Page 43 of Blood of Two Crowns

I could only manage a sigh, exhausted beyond caring at this point. All I wanted was Mareina back. “I need you to open the portal to Azrael’s realm. To Vassileo.”

Zurie’s face scrunched up in disbelief. “What inAkash’sname for? It’s a chain of hell realms.”

I reached out with my Knowingness to see whether there was any note of deception or if Zurie was merely pretending to be unaware that Azrael had taken Mareina to Vassileo. To my utter surprise, I found none.

Malekai and I exchanged a look before I spoke, giving him the chance to stop me from speaking the truth.

“Because Mareina went there with Azrael. ”

Zurie’s lips parted, eyes rounding slightly as she opened her mouth to speak, but Keres laid a hand on her forearm to give her pause.

“Willingly?”

“Yes.”

Keres and Zurie exchange a look that tells me they’re already aware of Azrael’s problem.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Keres frowns up at me. “EvenifZurie opened one of the portals, how in the fuck do you actually expect to convince Azrael to let her go. He’ll kill you. He’s one of the most powerful gods ever to exist. His power rivals that of a Primal. He basicallyisa primal.”

By allowing his godsforsaken denizens into our realm.It went against everything I’d ever believed in. Everything I’d thrown in Mareina’s face and led her to believe.

But it felt careless to give Zurie theentiretruth. My expression hardened at the lie forming on the tip of my tongue, but before it could breach my lips, Zurie’s face paled in realization.

“You plan to let his people in…”

Keres snorted a derisive laugh. “Akash almighty.You’ve been King for a day and you’re already putting your own needs over the needs of your citizens? How very typical. I’d actually had high hopes for my niece’ssoulbound.”

Malekai’s growl was utterly inhuman, a mirror to my own anger. It twined with guilt that welled up inside of me at just how right she was.

Keres rolled her eyes. “Down drakonati.I didn’t sayno.I just want to ensure you know how it will look to your people. There’ll be a revolt. You’ll be hated. There’ll be assassination attempts… By saving her, you’re dooming yourself.”

Her words only further steeled my resolution. “If I don’t save her, I’m already doomed.”

Zurie looked ill. Perhaps her withdrawals were returning. It couldn’t possibly be empathy eating her alive as she stared at some distant corner. When her eyes lifted to mine, the determination in them was unmistakable.

“Blame it on me.”

Shock suffused me, and I scoured her for signs of deception. How could this possibly be of benefit to her… The female was a snake in the grass. A duplicitous, deceitful, highborn wench of the highest order. She reached out to grab my forearm but then stopped herself.

“They already hate me. Even my allies hate me. It makes no difference, butyouhave a chance. The people love you already.You saw them out there. Don’t throw it away. Tell them Azrael paid me or something; it doesn’t matter. And then when Azrael’s citizens arrive, you can save them. Again. As you are destined to.”

Emotion swelled in my chest.

You will not cry. You will not cry. You willnotcry.

I cleared my throat, scrubbing a hand down my face. Gratitude washed over me as Malekai clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Sounds good to me. He agrees, don’t you,your majesty?”

Relief and gratitude washed over me for the male and his attempt to draw their attention. If I’d had to speak, all that would have come out was a choked sob on the wordmommy.

I cleared my throat, managing a nod, as my eyes darted away.

“You’ll have to come with us… In case we can’t find Azrael. To open the portal again,” Malekai added.

Zurie nodded in affirmation despite being sheet white.

“For whatever solution he’s discovered in bringing her there, he won’t let her go. You know that right?”

I buried my rising panic. The words feel lame even to my own hears. “His original request was that we allow his people in… It was Mareina’s suggestion that she stay there with him to bolster the barriers between our realms. To spare us from the havoc his people would cause.”

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