Chapter 31

A/N: Hi!! I’m not gone, nor is this book forgotten. I’m working so hard guys, me and my team are. I love you guys! Enjoy the chapter. There should be two uploaded tomorrow.

Grace

“Are there any alliances that I need to renew?” Asked my mate.

“The Fifth Seat of Wolves and his mate held one of father’s neck scales, but they also hold one of mine.” Said Saiyoken.

“I’ll make my way over there soon enough.” He mumbled.

Even with a pot of coffee… he looked ragged.

“Father was going to execute some Rogues responsible for getting the Kansas City Den discovered by HeadHunters…. Most of their scales, pelts, and bones have been recovered…. But had they not illegally hunted, 250 drakes and 42 eggs would not have been destroyed.” Said Othek, the Third seat.

“You forget 10 of those eggs are still missing.” Said the Fourth Seat, Soltun.

“Do you at least have an idea where the human black market is located?’ I asked.

“We have a sting operation scheduled for tonight… Grandfather found it before he was defeated.” Said Saiyatok.

“Then this meeting is over. You are all free to continue living in your dens, as I expect this one to be flooded by this afternoon.” Said Aureus. “Atlas, I want you to judge who enters. My first act as King is to retrieve the unhatched… and murder every fucking human who Dares harm babies…”

“They see us as animals… Their picture books make us mindless monsters.” Said Saiyoken. “I hold no personal grudge. I will kill them Swiftly.”

“Good. We both should leave in about an hour.”

“Sir… with respect it looks like you still need to gather your strength.” Said The Sixth Seat, Saika. I believe that was Saiyoken’s full blooded brother.

“I know, But we Must strike while the iron is hot. I figure if we do it during the day, that will surprise them.” My mate grumbled. He was given more coffee to gulp, and he finished… TWO POTS of coffee in one sitting…

Though, since this was so serious, I wouldn’t stop him. He’s enormous; I’m sure he can process it all somehow.

“The same goes for wolves.” I said thinking of how to word what I wanted. “Many know of my father, but don’t …. Necessarily want to be ruled by him, or my brothers…” I said truthfully.

Honestly, I think it was more of a preference.

My father ruled with an iron, but just fist. Tyson was the same. They wouldn’t punish unless there was a reason, but both had a bad reputation…. The way my brother ruled showed that he was blessed with an obscene amount of honor… and wolves feared my father because he has so many fur rugs from werewolf pelts, that his office looks like a hunting lodge… since there were so many on the wall too….

The look of horror on Aureus’s face. I smiled.

“Your father has a Problem.” He said simply.

“Well… he likes to make examples out of people.” I said casually, and now the council looked concerned. They couldn’t hear me, nor did they know what we were talking about… but my comment was enough it seemed.

“Perhaps, we should also let the High King know Now of the power shift as well.” Suggested the Second Dragon’s Seat, Sainevvi.

“I already have his number.” Said Aureus…At some point, Xaxas called him. Probably a threat… I wouldn’t be surprised.

It rang about five times. “What do you Want Frag’naw?” He grumbled.

“Is this a bad time?” He asked.

“No, but I’m not on Urth right now.” He said with a snort. “If I hear ONE more Overembellished sob story, I’m eating you, you little shits!” He roared. “Next!”

“…. Uncle…. are you judging souls?” I asked in confusion… he Never did that… work was the biggest swear word you could say to him.

“I Heard That and Yes I’m doing my job. A few realms got destroyed today, and I’m just doing father a favor.” He complained. “You know what.” He snapped his fingers.

We were teleported to a grand castle behind Xaxas… and Uncle was in his true form. His grand ram’s horns held his floating crown, and his robes were a black and red roman styled toga. He was about 11 feet tall, sitting on a Throne. It was placed on a large square pedestal, while a nearly endless line of souls was in the center of a grand courtyard of inlayed black stone.

The trees here were made of bone, and the leaves were a vibrant green while the grass held a bluish tinge… Demons stood at his left and right, though they were dwarfed in comparison to him. The sky was blue, and the sun was yellow with grandfather’s red symbol in the sun… as this was Xaxas’s fourth of hell…

I remember when I was younger, something was said about making my father and uncle’s fourths of hell pleasant until they molded it to look like they wanted. Uncle Asanguis loved his realm being basically blue and cold… Though…it seemed my uncle Xaxas enjoyed the way the mortal realm looked. You’d never think this was a place of punishment.

