Chapter 24

Twenty-Four

~ Princess Blake ~

Surprisingly, there isn’t anything bad waiting for us on the other side of the door. We make our way into the castle and up a series of corridors without incident, and it’s not until we reach a main corridor on the fourth floor that I take note of the hidden panels on the walls. Before we enter, I toss a discarded piece of broken wood into the air ahead of us, and jets of fire explode in the corridor, blocking the way ahead. Shit.

“Can’t say I’m in the mood to be roasted,” Prince Callan comments, studying the fire. “What now?”

“Now, we wait,” I instruct. I’ve always known about the booby trap in this corridor, but it’s usually deactivated. I concentrate on counting the streams of fire and tossing more pieces of discarded wood into the corridor when the jets stop. It takes me a good while to memorize the pattern and figure out a path through, but eventually I think I’m ready.

Lifting my hand, I point to a small metal lever against the wall on the opposite end of the corridor. “I’ll go first and turn it off so you guys can come across.”

Dante’s brows slam down. “Let me do it.”

I shake my head. “I’ve grown up dealing with tests like this. Besides, I’m smaller so it’s easier for me to avoid the fire.” He still looks unhappy at the idea of me going first, but he steps back giving me space. Taking a deep breath, I wait until the fire stops yet again, and I launch into the corridor, counting in my head. Jets of fire start up in intervals, and I jump and contort my body, swiftly moving around the streams of fire.

“Fuck me, someone remind me why we signed up for this again?” Nate says from the end of the corridor behind me.

“We didn’t,” Prince Callan replies.

Heat brushes my face as a stream of fire shoots out in front of me, and I flick my head back, narrowly avoiding the flames. Twenty. Twenty-One. Twenty-Two. The fire stops, and I shoot forward four more steps before dropping to the floor and avoiding three jets of fire that surround me. Twenty-Nine. Thirty. Thirty-One. I keep counting.

By the time I make it to the end of the corridor, sections of my clothes are singed, and I have burn marks on my arms, but I’m whole. I plant my feet on the stone before the double doors at the end, and I blow out a breath.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad,” I say to Shade.

“Speak for yourself,” she grumbles, popping her head out from where she’d burrowed into my bodice and is squeezed between my breasts. “If anyone asks, tell them I flew through there.”

“Will do,” I grin as I pull down the lever and the jets of fire stop. The guys all come across, and Dante leans close and whispers in my ear, “Well done, princess.” I shiver as his warm breath touches my skin, and I turn to the doors leading away from the corridor of fire.

Dante grabs the steel knobs.

“This is the last room,” I say. “Beyond these doors is the great hall. It’s where the royals usually meet to carry out sensitive discussions involving the different realms.”

“And it’s where we’ll find the gateway,” Prince Callan adds, and I’m reminded that he’s probably attended some of the meetings held here as well.

“Everyone ready?” Dante asks.

I nod. If I’m right, this will also be where we’ll encounter the last trial the king has left for us. And then we can go home.

“Let’s get this over with,” Alaric growls, his body rigid.

Dante pushes the doors open, but before he can take a step, I fist the back of his shirt, stopping him from moving forward. His eyes widen as he pulls his boot back and away from the swirling shadows that cover the floor. Well, they don’t cover the floor, because there is no floor. Instead of the white tile flooring that’s usually in this room, black shadows writhe and curl around one another like snakes.

Nate’s expression slackens. “What the fuck is that?”

I grimace. “That would be a gateway to the shadow realm.”

“The shadow realm?” Prince Callan frowns. “But that’s forbidden.”

“Feel free to tell that to the demon king when you see him,” I say, indicating with my hand to a space on the opposite end of the room where a smaller gateway is burning in a section of the wall. Unlike the blanket of shadows that’s an opening to the shadow realm, this gateway burns with red fire. I’m guessing the king has his best guards on the other side of that portal awaiting our return.

“But how?” Prince Callan questions, his gaze fixated on the shadows.

I can’t imagine what deal Dad’s made with Queen Krosia, the ruler of the shadow realm, for her to open such a large gateway here, and I shudder as I think of the last time I’d been in her realm. “Let’s just say Dad has connections,” I reply.

There’s a series of obstacles around the room that can be used to travel across the open floor toward the portal to Seral. There are levitating stones, thick steel beams, and even some suspended netting. It wouldn’t be impossible to jump from obstacle to obstacle, but it’d be difficult.

“I’m guessin’ going back aint an option?” Nate says as he assesses the room in front of us.

“Not if you want to get out of Perstalia,” I answer. “Knowing the king, this is our only way out of this.”

“What about the other alphas?” Prince Callan asks, and I wonder if he’s thinking about Saphis and the other archangels.

“This isn’t meant for them,” I reply, my gaze flicking to the last levitating stone before the gateway to Seral where a familiar-looking dagger is resting on its side. Unbelievable. It’s the same dagger I retrieved from the shadow realm for the king not too long ago. “This has been left here for me and my mates. It’s the final test. Once it’s complete and we’re back in Seral, we can organize the retrieval of everyone else.”

