Chapter 434: The Sacrifice 2

Grayson stepped onto the cobblestone courtyard of the main Ashford Manor, his dark coat sweeping behind him like a storm cloud.

Before he could even reach the grand double doors, Carson swung the heavy oak door open, leaning casually against the frame with a wide, mischievous grin.

"Well, well. Look who finally decided to leave his peaceful little cave," Carson greeted smoothly, tossing a red apple into the air and catching it with one hand. "Welcome back to the main house, Brother Number Three. Did your human wife give you a pass to come out and play today?"

Grayson stopped at the bottom of the stone steps, giving his youngest brother a glare cold enough to freeze water.

"Watch your tongue, Carson," Grayson rasped flatly. "I am currently separated from my wife, which means my patience is entirely nonexistent. Move before I make you sweep the courtyard with a toothbrush."

Carson chuckled, stepping aside to let Grayson pass into the cool stone hallway. "Still as charming as ever. Come on, everyone is waiting in the high chamber. And trust me, you’re not going to like what’s on the agenda today."

Grayson followed Carson down the wide stone corridor toward the grand council room. Inside, the massive mahogany table was illuminated by dark iron chandeliers. Sitting around the table were the rest of his brothers.

At the head sat Lucson, stoic as ever and carrying the heavy authority of the firstborn. Next to him was Mason who wore a sleek suit and a permanent, sharp smirk. Leaning against the stone fireplace with his arms crossed was Ravenson, quiet and brooding as always.

Carson took his seat at the end of the table, while Grayson pulled out a heavy carved chair opposite Lucson, sitting down with slow, lethal grace.

"Look who finally showed up," Mason mocked with a quiet laugh, adjusting his silk cuffs. "The great demon prince himself. Did you make sure to put away your little apron before you left the house, Grayson?"

"Speak another word about my apron, Mason," Grayson rasped coldly, "and I will personally take your entire classic car collection and sink it to the bottom of the dark lake."

Mason’s smirk faded slightly. "You wouldn’t."

"Try me," Grayson threatened smoothly.

"Enough, both of you," Lucson commanded sternly. His deep voice instantly silenced the room. He tapped a thick leather folder resting on the table. "We have a critical situation on our hands."

Grayson leaned back, crossing one long leg over the other. "Explain quickly, Lucson. Every minute I sit here is a minute stolen from my wife."

Lucson opened the file, his eyes dark with concern. "This is not a simple property dispute, Grayson. The Eastern District Sanctuary is falling apart. A rogue faction of exiles, led by a dark demon named Kaelen, has opened an underground black market right along the human border."

Ravenson spoke up from near the fireplace, his voice low. "They are selling cursed magical items to human collectors. Three humans in the neighboring town were hospitalized last night after coming into contact with a shadow artifact. To make matters worse, Kaelen’s men set fire to a border warehouse early this morning to destroy the evidence."

Grayson’s eyes narrowed. The playful, moody energy vanished from his face, replaced by a sharp, dangerous focus.

"Human integration laws are strict for a reason," Grayson said, his deep voice dropping an octave. "If human authorities start investigating magical artifacts and arson, the entire secrecy of our exile sanctuary will be destroyed."

"Exactly," Lucson agreed, pushing a stack of territorial maps toward Grayson. "Human police are already surrounding the outer edge of the forest. The rogue faction is refusing to stand down. We need emergency containment decrees written and signed immediately. More importantly, this requires a direct field visit."

Grayson froze. "A field visit?"

"Yes," Lucson stated firmly. "Kaelen used to serve under your old command centuries ago. He will not listen to Mason or Ravenson, and he certainly will not listen to Carson. You are our chief enforcer. You must go to the Eastern District border in person, inspect the damage, and force Kaelen’s faction to surrender before the human police cross into our territory."

Grayson stared at the map. His mind raced.

Writing emergency containment protocols, setting up boundary barriers, and driving out to the Eastern District meant he would be stuck here for hours. It meant he could not go home for lunch. Worse, it meant he would not be home when two o’clock arrived.

He would not be there when Mailah had her physical therapy.

A cold panic seized Grayson’s chest. He couldn’t just leave Mailah alone, even if she promised she would be fine. But if he ignored this crisis, the human police might push into the forest, threatening the safety of the entire region—including his own estate. He had no choice. He had to stay and fix this.

"This is an absolute nightmare," Grayson grumbled, resting his head in his hands with a dramatic, miserable groan.

