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“ I don’t understand,” Cyprian told Bekn, who stood in the middle of a small group of masked people.

Attica.

Bekn grinned. “I get the impression that happens a lot to you. But you know what? I’m in a good mood today. Let me explain it to you, my sweet, naive, Xander Devers. ” He turned to the group. “After all, it’s not very complicated, is it, guys?”

They all smiled, their teeth the only visible part of their faces that wasn’t obscured by white plastic. It cascaded down to their calves and tucked in their black boots, making them look like the butchers they were.

Bekn’s smile vanished in a breath, and his expression morphed into a sinister grimace filled with pent-up fury. “The Imperial family pollutes our planet. They hunt and kill innocent people in the name of power and fame, and we have come together to put a stop to their useless violence. We are Attica.”

Cyprian swallowed. Behind him, Archer whimpered. Cyprian could feel his friend standing close behind him.

Bekn reached for his pocket and pulled out a data chip. “ Remember when you had one of those? Before the explosion? From even before you set foot on Helion?” He grinned at the others. “Look at him now. Trying to connect the dots. I’ve told you that things aren’t that complicated. There once was a sad, sad boy with funny, yellow eyes and no parents.” Bekn pouted his lips in faint mockery. Around them, the others snickered. “A naive boy. Searching for his truth. He got lost on deep space until he was taken back from the shadows and guided toward the light. With information.” He cocked his head, grin widening. “Remember how you bought those lists from an anonymous source?” He pressed his thumb onto his own chest, smirking. “Well, technically speaking, you purchased the information from my useless brother Theo. We have the runt search on deep space every day for anything of value. Most of the time, that’s just to give him something to do, but then you came onto our path. And boom…we hit the jackpot.”

“Why me?” Cyprian’s hand reached backward, and he sighed in relief when Archer grabbed his. “How come Theo picked up on me?”

A terrifying howl filled the echoes of the parking.

Helianth.

Cyprian spun around, searching. “Where is he? What are you doing to him?”

“Tut tut, one question at a time, Xander .” Bekn threw the chip up and caught it out with his other hand. “Why you?” He glared at Cyprian. “Why you ? Have you taken a look in the mirror recently? You have the eyes?—”

“Of a monster,” Cyprian completed his phrase. “Is that how you see me?”

Bekn grinned. “Oh, I take it you have met your biological parents? Yeah. You have the eyes of a monster. You have the same eyes as they have. Of those who kill our loved ones. Bloody, degrading fights that take the lives of our parents, our siblings, and our lovers and snap them in two for the entire world to see. For the entire world to laugh at, to party and drink to, while we are left with our own misery. And you know what, Xander ?” He spat. “There came a day I had had enough . I was fed up with this injustice, with the cruel games of our royals. And so I started digging on deep space. You have no idea of the amount of filth I found. Secret filth.” He pressed a finger into Cyprian’s chest. “Or perhaps you do, since it was you who came sniffing around hidden corners. A foster kid with yellow eyes. An outcast in his own world. Call it my gut feeling, but something about you and your request for information about Helions with yellow eyes and families who had given up on their children was fucking odd. So, when the transaction was completed and those lists you were after were uploaded on your data chip, a nice little virus was too.”

“Virus.” Cyprian’s mind was spinning. “You did that. It was you who exploded that boat…but how?” Cyprian’s eyes darted from Bekn to the rest of his crew, and he shivered. Moargan had blamed Cyprian. He hadn’t been entirely wrong. If he hadn’t been so naive…

Bekn shrugged casually. “Such a little wonder, this track and trace. You only have to install it secretly inside the purchased information. And of course, I couldn’t let you land on Helion with just another surprise, one that became priceless when our Imperial monster claimed you as his. It only took one click on any folder, and all the documents stored on the chip would be erased. And then… boom . Showtime. At any given moment that we chose. Too bad it didn’t wipe out that opulent mansion, but a meager houseboat instead.” That sly smile returned to Bekn’s lips. “But you see? Nothing about your trip to Helion was a coincidence, Xander . Not even my shift that night. I was working on the shuttle because I knew you’d be there.”

“But…” Cyprian sputtered. “How did you know my name? ”

“Like a rookie, you hadn’t bothered shielding the identity of your chip,” Black Mohawk supplied, creeping up out of the shadows. Like Bekn, he hadn’t bothered disguising his identity. “You’d named it Xander Devers, and that same, fake name was pulled up to board the spaceship. The data chip confirmed your presence there, and that meant…so were we.”

“The only unfortunate surprise was him . I didn’t know he was going to be on board the spaceship, and I certainly didn’t think he was going to come after you. Well, in the end, it all turned out okay, didn’t it?” The others laughed.

