Whatever.
I had a Hell Fae King to meet with.
Then a mate to go home to.
Home,I repeated to myself, my lips curling.I like the sound of that…
CHAPTER30
AZ
A FEW MINUTES EARLIER
Azazel?Typhos’s deep voice was tinged with concern—an emotion I seemed to be hearing a lot from him lately.Are you all right?
I finished pouring myself a fresh cup of coffee, courtesy of the ever-present gargoyle. The helpful creature had set two new mugs and a French press decanter on the table inside, probably because he’d heard me drop my former cup.
The ceramic pieces had also vanished within minutes, my uncharacteristic slip of the hand having been concealed and cleaned up without me having to lift a finger.
Definitely a useful little beast,I thought as I fixed a mug for Cami, too. She sat on the couch I’d been using as a bed, her long legs tucked under her as she patiently waited for me to join her.
Az?Typhos prompted again, his worry touching me through our bond. The Hell Fae King had always cared about me. But this appeared to be a new level of attentiveness from him, almost as though he knew something I didn’t.
I’m fine,I told him.Just rattled.
He was quiet for a moment.Are you sure? I can sense your distress.
Hmm,I hummed back at him as I handed a mug to Cami.Your prince has been meddling, and he left me with an unexpected surprise. One I didn’t quite appreciate.
Typhos’s responding sigh was so powerful, I could almostfeelit.What has Melek done now?
He told Cami to ask me about Vivaxia.
A jolt of electricity sizzled through our bond, the mention of the female who had caused his fall an instant trigger. But just as fast as his anger had arrived, it died, the Hell Fae King reining in his temper before I could experience the brunt of his fury.
It was always like that with him where Vivaxia was concerned, almost as though he felt the need to throttle his reactions to her name while in my presence. Probably because he thought I had more of a reason to hate her than he did.
And perhaps he was right.
But in truth, we both had equal cause to despise the woman.
How did you reply?he asked me after a beat, his mental voice carefully neutral.
I haven’t really answered yet, just requested a moment to regain my composure. But I intend on telling her everything.
Silence fell once more, Typhos’s reaction dulled, suggesting he was harnessing his emotional response to my admission.Define “everything,”he finally said.
My history,I rephrased.Which will include telling her some of yours.
I see.
She needs to know,I stressed to him.She’s my mate, Typhos. My Phoenix chose her. I don’t have a choice. She has to understand me to accept me. Just as she has to understand you to acceptus.
It was a lesson I hadn’t realized she needed until now.
A lesson in the truth.
That was the missing piece to all of this—Cami’s comprehension of the past. She needed insight into why Typhos made certain decisions today. Why he preferred to work with deals. How his very first deal had indebted me to him for eternity. Why my life—and now hers—would forever be intertwined with his.
