A Surrender Of Hope (Umbra Hunters #3)

15. Meyer

FIFTEEN

Meyer

“ T hat’s a lot more than I was expecting,” I admit, looking up at the massive city that towers in front of us. The sparkling, almost pastel orange stone that the majority of the city is made from sparkles in the gleam of the setting sun. “It looks like it's glowing. It’s beautiful.”

“It is,” Nox agrees, his arms tightening around me as he pulls his monstrous-looking horse to a stop. The beast snorts, its giant hoof pawing at the ground as it shifts back and forth on its feet. “Calm,” Nox whispers, his hand moving to pat the horse's neck like it's a cute little pony and not a nightmare come to life.

Looking behind us, I see that Creed and Valen are only a few feet away, and the Unit of Demons who have escorted us back to the city are keeping a safe distance from us… well, from Nox.

“Creed,” Nox snaps, his hands moving to my hips, fingers digging in hard as Creed rides up next to us. I gasp in surprise when I suddenly feel Nox’s hot mouth on my neck, his lips dusting the smallest of kisses there before he grunts and leans back with a firm nod at Creed, who scoops me off Nox's monster horse and onto his without warning.

“Oh, shit, don’t piss off the monster horses!” I snap at Creed when his tan-colored monster releases an odd sound, its body quivering with a rumble as smoke blooms from its nostrils at my added weight.

“They won't hurt you, Meyer. But they can sense fear. Try to stay calm,” Jesthren says softly from behind Creed, earning a glare from Nox.

“Uh, yeah. I’ll try,” I say, offering Jesthren a quick smile as I look back at Creed. “Not that I’m complaining, but what’s with the horse change?” I ask, looking up at Creed, who grins and presses a kiss on my brow.

“We have to enter the city by rank. Nox needs to be upfront with Valen at his side. Razar will be Nox’s guard directly behind him, and then there’s us.”

“Aw, we’re the lowly peasants here?” I tease, and Creed snorts.

“Well, I’m the last in line to inherit the throne and technically the only Prince with no royal blood, other than Jesthren, but he’s riding with us.” Creed shrugs, and I nod. “But Jes and I are still Princes, so we’re included in the ranks despite our lack of true nobility. The Unit will be twenty feet behind us, with Andras in the lead and his men behind him.”

“You are true nobility because your last name is Drakas, Credence. Stop putting yourself down like that,” Nox snaps, glaring at Creed like his brother's words actually upset him.

“He’s right, Creed. You are as important as any of us,” Jesthren frowns, looking from Nox to Creed, who laughs and rolls his eyes.

“Well, I’m only half Demon with no royal blood or last name. Maybe I should walk behind the Unit,” I chuckle, trying to lighten the mood when Creed scowls at Nox.

“I wasn’t trying to put myself down. I was explaining to Lemon Drop why I had to take her. And technically,” Creed continues, looking down at me and tugging on the ends of my hair, “you should be riding with Nox at the front. However, since that would give away what's going on between you two, we all thought it would be safer for you to ride with me until Nox can tell Mom and Dad about the whole mating thing.”

“Should I be worried?” I ask hesitantly, looking from Creed to Valen, watching as he pulls himself to the right of Creed. His Demon horse is white, very fitting, but its eyes are almost more terrifying, the dark-red color so deep they look like actual pools of blood. The ribs and spine of the horse are clearly visible, almost like it has an exoskeleton, and spines protrude from its brows like horns. The long, wavy mane of red and yellow looks coarse and thick as it flows down the side of its unusually long neck, and I shiver just looking at the beast.

“No. Nox and I will handle Father. Creed will handle Mom. She’s always had a soft spot for him. You will stay with Razar,” Valen says with an air of authority that reminds me of when I first met him in my dreams. He tilts his head to the side, studying the city before us with a longing I can feel from here.

“Mom has a soft spot for Razar, not me,” Creed corrects, and Valen rolls his eyes.

“I’m pretty sure I’m her favorite,” Jesthren mutters, and Valen frowns.

“You… might be right,” Valen admits. “But you know that Creed is her bright spot as much as I do. Razar is her confidant, and you are… well, her first son. No one is going to beat that,” Valen offers. “But Creed can sway her mind like no other. Even Nox’s emotional control doesn't hold the power over her like he does.” Creed smirks, cheeks pinkening when Jesthren nods in agreement.

