Chapter 72

Samira
I messed up!
I wanted Willow to drink from the fountain since I knew how to do it… but … She passed Out! She felt like an empty shell when I put a cold compress on her head, and honestly… seeing Kaizen up close for the first time….
He scares me.
I do not like him…He slowly picked her up and held her like Tyson holds me… He really does look exactly like his brother…I understand why their sibling connection was cut.
“Welcome home.” Said Lady Isabelle. “… I know you’re a man now… but I still remember when you were the first to growl.”
“I only visit mother. My home is somewhere else.” He said leaning over so they could all hug him….
“Do not cry for your son mother… I left a man child… now I am a man.” Kaizen said that like the Royal Guard, loud and firm, like a soldier…
It made me wonder what they did to him…. And why he sounded so…. Abrasive.
“Sorry I didn’t get Xaxas to come sooner…. But even the Horned One commanded we stay out of it.” Harmony looked like she wanted to hug him too, so he put Willow down on a pillow, and gave Nixxia, Grace, and her a gentle embrace.
He looked haggard…. Hell is no place for anyone… Why didn’t my mate just pardon him?
“I know. If I’d have been pardoned immediately, without all this… without training nor repentance, I would have learned nothing…. They could have Stopped at any time. They did not have to try to bring in a mindless beast, but at the same time, I should have more control.” He said lowly, but they all still looked and felt guilty.
But they shouldn’t… No one was able to stop the Horned One until he let them…
Their tears attracted the attention of the Three Princes of Hell, but this time they did not hold the auras of disgruntled gods… They just looked like normal people.
“You did well.” Said King Xaxas proudly.
“Should you ever need to be ferried, I can take you.” Said Lord Asanguis. They smiled lightly, yet… Kaizen’s smile held a little shame
“I don’t think I’ll need that favor anytime soon, but thank you.” Kaizen said honestly, but his eyes were red. The whites of his eyes were black like Tyson’s…. and he looked… fearsome.
He scented off, coming from Below…
“I’ll take her to my room.” He said this casually, as if he wasn’t upset, yet his eyes showed his true feelings.
“As you walk your own path, son, know that I allow you three to find your own ways.” Bryson said stoically. “And know that if you wish to return to OpalMoon… any who did have a grudge have left, most forgave you though.”
“Grandmother showed me that.” He said carrying his bride…
I wondered when I’d see Willow again… Now that he was pardoned, the chance to be a real friend was possible.
But I also worried about my mate… the world laid heavy on his heart, and I could sense it.
“She’s alright.” Said Xaxas, putting his hand on my shoulder.
“Ah!” I yelled and he chuckled.
“Sorry. I can’t help it.” He lied.
“I still say we should put bells on them.” Said Harmony.
The Realm King looked a little deflated.
“I won’t wear it.” He said with crossed arms. He even let out a sassy, horsey snort.
“You will if I ask.” Queen Harmony said sweetly, and he melted pretty much instantly.
“If you ask *nicely*.” He kissed her on the top of the head. “I’m hungry. Come on kid, let’s all have something to eat.” Xaxas was referring to me….
“You don’t even get hungry!” Yelled Harmony.
“Mother made cupcakes.” He summoned them…. But his smile disappeared.
***Instinctual Fear****
….I didn’t know What *that* was, but Xaxas opened the nicely wrapped container.
“Come On Tyson.” Xaxas summoned my melancholy mate. “Come get what you earned.”
I didn’t like his wording…. Or how he started to look sinister like the statues of him in Church….
“Oh yeah… grandmother made food.” Said Tyson hesitantly taking one.
We all did. They looked ok. The frosting was nice and white, but I didn’t get why the men hesitated.
“Go on.” Said Xaxas… but the room became a little dark. “Don’t worry, I’ll evacuate your stomachs for you.”
… ok That was ominous….
I swear I could hear a chorus of suffering souls….chanting some dark song.
“Xaxas be nice.” Hissed Harmony.
“He’s getting his just desserts. That’s how you say it right? Whatever. Mother dear, we’re eating your cupcakes.”
The Moon Goddess appeared and blessed the fountain.
“Really?! Do they taste good?!”
I took a bite
“WHAT THE FUCK!” I screamed. “They’re AMAZING!” I caught myself!
They were ***NOT***
“….. *WOW…* you outdid yourself… your really *shouldn’t* have mother…” Said Asanguis. He looked blue…She innocently hugged him… I couldn’t understand what the flavor was supposed to be…
Egg?
Sand.... salt… with the texture of sandy, doughy, goo….
“There’s quite a bit of anguish in this.” Said Xaxas like a compliment, but I wondered was it…?
“You Really Like them?!” She beamed… we lied.
Gods I felt so bad…
I felt so guilty that I couldn’t look at her be happy, and I knew this is what others do to my people…
“What was this?!
I didn’t even know how to describe the crunch… What was the Crunch?!!!!
“Oh they’re… something…” Said Tyson.
…Even Xaxas had to fake it….
“Have some more! Don’t be shy.” She encouraged, but I knew that face… it’s the same one any unicorn worth their salt lick under the bed…. The Moon Goddess…. She was about to discover us…
“My butterfly… they’re shy.” Said the Horned One.
Time was stopped.
“You little shits you listen up and you listen GOOD.” His boom made us kneel….. “They taste good. Wonderful. Amazing even…. Not…. Whatever the fuck she was trying to do… Fucking damn it… I mean-”
Asanguis laughed, and caught a glare.
“….But *You* don’t-” Xaxas was cut off.
“Be Silent!” He whispered as if she’d hear him…. “If you hurt her feelings, I will hurt you the likes of which you’ve Never seen before *boy*.” The Horned One growled, and it vibrated the stone under my feet… it cracked the windows, and he fixed them. “Dear they love them, don’t you.” He hugged us, but his glare gave me a chill…
We were compelled by his force to finish our ‘reward’…. Oh god…
It had all the wrong textures and flavors, but the second bite onward was normal…. But we knew the secret… Were those… eggshell bits? Why was it so salty… and dense… Hard and burned on the outside, chewy and raw on the inside… and the frosting that covered this deception smelled reall stinky…. Like rotted eggs…
She *can’t* bake….
What was this flavor… ? It made my gums itch but I don’t have fangs….
My throat felt tight… It got hard to breathe…
It made me feel sick.
“What ingredients did you use?” I asked drinking some of the water out the fountain. The term, ‘allergic reaction’ came to mind, as now I had hives forming on my legs. I could feel them swell and welt…
“Uh, I ran out of flour, so I got Haru, one of the Great Four Behimoth to grind Tarteron stone into flour, and I got water from the Nile. I used baking soda, about 4 cups worth, and it rose too much so I had to beat it with a stick, and the Lord of Aggression was so helpful. He found some infertile succubus eggs since I couldn’t find any normal ones in my realm. He said that was fine for a mortal…. But I wasn’t sure. To be safe, Grendel used his fire magic, and he baked them …. A *little* too much, but when Zuviel tried them, he said they were great.”
“She went on a whole adventure through the realms for you lot.” Said the Horned One as if we should be ashamed… and I felt my stomach emptied….
The ‘dessert’ was removed by magic, and wherever it went I didn’t care!
“Samira, are you alright?” Asked Xaxas when they left. “She almost killed you.”
“What?!” Yelled Isabelle. “We should say-”
“Speak a *word* Izzy, and father won’t show mercy.” Xaxas warned “Gods can’t cook, because we are meant to be served… but mother’s got a good heart…. *She’s REALLY trying too* …. So This is something he *Must* do himself…”