Knox (Monsters of Veridia #1)

Chapter 25

Chapter

Twenty-Five

The drive to Lancefield passed in a blur. Adrian’s mind was focused on one destination: Bellhammer Square. It had only been a few days since he’d last been there with Knox, watching the incubus battle a massive troll. Now, it felt like a small eternity had passed.

As they approached the square, Adrian’s heart began to race. Police tape cordoned off the area, and debris still littered the ground. The cleanup crews hadn’t reached this part of town yet. Adrian parked the car and got out, his eyes scanning the square.

"Are you sure about this?" Lyrian asked, his voice laced with concern.

Adrian nodded, determination etched on his face. Without hesitation, he stepped over the police tape, ignoring the potential consequences. Right now, nothing mattered except finding a way back to Knox.

His feet carried him across the square, memories of that night flooding back. The chaos, the fear, the exhilaration of watching Knox in action. Adrian’s eyes darted around, searching for something, anything that might help.

Then, in a corner of the square, he found what he was looking for. The exact spot where Knox had shoved the troll back through the portal. Adrian’s breath caught in his throat as he approached. There was nothing visibly different about this particular patch of ground, but he could feel it. A faint tingling in the air, a whisper of something otherworldly.

He didn’t know when exactly he’d become sensitive to magic, but he could feel it now.

He knelt down, his fingers brushing against the rough pavement. "This is it," he said. "This is where the portal was."

Lyrian joined him, the siren’s eyes narrowing as he examined the area. "You’re right," he murmured. "There’s still a trace of magic here. It’s faint, but it’s there."

Adrian’s heart leaped. This was it. Their chance to reopen the portal, to find a way to Veridia. To Knox.

"Step back," Lyrian said. "We don’t know what might happen. Or what might come through the portal once we open it."

Adrian nodded and stepped back as Lyrian instructed, his heart pounding in his chest. He took the siren’s warning seriously, but whatever came through that portal, it would be worth it if it meant a chance to see Knox again.

Lyrian carefully pulled the shards of the artifact from his pouch. In his hands, the broken pieces began to emit a faint, pulsing glow. The air around them seemed to thicken, charged with an almost electric energy that made the hair on Adrian’s arms stand on end.

He watched as Lyrian arranged the shards in a rough circle on the ground.

"Adrian," the siren said, "I want you to focus on your connection to Knox. Maybe we can use that to connect the portal to where he is."

Taking a deep breath, Adrian closed his eyes. He pushed everything else from his mind - the sounds of the city, the chill in the air, even Lyrian’s presence. He focused solely on Knox. The warmth of his touch, the intensity of his gaze, the depth of their connection.

As he concentrated, Adrian felt the necklace with the symbol of the Night Court grow warm against his chest. His eyes flew open in surprise, but he quickly shut them again, trying not to let the unexpected sensation distract him. He tightened his grip on the pendant, using it as an anchor for his thoughts of Knox.

He could feel magic build in the air around them, like a storm about to break. He kept his eyes closed, pouring all his concentration into his memories of Knox, willing the portal to open and lead him back to the incubus.

Suddenly, a gust of wind whipped around them, and Adrian’s eyes snapped open. In front of him, the air shimmered and warped, twisting into a swirling vortex of shadows. The portal had opened.

Adrian’s breath caught in his throat. This was it. His chance to find Knox. He took a step forward, ready to plunge into the unknown.

But before he could move any further, the portal pulsed, and something began to emerge.

Adrian’s heart leaped into his throat.

What was that coming through?

What if it was another troll?

Had they made a terrible mistake?

Then, a familiar figure stumbled through the shadows, and Adrian’s fear melted into overwhelming joy.

Knox!

"Knox!" Adrian cried out, his voice cracking with emotion.

He closed the distance between them in three quick strides and threw his arms around Knox, nearly knocking them both over. Knox caught him, his strong arms wrapping tightly around Adrian’s waist.

"It’s you," Adrian breathed, burying his face in Knox’s chest. "You’re here."

Knox’s hand came up to cradle the back of Adrian’s head, his fingers tangling in Adrian’s hair. "I heard you calling me."

Adrian pulled back just enough to look up at Knox’s face, drinking in the sight of him. "I was ready to come to you."

"I was trying to find a way back to this world when I felt you reaching out to me. How did you manage that?"

Adrian pulled back slightly, his hands still resting on Knox’s arms. "We used Caelen’s artifact," he explained, gesturing toward the broken shards on the ground.

Knox’s brow furrowed as he looked at the pieces. He stepped away from Adrian, kneeling to examine them more closely. "It was never Caelen’s," he said, his voice thoughtful. "I questioned the shadow king. This belonged to someone else."

Confusion washed over Adrian. "Who did it belong to?" he asked, kneeling beside Knox.

Knox shook his head, his eyes still fixed on the artifact. "Whoever pulled us into this world."

Adrian’s mind reeled. He’d been so focused on defeating Caelen, and then on getting Knox back that he hadn’t stopped to consider the larger implications. "But who is that?"

"I don’t know," Knox admitted. He stood and pulled Adrian up alongside him. "There are a lot of things I don’t understand yet, but only one thing that truly matters."

"What’s that?" Adrian asked.

Knox’s eyes softened as he gazed at Adrian. "Whatever happens, we’ll face it together."

Adrian felt a warmth spread through his chest at Knox’s words. The certainty in Knox’s voice dispelled the last of his lingering doubts. Before he could respond, the demon cupped his face gently, drawing him closer.

Adrian’s world narrowed to the feel of Knox’s lips against his own, the warmth of his body pressed close. The kiss felt like magic, electric and alive, sending tingles through Adrian’s entire being.

In that moment, Adrian knew with unwavering certainty that Knox was right. Whatever challenges lay ahead, whatever mysteries remained unsolved, they would face them together.

When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless. Adrian gazed up into Knox’s storm-cloud gray eyes, now glowing gold again with the power and emotion coursing through them. Through their bond, he saw himself reflected in Knox’s mind, not as the scared and uncertain person he had been, but as someone stronger, braver—someone ready to take on whatever challenge the world wanted to throw at him.

"Together," Adrian whispered, echoing Knox’s promise.

Knox smiled. "Always."