by Jana Downs
“I know. I expect to find him at the capital within a day’s time. Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on him, and Devon will be in good hands so long as he has Abraxas and Layden by his side.” Ezekiel’s tone was hushed and determined. Dru knew he’d do everything in his power to protect Devon and the crown until he could get back. He just hoped that everything didn’t include sacrificing his life.
“I swear to you we will find the final stone of Raj soon. Just try your best to keep everyone safe until then,” Dru stated through pursed lips.
They exchanged looks and he could see the worry behind Asher and Ezekiel’s eyes, but neither one of them said another word. He watched as Ezekiel slowly made his way across the land to the clearing where he would transform and carry the others back to the capital.
“Hey, Zeke,” Asher called. Ezekiel stopped and cocked his head to the side. “Just…stay alive for me, okay?” Asher curved his lips upward into a half smile, and Ezekiel returned the gesture before continuing on his path toward the others.
“Looks like it’s just us left.” Asher’s fake enthusiasm did little to ease the tension Druis carried on his shoulders. Sighing, he picked up his maps and motioned for Asher to follow. They grabbed what supplies they could carry by hand and began making their way toward the final stone of Raj, the gem of the Jade clan.
* * * *
Another day had passed since they’d arrived at the palace, and still Devon did not stir. Ezekiel had been performing every healing ritual his people had taught him, but his condition didn’t seem to be getting any better. At least he wasn’t getting worse. Ezekiel was grateful for that. He wrung out the wet cloth and dabbed his forehead. He was still running a bit of a fever, but it had gone down since when they first arrived.
“Any change?” Abraxas’s deep tone interrupted his thoughts as his voice filled the room. Ezekiel turned to see his large frame standing in the doorway.
“His fever has gone down a little bit more today.” He could at least offer him some good news. Abraxas made his way next to him and laid a heavy hand on his shoulder.
“Thanks for everything you’ve done. I know he wouldn’t have even made it this far it if hadn’t been for you.”
Ezekiel smiled to himself at Abraxas’s words, but the feeling didn’t quite warm his heart. He wasn’t in the clear yet. “It’s no problem at all, Abraxas. You know I view you as family. Besides, Devon is innocent in all this. It’s the least I can do for him. How’s his brother dealing with all this?”
“Brandon? He’s doing surprisingly well, considering how much in shock he was after you transformed into a dragon in front of him.” Abraxas gave a sideways grin at the memory of Brandon fainting when Ezekiel had first transformed.
“Mostly, though, I think he was relieved to see his brother was okay. Apparently, the last time he’d spoken with him they had made dinner arrangements and he never showed.”
“That’s good. I’m glad to hear he’s doing all right. I had some tea herbs prepared to help relax him just in case.” Ezekiel lifted the small mesh bags of tea leaves for emphasis. “I think I’ll go ahead and give them to him while Devon’s stable.” Ezekiel stood to leave. He made his way down the hallway, turning into the throne room.
Cerilius’s slender frame stood leaning against the throne, whispering into Maeva’s ear something Ezekiel was sure he was glad he couldn’t hear if the flushed look on Maeva’s face was any indication of what he was saying.
“How is your sister fairing, Cerilius?” He tried to hide the sneer and resentment in his voice. He knew too damn well that there was nothing wrong with Faylnn.
“Oh, hello, Ezekiel. I didn’t see you there.” The broad grin plastered across Cerilius’s face as he spoke only made Ezekiel that much more aggravated at the situation. He clenched his jaw shut. He wasn’t good at keeping his cool. Not like Druis was anyways. He wished he were here to deal with this. His stomach churned just looking at him.
“She’s doing much better. She just missed her eldest brother, but you wouldn’t understand that, would you?” The coldness in his eyes sent a pain straight to his heart.
Family was something Ezekiel would never have, and Cerilius was the reason. He clenched his hand into a fist as he tried to resist the urge to take his life. Anger and vengeance were short of clouding his judgment, but he couldn’t think of himself right now or his lost family. Right now he had to be the leader of the Saffron clan, and leaders didn’t commit murder or crimes of passion in broad daylight.
