A new era was born.
And the Demon Princes of the Nine Hells were created.
Closing the book, my mind was reeling after finishing the tale. It was never taught that the Demon Princes may have once beenGodsthemselves.
For even a God can fall from grace.
I would need to tell the others tomorrow because if this tale was true, or even if it contained a kernel of truth, it would be huge.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Iwoke early the following morning to daylight streaming in through the cracks of the poorly constructed stables. Groaning, I rolled from the hay, rubbing my eyes tiredly before the sound of soft snoring grabbed my attention.
A smile curved my lips as I stepped lightly to stand before a sleeping Roan, his back leaning against the entrance of the stables, his legs stretched out and crossed before him, so anyone who entered would have to step over him.
Nudging him gently with the toe of my boot, I raised a brow as his eyes shot open, immediately landing on me.
"What are you doing out here?" I asked, amusement coloring my tone.
Shifting, he stretched out his arms. A sleepy, annoyed look screwed up his face. “Someone got into a fight and was banished to sleep with the reptiles." As I opened my mouth for a retort, he was on his feet in an instant, his form towering. "I wasn't going to have you sleeping out here alone, little menace. Especially not with thosemen still roaming the town."
My throat was dry as I took a step back, creating a bit of distance between. “How do you know they didn't leave?"
He shrugged, that infuriating smirk settling on his lips. "I have my ways."
Snorting, I made my way back to the stalls. “Must you always be so mysterious? Are we not friends?"
He was silent as I approached Aziza's stall, running a hand down the nose of the Tolokok who had awoken during our exchange. “You ready to be back in the desert, you grump?"
The only response I received was a swishing of the Tolokok’s tail, her beady gaze following my every move.
I turned as Roan approached from behind, breath stilling as my eyes locked with his, his hand reaching towards me. Anticipation shifted to confusion when his deft fingers plucked something from my hair. A teasing grin formed upon his face when he pulled away, a few strands of hay in his grasp.
My eyes narrowed as I shoved him away, muttering beneath my breath as I combed through my black tresses to remove any more.
"Are we friends?"
The question was said with a gentle hesitancy that had me stilling. I looked up once more to see that green and silver stare boring into me, unraveling me bit by bit. Were we? The question was a fair one, one that I should easily have answered. Yet under his watchful eyes, the intrigue written all over his face, my tongue felt tied. Too heavy to voice those answers, too afraid to break the tentative tension that was our relationship.
"Syra!" Gianni's voice called out, startling me from the trance I'd fallen into as he and the rest of the group entered the stables. Their steps slowedas they took us in. Amusement lit his dark eyes as he slowly asked, "are we interrupting?"
"No." I answered quickly.
"Yes." Roan grumbled at the same time.
A nervous laugh slipped past my lips at the contradiction, my brows raising in question at Roan. He merely shrugged, crossing his arms.
"Okay…" Kairen drawled out, before giving me a smile. “Let's try not to make any more trouble today, agreed?"
Eyes twinkling, I strode to my bed of hay, grabbing the journal before I tossed it to him. "I don't know Prince, perhaps I should make more trouble, seeing as it gave us exactly what we need."
Rena curiously peered over her cousin's shoulder, Bran crowding in too as Kairen began to flip through the pages.
"Is this..." his golden eyes were wide as he looked up in shock, his words trailing off.
"A collection of tales and fables from around the continent? Yes, yes it is." My grin was pure satisfaction. “And I've marked a particularly interesting passage with some hay for you all."
His elegant fingers quickly opened to the page, a wrinkle forming between his brows as he read, eyes widening the further he got. Rena and Bran read from over his shoulder as Roan leaned back against the stall door, his face blank as stone.
