Lexi chuckled before returning to give an impatient Cricket a carrot. Cole removed Torigon from his stall and stood patiently by until she finished.
He’d closed the portal in their kitchen, but when she finished, he opened a new one in the barn. She walked through with him and Torigon as they returned to the Gloaming.
Chapter Forty
Brokk couldn’t stop glaringat the back of Orin’s head as he led them through the prison on the outer realm. If he could bash his brother’s head into a few of these walls, he’d probably feel a lot better, but fighting with Orin wasn’t an option right now.
Because if they started fighting, they’d beat each other into bloody pulps… if they didn’t kill each other in the process. And with the way he was feeling, it would be a fight to the death.
Instead, he concentrated on learning who was imprisoned in this place. He and Del stayed out of view as Orin opened each window on the steel doors, looked inside, and called the prisoner’s name.
The ones who wept behind the doors were the worst. They would gladly hand them all over to the Lord if they ever learned they were working with Orin, but he’d have far preferred death to this perpetual state of unknowing and suffering. The scent of despair choked the air.
These were immortals facing a prison sentence with no end in sight. “Why not kill them?” Brokk inquired.
“For some, that is too kind a fate,” Orin replied.
“No, it’s not.”
So far, none of them would be useful as they were all loyal to the Lord and the Lord only, but to see so many here, and how much Orin kept from them, was disturbing. He’d always known Orin was ruthless and determined, but he’d never expected this.
“Stop glaring at me, little brother,” Orin said.
Brokk didn’t respond.
“Just exactly what did I do to you?” Orin asked.
“What have you ever doneforme?”
“I brought Del back.”
Beside him, Del grunted. The vampire’s anger was another reason not to start fighting with Orin; it would only fuel Del’s animosity, and while Brokk despised Orin right now, he couldn’t let someone else kill him. However, it was very,verytempting.
“You did that for you,” Brokk said.
“I did it forallof us. Because of Lexi, we finally have a chance against the Lord now.”
“None of us are going to let you sacrifice Lexi for your own desires,” Brokk warned. “It’s not just Cole you’re going to have to watch out for when it comes to her.”
“Oh, joy, more threats,” Orin muttered.
Brokk couldn’t see his face, but he knew Orin’s eyes were rolling. Beside him, Del’s hands fisted. Brokk rested his hand on Del’s arm and shook his head. A muscle twitched in Del’s locked jaw, and his arm vibrated beneath Brokk’s touch.
It would take only one small thing to push Del over the edge when it came to Orin. They probably should have left Del behind, but he didn’t think the vamp would have agreed to it.
When they rounded a corner, a couple of lycan and a dark fae came into view. They stood outside a steel door. When they saw Orin, they stood away from the wall they’d slumped against.
“General,” one of the lycan greeted, and this time, Brokk rolled his eyes.
“At ease, men,” Orin replied.
Brokk was sure his eyes were going to roll out of his head. He could almost feel the power trip oozing from Orin’s pores. When they relaxed again, his men’s eyes went past him and widened on Del.
“What’s he doing out of his cage?” one of the lycan demanded.
“He’s going to help us take down the Lord,” Orin replied.
“He foughtforthe Lord.”
