Page 48 of Blood of Two Crowns

Images flashed in my mind of Nakoa and Malekai, their faces and all our memories slipping away like water through a sieve. Tears sprung to my eyes. The word was a tremulous whisper.

“No…”

Azrael frowned. “Mareina, be reasonable. You’ll be happier spending eternity here if you don’t have them holding you back.”

Never in my life had I begged, but I didn’t dare hesitate now.

“Please, no…”

Azrael’s eyes glistened as he held my gaze and stood, stepping around the table to sit down beside me. “I envy you, Mareina. All the pain and longing that’s been weighing you down since you arrived will be gone. You’ll be happy now. You’refree.”

Watery rage streamed down my face as I tried to lift my arms so I could wrap my hands around Azrael’s thick fucking neck and watch that burning light fade from his eyes. Instead, I only managed the twitching of my fingers. Azrael’s eyes dipped to my hands at the action. “… You’ll be right as rain by morning.”

Azrael leaned in, sniffing at my neck briefly before sitting back up.

“Fuck. I can still smell thatAkash-forsaken drakonati on you.”

Drakonati?Realization hit me like a sledgehammer, and a new kind of pain pierced my heart. That’s what Malekai had been hiding all these years.Why would he hide it from me?

Not that it mattered now.

Azrael willed a glowing vial into one of his palms, uncorking it with unseen hands. Pale blue glowing fluid defied gravity, streaming into the air, rippling until each droplet trembled and the light illuminating it began toseparatefrom the fluid itself. Azrael murmured in a language I couldn’t understand that seemed to guide the light towards me. A scream tore from my throat as it disappeared beneath my skin, burning like white-hot fire before dissipating.

My breaths came in short, quick pants as sweat trickled on my brow. Something felt wrong.Empty.And yet, I couldn’t place what it was.

A male sitting beside me sniffed my neck, growling his displeasure.“It’ll have to do.”

I willed my stubborn limbs to move but they remained fixed in place.

His fingers grazed my throat, frowning, and a moment later, I felt the distinct tingling, itching sensation of a glamor setting into place. “Can’t have these anymore, now can we?”

My words were a slur, my tongue uncooperative. I had no idea who the male in front of me was, but some innate hatred towards him burned bright. Inherently sensed that this wrongness writhing inside me was because of him.

“One day… I’m going… to… kill… you.”

Azrael gave me a sad smile.

“Perhaps, one day, I’ll let you.”

Chapter

Twenty-Six

AZRAEL

Inhale for thirteen, exhale for thirteen.

Inhale for eight, exhale for eight.

Inhale for five, exhale for five.

Inhale for three, exhale for three.

Inhale for two, exhale for two.

Inhale for one, exhale for one.

Thevortex breath,thanks to the Hindu Pujari I’d met on Terrenea, I’d learned the quickest way to reach Somnus, God of Dreams, and pretty much all things regarding the subconscious mind. It was the work of a few moments for my mind to slide deep enough into a meditative state to reach out to him via my subconscious. I guided my mind to linger on the male as my mind slipped further into the unconscious realms.

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