Orryx Enchanted

Save the parents

Layton’s POV

I orb back into the manor, my thoughts still swirling around the Elders’ warnings. Zariel, in human form, had eluded us too long, but the recent intel was clear: he was back in the underworld, holding Aurora and Shawn Blackthorne captive. The Elders were adamant: the Blackthorne sisters must not fall into his hands. The Blackthornes, with their legendary power and influence over the magical world, were the demons’ key to unearthing deeper, more dangerous magic, especially the kind tied to their bloodline. I have to keep them safe—no matter what.

The sisters are gathered, waiting anxiously as I arrive. Thalia is the first to speak, her voice sharp.

“It’s about time you came back.”

I grin. “Heard that.”

“You were meant to,” she quips, a teasing sweetness in her tone.

“Miss me?” I ask, my gaze lingering on her longer than it should.

Thalia holds my stare for a moment before responding with a bold “Yes.” Her voice is steady, but there’s something deeper in her eyes.

Before I can react, Amara cuts in. “Get a room, you two.”

Thalia rolls her eyes. “As if.”

I notice the tension in her posture, the same tension that’s been there since I turned down her subtle advances before. It’s not that I don’t feel the pull, but a guardian angel falling for his charge is a dangerous game.

Amara shifts the conversation back on track. “We finished the locator spell. We know where they are, and we have a cloaking spell ready. Plus, a few potions.”

Selene adds, “We found more in the book. We’re as prepared as we can be.”

I nod, serious again. “We’re heading out tonight to stake the place, but this could very well be a trap. We must stay unnoticed, for your safety and your parents’.”

Thalia steps closer, her voice hard. “We’re ready.”

I glance over the potions they’ve prepared: a burning potion to send demons back to hell, a potion to absorb demonic magic temporarily. It’s not much, but it’ll do.

Amara smirks. “We practiced with our powers. We’re getting better.”

“Better?” I raise an eyebrow.

Selene shrugs. “Better enough to make it work.”

Thalia is firm. “We’re risking our lives for this. No family left behind.”

I sigh. “If the opportunity arises, we act. But remember, we have to be smart about this. The moment we’re noticed, the situation could turn deadly.”