Moargan .

Cyprian clamped his teeth in concentration as he begged through the bond.

I need you. Come to me.

His veins filled with that strange, intense thrumming as he called out to his angel.

His mate.

Cyprian’s insides burned with a yearning so intense it made him feel light-headed. He had traveled through the galaxy to return home and be united with the one who’d been made for him. The Imperial Prince. After years of searching for the truth, he had found it, and with it so much more. And now it would all end here, in this dirty underground parking lot.

“He will come for me,” he heard himself say. His heart ruffled at the words.

Bekn grinned. “Oh, I sure hope he does. What’s better than catching one devil?”

“Catching three,” Black Mohawk supplied. “Runt did a good job.”

“Yes, he has been well trained. Speaking of…” Bekn looked around. “Where did that little roommate of yours go?”

Two Attica members peeled Archer off the wall, yanking his hand out of Cyprian’s.

Archer screamed.

“Leave him out of this!” Cyprian snarled. “He has nothing to do with this! You can’t just hurt innocent people!”

“Perhaps.” Bekn smiled when someone pulled a chain around Archer’s neck and tore on it ruthlessly, spilling choking sounds out of Archer’s throat. The sound cut Cyprian right in the heart.

“He fainted,” one of them laughed.

“Because you nearly killed him.” Cyprian felt anger boiling up in him. Anger that made his vision falter and tear in two, like some shredded vision, until he saw both Bekn and those stairs. He felt Helianth, felt the weird presence of the woman who had begged him for help in his head.

But now Cyprian had made it here, in the pit of poison, he wasn’t sure what else he could do. Had he failed even before he had begun? He needed to protect Archer, find Helianth, and bring them both to safety, but he had no idea how he could do that by himself.

“What’s going to happen with him?” He heard himself ask.

“Patience, Xander ,” Bekn crooned. ”You have so many questions. We were talking about my runt of a brother. Once that Imperial monster snatched you from your roommate’s apartment, we needed to get our hands on that chip. Better, we needed to get those monsters to get their hands on that chip. I ordered the runt to go out and retrieve that chip. I then anonymously tipped the Luminary about the items I found on deep space, making sure to cause a leak in Theo’s multi-slate. We were counting on those greedy fuckers going after the missing stuff… and the chip. Which they did. That moment—” His smile widened. “Was fucking sweet. To have that lunatic Aviel coming out with his Luminary assholes. Once the chip was back with the enemy, we could let it explode whenever the fuck we wanted. Poor Theo got chained up in the process, but it was all for a good cause. ”

Cyprian grimaced at the memory of Theo’s face, distorted by pain and fear. “Why? Why do you treat Theo like that? He is your blood.”

“That’s none of your fucking business, Xander ,” Bekn spat in his face.

Cyprian lifted his chin in defiance. “Maybe. Still, you accuse the Imperials of murdering innocent people, but what about your own hands? They are covered in blood.”

“An eye for an eye, Xander ,” Bekn replied, but there was a sharp edge to his voice.

Cyprian felt his rage increase at those words. “You are just as bad as them. You kill people just to make a statement.”

“Okay, that’s enough.” Bekn pointed his chin and two Attica members came forward and looped a chain around Cyprian’s neck. “Let’s move on to the next part of the entertainment.” When they yanked him backward, Cyprian balked in fear. He was being dragged through the inky-black corridor and his heart pounded wildly in his chest.

Stairs.

“Stairs.” Cyprian mumbled. Just like in his painting.

So many of them.

Why had these voices called him here if he couldn’t save Helianth?

“Take him to the cellar,” Bekn ordered.

There was a zigzag of wooden floors going down... Cyprian’s body froze but the rope jerked further, making him stumble and fall into the back of his captor. A rough hand pushed him back, and laughter filled the space.

Cyprian’s lips parted in a silent cry as the visions tugged at his sense of reality once more. Finally, he saw him in his mind. The Imperial Prince, Helianth.

Stairs. Stairs. There, down the stairs, was Moargan’s younger brother. Cyprian fisted his hands tighter, pressing his lips in a firm line as he glared at Bekn. He looked straight through him, at Helianth’s raised head. His face was blue and red from the multiple bruises and cuts. But his eyes—they were a fierce amethyst as they held Cyprian’s gaze. Chains were littered on the floor, just like Cyprian had seen in his visions. He tried to focus on the bond, tried to call for Moargan, but he didn’t know how. He’d always been too stubborn to call for help. Now he regretted that.

“Welcome to Attica’s headquarters,” someone spoke.

Cyprian grimaced at the scent of rot that made a haze that became stronger with each floor they passed on their way down. Then he caught sight of a corpse dangling from a rope. The body had been cut open, the intestines removed.

