Page 20 of Outcast

“Remind me not to go to the prison again for a very long time,” I said with relief. We all needed a shower and fresh clothes, but we were free of that place for now. That was a definite win.

“I second that,” Kol muttered as he shook out his wings, stretching them to their full expanse.

“Harlow?”

The voice that called out my name was familiar, yet strange. I turned to take in the man standing across the room. I knew without a doubt it was my Hiro. He had too close a resemblance to Roman and his former body to not be.

“Thank you, Loki,” I said under my breath before I rushed toward him. He didn’t hesitate to meet me halfway, throwing his arms around me and squeezing me.

“Surprise!” he offered. I let out a laugh at his awkwardness, glad some things hadn’t changed.

“Is Roman here too?” I questioned as I pulled away, my hands resting on his cheeks as I studied the man, learning everything about his features.

Even if I’d never looked at this face before, it was insane how close he looked to himself. He was leaner and even a bit taller. His face wasn’t as sharp, but held a softness to it I’d always noticed in him before.

The familiar emerald eyes were just as expressive. It was as if Loki took every feature and mannerism that distinguished Hiro from his counterpart, and enhanced it perfectly.

I owed that god, and as I stared at Hiro, I knew I wouldn’t hesitate to return the favor when he asked. He’d saved my men and brought them here but what he did for these two was beyond what I could have hoped for. And I hadn’t even seen Roman yet.

“I’m here.” Roman sounded more like his usual self, but it had a gravel to it. A gasp escaped as I spun to see a newly made gargoyle. It was fitting of Roman, taking his nature and giving him a body to match. He could easily protect us without a second of hesitation.

He still had some of his human features, like the shaggy hair and green eyes, but it was mixed with stone. I loved it as much as I loved him.

“You two are perfect.”

What was even better was being whole again. It felt like I’d never get all of my men back. And somehow, I’d managed it in what felt like a few short days.

Roman moved forward and pulled me into his arms, his wings wrapping around me and holding me tight so I couldn’t focus on anything else but him. I breathed my gargoyle in as I held him tight.

“I missed you,” he whispered as he brushed kisses over my forehead, cheeks, and finally my lips. Just like when I kissed Monty and Kol, a bond snapped into place.

I hadn’t felt quite as hollow since bonding with Kol and Monty, but now that he fit into place, his presence nestled right into my soul next to them, as if it always belonged there.

It had happened with all of them so far and I couldn’t go another minute without doing the same to Hiro. We had only touched, hugged, and it seemed it needed something more than that.

Wiggling out of Roman’s embrace, I pulled Hiro in and locked my lips to his. He gasped. When the bond formed between us, a shockwave of power exploded around us. Thankfully no one was blown off their feet... but it was unexpected.

“That’s new,” I said, tilting my head. He started to answer but was interrupted.

“Hiro, are you tearing stuff up again?” Drake called out as he walked into the throne room, stopping when he saw us. “Harlow, you’re back. You found them.”

“And you found Roman and Hiro.” He laughed at that.

“It was all them.”

“I, uh”—he narrowed his eyes at my tone—“I also brought your dad back.” I pointed to Elkan standing off to the side. Even Monty and Kol moved out of the way so he couldn’t miss the old demon.

A war of emotions went across Drake’s face. He’d hated this demon for so long until he’d discovered the truth. It had to be hard to process.

“I’m so sorry, son.”

ChapterNine

Hel

It was still hard to believe I’d escaped Helheim. I was no longer a prisoner of the realm that Odin had forced me to endure.

No part of me felt remorse for what I had done to make it happen, or sadness for what I’d left behind. Harlow had been the perfect choice; I saw her potential even if she didn’t. She could hate me, but I gave her a way to live with her little harem of creatures.

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