“Am I hurting you?” I asked, the words rough against my tongue. Because part of me wanted to hurt her, to throttle her, to berate her for trying to trick me—again. But a deeper part of me, one I’d ignored for a very long time, worried that I’d just made a terrible mistake.
She didn’t reply, her expression almost ghostlike and reminding me of the very kingdom she’d nearly escaped to.
Except… she hadn’t been anywhere near the portal. She’d been on the couch instead, simply leaning forward as though watching a riveting movie or television program.
I tried to recall the full scene in my head, to picture what I’d truly seen. I’d been so consumed with stopping Camillia and closing the portal that I’d mostly focused on her. But there’d been glimpses of the Netherworld.
And there’d been voices, too.
Az’s voice.
I’d sensed him, too. Just like I’d sensed the enchantment.
That doesn’t make sense. Why would she open a portal near the Hell Fae Commander?
Was it an accident? Had she been trying to find the right place to run to, but she’d stumbled upon Az instead?
Another pulse of power burst from her necklace, coating her in a shimmering dust that made her shiver, her lips beginning to tremble.
A hint of decadence followed, reminding me very much of Melek again.Because it’s his talisman, I thought once more.But something isn’t right here.
I took a step back, leaving her up against the wall.
She didn’t move, seemingly frozen.
With a sigh, I grabbed her hip with one hand and her nape with the other, tugging her away from the flames.
She felt brittle in my arms, like she’d morphed into an ice cube. However, her skin wasn’t cold, just chilled.
I led her to the couch and lowered her to a cushion. The book bristled, the pages fluttering as it relocated itself from the floor to the table, the sound reminding me of a female “hmphing” at me.
Strange fucking book,I decided as I called for my wand. I needed some fucking clothes, mostly to hide my physical reaction to Camillia. Not that she’d seemed to notice. Her eyes appeared a little lost, which had me cursing at myself for my reactions.
Maybe she’d been trying to escape again. Maybe she hadn’t.
At this point, I didn’t have a damn clue. But one thing was certain—I was tired of games. Whether they be in the form of interrogations or just Melek’s infuriating meddling, I just wanted a real conversation with some real fucking answers.
Summoning royal attire, I fitted myself with an open-vested suit that showed off my chest, complete with court-favored diamond cuff links and blood-red trim. I wanted to be ready in case I had to venture out to find Lucifer.
I also magicked a new pair of cuffs, ones that came without a key, and affixed them to my belt before sitting beside a still-shivering Camillia.
“I d-don’t understand th-this mag-gic,” she chattered, flinching at the end. “Th-the p-portal… sh-showed Azzz and Mel…” She closed her eyes, her expression one of frustration. A low growl built in her chest, one that had me instantly hard in my pants again.
She obviously didn’t appreciate feeling weak.
I could understand that.
Taking a seat beside her, I conjured up some apple tea—one of my favorite remedies to chase away a chill—and held it out for her. “Here. Drink this. Then we’ll talk.”
She peeked at it, her face instantly wary.
“It’s similar to hot apple cider, just a little thinner. And it’s not drugged.” I added that last part because I knew she suspected otherwise.
“Even i-if you did, i-it wouldn’t r-really matter, hmm?” She trembled over the words but lifted one shaky hand to accept the drink.
“Why wouldn’t it matter?” I asked, my focus on the rattling cup in her hand. I fully intended to catch that if she accidentally dropped it. The last thing I wanted was for her to burn herself.
Rather than respond, she brought the drink to her lips and closed her eyes. Then she began to sip it, her posture defeated.