“Oh, my apologies, did I say something too crass? Faylnn is always telling me I need to learn proper social cues.”
“No, it’s nothing.” He held his hand up dismissively and continued to make his way across the throne room. He couldn’t deal with this now. “Send my regards to Mistress Faylnn.” He quickly exited the room before Cerilius had a chance to reply.
He could feel himself losing control over his powers as the energy in the hallway cackled around him. He needed to clear his mind and get some air. Ezekiel racked a hand through his hair as he made his way toward the gardens.
“Are you okay?” Brandon’s voice startled him as he turned to greet the voice that called after him.
“Fine. Thank you. Here’s some tea.” He shoved the contents in his hand and continued toward the gardens.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Brandon asked once more as he jogged after him.
Ezekiel threw open the doors and welcomed the warm air as the sunlight flooded the courtyard.
“I just can’t stand him.” He could no long hold his tongue. “The nerve of that man, first he slaughters his own race, my people…my family.” The tears he’d been holding back broke free as they streaked down his face. He clenched his jaw as he let the emotion roll over him.
“Now, he’s trying to take from the only thing I have left, my friends, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I have to think of my own clan. I have to be their leader. I can’t risk it all just to get revenge.” He was gasping for air now as his ranting left him feeling breathless and light-headed.
“No, you can’t.” Brandon’s words caught him off guard as he looked up at him for the first time. “When my mother died, all I wanted was to get the bastards that had harmed her, but I had a responsibility to my brother and my father. I had to be there for them, help them through the hard times, and care for Devon when my father passed away.”
He leaned against the wall and stared out at the courtyard. “Of course, on the other hand, I wasn’t ever actually faced with the man who killed my mother, so I can’t say I’d blame you.”
A half grin spread across his face as he wiped away the remnants of Ezekiel’s tears. Standing up, he looked out at the setting sun and the beauty of the flowers and plants shimmering in the disappearing light of day.
“Just so you know, I’ll do everything in my power to protect your brother,” Ezekiel swore. “This is not his battle to fight nor will I sit by and watch as two of my closest friends are torn apart by his suffering.”
Ezekiel’s eyes narrowed, and he glanced up at the taller man.
Brandon gave a quick nod. “Neither will I. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Ezekiel pursed his lips and let out a long sigh before responding. “I hate to say it, but I think it already has.”
* * * *
Waking up, Devon was finding it difficult to breath. The air in his lungs burned as he gasped for relief. His head was pounding. His vision was blurred.
“Devon.” The voice was muffled. He reached up with a shaky hand and found the source of the sound.
“Wha–what happened?” The words came out hoarse, and Devon had to cough to clear his throat.
“It’s okay. You’re safe now.” The room became more focused as Devon stared up into the faces of the two people he loved most.
“Layden? Abraxas?” He looked around the unfamiliar room and then back into the eyes of the two men staring at him with worried expressions. “Where are we?
”
They simultaneously let out sighs of relief, and tears of joy began to pool from Layden’s eyes.
“He’s all right, Abraxas. He’s going to be okay!”
The shouting was making his head hurt even more.
“Of course I’m going to be all right. Why are you yelling so loudly?” He groaned as he tried sitting up.
Abraxas’s rough hands held him firmly in place. “Easy, love. Let me help you.” Devon could feel his muscles flex as Abraxas lifted him.
“What happened?” Devon repeated, still confused by what was going on.
“Well,” Layden started as he exchanged a look with Abraxas. “After we went in search of the Night clan stone, you stabbed yourself in an attempt to save our lives and your brother’s.”
The memory was vague, but he could still feel the sharp pierce of the blade. Devon rubbed the small scar on his chest that was aching with the memory.
