Page 8 of Definitely Dead (Happily Ever Afterlife #1)

Chapter eight

“W ait, did you say Cerberus?”

Tyr slowed so Sunne could keep step beside him as they made their way to the diner. “Yep.”

“Like the Cerberus? Hellhound? Guardian of the Underworld? That’s who Orrin is mated to?”

He chuckled at his mate’s reaction. The surly bastard tended to have that effect on people. Even souls in the village would often do a double take whenever his name was brought up in conversation.

“One and the same, but he goes by Erus here, and no, he’s not a hellhound. He’s not even a shifter.”

“I’m guessing he doesn’t have three heads either.”

“Correct.”

While still the OG—the Original Guardian—the stories got a lot wrong about Erus. He hadn’t been born into power, nor had he inherited it. He had just been a regular soul, wandering the Underworld, until Hades had plucked him from obscurity and given him purpose.

A purpose he’d lost sight of until he’d met Orrin.

“But he has powers, right? So, what is he?” Sunne asked. “A god?”

“Pretty much, but don’t let him hear you say that. He hates it.” Tyr could already picture the male’s murderous expression, could practically feel the vein that throbbed in his temple when someone dropped the G-word. “Actually, you know what? I take it back. You should definitely ask him if he’s a god.”

Sunne shook his head and snorted out a laugh. “I’m guessing you two don’t really get along.”

“He’s fine.” He respected the asshole, but no, he didn’t particularly like him. “Orrin says we’re too much alike.”

“That explains a lot, actually,” Sunne muttered under his breath. “And why are we going to talk to him?”

“I need some information,” he hedged. Information only Erus could provide.

Sunne still hadn’t been sleeping. Not the deep, restorative kind anyway. Every night, he drifted off, only to battle his way through disturbing dreams that felt all too real.

Since Tyr had claimed him and cemented their bond, he had been experiencing snippets of those nightmares for himself. Not in the same way Sunne did, but he would often catch brief flashes from his mind as the dreams bled through their connection.

He could also feel the echoes of the male’s weariness and fatigue. He could sense Sunne’s rising fear that he might be slowly losing his mind.

And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop it.

He’d tear the Underworld apart and fight the gods themselves for his mate. But this? This was different. This wasn’t something he could punch his way through. Without a tangible enemy to fight, he was fucking drowning.

That didn’t mean he hadn’t tried. Over the course of the past week, they had made multiple trips to the apothecary for a remedy. The first thing they’d tried had been actual valerian root, and as he’d suspected, it hadn’t looked like radioactive rave dust.

He still didn’t know what had been in the vial Aster had given Sunne. Even Paris had been at a loss when he’d described it, but the fae had speculated it likely hadn’t been anything dangerous. Possibly even something as innocuous as colored sugar.

But why? Had Aster thought he’d been helping by giving Sunne a placebo? Or had he been manipulating him so he would be less inclined to seek help? Gods, he hated not having the answers.

Unfortunately, even real valerian hadn’t worked. Nor had the ground poppies or the lemon balm tincture.

They had tried half a dozen different teas, going for walks along the river before bed, and he had even started reading to Sunne while he drifted off at night. Still, the dreams persisted.

“Do you mean information about Aster?” Sunne asked, staring up at him with sunken, bruised eyes.

“Yes,” he growled.

“So, why did you want me to invite him to the diner? Doesn’t that kind of defeat the point?”

“Erus needs to see him.” He didn’t want the witch anywhere near his mate, but he doubted Aster would have come if he had issued the invitation himself. “I don’t trust him, lelien . He’s up to something, and I want to know what it is.”

“I admit the vial he gave me is suspicious.” He tilted his head and shrugged. “Even if it was just sugar, I’d like to know why, so I’m in. What do you need me to do?”

Winding an arm around his shoulders, Tyr pulled him close and kissed the top of his head. “Just talk to him.”

“Shouldn’t be too hard,” Sunne mumbled around a wide yawn. “The kid never shuts up.”

Stopping outside the entrance of the diner, Tyr turned his mate to face him. “Just keep him busy for a few minutes. That’s it. And if things get weird—”

“I’ll let you know,” Sunne promised, his voice whispering into Tyr’s mind.

He still felt a shiver in his stomach every time Sunne addressed him through their bond. Of course, he enjoyed the connection for practical reasons, like safety and privacy. Mostly, however, he loved that he alone shared something so intimate and personal with the male.

A part of him no one else could touch.

“Ready?”

Sunne took a deep breath and released it slowly as he straightened his spine and pulled his shoulders back. “Ready.”

