None of it could go to the Virtuous Fae. Toher.
I won’t be a siphon for you, Vivaxia,I thought as the world blinked in and out of existence.Because in the end, I’ll choose death… Every. Fucking. Time.
CHAPTER 23
TYPHOS
“Fuck!” Either Camillia couldn’t hear me, or she was too stubborn to listen. Maybe it was a mixture of both, but if she didn’t stop this, she was going to die.
I erased the distance between us and pulled her into my arms, then shoved the Source’s energy back into her chest.
But the little brat pushed it right back, refusing to accept my power. Refusing tosiphonit. Instead, she was giving all of herself to the Hell Fae Realm.
Sacrificing herself for my fae like a queen should.
My jaw clenched. “We need to get her back to the palace,” I said before issuing a command to my Hellhounds to return the dazed Nightmare Fae to their realms. Then I vanished and let Camillia’s mates follow us back to my chambers.
The teleportation only took seconds, but in that brief time, Camillia’s skin had turned ashen and cold, her soul barely thrumming with life.
“You and I are having a long talk when I finish reviving you, little one,” I growled.
A talk that involved a shift in methodology.
Because I was done playing the role of a slow and patient teacher. Camillia De la Croix needed a firm hand. Otherwise, she was going to end up dead.
And I refused to let that happen.
“She’s not breathing,” Az said as he appeared beside me, the scent of ash and fire heavy in the air.
Ajax arrived next, the Midnight Fae a little winded but otherwise mostly recovered, thanks to Camillia siphoning the Virtuous Fae spell off of him. Unfortunately, it was that act that had pushed her over the edge, Vivaxia’s powerful magic having created a surge that had sent Camillia spiraling.
“I can’t hear her,” Ajax said, clearly more focused on his mate than on his lingering injuries.
Melek appeared right behind the Warden, his agonized expression stabbing me through the chest. He quickly masked it, but not quickly enough.
Fuck, that tormented look would forever be engraved in my mind. Ineverwanted to see it again. Although, something told me my own face would rival his if I didn’t find a way to fix this.
Camillia had given everything to protect my realm, to protectme. Just like at that Interrealm Fae Ball.
This female was the opposite of a threat. She was a fucking beacon of hope. A Godsdamnqueen. And I’d wronged her in so many ways.
Including in our training. I’d gone too slow, toosoft, when I knew better. With Vivaxia as a threat, there was no time for gentleness.
Camillia needed to master her power. And she needed to do itnow.
“She’s rejecting my power surge,” I said, irritated not only with Camillia but also with myself. I couldn’t help feeling that her rejection was founded on distrust. But we’d address thatafter she survived this. Setting her on my bed, I focused on my Commander. “Azazel, I need you to?—”
He pressed his hand over her heart, and electricity thrummed through the air, the Phoenix Fae inside him already charged and ready before I even finished my demand. Power rippled out of him, the palpable energy taking my breath away.
The pale quality of Cami’s skin diminished, leaving behind a creamy glow.Thank, fu?—
The color faded before I could finish the thought, my soul warming as a roar of fire hit my Source with a vengeance.
And Cami went back to resembling death.
I growled.
And Azazel tried again. “Fires,” he hissed when the same thing happened after a handful of seconds.