“Razar?” I moan, looking around for the angry dark Prince, but he’s still not visible. I’ve looked for him several times on this trip, and even though I could feel someone watching me, I never saw him. Creed and Valen nod, the latter giving me a sympathetic smile. “Great. Remind me to stay away from any walls or ledges of any sort. I don't want to get pushed off something for a third time,” I grumble under my breath, watching Valen as he straightens his fancy blue dress coat and then blinks in surprise. “Wait… when did you change?” I ask in surprise, knowing for a fact he’d been wearing black fighting leathers when we left the castle and came to the Demonic Realm. Valen winks at me and smirks; the light in his eyes a balm to my frazzled nerves as he mouths, ‘ magic.’

“You need to teach me how to do that,” I complain, running a hand through my slightly longer hair and hissing in pain when I tug on some snarls. “I look like road kill.” Jesthren nods in agreement as he reaches into a saddle pack and hands me a pristine white cloth.

“I don't have a hairbrush, but this can help get some of the dirt and mud off your face,” he offers, and I grin, happily accepting his gift.

“Thanks; now I’m only slightly dirty road kill,” I laugh, wiping my face off while Nox glowers at me and Jesthren.

“Really cute road kill,” Creed offers with a happy smile as he holds me even closer to him. His hands reach up and untangle my fingers from my hair as he runs his own through the locks, trying to help me smooth them back into place.

“What do you mean a third time? When did Razar throw you off something before today?” Nox snarls, cutting into our conversation and I wince when I realize I ratted Razar out. Valen’s smirk falls from his face as he frowns, processing Nox’s words before he tilts his head at me in question like he too wants to know that answer.

“Oh, uh, well…” I start to stutter just as Creed cuts in.

“He tossed her off the wall the day of the Beastia attack. That's how they got down without anyone seeing them.”

“Creed!” I hiss under my breath when Nox’s face turns an ugly shade of red. Even more terrifying is how Valen goes completely still, his hands freezing in front of him. The only movement I can see is the rapid dilation of his now gray eyes.

“Pardon?” Valen rasps, turning his entire body to face Creed and me. “Razar did what?”

“He asked if I wanted to fight,” I try to explain, attempting to defuse the situation.

“He tossed her off the castle walls,” Creed cuts in, his eyes holding more anger than I’m used to seeing. “With several Beastia on the other side.”

“Why would he do that?” Jesthren asks, pulling his horse closer to Valen while peering over my shoulder.

“Calm down. He gave me a few enchanted knives as protection. And he only did it because he needed me to watch his back as he drew the Beastia away from the walls. They would have caused more deaths,” I grind out, slapping my hand over Creed's mouth to get him to shut the hell up. “Speaking of which, I would like more of those knives. They were handy.” I look up at Nox and purse my lips when I see he’s still fuming.

“Well, this looks like a fun party,” Andras chuckles, riding his horse up next to us and arching a brow in question at Nox. “Is there a problem, or are we waiting for your mother to scale the palace wall to reach you four? You know her little spies have already reported your presence outside the gate. Let's save your father the headache and get to the castle before she ties him to his throne so she can escape.” Creed chuckles, his anger melting into glee as he nods.

“I can't believe Dad restricted her to the palace grounds. I bet she’s making his life a living hell.”

“She’s making everyone's life a living hell,” Jesthren corrects.

“He’s not lying,” Andras confirms, then winces. “No disrespect, of course.” Nox waves him off and nods as his face returns to an almost normal shade.

“Andras is right. We need to head in, and Meyer needs to be fed and get some sleep. She hasn't had anything to eat since this morning,” he adds, surprising me.

“You're watching when I eat?”

“I watch everything you do. You're too impulsive and lack a desire for self-preservation for me to do anything else than that,” he scoffs, and I shove down the urge to flip him off. I probably shouldn't do that here, and he’s technically not wrong. I’ve been hurt more than usual over these last few weeks. “And we won’t be keeping to full royal protocol. Valen will ride at my right like always, but I want Razar with you two.”

“That sounds like a bad idea,” Creed whispers, looking from Nox to the trees to the far right of the enormous meadow in front of the city walls. I follow his line of sight and feel my body tense as the now familiar black Beastia slowly materializes from the dark shadows of the trees.

