Tacet a Mortuis (The Elite King's Club 3)

“Babe, come on.”

She slowly gathered her wits and slid out of the truck. I wasn’t sure exactly what we were walking into, but I knew whatever it was, unless the island had really turned to shit, we were safe. The Kings were royalty, and the Lost Boys were the shit on the bottom of our shoe. The reason for our safety was the same reason for my apprehension, though. They had a lot of reasons to hate us, under all their loyalty. There was one other thing that was floating around in my head. Tillie.

Pulling Madison under my arm, we met the rest of the boys in the center, and then I let my eyes come up to the main building on Perdita. The island itself was natural. With bushlands and wildflowers growing through the soil, and animals that were only found on this island, it was exotic, foreign and protected. It simmered behind the fog and mist of whatever you thought you knew about not only our world but our country. Right at the center of Perdita was where the township resided. Where we stood, there was the entry building which was armed with guards and led you into the township. The reason why the island remained for the most part untouched was because The Lost Boys and Katsia’s army remained behind the one-hundred-foot brick wall which circled around their entire township. The entry, which was where we were standing in front of, was built by the same stone. Milky white marble with streaks of black slicked through in intricate patterns. The stone was called de regno diabolic, which in English translated to The Devil’s Kingdom.

“What the hell is this place?” Tatum whispered, walking to the other side of Madison.

“Hell, that’s what,” Nate muttered, flipping his cap backward and putting a J into his mouth.

I walked up the thick, long stairs that lead to two heavy metal doors. Reaching for the white button that was strangely put in the center of the door, I pressed it, then waited.

And waited.

I don’t like waiting.

I turned back around to see Madison walking up the steps with the rest following her. Exhaling, I rested my head on the door, waiting. A loud lock slid across from the other side of the door, vibrating my head. I shot up and spun around. The door cranked open wider.

“Boys.”

Madison gasped. “Mrs. Winters?”

She grinned, then her eyes came directly to me. “I heard my niece is back from the dead?” Her eyebrow rose. Fucking Khales.

“Your niece is a whore.” I shoved the door open and walked closer to her, only her guard who was dressed in steel armor (like he had just walked off the set of a Game of Thrones episode) put himself between both of us.

“Aw.” I tilted my head at the man in armor. I could see the bead of sweat coming down the center of his forehead between his eyebrows. “Tinker, why don’t you tell your Peter to move his shit before I snap his neck.” I ended my threat with a small smile and a wink.

She rolled her eyes, pushing him away. “He’s not my Peter, you and I both know who that is.” She gestured, the door opened farther. “Well, come on then. We were expecting you to come, just weren’t sure when.”

I walked farther in without looking back, my hand flew out behind myself and caught Madison’s. I pulled her behind my back protectively. Tinker gave me a look. “B, you kn—”

“—Shut the fuck up, Tinker,” Jase sneered at her. Instantly her mouth slammed shut. She pushed her glasses up her nose, straightening her shoulders. Good to know Jase still owns that shit.

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Some shit will just never change.”

“That’s a bit rich…” she started, and I swung around, eyebrows raised.

“What’s that?”

She shut the door in a huff and then gestured out with her hand. “Well, come on then.” We walked through the old building and out onto the township.

Madison’s eyes were flying around everywhere. “Wow. It’s really, beautiful in here.”

“Don’t let this shit fool you,” Hunter grunted, walking past us and taking the lead behind Tinker.

“He’s right.” We began following Tinker down the steps and into the small township. There were small stores lined on every side of the main street which was lined with lilac daisies and black roses. Each store had their own signage out the front. Weapons. One read, with the next, Food, and the next, medical supplies, hospital, gym, as we walked past each one, Madison noticed how there were no people wandering around.

I watched as her head turned to me out of the corner of my eye.

“It’s daylight. Everything is backward here. They’re nocturnal. Sleep during the day, and work, shop, everyday shit we do during the night.”

“So strange.” Her interest grew the farther we went in. Slowly, the purple flowers began to sink into the dark roses until there was no more color. We reached the end of the main street and the stone had come back, leading upstairs that once again, brought you to two heavy metal doors.