Page 71 of Alastair

He flashed a playful grin. “You love me.”

“That’s highly debatable.”

Empty words, and we both knew it.

“Well, whatever he is to you now…” Castor said, gaze on them as they approached. “He could learn not to look like someone pissed in his Cheerios every time we see him.” He smiled at me. “I mean, unless you’re into that doom-and-gloom thing. I’m curious if hisoface looks so grumpy. Surely getting laid would perk him up. A little.”

A sigh pushed past my lips.

The teasing was a good sign. I was relieved by their reaction to the news about Lazarus. All of them knew what it was like to find the one person fate intended for them. They knew the soul-deep attraction that drew us together. Maybe that’s why fate saved me for last. Each of my brothers needed to find their mate first so they’d understand my situation.

So they wouldn’t hate me.

“We’d never hate you,”Galen told me telepathically. I snapped my head toward him. No warmth showed on his stern face, yet it reflected in his voice.“I heard your thoughts. They’re easier to hear now that you no longer keep us out.”

“Thank you, brother.”It was all I could say. Lazarus wasn’t the only one who had a habit of hiding his emotions. I certainly did as well. But I was working on it.

As the angels landed in the grass, they cast inquisitive stares at the arts and crafts nightmare. The black strands of the wig blew in the wind, and a feather from its fake wings—spray-painted black, but the feathers were actually neon pink, as Castor had missed some—drifted to the ground.

“Ah, I quite like this,” Michael said, his smile wide as he admired the dummy. “This is Lucifer, I presume?”

“See?” Castor motioned to Michael. “He gets it.”

“Mind explaining the purpose of this monstrosity?” Lazarus asked.

“Well.” Castor patted the top of the thing’s head. Another feather floated to the grass. “Today, we’ll be trying to replicate the badass way we fought against Lucifer in the underworld. This little dude will give us a good visual for inspiration.”

“More like an eyesore,” Daman muttered. “Can we destroy it with fire? Please? Or toss it off the cliff and into the sea?”

Warrin pressed his lips together.

“After you train,” Michael said. “I want to see this fighting technique of yours that Lazarus speaks so highly of.”

I glanced at the male in question. He averted his gaze to the Lucifer dummy, and a scowl tugged at his lips.

“You speak highly of us, huh?”I asked him. Teased, really.

His scowl deepened.

I did my best not to smile.

The urge to smile quickly dissipated, though, once we began the drill. Were we skilled? Yes. Very much so. Daman’s lithe movements as he spun in the air and brought his falx sword down on the dummy’s head held no equal. Gray was quick as lightning as he sliced at the dummy’s torso, then dashed away.

Galen and Raiden barreled into the thing before Kallias joined the fray and kicked it in the chest, more feathers exploding from the cheap wings.

But despite our skills, we couldn’t tap into that synchronization, the one where our minds and bodies connected on a singular level. Where we were fought as one warrior separated into seven—now eight—bodies. We hadn’t been able to since that day in the throne room. Since coming to the island, we had tried every day. And every day, we had failed.

Castor’s Lucifer dummy had been his attempt at improving our chances.

“The fault is mine,” Kallias said, breathing hard. Sweat beaded on his dark skin as he hung his head. “I wasn’t with you when you fought Lucifer this way.” His grip tightened on his sword. “I’m the weak link.”

“No,” I told him, watching as the frayed threads of the straps holding the wings in place finally unraveled and fell off the dummy. Apart from chunks of hair that had been severed by our blades, the wig was intact. Considering the harsh beating it had taken, I was impressed it was still—mostly—in one piece. “I believe there’s another reason.”

“Explain.” Lazarus held my gaze, a no-nonsense glint in his arctic eyes.

“Our blood.”

“What about it?” Gray plopped down in the grass and leaned against Mason’s leg. The human had stood off to the side during our drill, as had the other mates.