Nevis rolled his eyes.
“So you could what, exactly? Torment the poor Mara who bested you for this beautiful creature’s heart?” Neha added, her voice soft and sweet as she smiled and winked at me. My cheeks caught fire.
“I’m regretting my decision now. It has backfired spectacularly, since you two decided to claim the moral high ground,” Nevis replied bluntly.
Colton chuckled, then gave us a friendly nod. “Sorry it took us so long. We had some… unexpected issues.”
Grief flickered across his and Neha’s faces. The kind that came with tragic loss. They were trying to seem upbeat and cool, but they couldn’t hide it anymore. Something had happened, and it involved death.
I knew that look all too well.
Harper
We were all summoned back to the inn’s dining room—and were thrilled to find Neha, Colton, and Nevis standing there, looking over the maps we’d gathered of the gorges and Azure Heights.
Pheng-Pheng slipped past us like a dart and clamped onto her mother in a tight hug, their tails rattling with the joy of reunification. Colton nodded at the massive Hundurr and Rover, who were both obediently sitting on their hind legs just by the door. Nevis kept exchanging glances with Avril and Heron. There was a hilarious dynamic unfolding there, where Avril had suddenly found herself in charge of tempering two sullen teenage boys.
“It’s so good to see you all!” Hansa exclaimed, then offered a curt bow.
“I’m thrilled to be able to say the same about you,” Colton replied, smiling. “We tracked you with Nevis’s help.”
“Ah, yes,” Avril said, touching the little snowflake pendant hanging around her neck. “We were worried about you. We ran into a group of daemons and Exiled Maras led by a Correction Officer, Tarsis. He said he’d planted spies among the rebel Imen. They don’t even know they’ve been mind-bent into it.”
Neha sighed, grief settling on her beautiful face. She held Pheng-Pheng close to her. “We know. We made a clean break from Ragnar Peak, just like we’d planned. We took Wyrran’s Imen with us, thinking they’d be safer in our ranks.”
“We were ambushed on our way here, but we managed to destroy the hostiles,” Nevis added. “Unfortunately, the Imen discovered as spies didn’t make it.”
“We lost plenty of our own, too,” Neha said, her voice trembling, then looked at Pheng-Pheng. “I’m sorry, my darling, but your sisters didn’t make it.”
Pheng-Pheng gasped, her eyes instantly filled with tears. She tried to keep it together as best as she could, but I could see her pain radiating out of her in deep shades of crimson. It broke my heart to see her like this. Caspian took my hand in his and dropped a kiss on my temple as I watched Neha console her daughter. Pheng-Pheng was all she had left.
“She’ll be okay,” Caspian whispered. “Pheng-Pheng is a warrior Manticore. It’ll take a lot more to bring her down.”
“I know,” I breathed, “but it still hurts.”
Pheng-Pheng wiped her tears, while we listened to Neha, Nevis, and Colton describe their escape and trip to Meredrin. Wyrran had to sit down, too, grief-stricken at the thought of his own people getting some of our allies killed in an attempt to sabotage our rebellion.
“I’m sorry,” Wyrran mumbled. “I… I didn’t know…”
“You couldn’t have. None of us knew,” Colton replied. “The Maras are sneaky and resourceful bastards. They’re worthy foes, I’ll give them that. What they lack in numbers they certainly make up for in deviousness.”
“We all knew that lives would be lost today, one way or another,” Neha added. “It’s the price we pay for freedom. But retribution will be swift, I promise you that, my darling,” she said, looking at Pheng-Pheng.
The young Manticore nodded slowly, then wiped her tears and chose to focus on the maps. Jax and Hansa brought them up to speed with our plan. Nevis listened quietly, then looked at Neha and Colton and put on a devilish smirk.
“Sounds like a good plan,” he said. “I think we can make it even better.”
“How so?” I asked.
