Page 83 of The Crown of Nyx

“Grá Geal Mo Chroí,” Maeve murmured, fingers lightly stroking my cheek. “Tá mo chroí istigh ionat.”

Her soft, musical voice lulled me into a dreamless sleep, where I knew not even the darkest of my nightmares would find me.

34

Ivy

Red sunlight streamed through the open window on the right side of the bed. I blinked hard against the soft glow and looked around the room. Sleep still clung to the edges of my consciousness, begging me for a few more hours of rest. Of nothing but darkness behind my eyes, untouched by dreams or nightmares.

It took me a few moments to realise that the red light came from the sky of the Underworld. That I wasn’t home, in my bedroom at the suite or the academy.

I groaned, rubbing my face. An arm around my waist tightened, and I glanced down at a person I had not fallen asleep with.

Adrian. His golden hair was mused from sleep, face buried in the pillow. He still wore his gear, but had at least remembered to kick off his boots.

It was only then that I realised I wasn’t alone on my other side, either. Though, to my surprise, I found Maeve with her eyes closed, one arm under her head while the other rested on my upper thigh. And based on the slow rise and fall of her chest, she wasasleep.

She went out not long after you did,Elias said through the bond. I looked around the room, only to find him shirtless in the doorway.

Shirtless, because I wore his shirt.

My cheeks warmed. I quickly dropped my hand from my face.Did you get any sleep?I asked. Memories of last night flooded me. Of Maeve feeding from me while Elias fucked me from behind. Thankfully, I was spent and had nothing left to give. They’d drained me entirely. And I was grateful for that. Not a single dream, nightmare, or vision to grace my slumber.

Elias smiled softly and nodded once. “In wolf form. Kingsley snuck in sometime during the night. The other three are ready and waiting in the sitting room,” he replied.

My stomach dropped. Everythingelsecame flooding back, too. Running from the palace. The ship and the inevitable wreck. Being dragged into the demon sex club.

And Damon.

I cursed under my breath as I pulled myself into a sitting position. My hand was still marked with the binding tattoo and deal from yesterday. And the dark blob in the centre of my palm was still just that. A dark blob to represent the demon king’s eternal soul.

Ugh. I hated it.

Shaking my head, I pried Adrian’s heavy arm from my stomach, leaning down to kiss him lightly on the corner of the mouth. The mage barely stirred, but it usually took a whole lot more to wake him, anyway.Maeve, on the other hand, I left alone. I wanted her to get as much rest as possible.

I reached out a hand for Elias to grab, and he helped me out of the bed, pulling me to my feet before wrapping his arms around my waist to lift me from the bed. I didn’t even care that one of those hands was planted quite obviously on my bare ass. Which he gave a little squeeze before setting me down.

“Any chance clothes were dropped off for me?” I asked quietly, smoothing a hand over his scruffy cheek.

He leaned into my touch with a gentle shake of his head. “No.” But his eyes brightened as they skimmed the length of my body. “I do like how this looks, though.”

I rolled my eyes, smiling. “Just because I smell like you.”

It was nice not smelling sootheranymore. Having his scent wrapped around me calmed my anxiety, as well as the tension that’d been wrapped around me since we were parted.

Elias’s lips twitched with a smile. He ducked his head as footsteps sounded in the hallway outside the bedroom. My mate stiffened. The bed shifted behind me as someone—Maeve, I guessed, by how quick the movement was—stalked towards the door.

The kiss Elias gave me was chaste as he pulled away, turning towards the door. I looked past him to see the other three standing there; Rowan looked bright and ready to keep moving, dressed impeccably in his gear. He offered me a reassuring smile as our eyes met.

Orion leaned against the wall, arms crossed. He maintained a carefully blank stare, though through the bond, he reached for me, assessing my wellbeing. As much as he wanted to hold himself back—for whatever reason he wanted to claim—he couldn’t. Hedidn’t. The Orion I’d come to know at the academy was incapable.

And then there was Hawk. He was the unknown. I had no bond to rely on when it came to him. I couldn’t reach for the impression of his emotions or catch parts of his thoughts. I had nothing but what he gave me, and right now, it was nothing. Nothing but a blank stare, pursed lips, and crossed arms.

It infuriated me. Before the whole magic explosion and realising our bond, I’d learned how to read him. Of course, I maybe hadn’t been reading him verywell.

I could still be right in my assumption that he didn’t like me, though.

I tore my eyes from Hawk and took a step back from Elias as I did.

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