Page 85 of Witch Queen

Azazel landed a short distance away. The shield he raised around them impeded Barquiel as the demon tried to attack. He turned his back on the crimson barrier and joined them, his brow furrowed.

“What’s wrong?”

Alicia updated him on what her Reapers had told her.

Azazel cursed. He scowled at the ground for a moment before meeting Mae’s harrowed stare.

“Alicia is right, Mae. You should return to New York.” The demon cut his eyes to Vlad and Cortes. “Take them with you. Nikolai will help us free Ran Soyun.”

Mae turned haggard. Tears filled her eyes. Hellreaver whined and pressed against her side.

“Na Ri.” She swallowed convulsively and clutched her belly, her voice trembling. “Na Ri needs to see her mother!”

Azazel’s expression softened. “And she will. You both will. I promise you this on my life.”

Mae flinched. “Don’t say that! I refuse to have you die on us!”

“Mae,” Azazel murmured, chagrined.

Nikolai’s pulse thumped heavily. He took a shaky breath. He knew he was the only one who could convince her to go.

“You need to leave, Mae.”

She recoiled, shock and hurt flaring on her face.

He closed the distance to her, grasped her cheeks, and took her mouth in a kiss full of love, despair, and a searing promise. Mae froze before clinging to him, her fingers digging into his back like she never wanted to let go.

Nikolai ended the kiss and pressed their feverish foreheads together.

“Azazel, Alicia, and I will save Ran Soyun. And youwillsee her.” He smiled tremulously. “Trust me.”

Mae closed her eyes and shuddered, her shoulders slumping. She bit her lip and nodded.

Nikolai looked past her to Vlad. “Watch her back.”

The incubus arched an eyebrow. “You don’t need to ask me twice.” He hesitated before coming over and patting Nikolai’s shoulder awkwardly. “Don’t die.”

“Give him a kiss,” Popo suggested salaciously. “Go on, you know you?—”

Cortes muffled the parrot under Vlad and Nikolai’s glares.

Azazel sighed and hugged Mae to his chest. “Look after yourself, my kind, wonderful daughters.”

Loud banging reached them. Barquiel raged as he slammed his demonic sword repeatedly on the barrier, trying to smash it apart.

Azazel narrowed his eyes at his nemesis before giving Mae a final, solemn look. “Remember what I taught you.”

He pressed a kiss to her brow.

Mae clenched her jaw and nodded. Her gaze lingered on Nikolai while Cortes prepared the spell that would take them to New York.

“See you soon,” she whispered.

The sense of loss Nikolai experienced whenDistortmagicked her away made his throat thicken. Alastair crooned comfortingly and nudged his cheek with a wing. He touched the crow.

“I know. We’ll see them again.”

A sound drew his gaze to the barrier. Barquiel was almost through.

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