Page 79 of Blood of Two Crowns

The things I wanted most in this world.

Love.

Some sickening melange of numbness, sadness, and anger settled deep in my bones.

My head hit the shelf behind me with athud, and I sat there, still holding Ettore, as silent emotion tracked down my cheeks.

Fatigue began to wash over me. Initially, I assumed it was the shitstorm of my emotions. It was only when the fatigue grew so intense that I realised what it was.

Akash-fucking-damn-it.

Has she killed Ataraxus already?

When would this female’s hunger be sated?

Within moments of embedding that rhyton in Mareina’s chest,I’d begun to feel some semblance of my old self—energetic, powerful, dare I say even hopeful—but every time there was a riot, and she woulddevourmy citizensen masse,the fatigue would return.

I’d bargained with Ataraxus to take her off my hands, keep her well-fedwithout killing anyone,and thoroughly distracted. In exchange, he would get a plaything. Potentially even a mate. The fact he looked so much like Mareina’schosen mate,Malekai, had been wildly fortuitous and reassuring that she might not be inclined to kill him and escape. That she might, on some subconscious level, desire him. It all seemed a little too serendipitous to be purely coincidence, but… As Ettore would say,“A caval donato non si guarda in bocca.”

Don't look a gift horse in themouth.

“It’s only been two days, Ettore. How bloodthirsty can one female possibly be?!”

Ettore’s corpse remained silent. I groaned, slapping myself in the face with one of Ettore’s meaty hands.

Fuck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Akash-fucking-fuck.

“I’m tired, Ettore. What I wouldn’t give to trade places with you. You’re a lucky man, you know that? Always have been. I mean, look at you.”

Ettore stared back at me, his expression a mask of boredom. I huffed.

“You were far more compassionate when you were alive.”

I sat there for several long moments and my fatigue only continued to increase, but I couldn’t muster the willpower to get up and do something about it.

Eventually, Ettore’s body grew cold and my ass numb. Wiping away the last of my tears on his perfectly starched sleeve, I bade his corpse goodbye and sent a prayer of love and gratitude toAkashthat I’d known him, and that his soul would find peace in Avernus.

Chapter

Forty-Seven

NAKOA

Asterion, as promised, had reduced Azrael’s palace to a 200-foot wide crater of scorched ruin in under thirty minutes. And now I could only pray that the veryfragileand desperate plan I’d hewn together at the last minute would actually work.

We’d all nearly been destroyed along with it if it hadn’t been for the female that had reappeared behind him in the portal. Her strange magic had the power to control emotions, and she’d succeeded in calming him with nothing more than the touch of her hand. She’d nearly died in the process, and I’d urged a few of my soldiers to take her back to the palace.

Shouts went up at the sight of beasts and creatures of all kinds beelining for the portal, somefoldingjust in front of it to attempt to dive through.

Malekai roared orders at our soldiers above the building chaos“Guard the portal!”

Drawing his swords, he turned back to me—eyes suddenly widening in hope and recognition. I twisted to follow his gaze to witness the darkening of the skies. Not with ominous clouds, butdrakonati.

Mareina.

“Go get her.”

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