“It is. But it's the only way I’m making it through the city without her on my horse. People won't approach her with Razar’s Beast at her side, and you know her appearance will cause a stir,” Nox stresses. Creed sighs but nod in agreement.

“She should be riding with me,” Valen snaps, eyes locked on me, hands grasping his horse's reins so hard his knuckles turn white. I hesitantly lean forward, reaching a hand out and grabbing one of his, linking our fingers together, and smiling at him, trying to get the gray color to leave his eyes. I hate it when they aren't the soft green I know and love so much. A weird sound escapes Andras’ lips as he watches me, and I frown, watching his eyes dart from mine and Valen’s entwined hands to Nox, who is still staring at Razar.

“Why would my presence cause a stir? Has no one seen a half-human before?” I ask, ignoring the Unit leader as I look back at Valen.

“Because of your hair,” Creed answers, and Nox nods, confusing me even more. I self-consciously bring my hand up and grab my hair, wishing I had a hair tie to pull it back into place.

“It looks that bad?”

“Yes,” Jesthren answers, and I flip him off, making him chuckle. “Oh, I like her. She’s so spunky. I can't think of the last time a female flipped me off as she does. It's entertaining. I think you may have met your match, Lennox,” Jesthren teases, winking at me. “Mom’s going to love her.”

“Jesthren,” Nox growls in warning.

“No, your hair is not that bad. Ignore the big bastard. He’s just trying to get Lennox’s anger out before we get around any civilians. He may sound like an ass, but he's doing it to help,” Valen snaps, gently tugging his hand from mine as he raises himself off the saddle of his horse and gracefully dismounts. “You’re a Dream Walker, and since I’m the only one in the city, your blonde hair and smaller features will be a dead giveaway as to your race of Demon,” Valen explains, moving around Andras and stalking toward Razar’s Beastia, green sparks dancing at his fingertips.

“Dammit,” Nox hisses under his breath, jumping off his horse as my jaw drops in shock while I watch Valen stalk up to Razar and grab his long muzzle like he’s a naughty puppy. I can hear the deep warning growl Razar releases as it vibrates through the air, making a thrill of excitement dance over my skin and race down my spine. Something inside me shifts, and I gasp as it urges me to get off Creed's horse and go to the Beast.

“Shit. Here we go,” Jesthren mutters, worry filtering onto his handsome face as he watches his brothers with an air of concern and protection. It's rather endearing, almost softening me to the oldest Demon Prince. Sure, he’s an ass, but so is Nox. Those two are too similar for their own good. And from what I can tell, Jesthren is honestly trying to help his brother. Or at least three of them. I think his favorite thing of all is pissing Nox off.

“You tossed her off the wall?” Valen’s words are almost unintelligible as he glares at Razar, meeting his soulless eyes without a flicker of fear in his stance. Razar’s fur slowly stands on end, making him look even larger than usual. The deadly poison dipped spines glisten in the last remaining light of the sun as it sets behind the city. I hold my breath, worry filling me as I watch the two brothers face off.

“Do you have a death wish?” Nox snarls, racing up to Valen and grabbing his wrist to get him to release Razar. A burst of green magic hits Nox square in the chest, causing him to stumble back from Valen, who doesn’t spare him a single look as he continues to whisper dark words to the Beast in front of him.

“Shit,” Creed groans, and I shoot him a death glare. “Yeah, I know. This is my fault,” he says, raising his hands up in the air before I can chew him a new one. “But Razar had it coming. I don't have the rank or magic to go head-to-head with Razar, not without Nox’s support, and he couldn’t get away with the shit he pulled that night.”

A low whistle comes from Andras as he turns and watches the three Princes. “He’s gotten stronger,” the Unit leader rasps, eyeing Valen with interest and making Creed snort in amusement.

“Dude, you have no idea. The things I’ve seen him do in the last week alone makes my soul want to shrivel up and hide under a bed. Whatever those fuckers did to him the last four years messed with his mind, but he got a fuck ton stronger from it. I think he would be an even match with Nox, which makes sense, all things considered,” Creed admits, and Andras nods.

“Considering what?” I ask, watching Valen lean closer to Razar, whose soulless eyes suddenly dart up and meet mine, making me freeze, heart stalling as he growls again. Something about that growl is different, more animalistic. I narrow my eyes at him and shake my head a single time. He better not hurt Valen or I’ll be pissed as hell.

