Chapter 49
Tacita
Ididn’t think two weeks would pass so slowly. And in some ways, they haven’t. We’ve been stuck in my apartment still, having agreed that until Wyatt and Milo were fully converted to demons that they would be safest within the wards of my home.
Not that I see it as just my home anymore. They both have their new clothes hanging in the walk-in wardrobe, toiletries in the bathroom we share, and we’ve even had a few other homely items delivered that they’ve ordered using my bank account–which I’ve totally encouraged them to do.
Garrick, as well, is leaving more and more stuff in the apartment. He has a place in Tartarus, which is where he was living full-time, but spends more nights than not sharing a bed with the rest of us.
No, my apartment is definitely our apartment now. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
They’ve all met my parents too, who have been over for dinner.
Twice. The phone call I’d made the day after Hades had come over to reveal the findings of his research had certainly come as a surprise to them.
But I knew my parents would love each of my guys and be totally cool with our arrangement.
They are overjoyed that I have finally found partners who I want to spend forever with.
Milo was, as I guessed, the most shy around them. Although, Garrick did give him a run for his money. Wyatt, of course, jumped straight in and was talking for the first few hours entirely by himself, barely letting me join in the conversation.
On the second time they came over, two nights ago, everyone seemed more relaxed, and my mum totally took Milo under her wing. He’ll love them once he trusts they’re not going to leave. I know it.
Today is finally the day of the ceremony where my humans will finally, permanently, get their demonic forms.
Landing on the beach of the Styx, after Khaos came to steal my humans hours earlier and leaving me to fly in alone, I’m greeted by the main orchestrator of this event.
Garrick had also had to leave early, his team helping Charon set up the beach ahead of the ceremony and ensuring the area was secure.
“Death Bringer, I didn’t think you’d miss this.
Not after we didn’t get one last decade.
” Charon is wearing his signature black wool robe, his face covered just like mine is.
He doesn’t wear a mask but his hood is so deep you cannot make out his facial features from within its hidden depths.
I swear he uses the shadowy magic of the Styx as well, to create extra darkness to swirl around the opening and at his feet.
The reminder that we didn’t get a ceremony like this a decade ago is a sobering one. Instead, there was a funeral gathering of all the families of the guards we’d lost along the beach where Charon docks his boat.
Today the vibe is mostly celebration, although a memorial for the four guards we lost is also on the schedule. Eleven contestants made it through the games. A lower than average number, but still, they deserve to celebrate.
“Wouldn’t miss it for all the magic in the realm,” I sign to the death reaper. Being in my Death Bringer guise means I can’t talk for much of the day. But I’m not lying, there is nothing and no one that would stop me from watching this today.
“Has Hades filled you in on the latest?” Charon drops his voice and moves closer so only I will be able to hear his question.
Indeed. Some of the elite spies within Hades’s employment had come back just yesterday with evidence to give us a solid theory for why the Angels have started targeting us. “Have you noticed an increase?”
“Of course,” Charon answers. “But the human population has exploded over the last couple of centuries. There are a lot more souls in existence. But have we been getting more than the Angels? That is hard to track. And I just look after the Styx, I don’t decide whether the soul comes to Heaven or Hell when it departs the body in the human realm. ”
Contemplating that for a few seconds I piece it together with what Hades told me yesterday. The Angels soul system is dwindling in souls.
Before I can sign a response Charon speaks again. “I don’t know how the recruitment games are connected but it makes sense as to why they would come after you.”
My head tilt must signal my confusion as he adds, “Your kills will always come to me. Any deaths by our assassins do, and your numbers are far higher than any others in the guild. If they take you out it at least gives those souls a chance to go to them rather than me.”
That does make sense, and if you add the number I add to Tartarus, which will never be allowed reincarnation, then I am taking a good number out of the process altogether.
“I think you’re correct, Charon. That makes sense. And maybe the games affect the percentages too?” I sign.