“I can take Queen Neha and Colton with me and summon the remaining Mara Lords,” he replied. “Under the pretext of a truce. We’ll say we have information about you. I’ll have to explain why I’ve helped you all so far, but it won’t be difficult for me to sell that, since I’ll emphasize that I’ve changed my mind. I’ll tell them I’ve seen their coalition armies and not even my Dhaxanians can survive an all-out war.”
Hansa and Jax thought about it, while Neha and Colton seemed to agree.
“The purpose would be to keep the Lords busy while Harper and her group handle the extraction, I presume,” Colton muttered, looking at Nevis, who replied with a brief nod.
“The Lords won’t even see us coming,” the Dhaxanian prince said, then nodded at Caia and Blaze. “You two could tail us, invisible, and be ready to intervene if the Lords try something funny. Provided, of course, that your superiors approve it.”
“What do you think?” Caia asked Jax and Hansa.
“I think it’s reasonable and wise to do that,” Jax replied. “But you’ll have to be wary of red lenses in Azure Heights, too. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, as you Shadians would say, they’ll be on the lookout.”
“All we need is fifteen minutes in the room with them,” Nevis said. “Long enough for Harper’s team to find and rescue the swamp witch.”
We went over the last few details and agreed to a final, updated plan. Peyton then stepped forward, addressing Neha, Colton, and Nevis.
“You’re all welcome to spend the evening in my home, if you wish,” he said. “The inn is full, but my house is warm and open to all of you.”
Nevis raised an eyebrow, while Avril discreetly rolled her eyes, already suspecting that he was about to say something remarkably pretentious. That’s what I was thinking, anyway.
“That’s very kind of you,” Nevis replied, surprising both Avril and me. “Will there be food?”
Peyton smiled. “Of course, Your Grace,” he said, then motioned for the door. “Follow me, please.”
As soon as he reached the open doors, he stilled for a second, then ducked as a red-feathered bird shot into the room. Neha gasped, and I froze, as I recognized the creature.
“Ramin,” I murmured. The Ekar flew around the room for a few moments, then settled on my shoulder.
Both Pheng-Pheng and Neha smiled. “I see you’ve made a friend,” Neha said.
“This is a surprise,” I said, unable to take my eyes off the Ekar. The bird looked at me, its head cocked to the side. “Did you summon him?” I asked Neha.
“No. Ramin came by himself, and it’s not like him,” Neha replied. “I left him back with the rest of his flock in Akrep. He’s never done this before. I guess the fire spirit has taken a liking to you, Harper Hellswan.”
I frowned, slightly confused.
“Fire spirit?” I asked.
“Old legends of our people,” Pheng-Pheng replied with a shrug. “It’s just a story.”
“Manticores believe in the spirits of natural elements,” Neha explained. “Fire, winds, the earth, the seas and rivers, and so on. It is said that the Ekar is a manifestation of the fire spirit, a way for it to communicate directly with us. Manticores are protected by fire, in a way. It flows through us,” she added, raising the tip of her scorpion tail. “And we inject fire into our enemies. We thrive in heat. We are children of the sun.”
“And it is also said that the fire spirit may favor a certain person from time to time,” Pheng-Pheng continued. “The Ekars are very obedient but not that sociable, which is why Ramin is… different. Mother thinks it’s the fire spirit favoring you. I think it’s just an old folktale.”
Neha chuckled softly. “Yet there he is,” she replied, pointing at the Ekar on my shoulder.
I found myself smiling, with the full attention of a strange bird that didn’t seem to want to part with me. The Ekar had flown across hundreds of miles to find me�
�which was probably the most impressive part in all of this. I gently stroked its feathered neck with one finger, and it closed its eyes for a brief moment, enjoying the sign of affection.
“He might come in handy later,” Hansa said. “I’ve rarely seen such an intelligent creature, and I’m sure we will need to send a message somewhere, at some point.”
Hansa was right. Having Ramin around could definitely help.
We left the dining room and resumed our bids to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening. We had one hell of a quest ahead of us tomorrow, and I decided to make the best of this night—it could very well be our last. I wasn’t giving way to pessimism, but I had to maintain a healthy dose of realism.