"It’s a serious security breach, Grayson!" Lucson said sternly.

"No, it is a personal tragedy!" Grayson argued grandly, looking up with dark anger in his eyes. "I am being kept away from my home by brainless rogues who cannot follow simple rules!"

Suddenly, a bright, cheerful chime echoed through the silent stone room.

Ding-ding!

Lucson stopped talking mid-sentence. Mason raised an eyebrow in shock. Ravenson slowly turned his head, and Carson let out a sudden snort of laughter.

Grayson immediately reached into his coat, pulling out his phone. The upbeat melody Mailah had chosen for herself chimed brightly against the dark stone walls.

Grayson’s sharp, terrifying expression melted into pure, helpless warmth in less than a second. He ignored his four brothers entirely, sliding his thumb across the screen and bringing the phone to his ear with an eager, soft murmur.

"Mailah?" Grayson asked urgently. "What has happened? Are you safe? Has Chloe set the kitchen on fire?"

"Grayson, we are in the middle of a high-level emergency meeting!" Lucson hissed across the table.

Grayson raised his hand, waving a dismissive finger toward Lucson without looking at him. "Quiet, Lucson. My wife is on the line."

Mason covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "I cannot believe this. The terrifying incubus is completely helpless."

"Grayson, I’m totally fine," Mailah’s sweet voice laughed softly over the speaker. "I just woke up. Mrs. Baker made me tea. I wanted to check on you and see how the meeting was going."

Grayson leaned back in his chair. "The meeting is awful, my love. A group of foolish exiles set fire to a building on the eastern border. Now my brothers are forcing me to write boring emergency laws and go on a field visit to the forest border. I am being held hostage by duty."

Carson leaned over to Mason and whispered loudly, "Did he just call a major security breach ’boring emergency laws’?"

"Remember rule number four," Mailah reminded him sweetly over the phone. "You promised to be good and stay calm."

"I am being a saint, Mailah," Grayson lied smoothly, adjusting his tie. "I have not destroyed anyone yet today. But I will be late coming home. I won’t make it back in time to do your physical therapy."

"It’s okay, Grayson," Mailah reassured him gently. "I told you, I can take a rest day or just do light stretches myself. Take care of the issue with your brothers."

"Absolutely not!" Grayson gasped in horror. "You will not do it yourself! I called Dr. Morrison to send that fairy therapist to the house!"

Mailah paused over the line. "Wait... you’re letting Ethan come?"

"I have no choice!" Grayson grumbled, his tone dripping with petty, dramatic sadness. "Your recovery is more important than my pride! But I gave that fairy very strict rules before he steps foot near you!"

"Alright, my dramatic husband," Mailah chuckled warmly. "Finish your work safely. I love you."

"I love you more," Grayson rasped with deep devotion. "I will handle this mess and drive back to you immediately."

He ended the call, placing the phone gently on the table. He turned back to his brothers, instantly restoring his cold, arrogant posture.

"Right," Grayson said sharply. "Give me the containment papers. I will draft the lockdown decrees in ten minutes, and then we are going to the Eastern District to crush Kaelen’s foolish rebellion."

Carson shook his head, smiling. "Man, I need to get myself a human wife if she can make you work this fast."

An hour later, Grayson, Ravenson, and Carson arrived at the edge of the Eastern District Sanctuary in a sleek black SUV.

The forest was thick with dark smoke. Near the human boundary line, a group of twenty rogue exiles stood guard outside a burned-out stone warehouse, holding black-market magical weapons. Human police sirens were faintly echoing in the distance beyond the trees.

Kaelen, the tall, scarred demon leading the rogues, stepped forward with a cruel sneer. "Lord Grayson! Have you come to negotiate? We will not yield to the council’s human-loving rules!"

Grayson stepped out of the vehicle. He didn’t waste time with grand speeches. He didn’t offer negotiations. He was a man who had a physical therapy session to monitor, a wife to hold, and a fairy therapist to threaten.

His blue eyes flashed with an ancient, terrifying light.

A heavy, suffocating pressure slammed down onto the clearing. The air grew ice-cold in an instant. The rogue exiles gasped, dropping their weapons as their knees buckled under the sheer force of Grayson’s dark aura.

Grayson walked up to Kaelen with slow, lethal steps. He grabbed the rogue leader by his collar, lifting him an inch off the ground.