Page 69 of Fated to the Demon Lord

“We believe they came here for him,” the guard with the breastplate and helm nodded at Gerand.

“Him?” Mirvarax said with disdain. “How pathetic.”

“Humans are so emotional.” Vaelor’s eyes held a clear warning as he calculated his position. There were three guards and Mirvarax. Too many to take at once.

“Indeed.” Mirvarax waved a hand. “Kill them.”

My heart raced and my mouth went dry, even while a strong rebellion rose up my throat. I hadn’t come this far—rescued Gerand—to die here.

“Killing us isn’t in your best interest,” I blurted.

Mirvarax held up a palm, pausing his guards. “Why not?”

“My mother is a potent hedge witch,” I said, my tongue like sandpaper. If this didn’t work, I had no backup plan. “She might benefit you, but she won’t cooperate if you harm her children.”

Mother’s eyes met mine, pride mingling with fear in her gaze. It was a long shot, but she appeared impressed by my cleverness.

Mirvarax’s head tilted to the side, considering. “What you speak could be true.” His skin rippled in that disconcerting way. “But hedge witches who refuse to volunteer their service cannot be trusted. Plus, there are consequences for those who come here and attempt to take what is mine.” His eyes watched me with a violent hunger. “No, you’d better serve as heads mounted on my wall.” He lowered his hand and turned to his soldiers. “Carry on.”

The guard restraining me let go, clutching at his throat with a choking gasp. I snapped my gaze to the place where Vaelor had been standing, but he was gone. Behind me, the soldier jerked and spasmed as Vaelor fought for control inside his body.

I spun to face Gerand, terror filling me as the demon guard holding him lifted his sword. Feron dropped from the sky, feathered wings spread. He attacked. The guard released my brother and crumpled to the ground as Feron lunged forward, gripping the demon’s leg and ripping it from his body. A wild cry came from the guard, blood spurting. I hurried to Gerand, who tripped backward with wide eyes.

The guard grasping mother relinquished his hold on her and plunged his spear into Feron’s back.

My stomach hollowed. No.

Vaelor forced the guard he inhabited to draw his sword. With certain inevitability, he turned the sword inward and rammed it into the guard’s own chest. There was no sound as the guard folded in half. Vaelor faded out of him, materializing as the demon guard dropped to the ground, bleeding out across the yard.

Vaelor turned to find Feron on his hands and knees and released a feral snarl. He spun to face the lead guard who’d stabbed him.

“Well, this was unexpected,” Mirvarax said, a bit too calmly.

The lead guard’s eyes widened, and he gripped his breastplate as he took in the fellow guard who’d stabbed himself. He stumbled back, his hooves clacking against the ground, horror filling his gaze. He turned tail and ran. Vaelor moved to follow after the guard.

Without warning, a massive scaled foot slammed down on top of Feron, crushing him.

I traced the red scales up the colossal leg, taking in the enormous head, the wickedly lengthy teeth, and the expanse of wings. The reptilian eyes matched Mirvarax’s exactly.

He’d shifted.

Each nail on his claw was the length of my body. Mirvarax lifted his foot. I trembled at the wet, squelching sound beneath it. Death peered into my eyes with its voracious gaze, and I was immobile, a minuscule pest in the face of the enormous beast.

Nausea churned in my gut at Feron’s crushed form. If there was any chance of saving him, it was now gone.

Vaelor turned, his gaze a raging inferno. “You… fucking bastard!” He snarled, and his body blurred, dissolving into mist that streamed into Mirvarax’s broad, scaled chest.

The creature’s eyes flooded a horrible orange color, and a pain-filled roar escaped from him. It arched and fell against the compound wall, several chunks of stone breaking off and falling to the earth. The dragon twitched and writhed.

I watched, my heart beating wildly, as Vaelor struggled for mastery within the beast. Shaking myself, I pivoted toward Gerand and Mother. “He’s bought us some time. We need to go.”

Now that Vaelor was engaged with Mirvarax, the remaining guard rushed forward, trying to make up for his lack of courage. The dragon screeched and lurched, swiping the guard, catching him by his antlers and throwing him into the manor so hard that he smashed into the wall with a loud thwack. He collapsed to the ground, revealing a massive crack in his helm. His eyes rolled into his head, and his body spasmed uncontrollably.

“Go!” I shouted to Mother and Gerand. We raced around the side of the mansion, aiming for the front gate. The dragon lurched and stumbled, but slowly, gradually climbed onto the manor roof. His sharp claws scraped against the stone as he pulled his way up, his spread wings reaching up so high that it blocked the sun, casting an immense shadow over us as he paused on the house top, facing the gate. I prayed Vaelor had full control by now.

“Raise the gate, or you will burn!” I shouted at the guards, motioning toward the dragon and his burning orange eyes. He sat deathly still, but at my words a heated glow ignited at the base of his throat.

The guards sprang into action, hauling the gate upward. We didn’t perish in flames—so Vaelor must be in full control.