Return of the Demon Sovereign (Book 2) [MxM]

A year had passed in Eri's memories, replaying the bouts of abuse he endured at the hands of the Themises.

When he was seven, he found himself at his brothers' mercy again. He curled into himself, trying to shield his head from their punches and kicks.

"Stop it," he whimpered, his voice trembling. "Stop it!"

Suddenly, a swirl of black energy erupted around him, forcing Terran and Tomas backward. The boys cried out as they hit the ground. Fear flickered in their eyes as they scrambled away from Eri.

"A shadow cultivator," Tomas hissed, his voice filled with venom. "I knew it!"

Both boys bolted, running off to cry to their father. Eri remained frozen, staring down at his trembling hands. A heart-wrenching sob tore from his chest.

"But... I'm a Themis," he whispered weakly as if saying it aloud would change his mana. "I... I can't be a shadow cultivator."

He clamped his hands over his mouth as another sob wracked his small frame. "No... this is a dream. It has to be a nightmare. I can't be... I can't..."

Heavy footsteps echoed toward him, and panic surged through Eri. He tried to crawl away, but it was too late. Tartus loomed over him, his shadow falling across the boy. Tartus' hand swung without warning, slapping Eri hard across the face. The force sent him sprawling to the side, his cheek stinging as one eye began to swell and his jaw throbbed.

"No... please, Father," Eri whimpered, voice cracking with fear.

Tartus sneered, grabbing Eri by the collar and dragging him toward the house. "It was a mistake to let you live, boy."

They made him test his mana over and over, ignoring his exhaustion. They claimed it was to "measure" the strength of his abilities. His limbs trembled from overuse, and his vision blurred from the strain.

Hours later, Eri knelt in front of his father, tears streaking down his pale cheeks. His body swayed, drained, and weak. Terran and Tomas stood beside their father, looking down at him with disgust.

"The day of awakening is always a proud day for the Themis family, but then you emerged, Eri. The Themis family has celebrated the prestige and glory of being fire cultivators, our blood blessed with the history of kings. So how can you, my son, be a Shadow Cultivator? A rat of society."

Eri sobbed, trying to wipe the tears. "I'm sorry, father. I can change."

Tartus scoffed at him. "Change? You're too weak. Weak-minded and weak-willed. Even your mana was graded as weak. You are an abomination to the Themis family. We are dragons! And dragons do not tolerate shadow rats!"

"Please, Father!" Eri begged, his voice breaking. But his father's only response was another sharp slap across the face, sending him sprawling onto the marble floor. 

He lay there, stunned. He was what he feared—a shadow cultivator.

That thought crushed him as everything went black.

When he woke, the chill was the first thing he felt. His body trembled, curled on the stone floor of his small room. Someone must've dragged him here, but he was alone. So terribly alone.

Once again, he was curled up against Selene. She felt weaker than before, but her hand moved gently, brushing the hair from Eri's face.

"I'm... a shadow cultivator," he whispered in a fragile voice.

"I know," she said kindly, with a hint of pride in her voice.