“….I just wanted to let you know I was King…” said my mate. We both bowed.

“I already know that.” He said this with a warm grin. “I was hoping to see you rise Golden King.” He looked at us with the eyes of hell… Piercing glowing red irises, and black where the white part of the eye should be… but I could see the kindness in them. “I also believe that your new status holds precedence over my angered words. Kneel to me.”

“Thank you sir.” Said Aureus. He kneeled on his bent knee. “I…yield to the Master. Whever you go, your dragons will follow.”

“I hold no grudge against you Saitoh’Frahg’Naw, the Golden One, The Mighty One. I will not give you the term Eternal One, as I have already made Zytherian my Herald. Saitoh’Frahg’Naw was your original name and title. Sometimes, taking so much as a few letters off a name can change the composition of someone entirely. I know you go by Aureus now, but to be fair, I like the long version. It’s more distinguished.” Said Uncle.

“Thank you?” Said Aureus confused. “I feel good….” He mumbled. He didn’t look tired anymore, that was for sure.

“Send him to the Ninth Ring Barberiuys.” Xaxas said waving his hand, and the soul next in line was grabbed aggressively by a demonic black dragon… being carried off Down through a red portal that appeared….

Seeing that one screaming made the rest nervous. They should be… all those souls held red X’s, marking them as sinners. Uncle’s job was sorting out what layer they belonged in…. so the sob stories really weren’t necessary.

“I. Said. Next.” He pointed to a small soul with a clawed finger, dragging him to himself with magic. “Spit out your story. I already know your name and what you’ve done. Why should I put you on the First Layer of the Repentant, not The Layer of Thieves?”

“I was born poor.” Said the soul. “My family worked so hard, and we were so hungry some nights… I stole for their sake. But then I started to Like it. I lost my left hand, and still kept stealing. It was For Them. I had Such Small Children-”

He’d stopped talking because of the smile my uncle had. He sat there with his knuckles resting lazily on his cheek. “Continue.” He said amused.

“I had Such SMALL Children, so small and innocent. They didn’t do anything wrong. I HAD to keep stealing for their sakes.” He said bowing his head.

“Even after your wife left you and you never gave them anything a day in your life?” I didn’t know Xaxas could shift… He turned into a bear…

Kind of…. His bear form reminded me of a Lycan, as he walked on two legs, but the front of him was bulky… his back legs were smaller than his massive front. His black fur with red runes complimented his grand ram’s horns.

He grabbed the soul with hands that were nearly more claw than finger… and ate him in one go.

The Demons Laughed, Aureus too. The demons slapped their knees while the line was kept straight… The sinner souls saw what he’d done, and were horrified, but I didn’t expect anything less than something strange and grand from him…

“Alright, that’s enough. Next.” He said amused, licking his fingers one at a time, and shifting back with his robes still on…. something no shifter could do.

“I must say that was probably the most brutal death I’ve ever seen.” Said Aureus impressed. Something like this bothered neither of us to be fair. As a future General of grandfather, I think he might have made me immune to sympathy for sinners. And Aureus was a dragon… Eating people was kind of what they do…

“…. You wanted me to see your new form… didn’t you Uncle?” I said with a smile.

“All my other brothers have a second form… I wanted one too!” He complained like he needed a Reason to Abuse his powers…..

“But did you have to make your ears so cute?” I said to tease. Aureus was silent because he was nosy. He wanted to know his reasoning too.

“I wanted to be True to the bear likeness.... Plus, I Can’t do this Above. I’m too big.” He huffed. “I thought the runes would hold the natural dark energy I radiate, but it’s still Too much for the mortal realm. I’ll figure it out. You both have my blessing.” He said snapping his fingers.

“What the Literal Fuck?!” Yelled Aureus with a laugh.

“That was so cool!” I yelled.

“I feel like a whelp again!” Said my mate. “Is This why you woke up laughing?!” He beamed.

“Actually, yes and no… I got caught being there without permission.” I smiled.

“Really?” He said interested, but the throat clear stopped our puppish yipping.

“Where did you both go?” Asked Saiyoken confused.

We looked at each other.

“Don’t worry about it.” We both said at the same time.