“Ezekiel was able to close the wound, but you were still too weak to gain consciousness and you started running a fever, so Druis thought it best if Ezekiel, Layden, and I took you back to the palace to recover while he and Asher finished finding the last gem.” Abraxas ran his thumb underneath Devon’s chin and placed a chaste kiss upon his dry lips.
“But everyone’s okay? My brother? Where’s Brandon? Is he all right?” Panic flooded Devon as he struggled to find the edge of the bed.
“He’s fine. Everyone’s fine. Just relax.” The reassurance in his eyes calmed Devon’s racing heart, and he let Layden ease him back down into the bed.
“If it makes you feel any better, you can see him this afternoon. Right now you should really take it easy. You’re still running a bit of a fever.”
Devon took a deep breath and let his lover’s comfort him.
“I’m so glad,” Devon mumbled. “I was so worried. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you two.”
He was still fatigued, and he felt himself slipping back to sleep. “Promise me you won’t go anywhere.”
“I promise, my love,” Layden said as he placed a kiss upon his brow.
* * * *
“I need to speak to you.” Ezekiel’s voice whispered across the darkened room as Layden stirred from his slumber. He reached blindly in the darkness as he carefully pulled himself away from Devon’s sleeping body. He stumbled to the doorway where Ezekiel and Abraxas stood waiting. Layden yawned and rubbed his eyes as he dragged himself down the hallway behind the two men. They quietly made their way into Ezekiel’s room. He closed the door behind them. Brandon was already there waiting on them.
“What’s this all about, Zeke?” Abraxas said as he stretched his arms out and sat down on the bed.
“This is about Cerilius.”
Layden looked at him quizzically. “What about Cerilius? He said his sister was fine.”
Even in the faint light of the room, Layden could see Ezekiel purse his lips at Abraxas’s statement.
“That’s not what I wanted to say.” He cleared his throat. “I think there is something you should know about Cerilius. Druis, Asher, and I have kept it from you in our travels, but I think it best if you are made aware of the situation.”
“What situation? What are you talking about?” Layden furrowed his eyebrows.
“What Ezekiel is trying to say is that, Cerilius has been trying to manipulate the situation this entire time so that Devon would name him as the next king.” Brandon stood up and made his way next to Ezekiel. Silence filled the room as Layden and Abraxas focused on what Ezekiel had to say.
“He’s been working with Maeva, using the dark arts to manipulate the flux of time. He was the cause of the Fae Wars and responsible for my family’s death. He was even the one who stole the Night family orb which ultimately resulted in Reign’s death.”
The information was overwhelming. Layden tried to comprehend what he was saying, but the words just wouldn’t register. There was no way Cerilius could be doing the horrible things he spoke of. But somehow Layden believed what Ezekiel was telling him.
When the orb of the Night family disappeared, everyone had blamed the Azure clan. The orbs were rare objects held by each clan leader and the Night orb in particular had the ability to mimic a black dragon’s powers if the person wielding it was strong enough to harness its energy. To say it was a highly desirable device was an understatement and the fight that eventually ended with Reign’s death was inevitable. The Night clan had hated the Azure clan for centuries. It was only a matter of time before something like that happened. But Layden had known the truth. He knew the Azure clan never had any part in the orb’s disappearance and now it all made sense.
“I’m telling you this because I’m concerned. Cerilius is here in the palace. There was never anything wrong with his sister. He only wanted to be here so he could be closer to you two and Devon. I don’t know what he and Maeva are planning, but I expect you to be on guard.”
“So, why didn’t you tell us sooner? We could have helped figure something out.” Abraxas raised an eyebrow.
“Druis didn’t want to worry you. You both were getting along for once, and to be honest…” He paused, unsure of whether or not to divulge the information. “I suspect your initial attraction to Devon was due to a spell cast by Maeva in hopes that you would fight to the death over him. You don’t need to worry about that, though. I’ve been giving you special herbs to counteract Maeva’s spell. The effects should be completely out of your system by now.”
