Page 46 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

"Fuck," I swear.

Caius appears in my field of vision with a jealous look on his face. "You can let go, little dove."

I blink, arching into Azazel and releasing my grip.

"I'm going to need you to stop wiggling," he purrs in my ear, and I suck in a deep breath.

"That was ... intense," I murmur, my voice barely a whisper.

Azazel chuckles, helping me adjust the comforter around me, though he doesn’t remove me from his lap. Caius peers at the key on the ground, and Aggonid steps forward to snatch it away.

He holds it up, along with his manacle. "Release me,now."

I snatch the key from his outstretched hand and force it into the keyhole, the metal scraping against the lock with a shrill whine. I turn it and a loud click reverberates through the air, followed by a clank as the metal band restraining him snaps and falls away. He wastes no time in rubbing his wounded wrist, hatred glaring from his eyes.

Crossing to the dresser, he pulls on some clothes before pressing a searing kiss to Caius' lips.

His voice is rough as he growls, "See to it that the prisoner is taken back to her hut, will you?"

The cavalier, impersonal way he says it sends a stab of agony through my chest. I am a prisoner. Nothing more. Nothing less. Tears come to my eyes, and I turn away, not wanting them to see my pain as I scramble out of Azazel's lap and towards the dresser to grab some clothes.

A small part of me was hoping things were different, that someone wanted me. Needed me as much as I needed them. But it’s just history repeating itself.

Morte, loved by one, but not enough to convince the gods I deserve it.

In the corner, I unlock my manacle, wincing at the raw wound beneath it. Pulling clothes on, I stow the key in the pocket of my oversized pants before scooping my chain up to bring back to my hut.

I take one last glance at the devil and his lover, feeling a heavy sadness settle over me before I turn and stumble towards the door, Azazel right behind me.

Never again.

CHAPTER TWELVE

AZAZEL

Morte strides through life with a steely confidence, but I now know her vulnerability. Aggonid's rejection cut her deeply, and I felt the same pain as if it had been my own. Even now as we soar together in the sky, her movements are stiff, mechanical, almost like she's desperately trying to suppress the fear she feels.

As we soar over the Lake of Souls, her anxieties radiate like a beacon. The dark depths of the pond mirror the sorrow in her eyes, and a sharp ache pierces my chest at the sight of it.

"Hey," I shout across the chasm, willing her to look at me. "What's wrong?"

She meets my gaze, her eyes glistening, and then looks away in an attempt to hide the single tear spilling down her cheek. Her crimson wings flare brighter as she ascends higher.

I cast a sideways glance at Caius, who shrugs his shoulders. I want to reach out and comfort her, to tell her that everything will be alright. But I know better than to push it. Nothing about the underworld is alright. Instead, I focus my gaze ahead and fall in line beside her—a silent vigil, ready to hold her hand should she need it.

We carry on in silence until we reach the other side of the forest where her hut is. Caius remains in the sky, scanning the area for threats, and I decide I hate him a little less. Morte lands first and I follow, only to find her leaning against a tree, sobbing.

I grapple her close to my chest, my heart pounding in my ears as her tears spill down her face. I whisper fiercely against her hair, desperate for her to hear me. "It'll be alright," I insist, feeling the urgency of my plea course through me as I pull her even closer.

Morte turns to me, her eyes awash with tears, and smiles weakly. Her body still shaking, she buries her head in my chest. I hug her closer, feeling a surge of protectiveness that I never thought I could feel for anyone.

Caius lands on quiet feet, coming to our side. “Little dove?" he murmurs.

He looks down at Morte, and his gentle expression makes me feel even more protective of her. Caius nods subtly, understanding the battle she's fighting in her heart.

"There you three are!" someone calls. "I was worried something had happened."

Morte pulls from my embrace, blinking the tears out of her eyes.

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