I wanted to hate her for it. Hell, Ishouldhate her. Yet, a part of me felt…alive. Like I hadn’t actually been living until recently.
I hadn’t realized it, but I sensed it now—my Phoenix had been bored before Cami came along. Nothing had piqued his interest.
For thousands of years, I’d settled into monotony and found excitement where I could as the Hell Fae Commander.
Until Ajax. Until Cami. They’d ignited a new spark inside me that I had never experienced before.
And I wanted more of it.
Ofher.
Of both of them.
I’ll find you,I vowed, talking to Cami and Ajax even though I knew they couldn’t hear me.I’ll find you and we’ll talk. Tomorrow.
CHAPTER8
AJAX
A chorusof hissing snakes confirmed that I’d shadowed Cami and me to the right place—just outside the massive wrought-iron gates of the new Midnight Fae palace.
Queen Aflora and her mates had built this place shortly after taking down the Midnight Fae Council. It stood for everything the Council hated—a home for abominations.
Abominations like the Midnight Fae Queen herself.
I muttered a spell at the hostile snake-vines, causing their stone-like bodies to slither in silence. I would have used my wand to cast them away, but my hands were otherwise occupied with holding Camillia.
They wouldn’t bite, despite Camillia being an intruder. Mostly because I was the one holding her.
The protective vines would recognize me as an acceptable guest. Or they should, anyway.
Still, I moved through the gates slowly, not wanting to tempt fate. Fortunately, though, they left us alone.
I paused just beyond the threshold as a floral landscape came into view, the array of flowers and trees uncharacteristic of the Midnight Fae Realm. However, our queen was part Earth Fae, so I supposed this landscaping style was to be expected.
“Ajax,” my oldest friend greeted as he shadowed into the courtyard a few steps in front of me.
“Shade,” I sighed. “Of course you knew I was coming.”
“Of course I knew you were coming,” he echoed, his lips curling to display a disarming pair of dimples.
It was a lie.
There was nothing innocent about this fae. His Death Blood aura—all dark energy and violet magic—betrayed his sinister nature.
I supposed it did the same for me as well, but Shade was a whole different caliber of dangerous, thanks to his Fortune Fae roots.
His icy irises glittered in the moonlight as his focus drifted down to the female in my arms. “You seem to enjoy keeping your Halfling in a nude state. It surprises me that she allows it, what with her being part human and all.”
I glanced at Cami and winced. “Fuck.” I’d completely forgotten to give her clothes, my focus having been entirely on leaving the Hell Fae Kingdom and coming here.
With another whispered spell, I conjured a blanket to drape over her, the fabric soft against my arms.
Shade gave me a raised brow. “You look like you’ve been through hell.”
“Funny,” I muttered as I shifted Cami in my grip, making sure she was comfortable as her head rested against my chest.
She seemed to be awake, but not exactly aware. Her long blondish-brown eyelashes fluttered a few times; however, she didn’t quite focus on anything in particular.