The words settled with a bad taste in Layden’s mouth. That couldn’t be true…could it? “Why are you telling us this now?” The anger seethed in Layden’s tone.
“Because,” Ezekiel’s said as his eyes narrowed. “I have been summoned by Druis. They managed to obtain the last and final stone of Raj, but the man Cerilius sent in his place has badly injured Asher. Druis is afraid if he leaves to return to the palace, Asher might not survive.”
Abraxas paced the room, clenching and unclenching his fists. His eyes flashed red as electricity swirled around him. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t take his life tonight.”
“Because you do love Devon. Both of you do and if you kill him you’ll be put on trial, maybe even put to death. Who will lead your people? Who will watch after Devon? Besides, if Maeva has the ability to travel through time, she’d be able to easily stop you. We need to wait, until we can get an audience with the Dragon God Ryujin. Then maybe, we can put an end to this once and for all.”
“He’s right.” Layden hated to admit it, but all they could do was protect Devon until they could come up with a better plan or speak to the Dragon God.
Abraxas stopped his pacing. The energy in the room calmed a bit, and he sighed. “I know.” The admittance came with reluctance, but Layden knew Abraxas understood what they must do.
“You go to Asher, heal him, and return with the final stone of Raj. We’ll keep an eye out for Cerilius until you can get back with Druis and Asher. But as soon as you return, I will take care of the situation before he does anything else that could harm us or anyone else.” Abraxas was trying to hold in his temper as he spoke the words.
“It should take me no longer than two days’ time to return. I shall hurry back as soon as I can.” Ezekiel’s somber expression flickered with the light of candle.
“So it’s settled then. We shall watch over Devon until Ezekiel can return,” Brandon concluded.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Despite their plan of action, Layden couldn’t help but feel like this was only the beginning of their troubles. He knew Cerilius too well, and he had this sneaking suspicion that there would be more bloodshed to come from him before this was over.
Chapter 13
His body felt on fire, every fiber in his being alive as Devon welcomed the embrace of his two lovers. He didn’t want to leave. He didn’t want to return to his life without them. Layden placed gentle kisses on his neck, trailing down to his collarbone as Abraxas desperately grabbed at his waist. He needed their touches like h
e needed the air in his lungs.
“More,” he whispered just as Layden’s mouth suckled on his nipple. Abraxas tore at the confines of his boxers, revealing his hard cock.
“Looks like somebody wants us.” He growled before taking Devon into his mouth.
Cries of ecstasy erupted from his lips as he let the wave of pleasure consume him.
“I need you now.” Layden’s penetrating stare was filled with lust. He could feel his desire. His muscles were glistening with sweat, and the hardness of his cock was pressed against his leg. He watched as he pulled Abraxas from in between his thighs to kiss his lips.
“Please,” he begged as the ache between his legs burned with the desire to be sated. The two men turned and stared upon his naked body with a hunger that sent shivers down his spine.
“Please what?” The half-cocked grin Abraxas flashed him caused Devon to hesitate.
“Please fuck me.” The words were barely audible as he spoke them.
Layden forced his legs apart and positioned himself above him. Devon’s breath hitched when Layden inched his cock inside. He breathed in the water dragon’s scent as he ran his fingers through his tousled mess of hair.
“That’s it, love. Take all of me.” Layden’s rhythm was fast and hard, demanding of his release. He wrapped an arm around Devon’s waist and lifted him as he rolled Devon on top of him, never missing a stride while doing so. He reached for Devon’s ass, spreading his ass cheeks apart for Abraxas’s viewing pleasure.
The thought of Abraxas watching him as he fucked another man nearly sent him over the edge. Abraxas was so close to him, he could feel his breath on the back of his neck. He reached with one hand and grabbed Devon’s cock. Devon jumped as his fingers squeezed tightly on his cock.
“Abraxas,” Devon moaned, and Abraxas pushed his own cock into Devon’s hole. Both men stretched him to his limit as they rocked their hips.
