Page 102 of Blood of Two Crowns

Mareina’s eyes narrowed with distrust, her expression only softening as she took in our nudity. “… Right.”

Mustering nonchalance, I turned and carefully closed the drawer of Mor’s box of butt hole pleasures, and plucked out pairs of undergarments, trousers, and shirts for myself and Malekai. I hadn’t brought a change of clothing from the palace and wasn’t inclined to pull on gore and sweat-crusted fighting leathers. Malekai shifted to take them, and we both stifled conspiratorialgrins when our eyes met, silently communicating thatsoon, we would come back and find out what was in that fucking box.

Mareina stepped up behind us, now seeing nothing amiss in her father’s closet. “Hm. I don’t know why I expected his clothing to be less… extravagant.”

“I imagine when you’ve been around as long as he has, you collect all manner of things.”

Mareina snatched a pair ofstolenborrowed undergarments, the pattern of which I hadn’t yet noticed.“Are those eggplants?”

Our eyes met, chuckling, just as a knock sounded from the entrance of Mor’s bedroom.

Malekai and I were still nude when we turned to find Lathrimos standing in the doorway. Still, Mareina called him in, tightening the sheet around her body.

“Lathrimos. Lovely to see you.”

The male was so large he seemed to dwarf Mors’ enormous bedroom. My brows leapt when Val appeared just behind him. The two of them exchanged sheepish grins.

Well, well, well. What do we have here?

Val’s brows leapt as he takes in the state of our undress.“Well,what a delicious picture you three paint. I’m so happy ta see ya’all’re playing nicely now.”

My eyes narrowed as I caught Val’s eyes lingering on both Mareina and Malekai.

“Is there something I can help you with, Valerius?”

Val cleared his throat, eyes darting to mine. “Apologies,Your Majesty.I just thought you might like to know that your ehm… Zurie and Keres are at the palace.”

I waited to feel some form of emotion at the news my mother hadn’t died. It never came.

“Is everything ok with Ataraxus?”

“Still asleep, but otherwise healthy, according to Bohyun.”

I grunted my disappointment. As much as it pained me to leave Malekai behind so Mareina and I could visit Ataraxus, his absence, and fragile state was an incessant cloud darkening the back of my mind.

“Well, thank you for coming. I appreciate you going out of your way. Pomona wasn’t around to spare you the trouble?”

A muscle in Val’s jaw ticked, sparking my anxiety. “She’s staying with your mother. Miroslav has gone missing.”

My heart seized. The male was so aloof and nigh-unkillable I’d merely assumed he’dfoldedback home.

“There’s been no sign of him at all?”

Val shook his head. My eyes dipped to Mareina as her gaze grew distant before she shook her head. “I don’t feel him here…”

Iwilledon the borrowed clothing as Malekai did the same, stopping short as realization darkened his expression.

“I’ll fold you to her,” Mareina offered, her features lined with worry. I nodded my reply even as my eyes returned to Malekai. His chest heaved, hands fisting at his sides to force away the tremor working through his hands. My heart squeezed with empathy. I couldn’t imagine being trapped here, forced to worry about Mareina and Malekai. Mareina pressed her hands on his chest.

“Azrael is trapped in a dungeon, wearing a palladium collar?—

Malekai shook his head, gaze lifting to mine. “So was Zurie.”

Chapter

Sixty

MALEKAI

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