Page 9 of To Dwell in Shadows (Shadows of Aurelia #2)

S am flinched at the rush of light and fresh air. The scents from his mother’s prized poison garden patch breezed past him—bitter belladonna, the cloying sweetness of baneberry, the faint almond tang of oleander. It unleashed a flood of memories, making his racing heart pound faster.

This is it. It’s about to happen.

There was a murmur of voices, but he couldn’t see anything past the thick foliage growing above the hidden door. He took a step forward, but Vanthee pulled on his arm.

“Wait. Let me announce you first,” Vanthee said.

Sam paused, then gave a tight nod.

Vanthee turned to Selene and Thema, her tone sharp. “You two, stay here.”

She strode ahead, vanishing into the sea of greenery. Pushing through thick, glossy leaves, she called out, “Your Majesties, forgive the intrusion, but I bring news. Joyous news.”

The murmuring stopped. Silence fell, then he heard his mother’s voice. “Come forward then, Vanthee.”

Sam clenched his fists, trying to steady himself, but the sound of his mother’s voice caught him off guard.

Emotion surged through him. He reached up and pulled aside a curtain of ivy near his face, revealing a glimpse of his father’s horns.

They were as thick and gnarled as he remembered, but the crown of spikes he wore around his bald head seemed more battered.

As Sam brushed back a hanging cluster of golden laburnum blossoms, he saw his mother’s profile. Her auburn hair was braided through her crown, and her gray wings swayed leisurely at her back. They both sat at a small table, sipping from mugs.

The sight of them—real, not imagined—made Sam’s legs tremble. He focused on his footing, planting each step deliberately as he followed a few paces behind Vanthee, trying to ground himself in the moment.

When Vanthee reached the table, she dropped into a curtsy. “Fate has bestowed us with a gift.”

King Asmodeus looked at her closely, his brows furrowed. “What is it?”

“The most precious gift any of us could dream of,” Vanthee replied, still bowed low.

Queen Lamia gave a huff of impatience. “Stand and tell us, Vanthee.”

Rising gracefully, Vanthee met their eyes. “I was in the east wing and heard noises coming from Prince Samael’s former bedroom.”

The pain that clouded his mother’s face at the mention of his name was stark. It made him want to burst out to announce himself, but he stayed back.

“More rats?” Lamia asked. “I’ve told the imps that wing mustn’t be neglected.”

“No, Your Majesty. Not rats.” Vanthee glanced back at Sam before continuing. “Please, prepare yourselves. What I’m about to say may seem… impossible.” She took a breath. “Prince Samael has returned.”

The words landed like a thunderclap. Confusion consumed both their faces, swiftly giving way to anger. Asmodeus’s tone was low and dangerous. “What kind of cruel game is this? ”

“Why would you say something like that?” Lamia asked, her eyes wide with hurt.

Sam realized his return must have seemed so improbable that they had taken Vanthee’s words as a jest. Before Vanthee could speak again, Sam stepped forward. A dry twig cracked beneath his boot. The sound made them both turn.

“It’s not a trick,” he called out, his voice shaking. When he pushed the last tangle of vines separating him from his parents, he paused to take in the full sight of them. “It’s me, Sam. I’ve come home.”

The king and queen seemed temporarily frozen with shock. They stared at him for a moment until Queen Lamia let out a joyful shriek and dropped to her knees.

King Asmodeus shot to his hoofed feet to rush toward Sam. He enveloped him in a hug so hard it nearly knocked the air from Sam’s lungs. He returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around his father’s broad back and pressing his palms into the leather cape he wore.

After so many years of being the largest person in every space, it was a strange comfort to be dwarfed in the arms of his powerful father. His scent was just as Sam had remembered—blood and hearth smoke.

The next moment, Sam felt his mother behind him, her small hands clutching at his shoulders. The scent of her pomegranate perfume brought an eruption of emotions. She trembled and sobbed, “My son, my son, my son,” against his shoulder. Tears began to flow from Sam’s eyes as well.

