Avernus || Book 1 ✔️

||Rescued||

My lips were parted open as I breathed, or at least as I tried to while my heart raced and my blood pulsed harshly behind my ears.

The room was tense; everyone stood on high alert as if they were waiting for something else to happen.

"So, it's you."

The silence was broken by Cyprus who pushed himself past one of his guards to become more visible. I pressed myself further into my mate's chest when I saw that he too had relinquished control to his daemon. Cyprus took several steps forward before my mate growled, the sound a threat as to what would happen if he came any closer.

"You're the bastard Prince...and the one who claims my daughter."

His voice was almost guttural and disturbed me more than being called his daughter at that moment.

"If you think I'm going to let you take my child away from me, you must be mistaken."

Bael hummed; it was a short sound, abrupt— as if he didn't care for what Cyprus had to say and disregarded his words entirely.

"Rosa will be coming back with me, there is no need to take what I was given— in fact, the only thing I will be taking is your head. I plan on keeping it with me as a trophy of sorts; perhaps I should hang it outside the castle walls to serve as a reminder of what might come to those who cross me."

Cyprus growled and took a step forward, his eyes raking up my mate's form as if he were sizing him up.

"If you threaten so openly ensure that you plan on seeing it through. Because I promise that you will not make it out of here alive, and certainly not with her."

I whimpered as my protective shield was withdrawn and Bael stepped closer to Cyprus with his fists clenched as if he was ready to show him just how serious he was.

"Bael." I pleaded as I saw his talons elongate and his shoulders tense in preparation—but it was too late.

His hand flew outwards as if to plunge into the side of Cyprus' neck, but the daemon moved to the left so only the base of his collarbone was caught by the sharp weapon.

My mate growled in frustration but had to avoid the fist that was thrown in his direction.

I could only cover my mouth as I watched the fight unfold. I watched as it became more brutal and bloody, as the snarls and growls filled the room so that those loud, horrible sounds were all that could be heard.

Desperately, I looked around the room, hoping that someone was feeling the same dread as me. But to my dismay, soldiers on both sides stayed out of the way, giving the two space to brawl as if this was normal. Why were they just letting this happen?

"No, no, no." I whimpered and squeezed my eyes shut as Bael was thrown across the room. My heart dropped to my stomach as I heard the reverberating slam against the stoned walls and the crackle of dust and rubble as the structure gave in to his weight and started to crumble.

But just as soon as his body hit the ground, he was back up again, tackling Cyprus to the floor, the two daemons snarling as they clawed and attacked one another.

I needed to do something.

My eyes circled the room once more, and my breath caught in my throat as I came across a familiar pair of red eyes that were also watching the fight.

"The King." I whispered to myself as I suddenly felt an ounce of hope bubble to the surface.

Subtly, I slipped between the soldiers who were too distracted to notice my movements and I quickly made my way over to where he stood.