Page 70 of Broken Shadows

Aiden closes his eyes briefly and his throat bobs as he swallows audibly. “Shit. I-I didn't know.” Gideon’s lips flatten into a thin line as he nods, then drops Aiden’s arm.

Evie’s shoulder brushes mine as she turns to face Aiden and Gideon. “You alright, Aiden? I don’t blame you for wanting to taste one. Those berries look delicious.”

“Yeah, just a little freaked out. It's like, is there anything in Hell that isn’t trying to kill us?”

“No,” my brothers and I state unanimously.

Evie laughs, rolls her beautiful browns, and walks on. Her hands fly to her belly as a distinct grumble voices her stomach’s need for sustenance. I chuckle and wrap a tendril of my witch’s hair around a finger. “Hungry?” Evie glances at me and I wink.

“Starving.”

I hold her heated stare, then dip my gaze to her lips and back up. Her eyes dart away, her hair slipping from my hold as she increases her pace. “I actually don’t know when the last time I ate was.”

“Evie, what have we agreed to? You cannot continue to skip meals. It’s not healthy, girl,” Rosa says as she faces Evie and walks backward next to Ezra.

Evie’s head lowers. “I know, I know.”

Her shoulders tense as my growl crawls up her back. Why does she continue to abuse her body? “For once, I agree with Human Rainbow. You need to take better care of what’smine.”

“I could eat,” Aiden says, seemingly oblivious to the rising tension. “It feels like we’ve been walking forever. Is it dinner time yet?”

Thank fuck I don’t require food or drink to survive. I roll my eyes internally. Humans and their weak countenances. I can consume whatever I’d like, thanks to my superior demon biology. I sigh and my eyelid twitches. I never thought I’d crave the solitude of the Shadow Realm, but here we are. “We have no way of knowing. Hell lacks fluid time, remember?”

“Oh, right.”

I tilt my head.Do you hear that?I ask Ezra mentally.

Sounds like rushing water?

A river,Gideon insists, breaking into our mental conversation with ease.Also, I advise against ingesting any of their blood. The trials are swirling our minds and weakening our defenses, just waiting for us to slip up.

Ezra laughs.Struggling with a craving, Brother?

Gideon sighs, frustration tinging the exhale.Just a word of caution. Don’t come bitching to me when you inevitably fuck up while on a blood high.

He has a point,I supply.

Ezra huffs.Fine. But something about the growing sound of rushing water reminds me of how blood moves through veins.

Don’t be surprised if Samuel worked a craving for human blood into the creation of the trials,Gideon reiterates.

I growl mentally.Conniving bastard.The humans jump as Gideon and Ezra's answering growls rumble into being.

What is the point of communicating through our bonds if you two imbeciles react outwardly?Is that a twin defect?

Excuse us if we haven't had as much time fucking around with bonds. Are you positive your link to your witch is closed, and she's not privy to everything we're discussing?

Shit.I’ve gotten so used to leaving our bond open since my return to the Human Realm. I scan my mind and find themental pathway leading to my little witch, but my shield stands strong, smooth, constant vibrations filtering through that always accompany the connection. Evie speaks to Rosa, their murmuring voices like white noise as I focus on the internal conversation with my brothers.

Gideon, are you positive? You don't know anything else about the trials,I ask him.Anything that might be of use.

Silence greets me, but his presence lingers on the edge of my mind.

I wasn't part of the trial's development. Father made sure of that when Samuel pitched a fit when he suggested our brother include all of us. One trial for each brother.

I scoffed.So naturally, Dad agreed to leave it all for his precious Samuel.

Actually,Ezra rumbles,Lazarus was also involved, but only in the vaguest sense. He might've had a hand in one trial, but not all of them.

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