Page 82 of Knight’s Salvation

Filling them in was the only way to ensure they didn’t try to stop what was about to happen.

As they stepped up to the mouth of the alley, Zenon’s chest tightened.

His brothers lined the walls on either side. Chaos, Gunner, and Kryos stood to the left, while Laz and Roc stood to the right.

“What is this?” Helena hissed. “I was guaranteed a clear passage.”

“Are we standing in your way?” Chaos said. The hatred in his voice was so thick you couldn’t miss the fact his demon had come to the surface.

Helena’s nails dug into his flesh. “If you take one step toward us, I will kill him.”

A muscle in Chaos’s jaw jumped, but he didn’t make a move. She was too powerful for any of them to kill. He saw the moment his brother realized that, the moment he felt it. Sharp pain dimmed Chaos’s dark eyes and a single tear streaked down his rough cheek. Seeing that, fuck, it hurt more than any torture Zenon had suffered in his life.

Yeah, he had no doubt Chaos had planned to try and take Helena down despite what Marcus had told them.

And now his brother knew why he couldn’t.

The damage Helena could do here on Earth would be devastating, which was why she needed to go back to Hell. Besides Silas, the only beings strong enough to keep her under control were Lucifer and Diemos, and Chaos understood it now.

His brother stood rock solid. “We won’t get in your way. We have a purpose here tonight, like we do every time the portal opens, as you well know.”

Zenon felt the stares of each warrior trained on him as he followed in Helena’s wake. But he didn’t feel shame. No, he felt the strength they were giving him. He felt their respect.

Zenon looked up as he passed Rocco, their gazes locking, and fuck, he felt all the pain and helplessness his brother was feeling.

Gunner was giving off more of the same, his jaw tightening when Zenon met the warrior’s eyes. Kryos was next, and the torment, the love he felt when their gazes locked had Zenon choking down the boulder in his throat.

Lazarus thumped his fist against his chest, right over his heart, and let out a battle cry that lifted the hair on the back of Zenon’s neck, his anguish and rage ringing out loud and clear.

The others followed his lead, their cries echoing off the brick walls, filling Zenon to overflowing with their love and strength.

In that moment, Zenon knew if he’d only lifted his head instead of dropping his gaze in shame he would have seen the same thing from the very beginning from all his brothers.

Their hands were tied; they couldn’t help him, and it was hurting them to see him this way, facing this on his own.

He couldn’t fuck this up.

There was too much at stake.

The red brick wall in front of them began to flicker to life, and his brothers stepped out into the center of the alley, taking their positions, ready for whatever came out at them.

“Move to the side if you don’t want to get trampled,” Zenon said to Helena.

She did what he said without question. Her excitement had faded and the acrid scent of her fear replaced it. Going back was a huge risk for her, and if things went badly, she’d soon wish she was back in her ivory tower. But, like him, she was willing to risk it all, even death to gain her freedom.

Zenon clenched and unclenched his fists. This had to be timed perfectly. He didn’t know how long he could survive once he stepped through to the other side.

Chaos lifted his gaze and cursed. Zenon looked up. Above them, lining the alley walls, were about ten demi dressed in black, all concealing their faces. Looked like Chaos had backup whether he wanted it or not.

“Don’t move until I tell you,” Zenon said.

Helena moved restlessly at his side but had a determined look on her face. She didn’t fool him; she was freaking the fuck out. It had been a long time since she’d been home, and she was counting on allies that had more than likely hitched their sorry asses to the next power-hungry asshole.

The wall flashed behind them and the portal opened. Demons instantly scrambled through. Zenon pulled Helena farther to the side, out of the way. The fighting began, his brothers engaging their enemy with single-minded focus. He needed to keep it that way. The sooner he was out of sight the better.

Ropes came down the walls from above, and some of the demi descended, while others picked off demons with crossbows from above.

It was time.

The nerves in his gut weren’t fluttering—no, they felt like goddamn boulders smacking into the back of his ribs. He took Helena’s hand and stood in front of the portal. Before he stepped through, he turned. Chaos stood in the middle of the alley, fighting going on all around him, blood dripping from a slice to his shoulder. Their eyes met, and Zenon lifted his chin. Chaos did the same then turned away to engage the next demon gunning for him.

“All right. Let’s do this,” he said.

Helena sucked in a breath and they stepped through.