Almost like Razar can read my mind, the sharp needle-like fur on his spine lowers slightly, his posture relaxing just the smallest amount as his big soulless eyes narrow on me like he’s annoyed. A huff escapes Razar’s mouth, black saliva dripping from his razor-sharp teeth as Valen suddenly lets him go and turns on Nox, the two Princes arguing over something I can't quite make out.

“Both are Princes, both heirs to their own throne. Valen decided to waive the right to the head of our Legion to Nox since he would be king one day. Since he chose not to rebuild his kingdom decades ago, there hasn’t been too much of a problem. He’s been fine with defaulting to Nox on most things, but those two have always and will always have a power struggle between them,” Creed says, and Andras nods.

“Valen is technically Lennox’s equal. However, they both have different strengths. Where Nox has a shifted form and strength on his side, Valen has magic. It's a good thing those two love each other like brothers. Otherwise, it would lead to a bloody and no doubt fatal fight,” Andras murmurs, eyes still locked on Nox and Valen with interest.

“It would never come to that. Lennox is too good of a Demon to allow such a fight,” Jesthren admits, making Creed shoot him a surprised look. “What?”

“You… said something nice about Nox,” Creed whispers, eyes narrowing on Jesthren as he smiles and shakes his head.

“And what of it?” Jesthren huffs, looking away from Creed, but not before I see his cheeks heat like he’s embarrassed that he was caught being nice to his youngest brother.

“Nothing. It's just… weird.”

“Well, it's not a lie. Nox has a good heart, even if he’s an annoying child who is always underfoot.” Jesthren scowls at his brothers, his eyes never moving off them. He may act like he’s annoyed with them, but I can almost guarantee he cares about all of them. He’s just not good at showing it.

“Let's go,” Lennox bellows, shoulders tense and broader than they had been only moments before, as his hands tremble at his sides. I can almost feel his anger and frustration as he strides back to his Demon horse, glaring at the world like he has a problem with everyone in it. Jesthren moves, guiding his horse back toward the Unit behind us.

Valen follows behind Nox, not looking the slightest bit upset anymore as he walks over. He snatches my hand and tugs my fingers to his lips, dusting them with feather-soft kisses. Andras darts his eyes toward Lennox with a fearful hiss, waiting for his reaction.

“Don’t worry. We all have an understanding,” Creed says, his hand resting possessively on my hip, making Andras sigh, close his eyes, and shake his head.

“Your father is going to lose his mind. You know that, right? And there will be no understanding between a king and his mate. Valen, you’re playing with fire, and you know it. Kings do not share their mates. There is a reason for it. Nox will eventually lose control of his shifted side, which will be bad. So fucking bad!”

“There hasn’t been a King that was a part of a Legion. Lennox is,” Valen states, looking up at me with bright gray, almost white eyes. They look like tiny crystals twinkling up at me as he presses one more kiss to my fingers and moves to his horse, jumping onto the massive monster with no issue and taking the reins. “And it’s also not your problem or concern to meddle in our business,” Valen reminds him. Not in an unfriendly way, but there was definitely a hint of warning in his words.

A loud snarl breaks the tension forming in the air, and Andras shouts and yanks his horse back several strides as Razar, still in his Beastia form, stalks up to our side. His black eyes are trained on Andras like he’s a snack. I frown, kicking Razar’s side with the toes of my boot, surprising even myself when I scoff at his Beast’s responding growl.

“Knock it off. He’s only being friendly, and you're being an asshole,” I chide, staring at him in challenge when he tilts his head to the side and studies me, maw parting, sharp teeth dripping with what I know is toxic saliva. “Yeah. You're bad and scary. Now, stop making things more complicated. You can growl at me later.” I roll my eyes at him, making Creed chuckle as he moves his arms around me, grabbing his reins and moving his horse behind Nox and Valen’s.

“By the Gods. You're all fucking insane,” Andras mutters, voice cracking a little as he keeps tugging his reins, getting his horse to move further away from Razar when the Beastia growls and snaps his sharp teeth in his direction, obviously not liking his words.

“Andras, send four men ahead and have them clear the streets. We don't need to make a spectacle of this. Let's get to the castle as fast as possible without scaring the people,” Nox says, his eyes moving to Razar with those last words. Andras immediately opens his mouth, words falling from his lips that sound harsh and foreign as he commands four of his men to lead the way.