Prince Callan stretches out his wings. “Shall we fly this time?”

I peer at Nate and Alaric, and this time neither of them protest at the idea of being carried.

“Flying would be the fastest way across,” I say, “but this will only work if we can keep the shadows out of our minds. The shadow creatures that guard the gateways of the shadow realm feed on fear, and once they’re in your head, they’ll try to break you. I hope your hesitancy to let us carry you before was because of pride and not fear, because if you let the creatures drag you to the shadow realm you might not ever make it out.”

Dante stares down at the curl of shadow reaching for his ankle. “Then I think we’d best keep our wits about us,” he comments with a tight smile.

“Blake, I don’t like this,” Shade whispers, her voice wobbling.

“We’ll be fine, just stick close to me,”I reassure her. “We’ll be back in Seral before you know it.”

Nate blows out a breath.

“All right, Prince Callan, if you take Dante,” I say, “I’ll take Nate. Then I’ll come back for Alaric.” With my strength power, I could probably carry two of my mates at the same time, but I don’t want to risk accidentally dropping one of them.

“Let me come back for the assassin,” Prince Callan says, but I shake my head.

“I don’t trust you not to drop him,” I say.

I can tell Prince Callan wants to protest further, but he only nods in resignation like him dropping the assassin was entirely possible.

“Huh. Guess the prince finally hates someone more than me,” Nate comments with a grin.

Prince Callan scowls at the shifter. “I wouldn’t go that far, Nine Lives.”

I lift my hands. “Okay, everyone needs to calm down if we’re going to get through this in one piece.”

“I’ll wait here with the giant,” Shade says, landing on the ground near Alaric’s feet.

I purse my lips. I know she’s just trying to delay her trip across, and I’d rather her fly with me now, but I don’t push it.

Dante gives me a devilish grin. “Time to get out of here,” he says, and he grabs onto Prince Callan who’s still scowling. The archangel doesn’t look impressed, but he wraps his arms around the demon.

Nate smiles at me. “Shall we, gorgeous?”

Before I can respond, he jumps into my arms, and I catch him, cradling him like a baby. Well, this isn’t weird at all.

“Mmmm, you smell so good,” Nate comments as he tucks his head against my neck, nuzzling in close.

I bite my bottom lip, fighting against the need that races through my body. “Okay, here we go,” I say to Prince Callan, and I stretch out my wings and lead the way.

~ Alaric ~

I glower at the shifter as he cozies up to the demon princess, taking advantage of the situation as she carries him across. Below them, the shadows swirl like they’ve been upset by a gust of wind as they pass, but all of them make it to the levitating platform on the other side of the room without incident. When they set down, Nate climbs from the princess’s arms, and she picks up a jeweled dagger that’s been left at their feet and tucks it into her belt. She whispers something to the others, and then she’s heading back my way.

Her bird companion bounces around nervously near my feet.

“Breathe, little one,” I tell her. “There are times when even the weakest must display acts of bravery.”

The crow cocks her head and glares at me, but I turn my attention to the demon princess who draws close.

“Great pep talk,” Princess Blake says sarcastically as she sets down beside me.

I frown, surprised by her comment. “Did I say something offensive?”

The crow is shaking her head now, and I don’t understand what’s happening. Princess Blake seems to take pity on me, because she answers. “It’s best not to call a girl weak, especially when she’s about to fly across a gateway to the shadow realm.”

“But she is weak. I could easily crush her in my fist if I wanted,” I reply. “I was merely trying to comfort her.”

The crow ruffles her feathers showing her displeasure, and the princess lets out an exasperated sigh. “Just grab on, big guy. Let’s get this over with.”

I remain bewildered, but I move to the she-demon’s side, wrapping my arms around her. She feels small and fragile in my arms, but she holds onto me and flaps her wings steadily, easily lifting us into the air.

“Try not to move too much,” she tells me. “Or you might upset my balance.”

I take her request seriously and keep still, even as my cock hardens, her intoxicating scent of cinnamon and honey filling my nose. She sucks in a sharp breath like she’s just as affected by our close proximity as I am, and the hint of a smile pulls at my lips.

Her little feathered friend flies beside us as the princess starts to carry us across, and I force myself to clear any negative thoughts from my mind. The shadows whisper below me, calling my name, but I think of the snowy mountains in Rostof, where I have a small cabin that’s hidden away from the world. I don’t get there often, but when I do, I relax by the fire, listening to the crackling flames and sinking into my favorite armchair. When I’m in the cabin, I can block out all the noise of the past. And of the present. I’m thinking of the snowy caps I can usually see through the windows of the cabin, and the rainbow of colors that fill the sky for months of the year, when the princess’s panicked voice jolts me from my thoughts, her grip tightening on me.

“Shade, what are you doing?” she hisses.

I blink, watching as the little bird flies lower, leaving our side and descending toward the shadows below which swirl, coiling around each other like vipers waiting to attack.

“Shade!” Princess Blake calls out again, but the crow continues downward.

“Fuck! They have her,” Princess Blake curses, and then we’re dropping lower as well.

“If the shadows have penetrated her mind, there’s no saving her,” I say bluntly, and the princess glares at me.

