Incubus [malexmale]

Chapter Forty

"Alexius is safe," I told him, watching him sigh in relief, "But you and Zen are not." Keltzu frowned, looking at me in alarm. His men tensed instantly, hearts jumping into overdrive, but I shook my head, waving my hand for them to relax.

"Not because of me. I mean that Alexius made a deal with Lothos concerning your freedom; it's how you escaped in the first place. He told Lothos that he would kill me in return for letting you guys escape as well as Lothos giving Alexius access to information about his father." I explained, watching Keltzu scowl at the news.

"Firstly, I had no idea that was why we escaped. I was suspicious at first, but I had to get Zen out of there, so I didn't ask any questions. Secondly, by father of Alexius... That would mean my uncle?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at the thought. I shrugged.

"Sort of. He never married Alexius' mother, Ivy. But in a way."

"So then... Alexius is my cousin."

"Yes."

"Why did my father not tell me of this?"

"Probably because he didn't want Alexius to know, but I think Alexius knows now. He just doesn't care. Why would he? Zenliu was never there for him, just like everyone else." I admitted, eyes scanning the trees as I heard the sounds of the village as we drew nearer. Keltzu looked away, surprisingly embarrassed.

"If we had known, we would have helped." He muttered. I smiled at that.

"I'll make sure Alexius knows then." I answered. Keltzu blushed at that, then cleared his throat as we entered the village where the fog cleared to reveal the petite huts. A few of the vendors waved upon seeing me while others whispered and scurried around to make way for Keltzu's grand entrance. We made it halfway to the two-story home of Telulu and Zenliu when both husband and wife came out. Telulu was wearing an emerald green gown made of nearly transparent silks and a scarf holding her dark hair back from her face, silver eyes staring at us in surprise. Zenliu, however, wasn't as silent and glared daggers at me.

"I told you never to return here." He ordered. Telulu sighed, covering her face with a hand at Zenliu's hostility, but I took no offense to it and merely gave a short nod.

"I apologize, Zenliu. I would not have come if it wasn't important. We need to act quickly. Your sons need to come to Erini as soon as possible." I informed. Zenliu glared at me, clenching his fists and ignoring Telulu's soft urges to  calm down.

"And I told you that they are not going anywhere. They are safe here--"

"They aren't," I cut in sharply, watching Zenliu's face pinch at the interruption, "Alexius made a deal with Lothos that protected your sons, but the deal has been broken. Once Lothos finds out that Alexius isn't carrying through with their bargain, he'll come after Zen and Keltzu first, knowing he can't get to Alexius. If we can hide them in Erini, they'll be safe even from Lothos. Erini is a Greek realm, not an Ethos realm. His godly presence is not tolerated considering Greeks do not appreciate the Ethos pantheon."

"They're safe here," Zenliu insisted, narrowing his eyes at me, then saying something in his native tongue to Keltzu, gesturing him to come and stand beside him, before he turned his attention back to me, "I am not allowing you to take my sons to a realm I know nothing about. My sons have lived in the safety of our village for years--"

"Safety," Telulu echoed, making Zenliu wince and glare at her now, but she went on, holding her head up sternly, "We've been attacked multiple times. We are forced to move from realm to realm to avoid larger demons preying on us. Have you ever stopped to think that maybe it's our sons they want? It's dangerous for our children to be here, to be chased all over the universe. Zenliu, we're going to run out of places to hide. There are only so many realms in the world like the Amazon back in my realm." Zenliu ground his teeth together, clenching his fists tighter so that his knuckles turned white.