“Perhaps,” Charon replies. “But I think they are just an easy way for the Angels to reach our realm. What they plan to do if they ever successfully manage to make it beyond the compound is anyone’s guess, but I think they need bodies on the ground in Hell to open those portals.
They’ll be trying again in the next round, mark my words. ”
That is something Hades, Garrick and I had already discussed.
We already had meetings set to begin reviewing the security for the next ones in ten years time.
Garrick has already agreed to head the operation once more, and this time I will be on the team from the start, working with the Guard Team this time.
Nodding to Charon I leave him to his preparations.
Heading up the shoreline I have to pull my lips between my teeth to stop the laughter trying to burst out of my throat.
Wyatt has pulled out the bag of graduation robes and is trying to convince the other contestants to wear them.
Graduation robes that he forced me to go to the human realm and steal for everyone when he found out we didn’t have anything special for the humans to wear.
Seffy is squealing in delight beside Wyatt, already twirling in the navy fabric.
Rio is groaning, complaining about the silly gesture.
The others are a mix of resignation and active protest.
I watch on as Milo dons his. We’ve agreed that although they both interacted publicly with me as Hades’s Assassin during the games, that we’d not reveal our relationship to the realm.
They’d rather be out with me as Tacita than with the Death Bringer and that is what I preferred as well.
The rest of the contestants were told that Tacita was a demon, and already works for Hades, which is why she’s not at the ceremony today.
They’ve not been told that she is the Head Assassin who fought with them that night the Angels came to attack.
Some might figure it out, but then rumours of my true identity fly around all the time. I’m not worried.
Of course, I’m coming out of the last few months with far more people knowing my true identity. Rio and Seffy obviously. Tarron too. But I trust them all to keep my secret.
I’ve resumed my work as well, although I’ve told Hades that my cases might not number nearly as many as they did before.
I don’t need the money and I don’t want to work as much as I did before.
Wyatt is going to take on some of them, as his new role in the Assassin’s Guild of Hades’s employment, so it’s not like there will be more assholes running around not meeting justice just because I’m less active.
Milo has also taken on a role directly within Hades’s team. He will be leading a few tech projects to ensure our own resources are secure and unbreachable.
Rio is joining the enforcers in Tartarus so will be working under Garrick, and Seffy is yet undecided. She wants to keep learning the different types of potions she can make as a witch and see where it leads her.
Khaos claps his hands attempting to keep control of the humans, and hollers his agreement with Wyatt about the robes.
He gets mostly ignored as the protests continue until Hades appears at his side in a plume of black shadows.
Khaos makes his husband take his side and only then do the rest of the humans start pulling on the robes.
The Lord of the Underworld doesn’t get much chance to chat with the group, however, as he gets heckled and pulled in several different directions by the rest of the demons gathering for the ceremony.
The attendance today is much smaller than it has been previously.
Before the last games we’d allowed thousands to come and watch the humans get their demonic forms. This year though, it’s invitation only.
We have still got around two hundred guests from across Elysium’s society but we’ve screened them thoroughly. Just in case.
Seeing as several hold fairly powerful positions in the realm Hades’s attention is in demand, and he gives it graciously.
I do a quick perusal of the crowd, nodding to the handful of Hades’s personal security team who are strategically placed throughout.
Finding no threats I wander over to Khaos, who has stepped back from the contestants now they’re all kitted out in their robes, and Charon appears ready to start.
“He’ll be fine,” Khaos says to me once I’m at his side. “Wyatt is with him.”
“I know,” I whisper, so only Khaos can hear. “But I’m still worried.”
The two weeks between figuring out the Angels’ connection with Milo and now has given us ample time to research and investigate further.
We’ve not found a single shred of evidence to suggest that this shouldn't work. Every Dark Angel has been through this process and none, as far as we can tell, haven’t survived.
The only difference is that Milo isn’t truly an Angel; he’s some hybrid reincarnation because those pricks experimented on him to give him enough powers that they could connect to his mind, without giving him their traits.