Chapter 752 – I’ll Let You Borrow My Shoulder
Eros went still.
"...That escalated."
"Yes."
Lux finally looked directly at him.
"The King tested . And Lord Asmo."
Eros studied him carefully, reading between the lines like only family could. A frown on his face.
Not playful now.
Not the teasing cousin who just finished a "workout" in the garden.
This was Lust House blood looking at another Lust House blood and calculating risk.
"Wait," Eros said slowly. "Father too?"
Lux nodded once.
Eros’ jaw tightened slightly. "Why would the King test Father?"
Lux rolled his shoulders back, feeling the tension settle there again like it had never left. "And not just him. He tested my dad," Lux said evenly. "And Lord of Wrath. And Lord of Pride."
The garden breeze moved through the leaves, soft and deceptive.
Eros stared at him. "Test of what?"
Lux’s mouth curved faintly, humorless. "Loyalty." He bent down and brushed his fingers lightly against one of the violet petals he had been pretending to study earlier. "Or whether they would help Greed... if the King decided to kill ."
Silence.
Eros’ expression shifted.
Not shocked.
Not outraged.
Just... annoyed.
"Eros..." Lux looked up. "You didn’t look surprised when I ntioned the King earlier."
Eros exhaled slowly. "I hate to say this," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, "but yeah. Not really."
Lux raised a brow.
Eros gestured vaguely. "I an. You’ve had more spotlight than the King lately."
That made Lux huff softly. "Don’t exaggerate."
"I’m not." Eros’ tone stayed calm. Almost too calm. "Infernal newsfeeds. Celestial trade bulletins. Cross realm negotiations. Your na shows up everywhere." He stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly. "More than the King. More than Pride."
Lux didn’t like how that sounded. He folded his arms loosely. "I’m doing my job."
"I know."
"That’s it."
"That’s the problem."
The breeze stilled for a mont.
Lux’s fingers flexed slightly at his sides.
"You work too well," Eros continued. "Too clean. Too perfect." He tilted his head slightly. "Your na shines more than anyone in the infernal realm right now."
Lux looked away briefly.
He knew that.
Of course he knew that.
His na stabilized post war liquidity.
His na rebuilt trade lanes.
His na fixed tariffs Pride couldn’t manage.
His na patched Wrath volatility.
He hadn’t done it for fa.
He had done it because soone had to.
But light attracts things.
Predators.
Envy.
Kings.
"That attracts enemies," Eros finished quietly.
Lux huffed through his nose. "Yeah."
There it was.
No joke.
No deflection.
Just agreent.
Azithra stepped closer then, her presence softening the tension without interrupting it. She pressed a gentle kiss to Eros’ shoulder.
"I’ll prepare tea and snacks," she said lightly, sensing the shift in atmosphere. "You two can enjoy yourselves."
Eros’ expression softened instantly. "Thank you, love."
Lux watched that interaction for half a second.
The way Eros’ posture relaxed around her.
The way he didn’t have to pretend.
Lux looked away before it lingered too long.
Azithra disappeared toward the inner garden, leaving them in filtered sunlight and quiet leaves.
Lux inhaled slowly. "I only did my job."
Eros looked at him again. "I know."
That stung more than disagreent would have.
"That’s the problem," Eros repeated.
Lux’s jaw tightened faintly.
"You can cry here, Lux."
Lux blinked. "...What?"
"I’ll let you borrow my shoulder."
Lux physically recoiled. "I don’t need that."
Eros shrugged lazily. "I’m offering."
"I’m not crying."
"You almost died."
"I survived."
"That’s not the sa thing."
Lux stared at him.
His instinct was to laugh it off.
To turn it into sothing stupid.
To flex.
Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets.
"I ca to talk."
Eros waited.
"I ca to warn you."
The air shifted again.
"Because this isn’t just about Greed," Lux continued. "The King’s attention doesn’t narrow. It expands."
Eros’ expression hardened. "You think Lust is on the board now."
"You’re the Crown Prince of Lust," Lux reminded him.
Eros didn’t flinch at the title.
"Asmo deactivated you, but you still bear that na."
"Politically."
"Still," Lux went on. "If the King is testing Lords, he’s testing Houses."
Eros folded his arms now, mirroring Lux’s earlier posture.
"You think I should return."
Lux shook his head. "Not as soon as possible. But you need preparation."
"Obviously," Eros huffed.
A pause.
Birdsong in the distance.
The scent of flowers too sweet for this conversation.
Eros folded his arms loosely, gaze drifting toward the far end of the garden where Azithra was setting porcelain on a stone table.
"Like an army?" he asked.
Lux gave him a look. "I guess you need sothing more subtle than that."
Eros arched a brow. "Subtle..." he muttered.
"Yes." Lux stepped closer, lowering his voice just slightly. "Army?" he repeated. "The King will think you want to betray him."
Eros’ lips twitched faintly. "Then what?"
Lux shrugged. "That’s your howork."
Eros stared at him. "You ca here to tell to prepare and now you’re giving howork."
"Yes."
"That’s rude."
"I’m Greed."
Eros snorted.
Lux’s gaze drifted briefly toward Azithra again. A tray in her hands. She moved with soft grace, sunlight catching her hair. For a mont, sothing gentler flickered across Lux’s face.
"You need leverage," he said more quietly. "Not noise."
Eros’ posture shifted subtly. Less playful. More prince.
"Networks," Eros muttered. "Influence... Hidden claws..."
Lux’s grin sharpened slightly. "Now you’re thinking."
Eros exhaled slowly. "You’re not staying."
Lux stepped back a half pace. "You want to?"
"Wouldn’t hurt."
Lux shook his head once. "I said I just wanted to talk. I gave you my talk." He glanced at the garden one more ti, sunlight, flowers, peace that felt almost artificial compared to infernal courtrooms. "And I leave you with howork."
Eros rolled his eyes. "You’re insufferable."
"Thank you for your complint."
Lux’s gaze hardened slightly, but the grin stayed. "Work well, Crown Prince of Lust."
A beat.
"Hopefully, I’ll see you again as the real you in Hell court soday."
Eros held his gaze. "Don’t die before that."
Lux smirked. "Not planning to."
He opened a portal with a flick of his fingers. Space folded, light twisting into a narrow tear in the air. He stepped backward into it without hesitation. Still smiling, waving his hand with an annoying smile.
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