym/health building. Group one will take the arena, the magic enclave, and the area before the Wastes.”
I arch a brow. Interesting that he put our group in the living areas—was it to make certain that I’m not in places where it could be dangerous?
Injuring me could start a true inter-realm war, so it’s not the worst idea in the world.
I’m only familiar enough with demons to be good at bargaining with them and the lion from Bay City will be mostly useful in physical situations.
Jasper’s general is quite good at what he does, especially with the help of what I think is a math whiz.
“Don’t worry, Fae-man,” the rocker-looking demon says as he comes over to me.
“I’m not magical, but I’m the thief in the joint.
I’ll get us into anything and everything, Slash and the lion can smash things, and you can help X undo all the fucking hexes and curses people have on shit.
Our territory will be lousy with stupidly constructed stuff from lesser students and shithead staff. ”
I frown, tilting my head as I reply, “You hate the staff here?”
“Fuck, yes, we do. Almost every damn one is some cockwomble picked by Darkstar,” the black and white haired demon in group one says. “Trust me, no one who likes the profs is someone you want to continue talking to. They’re asskissing Lucian-lickers.”
“They weren’t great when we were here, either,” Damon says as he gives my growly bodyguard a side-eye. “But the school up there we went to with Archie, Javi, Rebel, and Rogue wasn’t terrible.”
“Speak for yourself, little D.” The lion ambles over and looks at me, and then the big shark. “Who’s leading the way? We gotta move or I’m gonna start feeling like we’re wasting time.”
Xerxes joins our group, looking at Archie empathetically. “Don’t worry, man. We’re going to figure out how to find your missing guy while KK and the ladies have a nice, long chat. I bet by the time we get back, they’ll be in much better moods, hmm?”
“Considering the amount of alcohol I have stashed in the cabinets? I’d say so,” Salem says with a chuckle. “Even if Kit Kat’s a lightweight, I assume the other two are not.”
That statement has every one of us looking at one another in surprise except the two-toned demon, who is now laughing hysterically.
Perhaps we’ve made an enormous tactical error leaving the three of them alone… but there’s no going back now.