They found Aster already waiting when they entered, seated at Sunne’s favorite table by the fireplace. His eyes lit up when he spotted them, and he lifted his hand in greeting, motioning for Sunne to join him.

It took everything in him to release his grip on Sunne’s shoulder and purposely send him toward the mage. “Be careful how much you tell him.”

Sunne pasted on a bright smile and returned Aster’s wave. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

They parted ways when they reached the table, Sunne sliding into the seat nearest the fire while Tyr continued to the booth at the back of the room. He kept his gait smooth and confident, forcing himself to look straight ahead, even when every instinct he possessed railed against him.

But at least he wouldn’t be far away if things did go sideways. Reminding himself of that fact, he dropped onto the bench seat across from Orrin and his mate.

“What do you know about that kid?” he demanded without preamble.

“Well, hello to you, too,” Erus deadpanned before lifting a chipped mug to his lips. “It is a nice day, isn’t it?”

Tyr growled at the cocky god. “Cut the bullshit. You know why I asked you here.”

“Ah, yes, your new mate.” His dark eyes flashed across the room to Sunne. “Cute.”

When Tyr growled again, Orrin placed a hand on Erus’ elbow and smiled imploringly. Though they didn’t speak, at least not out loud, the moment their eyes met, Erus sighed as if he had just lost an argument.

“Very well,” he said a moment later. “You’re lucky my mate likes you.”

And the asshole was lucky Tyr didn’t rip his throat out. Seemed like they all had something to be grateful for. Maybe they could bond over it later.

“What do you want to know?” he asked as he adjusted the gold cufflinks on his pretentious three-piece suit. “And why don’t you just ask him? He is your mate, after all.”

“Not Sunne,” Tyr bit out through clenched teeth. “The kid sitting with him.”

Orrin’s eyebrows drew together, and his nose wrinkled as if he smelled something foul. Though he didn’t comment, the subtle expression spoke volumes. The prince didn’t like the bastard either.

“Aster Hornby.” Erus leaned back in the booth as he studied the male. “Mage. Powerful.”

Well, at least the kid hadn’t lied about his name. Still, Erus hadn’t revealed anything Tyr didn’t already know. He gritted his teeth and waited, grasping at the threads of his fraying patience.

As a death deity, or maybe more death-adjacent, Erus didn’t need ledgers or a directory. With one look, he knew a person’s name, age, and other key details about them. If anyone in the Underworld could get to the heart of Aster’s secrets, it was him.

“Very old.”

Tyr stiffened, alarm bells ringing in his head. “How old?”

The god shrugged. “Hundreds of years. Let’s just say he’s been around the block more than once.”

Not a kid. Not some lost, confused teenager who hadn’t had enough time in life to learn boundaries or manners.

“What else?”

“He’s a cunning little shit. Deeply committed to himself.” Erus turned back to him with a bland expression. “And he seems quite attached to your mate.”

Tyr sat up straighter, his muscles tense, and every sense on high alert. “What does that mean?”

The god shrugged. “Nothing, really. Just an observation.”

“Sunne? Is everything okay?” He gripped the edge of the table until the wood creaked, only sheer force of will keeping him in his seat.

“I’m fine. We’re discussing the welcome committee. He asked about the valerian root. What should I tell him?”

Tyr thought it over quickly. If Aster suspected duplicity, he might lash out, putting Sunne in the crossfire. Besides, all Erus had given him was proof that the mage was a self-serving liar.

In a place like the Underworld, that didn’t exactly count as damning evidence.

“Tell him the truth.”

“That you smashed it?”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, his lips twitched at the snarky comeback. “Just tell him it didn’t work. He doesn’t need to know which version.”

“Got it.”

“Anything else you want to know?” Erus asked, drawing Tyr’s attention back to him.

“Yeah, what’s his flavor of magic?”

Most witches gravitated toward spellcasting and potions, but some had been born with intrinsic abilities beyond the usual. Some could siphon powers and energy from others. Necromancers had been touched by death, giving them a unique set of capabilities. Others specialized in elemental enchantments or protection charms.

Knowing Aster’s magical leanings might provide some kind of clue about his goals.

Erus pursed his lips, a shadowed expression passing over his countenance. “It’s tangled. There’s something else that shouldn’t be there, but I can tell you, at his core, he’s a dream spinner.”

Tyr was on his feet before he had registered the intent to move, a dark, primal growl spilling from his lips.

