Chapter 11

Chapter

Eleven

~ Alaric ~

I drive my pickaxe down with such force that the cave wall shudders. The rock cracks to reveal a cluster of golden crystals that sparkle like diamonds, and for a moment, all I can think about is my demon enchantress. My mate, though I’m still reluctant to believe it. The golden color reminds me of her eyes, and a new rush of anger has me gripping the handle of my pickaxe so tightly my knuckles turn white.

In the past, when I was given a target by the Order of the Drozac, I always had this calm certainty that I’d get the job done. There had been times when I’d had to track my target for weeks before being able to terminate them, and throughout, I’d remained patient, never losing sight of the end goal. But now, my patience is wearing thin, and I’ll be fucking lucky if I can stop myself from killing the three males mining next to me. For every minute that I’m away from the she-demon with the smart mouth, I lose a shred more of my control and more of my sanity. I always knew the demon princess would be the death of me.

My thoughts spiral, and soon I’m imagining the one-hundred different ways I’ll torture and kill her captors. As soon as I’m out of here. I hold out hope for the princess’s little bird companion, but if the rebels don’t come soon, I’m going to have to make my own exit.

“Axes down!” Javier, our guard, orders. He’s been wary since Dante jabbed his hand into the male’s throat, but no less cruel. We all drop our pickaxes, letting them thud to the ground, and we turn to the guard.

“Don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for another round,” Nate jokes with a grin, though his left eye is still bruised from the last beating we were all given.

Javier doesn’t look impressed.

“It’s a little sad that you enjoy our company this much,” Dante drawls, his tail poised in the air behind him like a snake ready to strike. “We’re starting to wonder whether you have any friends.”

The guard’s lip curls. “Just move it,” he snaps. “The king has given us orders.”

The king? I glower at him.

Three more guards join Javier.

“Try anything, and the king’s orders be damned, this time we’ll leave you so bloody it’ll take your bodies a long while to heal with that cuff on,” Javier bites out, and he gestures for us to walk in front of him.

I imagine my fist connecting with the surly guard’s face, blood spraying from the blow, but there’s something about the male that’s giving off a strange energy. It’s like he’s nervous…or excited.

Nate is the first to step forward, following the order, and I step in line, knowing that with the cuff around my ankle, I won’t be able to match the guards. We pass where our new prisoner friend, Mason, as he calls himself, is mining with a group further in the cavern, and he subtly watches us as we leave the mines, walking past the cells until we enter another tunnel and come to a narrow door. One of the guards opens the door, and we’re ushered inside. I observe the white tiled walls surrounding us on all sides, and the circular drain in the middle of the room.

“What is this?” I growl, my muscles tensing as I prepare to fight.

Two hoses are connected to the walls on either side of us, and a couple of the guards pick them up.

Javier smirks, his face contorting as a sadistic gleam enters his eyes. “Strip,” he commands. “The king has requested that you be cleaned.”

Nate folds his thick arms in front of his chest. “Fuck that. Usually, when someone asks me to take my clothes off, at least I know I’m gonna have a good time.”

The guard on the right points his hose at the shifter and presses on the handle. Before the jet of water hits him, Nate dodges out of the way, and the stream connects with Prince Callan’s face instead. The prince scowls, lifting one arm to block the water as droplets trail down his reddening cheeks.

A wide grin stretches across Nate’s face. “Ooh, yeah that one was my fault,” the shifter admits.

The guard turns off the hose again as Prince Callan glares at the shifter.

“Why does your king want us cleaned?” I ask.

“How the fuck are we supposed to know?” Javier snaps. “If the king wants you in a dress and prancing around like concubines, you do it. So, drop your drawers before we decide to strip you ourselves. Either way, you aren’t leaving here until your asscrack is clean.”

Dante smirks, looking intrigued. “Well, that’s rather specific. Does your king have certain kinks by any chance?”

The other guard points the hose at the demon’s face, and Dante lifts his hands in a placating gesture. “If you’re that desperate to get me naked, you won’t get complaints from me.” At that, the demon starts stripping off, and begrudgingly, the rest of us do the same.

“What are you doing, Nine Lives?” Prince Callan asks harshly, and I turn to see Nate staring at each of us. The stupid fuck is making an already odd situation even weirder.

“Just checkin’ that I’m the biggest,” the shifter replies with a shit-eating grin. “You get to see mine all the time, it only seems fair. Besides, I wanna know that I’m gonna be Blake’s favorite.”

Prince Callan lets out an insufferable sigh, and I shake my head. Despite the shifter’s idiocy, the archangel drops his gaze, scrutinizing everyone.

“See, knew you wanted to know,” Nate teases. “Hate to break it to you, though. Looks like I’m bigger.”

My brows slam down. The room is as frigid as the ice mountains in my realm, and this isn’t my true size, but I’m not about to argue with the male about the size of his cock. Going by the way he talks, I’ll be surprised if he knows how to use it anyway.

Dante stretches his arms above his head and cracks his neck. “You don’t need to come up with excuses to admire me, shifter. We’re going to be bonded brothers after all.”

I repent internally for whatever transgression led Lady Fate to hate me and place me in this situation. “You’re all fucking stupid,” I growl.

“If you’re quite done,” Javier shouts, and both guards turn on their hoses.

I curse, cupping my front as a powerful jet of ice water pounds onto my chest, knocking my broken rib. They pelt us for long enough that I start to wonder whether they aim to strip the skin from us, when Javier commands, “That’ll do.” The hoses are turned off, and I peer at my bloody clothes that are still covered in grime.

“You’re not to redress,” Javier says with a stern expression. “Let’s go.” He jerks his head to the door, and the rest of us follow, escorted by the guards.

I determine we’re not about to be executed, or they wouldn’t have bothered bathing us, but I stay alert as we’re led down another tunnel. This time when we reach a wider door, two guards in pristine royal armor are waiting outside. I take note of the weapons they’re carrying and the image of a fierce bird etched into their breastplates.

“Keep alert,” Prince Callan mutters under his breath, not that I needed the warning.

The guards open the door, and we stride into the room without hesitation. None of the guards follow us, and as soon as we’re inside, Javier pokes his head through the doorway. “Make it a good show for us, won’t ya?” he says with a smirk, and he slams the door.

Nate peers around and whistles. “Well, fuck me, is this a?—”

“Conjugal visit room?” Dante finishes with amusement. “Going by the furnishings, I’d say this resembles many of the pleasure houses I’ve seen.”

I scan the area, taking in the large bed that’s situated at the far end of the room, complete with crimson sheets and multiple embroidered cushions. The room is dimly lit with crystal lanterns attached to the walls, and multiple plush couches line the area. The red carpet is soft beneath my toes, and a floral-patterned wallpaper covers the walls, stretching everywhere except on the right side of the room where there’s a long wall-length mirror.

“As nice as it is to be out of the mines, somethin’ tells me we’re in for a surprise,” Nate comments, staring at his reflection in the mirror.

I crack my knuckles and move to one side of the door.