Feathers and Blood (boyxboy)

Chapter Twenty-Six

The world was quiet.

The battle had died down a while ago, and the bodies were now being piled up and counted. Luke hadn't had the energy to yell at me for sneaking into the battle. He just perched himself on Lyssios's throne, staring glumly at the place where Nyx had died.

Hamilton came into the room without saying a word, and pressed his lips against Luke's forehead; Luke closed his eyes. I stared at them in surprise. It was the most brotherly I'd ever seen either of them act.

After Hamilton stepped back, I felt it was my turn. I walked up to the throne cautiously. As soon as I was within reach, Luke stretched out his arms and drew me onto his lap. "You idiot," he murmured, burying his face in my neck. "You could have died."

Hamilton scoffed. "As if death has stopped the boy before."

"Sorry," I muttered. "About everything."

Luke looked wounded. "I just... don't get it. Punishing me is one thing, but why would Lucifer want to kill me?"

Hamilton rolled his eyes. "I would think its obvious."

"Stop it," I snapped. "Can't you be a jerk some other time?"

Hamilton scowled. "You little brat. It is obvious. Lucifer knows all - he knew Nyx would never be able to kill my brother."

I frowned. "What was the point, then?"

"It was the perfect punishment," the Pride King replied. "Phobos had to relive his best friend's death all over again."

Luke let out a weird noise that sounded like a strangled sob. "I did this to him," he said miserably.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hamilton said briefly. "You had to save your human pet. Really, you were going to suffer either way. Either lose Jesse or lose Nyx."

Luke glared up at him. "And I'm sure you're just ecstatic about that - your least favorite brother, in pain."

Hamilton stared at him for a while. "Not ecstatic," he said slowly. "But maybe now we're almost even." He marched out of the room without saying another word.

Just as he left, Jane, Deimos, and Oliver entered the room, each of them holding a chain to Lyssios, who looked beaten and bloody.

Luke straightened up and gently pushed me off of him. "Wait for me outside, Jess," he murmured. "I have to deal with this."

I sighed. "Okay," I said reluctantly. "But don't take too long."

I took great care to walk near Lyssios and shove past him. "Who's the weak one now?" I hissed. Oliver of Misery smirked.

Outside of the throne room, I saw Hamilton talking to a Pride demon. It was his son, Nikolai, I realized. As I watched, Hamilton squeezed his son's shoulder affectionately and mess up his hair. I didn't understand him. How could he be so cold and so loving at the same time?

"Hamilton!" I called out.

Nikolai shot me a nervous glance and shuffled back. Hamilton sighed and gestured for the half demon to leave, then walked towards me.

"What do you want now, human?" Hamilton growled.

He didn't intimidate me. None of them did. "I have a few questions for you," I said boldly. "What happened in the Trojan War?"

He regarded me for a moment. "Phobos fell in love with the great warrior Achilles of Greece," he said. "He went under the name Patroclus at the time. And I had developed a friendship with Prince Hector of Troy. Hector wounded Phobos - or Patroclus - so gravely that his mortal body died. In fury, Achilles killed Hector. In retaliation, I arranged for Achilles' death."