Dream magic wasn’t just rare or unique. It was a brand of magic most witches didn’t advertise, the kind that made everyone a little uneasy when they heard it. It infected the mind, eroding and manipulating. In its darkest form, it turned dreams into hellscapes and planted seeds that shouldn’t be there.

It all made sense now. Aster’s unusual attachment to his mate. Sunne’s relentless nightmares. He didn’t know what the witch wanted or what he hoped to accomplish, but he wouldn’t rest until he found out.

“Tyr? What is it?” Rushing across the room, Sunne ran directly into his arms, stroking his chest, his neck, and his beard in soothing caresses. “What happened?”

He clutched Sunne to his chest, wrapping him in the protective circle of his arms.

“Where is he?” he demanded, his gaze landing on the empty table by the hearth. “Where the fuck did he go? He was right there!”

He snarled in frustration, his body primed for a confrontation that had never come. Still, he took comfort in the knowledge that Sunne was safe, and for the moment, that would have to be enough. As soon as he got him somewhere more secure, however, he planned to hunt down the slippery bastard.

And when he found him, he would enjoy teaching him why it was a bad idea to fuck with a Guardian’s mate.

“You couldn’t have led with that?” he insisted, jerking his head around to glare at Erus.

“Why would I?”

Though he wanted to growl and rage, it was a fair question. Without context, asking about a witch’s particular variety of magic was about as useful as asking what color eyes they had.

“Led with what?” Sunne asked, his head whipping back and forth between Tyr and Erus. “What happened? What’s going on?”

Recognizing the rising panic, Tyr smoothed the silky strands back from Sunne’s face and stroked his soft cheeks. “Everything will be okay, but we’re going to go stay at the castle for a little while.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ll be safe there.”

When Sunne continued to stare at him, his gaze questioning, Tyr sighed and gave him the abridged version of what he had learned from Erus.

“Okay,” Sunne said when he finished.

“That’s it?”

“What do you want me to say? You were right.” Sunne pursed his lips and glared. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

Smirking at his wry tone, Tyr shifted to the side to speak to Orrin. “I’m taking him to the castle.”

It wasn’t a request, but Orrin nodded. “I’ll come with you.”

“And I have a meeting,” Erus announced.

“Please be tactful this time.”

“ Asteraki , you wound me.” The god made a big show of pressing his hand over his heart and adopting a sullen expression. “I am the epitome of tact.”

“Of course.” A sardonic grin curved Orrin’s lips as he brushed an imaginary piece of lint from his mate’s shoulder. “That’s why you came home with a black eye and a bruised lip last time.”

“It’s not my fault Hades can’t take a joke.”

Leaving the gods to their bickering, Tyr led his mate across the diner to the exit. Orrin could take them to the castle with a snap of his fingers, but at this rate, it would probably be faster to walk.

Outside, he searched the streets, growling when he didn’t find any sign of Aster. The guy might be powerful, but he was still just a mage. As such, he shouldn’t have been able to poof himself out of the fucking room. So, where the hell was he?

They had only taken a couple of steps when Sunne stumbled, falling against Tyr’s side, his entire body limp.

“Sunne!”

With a quiet groan, he pressed a hand to his temple and jerked his head like he was trying to shake off a bad memory. “I’m okay.”

He didn’t look okay. The blood had drained from his face, making his complexion appear pale and waxy, highlighting the deep shadows underneath his eyes.

When Tyr continued to fret over him, Sunne brushed his hands away and stood straight, an odd smile on his lips. “I’m okay, really. Just got a little dizzy.”

He sidestepped when Tyr reached for him again and clasped his hands together behind his back. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

Tyr watched him walk away with a frown. “We’re going to the castle.”

“Right. That’s what I meant.” He chuckled, the sound distant and hollow. “Sorry. I’m so tired I can’t even think right now.”

While his explanation made sense, Tyr couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more, something Sunne wasn’t telling him. Before he could work it out, though, the door opened behind him, the screech of the hinges reverberating down the empty street.

“Do you prefer to walk?” Orrin asked, shaking back the sleeves of his silver robes. “Or should I speed things along?”

It went against every instinct he possessed, but Tyr shook his head and took a step back. “Take Sunne to the castle. I have to find Aster.”

“I’ll keep him safe,” Orrin vowed, walking forward to join Sunne. “Should I send Rune and Sindri?”

Tyr shook his head again. He’d feel better knowing they were at the castle protecting his mate.

“I love you,” he said, sending the words directly to Sunne’s mind.

Sunne stared back at him, his eyes glazed and vacant. He didn’t respond or react in any way.

Then…he was gone.