Despite the anger in her eyes, I see the fear there. The desperate, chilling fear for her friend. “Screw that,” she says, her lips set into a hard line. And then she drops me.

I land on a platform not far from the archangel prince and the others, and Princess Blake moves faster without my added weight, flapping her wings harder as she rushes toward her friend.

“Blake!” I hear Dante cry out, but she ignores him, flying headfirst toward the shadows, her arms outstretched.

“Snap out of it!” she yells at her friend, but the bird only flies steadily downward, her beady black eyes unfocused.

I clench my jaw, and I don’t think as I start to leap between obstacles, moving closer to the pair of them.

The crow is almost at the shadows, and they writhe beneath her like they’re desperate for a taste of her.

Closer, the bird flies toward them.

The black shadows form clawed hands, dozens of them reaching out and swiping at the air, but just as they’re about to take her, just as the shadowy fingers prepare to drag her into the shadow realm, Princess Blake grabs hold of her friend’s little body, and the she-demon swoops upward with the crow in her grasp.

I don’t want to acknowledge the relief that goes through me.

The princess flies higher again, but the layer of shadows ripples below, angry whispers exploding into the air around us.

“Save me,”my twin brother, West’s, voice carries on the air, but I ignore it, even as my heart clenches. It’s not him, and I won’t let the shadows lead me to a pointless death.

“Get to the gateway!” Princess Blake shouts as some of the shadows form up beneath us, and I begin making my way back in the direction of the portal to Seral.

The platform I’m on shakes, and I adjust my stance, stopping myself from losing my balance and tipping over the edge. Peering down, I watch as a creature emerges from below. The dragon is the size of a horse, made of shadow with hollow eyes and smoky wings that carry it swiftly through the air. It soars past me, and the other males try to pierce the creature with their swords as it flies close to their platform. “Your weapons will be of no use,” I shout, knowing full well that an ordinary blade can’t harm a shadow creature.

Princess Blake flaps her wings harder as the dragon curves toward her. “Just get to the gateway!” she yells again, but none of us move toward the portal. The crow is limp in the princess’s hold, and the shadow dragon roars as it draws closer to her, an unnatural cry coming from between its smoky lips.

Prince Callan stretches out his hands, and a gust of wind rushes around the room, but it doesn’t do anything to the shadow creature. Nate roars, now in his beast form, but more shadow creatures are forming below us, disturbed from their slumber, and he leaps out of the way as a second dragon flies past me and lunges toward him. Dante dodges to the side and sticks out his sword, but it passes through the dragon’s belly without causing harm.

The dragon pivots, setting its sights on me, and I jump to a section of netting further to the side of the ballroom and swiftly climb up it. The beast follows, shadowy talons curling around the steel bands that hold the netting together.

“The only thing that can harm these creatures is a shadow blade,” I yell, watching the dragon, even as more shadow creatures begin forming beneath us.

“A what?” Princess Blake calls out, dodging the closing jaws of the dragon behind her.

“It’s an ancient blade,” I shout, “that was forged within the shadow realm itself. But I heard it was stolen from Queen Krosia some time ago.”

For a moment, she doesn’t answer, and I leap to another platform.

“Ah crap, no wonder Dad gave me that look when I brought him the dagger from the shadow realm. It was never bloody his,” Princess Blake finally rambles, and I have no idea what she’s going on about. She pulls the jeweled blade from her belt, the dagger that had been left on the platform near the gateway to Seral.

In a swift movement, the princess pivots in the air, dropping low and lifting the dagger as the shadow dragon passes overhead. The blade plunges into the shadow dragon’s belly, and the beast cries out as its flesh solidifies just long enough for the blade to cut a long wound along the length of its torso. And then the creature is falling back toward its brethren.

The second dragon jumps from the netting and flaps its wings, its jaws outstretched toward me, but Princess Blake yells out and I lift my hand in time to catch the dagger she’s tossed my way. I bury the blade between the dragon’s eyes, and the beast thrashes and cries as it rears back and falls, taking the dagger with it.

Not wasting time, I leap to my feet, and the five of us make our way back to the last platform before the portal to Seral.

Princess Blake peers below. “What’s the bet Dad promised Queen Krosia she’d get her blade back,” she grumbles. “Least I’ve helped him keep his word.” Her chest heaves as she stares at us. “Okay, now will you guys finally listen and get in the damn portal?”

Dante grins. “Ladies first.”

She lets out a pained noise. “We’ll go together. Okay?”

There’s nodding, and she lets out a long breath. “Good.”

The moment I step into the gateway behind the others, I know something is wrong. The swirling red around us starts to change, the liquid energy lightening in color until silver streams blur past us. I open my mouth to shout a warning, but no sound comes out as we’re propelled forward. The blinding streams of silver swirl in a frenetic circular motion around us, and I reach for the blades at my hips.

Before I can draw a weapon, we’re through the portal, emerging on the other side, and I lash out when someone tries to grab me. There’s a shout as my fist connects with soft flesh, but then something is pushed over my face, and I scent a sickening, herby smell before I black out.