Bekn saw him gaping. “Don’t mind him. He was Luminary.”

“He was a person .”

“He signed a deal with the devil,” Bekn shrugged. “And he died for it.”

“Where’s Helianth?” Cyprian growled. “What do you want with him?”

“Milanov Zephyranthis killed my father,” Bekn said instead. “Because he fucking felt like it.”

“I can’t believe that.”

“That’s because you’re a naive, little monster,” Bekn spit. “It was so easy to fool you. Good light, you still don’t understand it, do you? You’re going to die here.”

Cyprian struggled to keep up, the words slashing his insides, ripping open his insecurity. His eyes had long adjusted to the darkness, although right now, that wasn’t a good thing. He could see more dangling corpses and heard the wailing sound of pained victims who’d managed to survive, hidden behind bars.

“They threw my father in that arena, where he was chased down like a beast,” Bekn continued. “The crowd loved it, partying and howling as they watched. It took my father five hours to die. Five hours of pure agony, while the Imperial showed off his status. ”

Not innocent, the female voice echoed through him.

“Don’t believe him,” came a voice, barely audible. Hoarse, beaten down. “We don’t take innocent lives.”

“Shut up,” Bekn snapped.

“Helianth!” Cyprian called. “I’m right here. I’ll—” Get you out of here . The words died on his lips when he caught sight of Moargan’s younger brother. He’d been stripped naked and was hanging from a rope, his famished body beaten. He had cuts and bruises everywhere, and his blond hair, once shiny and slick, was now caked in dirt. But his eyes…Helianth hadn’t given up despite his appearance.

“Xander Devers, thank you for coming.” Bekn took hold of the rope that was tied around Cyprian’s neck and gave it a firm yank, chuckling when Cyprian stumbled forward and down to his knees. “Thank you for sharing your secrets with me. For being so eager to trust me. For being who you are—a baby devil. It only takes one to find the rest.” He turned around and punched Helianth right in his face, making the Imperial howl in pain as his hanging body swung helplessly in the air. “By the time your prince comes for you, you’ll be long gone.”

Someone grabbed him from behind and hauled him back onto his feet. “They will destroy you!” Cyprian snarled.

“We will lock them up.” Bekn gestured to the self-made prisons. “Just like we’ll lock you up. Even a devil eventually dies, doesn’t he?”

Dark rooms with thick, iron bars identical to the ones Cyprian had seen in his visions. Chains lay scattered everywhere. But that smell…that scent of rotten meat, piss, and feces…he hadn’t realized that came with imprisonment.

He hadn’t realized so many things.

Cyprian felt so stupid. Bekn was right, he had trusted the anonymous source from Helion. Had felt relieved when someone finally understood what he was searching for and had provided him with the correct lists. Looking back, that had been suspicious. Helion was the only planet that had provided such detailed information. But in his hope and desperation , he had ignored the red flags.

And Attica had taken advantage of that.

Bekn had sacrificed his own brother, Theo, to take the punishment.

There was a click, then a barred door slid open.

“Go inside your prison, devil.”

“Bekn!” Someone called out. People came running through the darkness, their sinister plastic frames lighting up by the source of their flashlights. “We’ve spotted multiple hovercars with Luminary guards on the parking outside.”

Bekn turned and grinned at Cyprian. “Seems that your prince has come early to fight your battles. Do we have any empty prisons left?”

A chuckle and a clink of chains. “Plenty of space here.”

“Well then, it was a pleasure to meet you again, Cyprian?—”

“I’ll kill you for this,” Cyprian growled. The gem on his incisor glowed, his fear for Moargan’s safety bringing a sliver of hot liquid through his stomach. “You won’t touch him. You?—”

“Let’s go,” Bekn called out instead, ignoring him.

Throwing him away.

“I won’t be discarded!” Cyprian banged against the bars, terrified in his fury. ”I won’t be ignored!”

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, followed by a cracking sound.

Cyprian blinked. Had he done that? He looked around, eyes squinted in terror. The space lit up in a blue glow. “What?—”

“How the hell can they get down here so fast?” Someone cried out. Around him, Attica panicked.

“What the fuck is happening?”

“Blue light,” Cyprian murmured.

“Not light,” came Helianth’s weak voice. “It’s ice. And it’s coming for us. ”

He was right. As Cyprian gaped up at the endless ceiling in between the stairs, he saw the blue glow descending on them. An inevitable blanket of ice that was about to sweep its wrath over them all.

His palm lit, creating a buzzing sensation.

Moargan, Moargan, Moargan.

