“You will give me and Az freedom to woo Cami as we see fit. No interference. No meddling. Norules.”
Typhos grunted. “I’m not the meddler, little prince.”
Melek’s lips curled upward. “That’s a lie, my love. You just meddle in different ways.”
“Hmm.” The hum of sound resembled a deep rumble from Typhos’s chest, his sapphire irises glowing with power. “Those are a lot of demands, Melek.”
“Yes,” the prince agreed. “And I’m not negotiating on a single one.”
Typhos’s eyebrow inched up higher. “I see. And what do I receive in return for all of this? How will it benefit me?”
Melek’s smile grew. “You’ll receive a Hell Fae Queen.”
CHAPTER20
AZ
Typhos didn’t returnMelek’s smile. “I have no desire or need for a queen, Melek. I’m more than content with you.”
“You have every need for a queen,” Melek returned, his grin slipping from his features as he grew serious—a trait that seemed to be coming out more and more these last few days. “The portal incident proved your need for a queen, Typhos.”
“He’s right,” I said, backing up Melek. “Cami helped you when you needed it. With proper guidance and care, she could help you again.”
Typhos snorted. “A fluke.”
“It wasn’t a fluke, Ty.” Melek reached for the king’s face, his palms cradling his cheeks. “You’ve carried the weight of this realm for too long. You need more support.Camiis the solution. I just need you to give her a chance to prove it.”
Typhos’s jaw ticked. “You have a lot of faith in a girl you hardly know.”
“And you have a lot of prejudice against a woman you’ve barely spoken to,” Melek returned. “She’s special, Ty. It’s like she was made forus.”
“Which is precisely my concern,” Typhos replied. “There’s something not quite right with her. And it’s more than having a magic pussy that you all seem to want to fuck.”
My Phoenix bristled inside, not liking the crude tone the king had just used when talking about his mate. I swallowed down the urge to punch him for it, my mind seeking reason while my beast demanded action.
Typhos’s focus shifted to me, our link no doubt betraying the flare of anger simmering inside me. “You don’t approve of my assessment?”
“My Phoenix doesn’t, no,” I replied. “He might not understand your terms, but he understands your tone. And he’s feeling very protective of his mate.”
“It’s not just a queen you’ll receive,” Melek interjected, his palm leading Typhos’s focus back to him. “It’s a mate-circle. A place of power to help you balance the scales. Your kingdom has grown and stretched you far too thin. You need us, Ty. You need our support. You can no longer handle all this on your own.”
Typhos’s hands curled into fists. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not,” Melek insisted. “I’m inside you, Ty. I canfeelthe weight of the source on your shoulders.”
“It’s my burden to bear.”
“It’sourburden.” Melek removed his hands as he fell back to his haunches, his expression hard as he looked up at the king. “What happens if the source swallows you whole? How do you think that’ll impact the Hell Fae Realm? How do you think it’ll impactme?”
Typhos’s gaze narrowed, the tendons of his neck seeming to bulge as the veins became more prominent in his hands. Melek had struck a nerve. Several, actually.
However…“He’s not wrong,” I told Typhos softly. “I can feel that weight, too. I just didn’t realize how heavy it was until recently.”
Melek was more in tune with the Hell Fae King. He also tended to think in futuristic terms, his proclivity for meddling giving him with an advantage when it came to assessing situations before their time.
“You can draft a cancellation clause,” Melek offered. “If things prove too dangerous, or if for some reason you feel our judgment is truly clouded, you can act. But you’ll need to provide substantial proof of your suspicions.”
It was a dangerous clause to add, especially as it would mean every term could be nulled and voided depending on Typhos’s interpretation of events.
