Page 73 of The Fae King's Labyrinth

“It can’t be worse than it is now with you over there tying both of us up in worries, and me unable to do anything about it. Come, wife. Let me hold you and reassure myself you are whole and safe. It will help me rest.”

Reluctantly, I climbed into bed to lie next to him. Azulin pulled me into his arms, so my back was snug against his chest, and promptly fell asleep with one of his arms wrapped securely around my middle.

Sleep took longer to find me. My mind worried, but gradually, my thoughts grew sluggish. The vine coiling my arm rippled as his magic flowed around me, and my body relaxed into his embrace. Warm and content, I hummed softly.

“You are purring, wife,” Azulin murmured sleepily. His breath tickled my ear as he nuzzled my hair. “I like it.”

I didn’t bother to reply as I slipped into sleep.

“She escaped!”

I opened my eyes and struggled out of sleep. Groggy and disoriented, I sat up. Alone on the bed, I could still feel the lingering warmth of my husband against my back, but he was already across the room standing by the open door.

Oran stalked past him into the room, and a wave of his magic washed over me as he swung around to face Azulin. “Someone had to help her escape. There was no way out of that spell from within once I sealed it.”

Azulin closed the door and locked it before turning to face his brother. “I assume you’re speaking of our mother.”

Fear unwound in my gut as I realized what was unfolding. I took a few slow, steady breaths to calm my racing heart. Tana had escaped. She could follow through on her plan to use me as her puppet.

“Yes! She’s gone. Father is locked in his rooms with his usual attendants. The guard is scouring the grounds, and the staff is searching the palace.” Pacing the room, Oran thrust his hands through his hair.

“Are all the staff accounted for?” Azulin asked.

Cautiously I crawled to the edge of the bed. Hopefully, if my feet were on the floor, I would feel slightly less vulnerable.

Oran frowned. “I don’t know. I didn’t think to check.”

“How much of the estate did Mother control?”

“All of the household. She said running the house gave her purpose.” Oran groaned and threw himself into the chair next to the bed. “I’m a fool.”

Azulin glanced toward me. “You’re not alone in that. We both trusted her.” He moved across the room, closing the gap between us. I stood and tried to wrestle down the panic in my gut.

“Never again.” Oran glared at his brother. “I will never do so again.”

“Agreed. However, the important task now is to figure out how far her influence went among the staff.” Azulin reached my side and caught my hand in his. A cool wash of magic overwhelmed me, smoothing the edge off my panic. I wasn’talone. Azulin would protect me. Placing himself between his brother and me, he tucked our joined hands behind his leg.

Oran groaned. Shoving himself off the chair, he straightened wearily. “I’ll gather the staff and order a headcount.”

“Are there any staff members you can trust to handle a truth spelling?” Azulin asked.

Oran paused and frowned at his brother. “I can think of one. You aren’t proposing we interview them all, are you?”

“I am.” Azulin met his brother’s agitation with cool resolve. “I need to know if this is an isolated grab for power or if Mother is somehow connected to the leaking of my true name.”

Oran opened his mouth as though to deny their mother was capable of such things but then caught himself. Instead, he nodded. “The interviews will begin in the library within the hour. I assume you’ll wish to be present for them.”

Azulin squeezed my fingers gently. “We both will. My wife won’t be leaving my side.” His expression said I wouldn’t be leaving his sight for a very long time.

“Understood.” Oran turned on his heel and strode to the door. He unlocked it and pulled it open but hesitated before exiting. “I am willing to submit to a truth spell if you wish.”

Azulin shook his head. “No need. We’ll figure this out together.”

Oran nodded. “Together.”

∞∞∞

Azulin

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