“Don’t worry, hellfire. I’ve got you. Your tears are mine. Just mine.”
I press closer, placing a kiss over his heart.
33. The Shrimp King needs to die
Dean
Irequest a meeting with the Diablo Towers to let them know that the Tetrad kingdom is officially going to war with Eldoris.
After Tiberius had the gall to breach our portal and hurt my family, retaliation isn’t optional… it’s inevitable.
To simplify things, Elias, head of the Diablo Tower, invited our allies and anyone willing to step in if the King of Hell asked.
We’re making arrangements in case we need backup since we have almost no information on Eldoris or the size of their army. And after what we’ve heard about Tiberius, the War could potentially extend beyond our two kingdoms.
Harvey and Khatri stand at my sides as our guests enter the Horsemen castle’s conference room, while Seiji and Jackson patrol the perimeter, making sure no one gets clever.
The newcomers cannot be fully trusted. Not today.
The doors open, and Akihiko and Anxo lead our guests inside, pointing out the changes we’ve made over the years.
Anxo is mainly doing the whole show pony dance for the pixie and bear shifter leaders. We have business relations with both, but they haven’t decided about a potential alliance yet.
Anxo gestures for them to sit, but their attention drifts upward to the glass dome ceiling overlooking the kingdom. A quiet reminder of what’s at stake.
When Elijah clears his throat, the room settles. It’s time.
By the time I finish explaining how Tiberius breached our kingdom in his astral form, the King of Hell is already seething, and I’m counting on that anger.
If Tiberius is too much of a coward to face me head-on, then I’ll play his game. I’ll hit him where it hurts… when he least expects it.
And honestly, fuck honor. Fuck waiting. I’m done sitting around, waiting for him to show his face. I’d rather drag the fight to his doorstep and end it myself.
The longer we sit here making plans, the more anxious Hazel gets, and I can’t take it anymore. She’s spent too long looking over her shoulder, waiting for him to come back for her.
It’s time to end this. For her. For us. For good.
Tiberius might be only a threat to us, but the merfolk have been a mystery to everyone since the original King of Hell, Lucifer, gave his creatures free rein.
Eldoris took advantage of that freedom no one anticipated and vanished, never to be found again.
If Tiberius wins, Eldoris won’t stay hidden. From what I know of him, the Crab King will emerge from the shadows. Maybe even set eyes on other kingdoms. Unchecked power always finds a way to rot.
Elijah is outlining a rehabilitation plan for Eldoris when Harvey cuts in. “Wait, Uncle, does that mean you’d take over the Eldoris?”
“I don’t think we have a choice,” Elijah says with a sigh. “It disgusts me to know how they’ve been running things. My father believed in distance and that worked out well enough in his time, but things have changed. Tiberius has crossed too many lines. It’s time he answers for it, and he won’t go quietly.”
Elijah turns to me, his gaze steady. “Once you deal with Tiberius, I’ll handle his kingdom.”
“Meaning what exactly?” Anxo questions, his brows pulling together in suspicion.
Always the perceptive one. He never lets anything slide without dissecting it first.
“A complete overhaul of their governing system,” Lucifer states, his mind already made up. “The residents are welcome to stay in the depths of the ocean, but the Diablo Towers will be keeping an eye on them from here on out.”
“I have a better idea.” I lean forward, flattening my palms on the table, then mimic an explosion.
Anxo looks at me incredulously. “Seriously? Hazel would agree to bombing the only home her kind has?”
