Page 111 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

Aggonid is gone, and he's never coming back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

MORTE

Atug on my shoulder causes my steps to falter, and Caius must feel it, too, because a gasp shoots out of his throat before he steadies himself.

Slowly, as though the world has tilted on its axis and we are a millimeter away from flying into the sun, we turn around, too stunned and too heartbroken to hold onto hope.

Aggonid stands there, his eyes alight with a burning fire that was extinguished in all of us. Alive as ever, a radiant smile graces his inky lips.

Like warm honey poured over smooth whiskey, his laughter ignites something in all of us, filling the void he left behind and banishing the darkness that'd taken residence inside our hearts. "Can't get rid of me that easily." He grins.

Caius is the first to recover, throwing his arms around our mate's neck, sobbing a broken, "You're alive."

I stumble forward, my hand brushing against his as our eyes meet over Caius' shoulder, and a wave of pure emotion overwhelms us. We all collapse into each other's embrace, feeling more alive than ever before, relief washing over us like a soothing balm.

We cling to him like lifelines, and it is only when Emeric lightly clears his throat that we break apart—but not too far, as none of us can seem to let go.

"How?" Caius croaks out.

"Yeah, care to explain how you came back from the dead?" Az crosses his arms, appearing skeptical.

Aggonid only laughs, the sound ringing with a hint of something magical and mysterious. "In every world, in every form, I will find them. Not even death can keep me from my mates."

"So what is this, you think you can treat her like shit, die, and she'll suddenly forget everything you did to her?" Az throws his hands up, fury blazing in his eyes.

"No, death can't make her forget," Aggonid says, his voice softening as he places a gentle kiss to my forehead. "But it did give me the chance to make it right."

I take a step back, sinking into Azazel's warmth while I study Aggonid. He's completely unmarred. "You came back because you're the soul bond of a phoenix fae."

"It appears so." Emotion swims in his depths and he nods. "You see, my dear Morte, you are built for darkness. You were made to thrive in the chaos and destruction of the Underworld, just as I was made to rule it. But you need someone to guide you, to teach you how to use your power for our greater purpose."

"How long did you know?" I fold Az's arm around my chest, hugging it to me like a shield. As though I could protect myself from the fallout of this conversation.

He glances around us, avoiding my eyes. "Let's have this conversation inside." He watches the retinue of guards standing sentry on the hill. "I don't know who I can and can't trust."

We all trundle inside, the crackling fire in the hearth strangely comforting in the quiet evening. Aggonid sits in a chair, fingers steepled in front of him as he stares deep into the flames.

"How long did you know?" I repeat my question, refusing to let him dodge it as I nestle between Az's thighs on the bed, our fingers intertwined.

A large part of me always hoped I'd be Wilder's soul bonded mate. But it'd been Aggonid this whole time.

The tension in the air is thick and palpable as he begins to speak. "I knew before I even ascended the throne."

As though I'd been sucker punched in the gut, I gasp, my heart lurching in my throat. "But you killed me." My voice comes out tiny, broken. The ache in my chest spreads until it feels like I'm choking on it.

"What?!" shouts of outrage fill the room.

Caius sinks to his haunches in front of Aggonid, crestfallen. "Is this true?"

He nods, a pained expression crossing his features as if he too was hurt by this revelation.

"Why?" Emeric threads his hand through mine, resting it on Azazel's thigh.

"I'd like to know that, too. How could you torture and kill the one person you were meant to love and protect?" Tears pour down my cheeks.

Aggonid stands, crossing the room to me, before kneeling between my thighs.

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