Together

I looked disbelievingly at my lovers as I stared around the room, looking at the utter mess that was once the Demon’s Great Library.

Riley let out a soft whimper as he gazed upon the dilapidated place.

Books were strewn across the room, many thrown haphazardly into piles, their pages getting bent, ripped, and torn in the process of falling into their positions.

Looking to Thaxter who was beside us, I frowned but he was still looking at the carnage that lay before him.

“They used to have one of the most expansive libraries; so many books were here that were rare and treasured…” A voice spoke from behind the three of us, not the woman who had led us here.

Riley was first to see who it was. “Farron!” He exclaimed and ran forwards, throwing his arms around his friend.

Thaxter was just as enthralled to see the man beside him as well. “Hunter.” Thaxter murmured, taking his baby brother into his arms. “It’s so good to see you.” He breathed out.

I smiled, seeing both of my mates happy, catching up with their loved ones.

“It’s good to see you as well Sammy.” Hunter said, hugging me and referring to the last time we met; when we were leaving this land.

“So, we’re here to look for a book?” The Demon Prince asked and we all nodded.

“Well good luck.” He said, and then started laughing at the shocked look on Riley’s face; I walked over to the boy and wrapped my arm around him. “I’m just joking, we came to help once we found out you were here.” Farron said.

“It would have been nice to know you were coming though.” Hunter pouted at his elder brother.

“We didn’t know until recently. Sammy and Riley have been experiencing…strange things and we’re all worried about them.” Thaxter explained, looking at the both of us.

Riley was the next to speak up. “Farron, when I was kept here, you saw my mark and remembered something from a book you read. That book that you read to me, do you still have it?” I asked.

Farron shook his head. “I don’t know what happened, but it is no longer in my room.” He said and Riley nodded. “The most likely place would be here, in the library. They just kind of piled all the books in the castle here as they took anything of value.”

Riley let out a “humph.” And set down on a chair of books, these piled neatly where someone had probably started cleaning up the place.

Thaxter began blindly searching as Riley tried to pull form Farron’s memory which part of the wall was what, so if it was put in its section, it would be found, but the boy couldn’t remember that well. He read all of his books in his room and had someone bring them to him.

Hunter and I had begun searching as well when Farron let out a yell of surprise.

“What is that?” He asked inspecting Riley’s back.

Riley’s wings have been growing by the day. While they get stronger and longer, they still fold up neatly against his back so that they can be nearly flat under his clothing as we’ve no idea how to make them disappear and reappear yet.

“Oh, they’re wings.” Riley admitted sheepishly. He’d stretched them out through the slits we’d cut in his clothing, not thinking about it before opening up to their full size so far, which was about as long as his arms.

They were growing fast.

“They started growing for some reason…we think it’s part of whatever Sammy and I are.” He said, looking at them and their mixed color. They were black and white, and also held a few grey feathers as well in there. It added to how adorable he was.

“Wow…” Hunter said, staring at his wings, and poking out a finger. “Can I feel them?” He asked and hesitantly, Riley nodded.

Hunter gently stroked the boy’s wings lightly with one finger and Riley shivered a little. “They’re just really sensitive.” He said at the alarmed look the boy had.

Thaxter smirked at me and I shook my head at the dirty thoughts that ensued, chuckling back at him, seeing Riley blush at having seen Thaxter’s look.

“L-let’s get back to searching for that book.” He said and we did.

We spent four hours in there before we called it quits for the day. It was already dark and we were all tired from our journey here that begun early in the morning.

That library is much bigger than it looks, and it even looks huge!

“You can stay here for the night. If you need anything, our bedroom is across the hall or the maids are always nearby.” Farron said and Riley thanked him, ignoring how Thaxter was telling his baby brother that he had better be using protection.