Page 169 of A Monstrous World: The Complete Series

Chapter Twenty-One

Athos

B ane is a terrible partner. Yes, I can siphon to places with intent, but the only time I’ve successfully transported to an actual being was to locate Charity. I’m fairly sure the nature of our matebond is to thank for that.

Outside of that, I’ve been able to return to the keeper of my jar if I didn’t know their specific location, but I’ve always viewed that as an extension of the magic that ties us together.

Since I have no idea where Veryn is being held, I can’t siphon us to him directly, and Bane is furious about the limitations of my magic.

Not that I’m any more pleased than he is.

Bane stomps through the halls of the castle so loudly, I’m surprised every guard in the building isn’t hot on our trail.

“Were you truly a successful assassin?” I ask in barely more than a whisper.

“For two hundred years.” He grunts, taking a curve that leads down another long hallway.

“Do you think, perhaps, we should take a stealthier approach?” I float along at his side like a dutiful partner. “You know, before we alert every guard in the building to our presence.”

“Please shut the fuck up,” Bane hisses, slamming his forearm into a door we make it to at the end of the hallway. He stops dead in his tracks and even takes a minuscule, baby step back.

It counts.

Bane retreated from something.

That makes me even more interested to determine what that thing is.

I siphon just past him and glance around at the picturesque courtyard.

There’s a look on Eldritch’s face that is very similar to the one on Bane’s.

The sound is a little extreme, but then again, I’ve seen Wraith and Knight in action before.

Only, it’s not the demons, but their demonling currently devouring someone. I’m not quite sure who, but I’m guessing that’s the dragon king, because their mission was to handle Cadryn.

The creature Hazel turns into is something straight out of nightmares.

In all honesty, it might be scarier than anything I’ve conjured in my darkest dreams.

She looks like some combination of Knight when he eats sins and whatever the hell it is Wraith’s face becomes when he reaps.

Black goo flies from Cadryn to Hazel’s…maw?

I’m not sure the word for it, but she’s definitely a creature of Hell.

There’s a whole lot going on there, but not a bit of it screams “newborn.”

I’m good, I think, as long as her crazy little ass doesn’t look in my direction. If she does, I might become significantly less badass than I currently am.

The gooey substance seems to hold memories, or possibly sins, because images flicker in and out of focus as they pass to Hazel.

Damn.

She doesn’t even need to swallow. It’s like a straight shot down a pelican’s gullet. Hmm, I wonder if those have gone extinct since I was in the human realm last?

Wraith disappears from across the courtyard and appears directly in front of me. “Don’t tell anyone she knows how to do that. Nadia is unaware she can siphon on her own, and we’ve made the choice not to tell her. It would only worry her.”

I’m not sure it’s just the siphoning that Nadia is in the dark about. Hazel might be tiny, but she’s strong enough to hold herself up on her hands and knees on Cadryn’s chest.

Perhaps her demon form has a different rate of growth than her human body.

Truthfully, I have no idea.

It’s all speculation.

“I’d like your word.” Wraith glances between Bane and me. “Both of you.”

“Shit, yeah, you got it,” Bane mutters, rocking back on his heels.

“I give you my word,” I assure him.

The last thing I need is that little demonling paying me a visit while I sleep.

I don’t think I’d ever recover.

Knight steps forward as the goo flickers to clear and eventually ceases to exist.

“That was a significant amount of sins.” He scoops his daughter up, cradling her in the crook of his arm. “All that disappeared into your tiny body? Hazel Girl, you’re a black hole.”

My gaze moves to Eldritch, who blinks with a bit of a vacant look on his face. Grabbing Bane’s hand, I tug him across the courtyard.

“Are you okay?” I ask our packmate. “I know he wasn’t a great father, but that might have been a lot.”

Eldritch’s head shakes. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Bane asks.

“Yes, but I’d like to come with you now,” Eldritch says, still staring at where Wraith, Knight, and Hazel are.

I snort. “Not a problem.”