“Not helping me not want to rip out your throat.”
Nick took a step away from him. Given that Styxx was a legendary commander who had basically defeated Atlantis by the time he was Nick’s age … he deserved respect. “Did I ever tell you what a great father-in-law you are?”
“Only when you wanted something.”
Nick picked up the chain that was still holding Styxx. “Here, puppy, puppy. Let’s go save Neria.”
“I’ll help.” Alura turned back into a dragon, then made herself so small that she was able to fit on Styxx’s red cloak as a brooch.
Wow. She looked so much like metal that Nick had to reach out and touch her.
“You’re tickling me.”
He jumped away from her. “That’s amazing.”
“No. Amazing is when I’m too big to fit in the castle.”
Yeah, okay. A massive dragon could come in handy.
Still not sure they should be doing this, Nick led Styxx inside.
He paused to take in the aura of Nouveau Evil that permeated the dark decor. The walls and ceilings were lit by the entrails of luminescent demons. Even better? The walls were decorated with the bones of those who’d pissed off Noir and Azura.
No wonder his father had escaped and vowed to never return here.
Styxx jerked hard at the chain.
“Hey!” Nick warned. “I might need that arm later. Try not to break it.”
Styxx responded with a fierce growl that sounded authentic.
In fact, it was so real that Nick wondered if he needed to leave him chained someplace.
“Hello?” Nick called. “Where’s the great evil I’m here to quash?”
Lights flashed before Nick was jerked through a wall, into Noir’s old throne room.
His father’s memories flashed through his mind. He saw Adarian being dragged in here and chained to his master’s throne. Worse, he felt the surge of hatred and pain.
Yet it was his own outrage that rose to push the other emotions aside.
Cyprian sat on Noir’s throne, glaring at him. “How nice of you to bring me another playmate. I’d forgotten how much I loved hearing the twins scream.”
Nick snorted at that. “Knowing Ash and Styxx, I doubt there’s anything you could ever do to make them flinch, never mind scream.”
Both of them had survived hell in their lives. Pain was second nature to both.
And still Cyprian snarled at him. “You know you can’t win. I’ve already killed you.”
Nick glanced to the blood where he’d wounded him. “And I killed you. That makes us even.”
“You cheated!”
“So did you.”
Cyprian came off the throne, shooting god-bolts at him. Nick let go of Styxx to protect him and moved away so that he wouldn’t be collateral damage.
“You can’t win.”
