Daimon (Guardians of Hades #6) - Felicity Heaton Page 0,102

backs. That’s why you came. You’re safe here. I’ll take care of you.”

He reached a hand towards the one Esher gripped the daemon’s ankle in.

Big mistake.

Esher snarled and twisted, dropping the wraith’s ankle to step between Daimon and his prey.

Daimon backed off as his brother advanced, flexing black claws as scarlet ringed his irises.

Cass was swift to act on the opening she had been given.

Green light burst from her palms and wrapped around the wraith, forming a circle of shimmering light around him.

Esher turned on her with a roar.

“Go!” Daimon grabbed Esher’s arm and pulled him back, cursing himself as ice spread across his brother’s skin.

He grunted as Esher elbowed him in the face.

Cass disappeared in a flash of crimson light.

He grappled with Esher, struggling to keep hold of him as he snarled and elbowed him again. Stars winked across Daimon’s vision as he took a hit to the nose, as blood streamed over his lips and heat spread across his face.

Outside, the rain pelted the garden, filling the air with the smell of earth, and lightning struck nearby.

Esher twisted free of his grip and dread washed through Daimon as he lunged for him, fear that his brother would leave and destroy anything that stood in his path. Wind howled through the house as he managed to grab hold of Esher again and his brother turned and slammed his palm against Daimon’s throat, grabbed him and hauled him into the air.

Daimon locked his hand around Esher’s wrist.

And hesitated.

His brief reluctance to use his ice against his brother cost him.

Esher slammed him into the nearest wooden pillar and the air burst from Daimon’s lungs as fire rolled across his back.

His vision tunnelled as he fought to breathe, struggling to get air into his burning lungs, and fear swamped him as his heart began to slow.

No.

Esher sneered at him, red invading the blue of his stormy eyes.

Daimon’s thoughts blurred and he tried to prise Esher’s hand from his throat, his actions sluggish and body slow to respond as his blood crawled through his veins and his heart stuttered.

Esher was using his power over water to control Daimon’s blood.

His brother was going to kill him.

Cass would be next.

That thought had icy talons forming over his fingers and he growled, the sound half-pain and half-rage, as he clawed at Esher’s arms, spilling blood that instantly froze in jagged red icicles.

Esher released him and he crashed to his knees, gasped in a breath. He stumbled onto his feet and staggered left, determined to reach Cass before Esher could and get her and himself away from his brother. He glanced back at him.

Esher roared and lunged for him.

Their mother appeared between them in a swirl of black smoke that spiralled downwards to blend into the layers of her dress.

She seized hold of Esher, gripping his shoulders in both hands.

Esher growled and lashed out at her, a vicious and savage beast as he clawed at her, drawing blood as vibrantly scarlet as her hair.

His nostrils flared as he drew in a deep breath.

He suddenly stilled.

Stared at her.

Through crimson eyes.

Daimon sank to his knees, unable to believe what he was seeing.

He had never seen Esher’s other side calmed by anything. He had never seen it so docile.

Persephone was soft and gentle as she lifted her hands to Esher’s face and framed it with her palms. “Let go. You have the wraith now, my love. You can rest.”

Esher drew down a breath, was still for a tense moment where Daimon didn’t dare move, and then he nodded and passed out. Persephone caught him as he fell, bringing him down gently to rest with his head on her knees. Outside, the weather instantly calmed.

“I do not have much time,” their mother said, her voice as soft and light as a summer’s breeze as her green eyes came to rest on Daimon, the flecks of gold in them sparkling. “The Underworld has been in an uproar. We have been trying to catch up with Esher from the moment he entered it, but whoever we sent to stop him ended up dead. In the end, our only hope was that he would find the one he was hunting so I might have an opportunity to reach him.”

She gently stroked Esher’s matted black hair and looked down at him, her gaze overflowing with the love she held for him and with relief.

“I wish I could stay longer,” she whispered.

Daimon glanced at the garden. The seasons were at war with his mother present, flowers