Page 86 of Galen

Alastair squared his jaw, flames in his blue eyes. But then he gave a short nod. “Understood.”

When six o’clock rolled around, Simon helped Raiden set the table as my boisterous brothers piled into the dining room. Castor carried Gray on his back, the smaller male snapping awake when Castor bounced him up and down. A sluggish smile spread across his face before he wrapped his arms around Castor’s neck.

Bellamy and Daman walked in midargument. Apparently, Bell had fucked some guy Daman wanted at the club when they’d gone again the night before.

“Join us next time,” Bellamy said with a flirty smile. “You can ride him while I fuck him. A win for both of us.”

“You’re disgusting.” Daman glared at him.

Bellamy caressed Daman’s cheek. “Such a hateful tone for such a pretty face.”

Daman swatted at him, and Bellamy snickered as he dodged it. They bickered all the time, but just like how I was closest to Alastair, they were close as well.

“Enough arguing,” Raiden said, his voice rising above theirs. He placed a pan of stir-fry in the center of the table. “Time to eat.”

Simon sat beside me while the others took their seats. I glanced at the empty chair at the head of the table.

“Room for one more?” Alastair stood beneath the archway, his jaw freshly shaved, hair fixed, and clothes wrinkle-free. Though his eyes still had that sorrowful gleam in them, he seemed more like himself.

“Hell yeah.” Raiden scooped some food onto another plate and set it in front of the vacant chair. “There’s plenty.”

Alastair took his seat and nodded to Raiden. “Thank you.” His attention then moved to me.

“Thank you too,”he told me through our mind link.“But remind me to punish you later for giving me orders.”

I smirked.“Welcome back, brother.”

His expression softened before he looked at his food. It would take more time for him to heal, but it was a start.

Halfway through the meal, we got an unexpected visitor. Gray was in the middle of telling a story about the time he fell asleep in a department store while on a shopping trip with Bellamy, when Lazarus appeared on the patio outside the dining room.

The angel tucked in his white wings before letting himself in through the door and studying us at the table.

“You hungry?” Raiden asked with his mouth full, motioning to the food.

Disgust clouded Lazarus’ face. “No.”

“Suit yourself.” Raiden piled the rest of the stir-fry on his plate.

Alastair wiped at his mouth before standing and bowing his head in respect. “What can we do for you?”

“I received word that demons are gathering in the underworld,” Lazarus said. “I thought it was something you should know.”

Simon furrowed his brow. “Isn’t that normal though?”

The angel scowled at him. “Speak when spoken to, human. But to answer your question, no. Demons live in the underworld, yet many are gathering in the same place. As if they’re waiting for something.”

“Or waiting for someone,” I said, as everything clicked in my head. “Phoenix said a time will come when we’ll be given a choice to kneel or die. Perhaps the time is nearly upon us.”

“The demons must be gathering to welcome their new king,” Alastair said. “But who? Belphegor?”

Lazarus shook his head. “Belphegor has always been a follower, even before the Fall. He commands legions of demons right now, but he could never rule.”

“The ring.” Alastair looked at the angel. “You said the power inside was impossible. What did you mean?”

“I sensed the essence of the Morningstar,” Lazarus answered.

My blood turned cold. It was exactly as I’d feared. That unsettling power was too strongnotto have come from Lucifer.