Anxo moves ahead, his Divine weaving a barrier that swallows every sound we make. Merfolk can’t sense Divine like Horsemen, so even if Anxo lowered his shield, they won’t know we’re here until it’s too late.
At Anxo’s signal, I grab the next guard, pull him into a chokehold, and let my essence pass through him, swallowing his life force. I lower the body carefully before Seiji drags it into the growing pile in the shadows.
It’s going to be a nice surprise for Tiberius when he wakes up.
Ifhe wakes up.
I’d enjoy this more if I didn’t have to stay quiet. Every part of me wants to burn this place down.
I smirk as Seiji drags another body to a corner, waving it off with the tip of my fingers.
Toodle-oo motherfucker.
I ease open Tiberius’s door carefully when Seiji whispers, “That went surprisingly well.”
I shush him quickly. Is this idiot trying to jinx us?
I nod at Anxo to take the right as Seiji flanks the bed on the left. I stay at the foot of the bed.
I want the asshole to wake up to my face so I can see the moment it dawns on him that it’s the last day of his life.
We close in, weapons raised, ready to end this.
And then… everything goes to hit. The doors slam open, and guards flood the room before we can react.
Fuck.
35. Hate to be back home
Hazel
Two hours earlier
Midnight creeps closer as the last few humans stumble off the beach, retreating from the cold.
Since Dean left, a pit has been sitting heavy in my stomach, nerves clawing at me at the thought of going back to where it all started. Back to the place that broke me.
The lamps lining the far edge of the beach flicker as we approach the entrance to Eldoris like they’re warning me to turn back.
Only a few beaches in the human realm have a gateway to Eldoris. They were made before Tiberius and his father’s time, and that’s the only reason they exist. That father-and-son duo wanted nothing to do with the surface world, and the second my feet hit the sand, I knew why.
This place is everything they hate.
The human realm represents freedom, equality, and individuality. A chance to be whatever you want in a world full of people different from you. Tiberius despises all of it because control can’t exist where people are free.
Khatri makes a small sound, drawing our attention to the two guards watching the gates. They are usually very lax because merfolk don’t come to the surface, and the few that do don’t stay for long, so their job is pretty boring.
They straighten as we approach, confusion marring their faces.
The bigger one steps forward, his bright purple eyes narrowing in suspicion. I see the black patch sewn on the shoulder pads of his armor, and stumble back.
“High ranking. Close to Tiberius.”I link the group.
The moment he sees me, everything changes. His head jerks back in shock, but it doesn’t take long for something dark to settle in his eyes as he takes my wrists bound by chains.
“You brought back the king’s favorite toy?” He laughs.
Nevaeh steps forward, probably to smash his face into the ground, but Khatri stops her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