This was the moment he had waited for—one that had existed only in the sanctuary of his dreams. It was the vision that had carried him through lonely nights. The fantasy that he replayed when nightmares had stolen his sleep. The wish that quieted his demonic urges when they felt too much to bear.

It was real. It was his .

And for the first time, he allowed himself to believe he deserved it.

Sam wasn’t sure how long the three of them stayed in that position, arms entwined as if letting go might shatter the reality of the moment. The bond he feared had been stretched too thin by decades of separation now felt strong, making him realize nothing could ever truly sever their connection.

In that moment, nothing else mattered. It was just them, finally together, rebuilding what had once been fractured, piece by piece.

Eventually, Asmodeus stepped back to let out a victorious roar so loud the ground shook.

“Let me look at you.” King Asmodeus ran his fingers gently over Sam’s face with his clawed hand, then squinted closely at the top of Sam’s head. “Have you lost one of your horns?”

“Yes. It’s regenerating.”

Queen Lamia took Sam’s hands, examining the scars that encircled his wrists—a remnant from his captivity in the blood wagons. “And you bear many scars. Were you a soldier in Aurelia? Or a warrior?”

“No,” he said softly.

“We have a lot to catch up on,” Lamia said.

“I believe he still has your eyes. Do you agree, my treasure?” King Asmodeus asked Queen Lamia.

“Oh yes. He looks exactly the same. Only more grown-up.” Queen Lamia searched Sam’s face, then hugged him again. “How did you come here?”

“My mate, Selene, brought us here with the traveler’s stone.”

“Selene. Ah,” Lamia said, her smile flickering for a moment. “We didn’t know what happened to her when she disappeared. But she must have found her way back to Aurelia.”

“Yes, to my great fortune. There’s someone else here to see you, too,” Sam said. He turned toward the bushes and called, “Come forward.”

Queen Thema came running toward them, with Selene close behind. Without hesitation, Thema bumped Vanthee aside with her hip, her voice breaking with emotion as she cried out, “Sister!”

“Thema?” Queen Lamia gasped, stunned.

She released Sam and launched herself at Thema with such force that the two of them tumbled to the ground, arms wrapped tightly around each other. Their laughter echoed through the garden.

Asmodeus pulled Sam into a one-armed embrace, squeezing his shoulder with pride. “Well done, son.”

Sam smiled, then stepped away from his father. He reached for Selene’s hand and drew her forward. “My mate, Selene.”

King Asmodeus’s grin widened. “We have already met. Greetings, Selene.” He wagged a finger at her, feigning a scolding tone. “My queen and I weren’t pleased about your abrupt departure into the ether, but you have redeemed yourself this day.”

“Thank you,” Selene said, her cheeks coloring slightly. “I’m sorry about the way I left. I didn’t understand how the traveler’s stone worked back then.”

“And now?”

“Yes. I got us here, at least.”

After several moments of laughter and tight embraces between Lamia and Thema, the sisters rose to their feet. Queen Lamia turned to Selene, giving her a slow, assessing look.

“Hello again,” she said, her tone cool and unreadable.

Selene offered a bright smile. “Hello. It’s good to see you.”

Lamia didn’t respond. Instead, she shifted her attention to Vanthee. “Excellent work, Vanthee. Your discovery has brought forth the end of a great anguish for our kingdom.”

“I know,” Vanthee said. The eagerness that shone in the demoness’s eyes made Sam as uncomfortable as he was confused. He glanced at Selene. It was she, not Vanthee, who deserved their praise.

Lamia looped her arm through Sam’s. She met his eyes with a serious, almost expectant look. “We have much to discuss about your future. ”

Feeling too buoyant with joy to dampen the moment with heavy conversations, Sam only nodded.

Queen Thema turned to King Asmodeus. “Great king, our journey to your new realm has been arduous. Might we impose on your hospitality for some food and drink?”

“Of course,” Asmodeus replied. He stamped one hoof on the ground three times.

A band of flying imps with pock-marked wings and arms that hung longer than their legs descended from above.

They hovered in the air, awaiting instructions.

“Prepare the formal dining room and ready two guest suites—Samael, the lost Prince of Vengeance, has returned!”