Tomorrow would either get us closer to freedom, or it would break us. I had to be ready for both possibilities, and I didn’t want to squander a single minute before either came to pass.
Jax
I went back to the room and removed the last of my healing patches. I’d gotten hit by several arrows—nothing serious, just painful when they first went in. I washed off the smudges of dried-up paste, checking my torso in the mirror. They were all healed, as per my Mara nature. I only had my Destroyer scars left, but those would never go away. I’d been injured by Destroyers during Azazel’s occupation of Eritopia, and I would always carry the marks of those battles with me.
There was hot water in a kettle over the fire in the room. I poured it into the tub, topped it up with cold water, and sank in. All my muscles relaxed. The water wasn’t hot, or cold, but the overall feeling was a much-needed respite.
I kept going over the plan and the risks we were taking. Having my “kids” put themselves in danger didn’t sit well with me, but I knew that this was our best and only shot to get Lumi out of Azure Heights. Hansa was right—we needed to think outside the box and do something that neither the Maras nor the daemons would ever expect. Playing the long game, in a way.
Once I was done, I wrapped a towel around my waist, waiting for my clothes to dry by the fire. I settled in a chair by the fire and proceeded to sharpen all my blades with a diamond stone. A few minutes later, I finally heard the knock on the door that I’d been waiting for. Hansa came in. Our eyes met.
She didn’t bother to keep her succubus nature in check this time. I felt my lips stretch into a smile, trying to figure out what was going on in her head. Those emerald-gold eyes of hers were phenomenal to look into, but they kept everything secret. The inner workings of her mind only slipped out when she allowed it—the tone of her voice, her body language, and the little gestures she thought no one would notice. I’d learned to read her well.
This time, she kept a straight face, but her succubus nature was loose. It made my blood rush and my heart beat faster. I’d never get enough of her. Ever.
“Can I come in?” she asked, standing in front of the closed door.
“You’re already in,” I replied, then set my blades aside and stood. She drew me to her without any effort.
She chuckled softly as I closed the distance between us. “Everything okay out there?” I asked.
“Yes. Peyton and his Maras are handling the night watch,” she said, her gaze clouded, fixed on my chest. The closer I got to her, the hotter I burned. “The others are enjoying the rest of the night however they see fit.”
“And how would you like to spend yours, Hansa?”
She looked up at me, and I could hear her heartbeat skipping frantically. It felt incredible to know that I had this effect on her. She breathed deeply, then smiled.
“We don’t know how it’ll work out tomorrow for us,” she said. “It’s a gamble. But it’s our best shot. Therefore, I’m aware that this could very well be our last night together—”
“Or the first of many,” I replied, leaving only a couple of inches between us.
The air thickened, supercharged with energy. I had a feeling I’d see lightning discharge if we touched. There was so much more than attraction between us. I was still in awe of the impact that Hansa had on me. I loved her more than I’d ever loved anyone before. Granted, maybe it always feels like that when you fall for someone. Maybe it always feels like this is it. But with Hansa I knew, without a single doubt, that I would never experience something like this again.
She trailed a finger along my jaw, then moved it lower, down my neck and chest. Her gaze followed it, and I looked down for a second before I went back to searching her face for some hint to her thoughts. My senses were on fire already. Her touch was soft, fluttering across my skin like a butterfly. My stomach tightened as her finger settled on one of the scars on my abdomen. Her brow furrowed, and I found myself one step closer to unraveling. There was so much emotion in those eyes, the complete opposite of how she usually hid behind her warrior façade.
“I thought Maras healed fast, without any traces or scars,” she muttered, then looked at me.
“Azazel cursed some of the Destroyer blades,” I said. “I had the misfortune of fighting against one. I won, but I took a few souvenirs with me,” I added, watching as she found another scar on my chest.
She bit her lower lip, then slowly moved around, her fingers following the ropes of muscle as she found the scars on my back. I’d taken several slashes over my shoulder blades, where three curved lines the length of my palm were left. I stood there, quietly, as I waited for her to say something.