“Hold on tight, Lemon Drop. This is going to be a fast but fun ride,” Creed whispers into my ear, his hips adjusting in the saddle behind me so that I’m tucked protectively against him with no room to move or get jostled around. After a few moments, the gates open, and Nox clicks his tongue, his horse starting to lead our group forward. Our pace starts out slow but picks up speed the closer we get until we fly through the gates of the city. I can feel the eyes of several people on us, the shouts of voices as we move through the beautiful streets. I try to take it all in, but we’re moving so fast it blurs together in one beautiful picture.

“Drakas!”

“Prince Drakas!”

“The Princes!” The excited voices shout, and Creed chuckles and leans close when I squeeze his arms.

“Are you alright?” he rasps into my ear, and I nod, watching several people gasp and point in my direction before balking and stepping back when they spot the black Beastia at our side. “Almost home,” Creed promises, as we ascend the large hill at the city's center. My eyes immediately move to the larger-than-life castle in front of us. Its size is impossible to compare to any other structure I’ve seen before. Grand arches and sparkling windows reflect the pastel light of the dwindling sun as we draw closer. I hear Nox yell something in the language I don't understand just as giant black glittering gates open, allowing us to ride through to the castle without stopping.

My eyes instantly take in the lush lawns and fountains lining the white stone path that weaves through the land, taking us to the castle where two prominent and beautiful Demons step out onto the top step. Silver crowns adorn each of their heads like glittering halos, and I smile when I see a slightly older version of Lennox wrap his arm around the stunning brunette at his side.

The guards at the door's sides dip their heads in a small bow but quickly return to attention as the guys’ parents move down the steps. Their mom tries to run down the steps just as their dad winds an arm around her waist and shakes his head, whispering something in her ear. Men and women alike move around the steps, some carrying large boxes and others bolts of cloth. All of them stop midstep when they hear the horses approach. Nox and Valen pull their horses to a stop moments before Creed and Jesthren do the same, staying several feet behind them.

“Orcus!” The woman practically growls, and he laughs, letting her go and watching with a slight smile of adoration on his face as she runs down the steps.

“Mom!” Valen shouts, a broad smile breaking over his handsome face as he jumps from his horse and runs toward her. She throws herself into his outstretched arms, a sob breaking from her lips as he picks her up in tight hug as she cries into his chest.

“I thought?—”

“I know,” Valen whispers, his hand rubbing her back in a soft circle as he tries to calm her down. Nox dismounts next, nodding to a younger-looking boy and offering him the reins of his horse. Orcus moves down the steps toward his youngest son, his black tunic-looking shirt stretching over his shoulders. It looks like it might just rip in two if he inhales too deeply. I watch him in fascination, realizing just how enormous this man is. I thought Nox was big but his dad has a good six inches on him in height, and his shoulders look even wider. I know the guys have said that Nox is the youngest of them, that he’s still growing into his Demon form and magic, but I never thought about that in a physical sense.

Nox is the biggest right now, standing above everyone but Jesthren who is the same height. I look from Nox to Jesthren then to their dad and shake my head in awe. Jesus, how big will Nox get as he gets older? I mean, I can't say I won't like it, but damn, the size is intimidating as hell!

“Son,” he greets, his smile widening as he looks at Nox. He then moves to Jesthren, nodding at him in approval before finally landing on Razar, where his smile falters. “Why is Yannos in beast form? Is he injured?” he asks, worry filling his eyes. His attention snaps to Creed, then widen when he sees me in his son’s arms.

I hold my breath as something shifts in the air around me. This man's gaze is heavy, like a living thing pinning me in place as he studies me, from my hair to my eyes, then down and back again. In the next instant, something strong wraps around my body, startling me and I jerk in Creed's arms.

“Lemon Drop?” he asks in confusion, but I can't take my eyes off the older version of Nox, whose eyes narrow on me, lips thinning as he steps forward. Almost as fast, I feel Nox’s magic swirl around me, shoving the heavy presence off before protectively cording itself between me and his father.

“Don’t,” Nox warns, his voice pitched low and deep.

“How?” Orcus mouths just as Nox steps directly before him, cutting off his father's view of me and growling low under his breath. The courtyard stills at the sound, and every eye turns toward their King and Crown Prince as dark black magic starts to dance in the air around them.