Page 17 of Broken Shadows

“Try to get an erection now, you perverted fuck!”

CHAPTER SIX

Lorcan

“Bro Demon!” Aiden shouts exuberantly. My jaw clenches so tightly I worry the vein throbbing along it will burst and splatter Ezra's face with gore. Aiden continues, despite my morose demeanor. “It's been sooo long since you've hung out in my head or through any kind of mirror. Don’t get me wrong, it’s actually been a nice break.”

“So,thisis Aiden,” Ezra comments with a lifted brown, then adds. “Your valet?”

I side-eye my brother, trapping him in my glare. “That foolish observation does not warrant a response.”

“You could've just said, ‘yes,’” Aiden chimes. “Shit, really leaning into that evil overload persona. Glad to see your time in the Shadow Realm hasn’t ruined your sunny disposition.”

My brows quirk upwards. “I’m surprised you even know the word disposition.”

A psychotic grin sweeps over my brother’s face as he shakes me by the shoulders. “Oh, I like him.”

I growl as Ezra’s claws stab into my shoulders and wrinkle my nose as he winks at Aiden. “Enough, we have things to discuss, and you two fucking morons keep steering the conversation to nonsense.”

Ezra snaps his teeth close to my face. “Make me.”

I spin, my teeth sharpening as a triumphant smile takes over my face, and send my tattooed fist into his godsdamn throat. Ezra gags and coughs, his lips moving, but no sound escapes. “What was that, Wrath? Can’t speak with your crushed larynx?” I taunt and smack his bearded cheek twice.

Rare delight warms like a sun in my chest as I bind him with shadows and deposit him in the corner by the window. “Stay,” I command.

I chuckle as Ezra growls and bucks beneath his restraints. Serves him fucking right after he trussed me up with his shadows the other day.

My heart stalls. Oh, shit. I’ve neglected my only link with the Human Realm because of this asshat. My eyelid twitches—the reality of losing this one advantage to tedious sibling rivalry all too realistic.

I hurry back to the mirror and exhale slowly when I see it’s not shattered. Aiden’s wide eyes stare at me through the glass, his jaw slack. “Wha-?”

I grip the nape of my neck, then interrupt what I’m sure is about to be useless dribble. “You are going to help me free my little witch.”

“Okay, sure,” he says and nodding enthusiastically like a ridiculous bobble head toy. “But me too, right? Like I am going to go free, ‘cause I can't get her out without being free myself.”

I groan and rub my temples.Satan, give me patience.“Obviously. I don’t give a shit what happens to you either way. All I want is to get Evie out of there.”

“Fine, whatever,” Aiden says, puffing out his cheeks. “If you don’t care, then why should I bother helping you when I can just help myself?”

Fabric rustles as Ezra struggles and fails to free himself from the shadow restraints. The corner of my mouth twitches but I ignore him.

“Listen,Valet. Must I remind you of all the ways I can draw endless agony out of your body in Hell?”

He gulps, the edge of his servant’s mark rippling with the movement. “Uh. No, definitely cool. Don't need another reminder. Still have nightmares from the last time.”

“You need to be nicer to the kid,” Ezra interjects behind me, his voice broken and raspy as if he swallowed shards of glass.

I glare into the tiny mirror, perturbed by the constant back and forth, then slap a shadow gag over his big fucking mouth. That should work for now, before he works up the energy to fight my shadows properly.

Aiden's eyes dance between mine as he pouts. “He's right, you know. I don't think you've ever been nice to me.”

“Will you fucking focus? Or I’ll devise a plan so that only Rosa escapes with Evie and your left here to rot.”

Aiden frowns, which rapidly transforms into an impish smile. “But really, would it kill you to be, just, you know, more pleasant on occasion?”

“For fuck’s sake. Will you stop badgering me if I agree to attempt it?”

“Yeppers,” Aiden replies brightly, popping the P.

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