Then the most incredible sensation surged through me. I felt her lips press gently over a shoulder blade scar. A guttural moan escaped my throat as she snaked her arms around my torso and held me tight, her soft form molded against my back. She kissed another scar, then exhaled, her hot breath spreading through my skin like the summer sun.
This was as close as I could ever get to feeling the sunshine on my skin—through Hansa’s kisses. I gathered all the strength I had left to keep myself under control. I had to see where she wanted to take this. She kissed me again, and then I heard a zipper slowly come down. I moved my head in a bid to turn it around, but Hansa’s husky voice stopped me.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “Wait.”
She planted another kiss, this time between the muscles lining my spine. I shuddered, my skin rippling as she held me tight again, her arms once more slipping around my waist and pulling me into an embrace. My muscles hardened as I felt her skin, her naked body against mine. My brain almost evaporated, my heart throbbing against my ribcage. I covered her hands with mine and surrendered myself to her.
“I love you so much, it hurts,” I managed, barely able to speak. A painful knot formed in my throat. There weren’t enough words to describe how she made me feel. How helpless and empty I was without her. I still remembered the day we met—the day she showed up with Draven and Serena and challenged my authority. Hansa had made my blood boil and set me on fire almost instantly, from the very beginning.
“Jax, I love you,” she murmured, her lips soft against my spine. “We’ve been through enough already. Whatever comes next, let’s face it together. I’m stronger with you.”
That was it. That was the end of me—the old me, the Mara who was terrified of commitment, who loathed the idea of getting his heart broken. I’d already told her how I felt. I’d kissed her; I’d felt her in my arms. But this… This was something else entirely. This was Hansa giving herself to me, body and soul, and turning me into a different, better version of myself.
I was undone. I let out a breath, then turned around to face her. There was darkness and depth in her eyes—love. So much of it, I could easily get drunk on it. “I’m nothing without you,” I replied, then kissed her.
I put everything I felt into that kiss. Our hearts struggled and echoed in unison as I wrapped my arms around her and reveled in this extraordinary feeling of… her. Every muscle, every inch of soft skin, and every lock of her long, curly black hair was mine tonight and forever. She welcomed me, moaning gently against my mouth as I deepened the kiss and let my fingers dig into her hips.
She brought her hands up and squee
zed my shoulders, letting out a throaty sigh as I ran my fingers through her hair and pulled her head back. I trailed kisses down her neck, exploring every curve of her perfect body. Hansa lit up like the moon on Calliope, glowing as my mouth found hers again. We kissed, desperate and hungry for one another.
Months of untold emotions unfolded, and I felt her come apart at the seams as I laid her on the bed and finally claimed her very soul. We made love—it was our first time, but it could very well be our last. We took every minute that we had and turned it into an hour. We loved each other to the point where we’d become one. We both cried as we reached the peak of our union, exploding and scattering across the universe like clouds of stardust.
We sank into the bed, devoid of any notion of the palpable world around us.
“I’m everything with you,” I whispered, riding out the ecstasy of her succubus nature.
It was unbelievable. I’d never experienced anything like this. Everything was amplified; every touch made my very core vibrate. I held her close and lavished her with kisses. She was my queen, my goddess… the piece of my soul I never thought I’d find.
Avril
Heron left to go on patrol with Peyton and his Maras for a while. He wanted to see how they organized and kept Meredrin safe. He promised to be back before midnight. I spent some time warming up by the fire and thinking about our mission tomorrow. Concern gnawed at my stomach. Our part was relatively manageable, but I worried about Harper and her crew. At the same time, I understood why Jax and Hansa had proposed the arrangement we’d all eventually agreed upon. We needed to be decisive and creative if we wanted to win this.
The room suddenly got cold. I pulled my chair closer to the fireplace and added a couple more logs, but it didn’t do anything to dissipate the chills running down my spine. It hit me then that this wasn’t a natural occurrence.
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