But whatever this was, it was not the Imperial Prince. His teeth started chattering, body turning cold. He shifted his gaze around him, eyes wide with horror. The temperature around them dropped at an alarming speed. The scenery had stilled. “What’s going on?” Cyprian whispered.

“Cyprian?” It was Archer. “Are you still there? Cyprian? I can’t believe it. I can’t—they are frozen. All of them. Look…they can’t move.”

He was right. Everywhere around him, Attica members were iced to the ground, paused in their existence. It was fucking incredible.

A thrumming vibration left Cyprian’s palm and slid through his veins, warming up his entire body. His mate was calling out to him. New voices appeared, and Luminary started to descend those stairs, ready to enter a scene that had been frozen to a halt.

“Helianth?” Cyprian tried.

“I’m still here,” came the weak voice of the Imperial Prince.

“What the hell…”

“Dariux. We were saved by Dariux.” He sounded so tired, defeated in his injuries. “Good light. I can’t believe it. Thank you, Cyprian Creighton. For saving my life.”

“It wasn’t me,” Cyprian admitted.

“Yes, it was. You brought them here. You connected the link.”

“The link?”

Helianth didn’t answer anymore. Cyprian couldn’t explain what the hell had happened. Nor the feeling that pressed in his stomach. Someone else was still there. He scanned the place, sped up by those thoughts, but aside from death, there was nothing. “Who are you?” He murmured in the darkness.

Cold breath tickled his neck, and he was cut loose, the rope darting to the ground. Cyprian spun around, but there was no one. Then, in the far corner, a flash of icy-blue eyes.

“Davon-tus,” came a soft answer.

Then the presence was gone.

“Wait!” Cyprian cried after them.

There was chaos by the stairs. A rumbling growl was followed by the sound of footsteps as Luminary came rushing in, their weapons drawn and their metal helmets covering their faces. If they were taken aback by the ice-cold, they didn’t show. Instead, they made quick work clearing the cellars.

Helianth was freed and taken away in urgency.

“Cyprian!” Moargan’s flashing eyes found his. Cyprian ran and collapsed into his arms. “Good light. I’ve got you.”

Their hands entwined around their necks, holding tight as they pressed their bodies close. Not close enough. Their hearts…

“I was so afraid,” Cyprian murmured against Moargan’s mouth.

Their hearts beat as one.

“I knew you’d come and save us.”

Golden liquid ran through their veins, warming their bodies, and making the final tremors leave their core.

“It’s because you showed me where to search,” Moargan murmured. “Your Dariux brought the others together, aeon . How did you do that?”

“That voice.” Hot tears leaked from Cyprian’s cheek and landed on Moargan’s black uniform. “It was a woman, and she kept on begging me to help. She sent me here. I don’t know who she is.”

“I do.” Moargan pulled back and smiled at him. “Good light. You heard my mother, I can feel you did. She—I can’t believe it. She found you. You found her.” He tightened his hold around Cyprian once more, pressing his face in the crook of Cyprian’s throat, lips, and teeth, finding the sore spot. “You brought her back by bringing out your Dariux.”

“How did you find me?”

“The drawing,” Moargan murmured. “Aviel heard voices. Then Kylix recognized the place.”

Finally pulling back, they swept their gazes over the utter destruction this place had caused. There were at least six more bodies dangling from ropes, cut open. Luminary guards were busy emptying the remaining prisons.

“This is what I saw. This dark, dark place. And him, Moargan. I saw Helianth.”

“Your gift is the blinding light, lover. You can see things.” Moargan cupped his face and pressed their lips together. “It’s a beautiful gift. You saved our family.”

“Moargan.” Kylix approached, weapons drawn. “We’re ready. The place has been cleared.”

“And my brother?”

“Taken to the hospital. There were two more survivors. Four dead.”

Cyprian swallowed as he searched around. “And Archer?”

Kylix’s lips twitched. “If you mean a mousy kid with large eyes, he is waiting for you outside. He’s alright.”

“Yeah,” Cyprian smiled in relief. “That sounds like him.”

Moargan stretched his fingers, and the tips burned gold. The place started warming up, the ice melting in front of their eyes.

Attica’s members shivered, blinking in confusion as they took in their whereabouts. Their altered whereabouts. Surrounded by Luminary guards, they didn’t stand a chance. And although they still growled and threatened their captors, they couldn’t prevent themselves from being cuffed and arrested, all nine of them.

Cyprian watched them go, ignoring their shouts, instead sweeping the place one final time for those ice-blue eyes as if his savior really would still be here.

Moargan wrapped a strong arm around his shoulders, tugging him close. “Let’s go home, lover. Take a long shower and spend the rest of the day in bed.”