Sitting there on the ledge, balancing with little effort, eyes the shade of water watched as the waves came crashing down upon the shore just below his balcony. The night turned the blue ocean the shade of shadows and fears. Arc turned his gaze away to the bright sky above to watch the waves any longer would cause his soul to feel more pain than he was willing to have weighed upon his aching heart. Taking in a deep breath his body shuddered from the biting cold of the ocean air. Winter would come on them early this year, the clouds in the distance promised that it would not be an easy start. He could smell it, taste it, they carried the load of a storm. Thunder could be heard miles away, coming ever closer to his modest Kingdom and yet he could not bring himself to alert the guards. He could not bring himself to leave the safety of his chambers.

“Old friend, I am perfectly aware of your broken heart but your people do not deserve chaos and death over it.” Wise words and ones Arc would listen too.

Jumping from his seat upon the railing, he wobbled for only a moment before he stood still and regal. The red rings around his eyes testified to the state of mind he was in, and the man before him did not waver from the sight. Instead he took him, held him, and treated him as though this proud king were nothing more than a child who had lost something dear to it. Which Arc had, it been weeks since Zane was taken away from him. The pain was unbearable and he knew not how to overcome it.

“I must prepare the people for a rough storm.” He staggered towards the entrance of his private chambers, nearly falling over more than once. Struggling within those strong arms when they caught him, forced him to remain still. “Shhh, I’ll prepare them my king. You must rest, sober up, and regain yourself. This is not the way.” Thick and deep the voice went deep into his bones and body. Arc had always loved that voice, the person who owed it, but that had been something he could never say aloud. Never say the truth of. And yet somehow Arc was sure Lucifer knew all along of how he felt, or the truth.

Smiling a viciously brutal smile Lucifer placed a chaste kiss to his temples, pushing him to the bed just behind them. His breathing became rigid, his body tightened, and shame rushed over him pure and hot. But the body could never lie to this man he knew how to play it, to coax it into the truth. “You love him, want him, desire him, and this is not how you wish to be when it comes time. Because he will choose you Arc.” Such a pretty liar this man was, but Arc held to those words, he wanted them to be the truth. Closing his eyes he felt strong power wrap him, and send him off to a sweet sleep. He’d give that bastard hell in the morning for this.

Laughing Lucifer adjusted his shirt and pants, seducing Arc into wanting him had never been a difficult task. But there was another heart involved with his own, one he’d never betray. This had only been a game to get Arc into bed and away from those blasted bottles of Faerie Poison. Shaking his head Lucifer walked the corridor of the Palace of White Scales, he could smell the despair, it ate away at him. With the king in such a state the weather and kingdom responded in acknowledgement. Here the bond of king and kingdom was so much more than that of the human realms. What the king felt the realm felt, as it should be. However in times like these it was not always a good thing. Not when there were vultures at their backs, not when Agatha’s minions pecked away at the calm each day. Spreading rumors that Arc had fallen in love with trash, had raped a child, Lance hadn’t done a kindness by being loud about his disapproval.

“Well my sons never did understand why being discreet was a boon.” He muttered under his breath, slowing his ground eating gaunt. That bastard was here, lurking somewhere, Kahlie was still looking to enter Arc’s bed whilst Zane was away. It had taken the loving deligience of himself and Kai to keep Kahlie from getting anywhere near the man. “Show yourself.” His tone was harsh and demanding, few had ever been foolish enough to disobey when his tone had become like that. It always promised swift and painful death to whoever was that foolish.

“You know as much as I hate that enslaving bastard, I do honestly love him.” Kahlie confessed, knowing it was unwise to assume Lucifer didn’t already know. He was sure Lucifer had known from the very start.

“I know, which is why you sicken me so terribly Kahlie. I was there when your people were enslaved, you know as well as I who the true traitor was. Who paid the price with their bodies and blood.” He snarled circling the coldly beautiful Nymph, not even he could deny how tempting Kahlie was. Tall lithe body, dark eyes, long blonde hair, and the legs of a dancer, this creature could ensnare any man. But he was no slave, no whore, no dancer, Kahlie was and always will be a general at heart. A man born to lead and take the world by sword, however the lust of his Queen had proved his peoples greatest downfall. To have the realm built for the Fae to herself, she had to only seduce the chosen race to rule. That had been the dragon race, her plan had failed, and out of rage of being betrayed by a woman he believed loved him. The last king enslaved them all, and took her prized son to be given to each King then after. Kahlie had been that loyal son, since her death Lucifer knew Kahlie had been trying to wrench them from bondage, to make them a respectable race again.

However Kahlie never knew that steadily each day Arc worked to free the Nymphs, giving them more rights each time a law was passed, it was a slow process, but one that could not be undone. It would become law through diplomacy, not through violence. Kahlie wanted blood and revenge, that was his undoing and what would keep him forever a King’s play thing.

“It’s no longer about killing him or over throwing him. I want him, for myself, to have no other with him. If I must brutalize everyone and push them away from him. I will.” Kahlie vowed, and that would get him killed. “Arc is done with your kind of love. Move on Kahlie, or I’ll slaughter you right here and now.” Not a threat, a promise, Lucifer never threatened. Hissing the man bowed, but backed away as he did so.

Sighing Lucifer flashed home, he was too tired now, and Arc was safe for the time being. After spotting Kahlie for the tenth time within the same day, he’d built up a barrier strong enough to keep even a dragon in full rage caged. “Kai!” Right now he needed his own lover, to feel him, to hold him. Lucifer thanked the gods every day that he was allowed that, allowed to kiss Kai, to be with him. He could not possible imagine the pain his oldest friend was in right at this very moment. Lucifer didn’t want to imagine it either.