“But he means well,” he added.
“Usually,” I conceded.
Melek nodded and echoed, “Usually.” His hand fell away from his hair as he shook his head. “Camillia reminds him of Vivaxia. And not just because she’s a woman.”
“But because she can tap into his powers,” I translated. “Like a siphon.”
“Indeed,” Melek replied, his lips curling down. “It can’t be a coincidence that the Virtuous Fae have chosen to interfere with our lives now. Perhaps it’s all related. Cami’s arrival. Her unique skills. The portals. But I don’t think it’sher, necessarily. She seems innocent.”
“So did Vivaxia,” I pointed out, the name sending a chill down my spine. Just thinking of our shared past made time feel nonexistent, her cruel touch a lingering memory that refused to abate regardless of the thousands of years that had passed since I’d last seen her.
Evildidn’t even begin to describe the diabolical fae who had nearly killed Typhos.
I’d known her true nature from the beginning. But everyone else had seen her as a docile, sweet little fae.
“Do you think Cami is like her?” Melek asked, his head cocked slightly to the side.
“Do you?”
“My judgment was impaired once. I’d prefer to lean on yours, Commander. Typhos is alive today for a reason, after all,” Melek replied. “What do your instincts say?”
My fingers flexed, my mind at war with my bird’s immediate claim—She’s ours. No, she’s not. She is. She’s not. She is.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. “I don’t know. My Phoenix is confused.”
My inner beast snorted, almost as though he were mocking me for my claim.You’re the one who is confused, that sound said.
Or that was how I interpreted it, anyway.
“Then fly and track them,” Melek suggested. “You follow your instincts and I’ll follow mine. Together, we’ll develop a conclusion and go from there.”
I arched a brow. “What are you planning to do?”
His lips curled, his usual playfulness returning in a blink. “What I do best—meddle.” His feathers appeared in the next instant, the white plumes shimmering with golden dust. “Speak soon, Commander.”
He vanished before I could comment, his exit similar to the Hell Fae King’s, only he left a dusting of powder behind rather than smoke.
I supposed we all had our quirks.
Mine happened to be ash.
Which I demonstrated by following suit and teleporting myself outside of the palace grounds.
Because Melek was right—my Phoenix needed to fly.
I shifted and flew into the dark clouds, my Phoenix demanding that we track Cami and Ajax.
Not yet,I told him, causing my bird to grumble in indignation.
I might be in Phoenix form, but I was still very much in charge. However, that didn’t stop him from threatening to take over.
It took considerable effort to maintain control, and I wasn’t quite sure I’d succeeded because we seemed to be drifting toward the realm’s gates.
Fuck, I could barely even tame my own beast right now.
My entire life had been turned upside down. All because of a female.
Cami.
