Page 97 of Devoted

NICO

The next morning, at the ass crack of dawn, I was back at the fortress, flanked by a subdued Severin and an overly-optimistic Emilia, looking pleased I’d decided to give this clusterfuck a second go.

I hated to rain on her parade, but I expected her enthusiasm was misplaced.

“I’ll reinforce the warding after you pass through,” Emilia eyed the high walls, where new mortar gleamed between the big stones, many of them now cracked. “Help contain your magic until you can get those shadows under control.”

“The shadows aren’t my only problem.”

A healthy distance away, Ember, Dante, and Gabriel stood watching. Dark circles under their eyes, their bodies dragging, since none of us had gotten any sleep. Honestly, I would have preferred a death joke over the raw fear on their pale faces.

I would have preferred they be on a different continent.

Dante and Gabriel had specific orders for today. At the first sign of this going sideways, they were to whisk Emberline out of here.

As far away and as fast as they could.

“No, they aren’t.” She studied my face. “The Emissary doesn’t particularly like this realm. He finds it too bright and strange smelling.” Her red dress fluttered in the wind, her outfit totally unsuited for today’s disaster since I doubted she could run in those heels. “You’ll have to drag him into the light and convince him to stay.”

“He’s literally the Emissary of Death. This is where all the souls are. Like… an all-you-can-eat buffet. Doesn’t he get that?”

“This is where the living are, with their chaotic thoughts and their too-loud fears clogging the air around us. You can’t hear the noise the living make, Nico. But he can. And all those voices are too much for a creature accustomed to the quiet of the dead.”

So all that screaming inside my head before, the way the sound had ripped through my brain and rendered me helpless. Had that been the Emissary… hearing this world?

“So, what do you suggest? Earplugs? Calming music?”

“No, but a little extra help never hurt. If your pride can stand it, that is.” She lifted her hand, and a tall male appeared with auburn hair, hazel eyes, and a superior grin that made me despise him on sight. “This is Lucien. He is a Warden. Do you know what that is?”

“Temperance magic. You can suppress another vampire’s powers.” My instincts prickled with warning. Oh, I didn’t like where this was going.

“That I can. So… should I call you Nico… or the Emissary?” Okay, so the bastard really was an arrogant little prick.

“No thanks.” I turned back to Emilia. “This was a mistake from the get-go. I’ll find another way.”

“Nobody likes a quitter,” Lucien taunted softly. “Look, I get it, I’m an acquired taste, but when my lady asks for a favor, she gets it.” The bastard lifted Emilia’s hand and kissed her knuckles. I waited for her to turn him into a toad. Strike him dead.

Something.

But all she did was look at him adoringly.

What in the actual fuck?

Even Severin just sighed, like he was used to this asshole’s bullshit.

“Lucien will suppress any excess power, giving you time to adjust to the changes in your body.” Sev sounded as if he was teaching one of his boring-as-fuck classes on strategy. “Last time, everything happened too fast for you to get your bearings. His specialty is easing the pain of magical corruption, but in this case, I think his skills are applicable.”

“This will definitely kill him,” I said bluntly. “Did you tell him that when you asked your… favor?”

“I explained everything. He’s still game.” Emilia’s smile was all teeth. “The question is, are you?”

I took a deep breath and looked at my friends. Weighed the odds of our survival against my father and Giovanni. Yes, I was sure.

“I’m in. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Remember, you have your father’s strength, Nico.” Her voice was gentle, with a soft cadence I’d never heard from her before. “But more importantly, you have his patience. Trust yourself, harness your magic, and you can control your form in this realm. You just have to…”

“Do not ever compare me to my father again,” I grit out, fisting my hands at the swell of anger I couldn’t contain. “When this is over and I’ve leveled this island to bedrock, remember—you were the ones who wanted this. I wanted to walk away.”