“We can relay the message, but I can’t promise he’ll listen to it,” Ajax muttered.
“Oh, he’ll listen,” Zakkai replied, all confidence.
The sound of a door softly closing followed, then a warm hand drifted down my arm. “Cami?” Az whispered, his concerned features appearing before me. “Are you all right?”
I blinked. “What…?” I cleared my throat, my voice scratchy. “What happened?”
“Ajax cast a paralyzing spell. And you absorbed it.”
My brow furrowed. “Absorbed it?” That was a strange phrasing. “What do you mean, Iabsorbedit?”
“The enchantment was just meant to freeze Az for a few seconds so I could pull you away from him,” Ajax explained as he moved to stand behind where Az knelt on the floor, placing both men in my line of sight. “You moved and somehow caught the spell.”
“Caught?” Another strange phrase, this one from Ajax instead of Az. The latter helped me sit up as I struggled to move, my body oddly weak. “I leapt in front of Az so you couldn’t enslave his Phoenix again.”
Ajax made a noise in his throat, one that sounded slightly contrite. Or maybe annoyed. “That’s not the spell I cast.”
Yeah, I understood that now. Sort of. “You can’t do that to his Phoenix again,” I blurted out, needing Ajax to hear me. I tried to move up to my knees, to stand, but my body refused. Instead, I glared up at him from my seated position. “He’s suffered enough.”
The look my Midnight Fae mate gave me suggested he felt otherwise.
“I mean it, Ajax,” I rushed on before he could say something sarcastic or biting as a retort. “That spell is cruel, especially with his history.”
His brow furrowed. “What are you talking about, Cami?” He looked at Az, who was now standing with his arms folded, clearly not liking the direction our conversation had taken. “What history? I’ve only used that spell once.” Fire danced in his gaze. “Had I realized it was from Melek, I wouldn’t have issued it. I thought Zenaida gave it to me.”
“Melek gave you that spell?” A responding flame flickered to life in Az’s gaze. “Fucking meddler.”
“I think they both enjoy meddling,” Ajax muttered.
“True, but the Virtuous Fae element to the spell should have made it obvious.” Az palmed the back of his neck while Ajax blinked at him.
“Virtuous Fae?” he repeated, looking as confused as I’d felt the first time I’d heard that term. “What the fuck is a Virtuous Fae?”
Az winced, his mind instantly radiating annoyance—not at Ajax but at himself.Shouldn’t have said that out loud,he was muttering to himself loudly enough for me to hear.
“What—”
“Is there somewhere we can go to talk privately?” Az interjected before Ajax could repeat his question.
Ajax glanced around. “You mean, like a bedroom? One where we’re the only ones here?”
He doesn’t want to risk being overheard by any of the Midnight Fae, I told Ajax via our bond.
Or he just wants to take us somewhere to ensure we’re alone when he attacks,Ajax fired back.
I finally managed to stumble to my feet. Ajax grabbed my hips as I nearly fell into him, concern entering his features as he stared down at me.
I need you to trust him,I whispered to Ajax.Please.
Not a fucking chance.
Then trust me,I said, my palms going to his chest.I’ve heard his story. I understand him better now.
Ajax snorted.So he manipulated you?
No, he confided in me,I corrected. “And before you consider saying something foolish about me being gullible or easy to persuade, think twice,” I added out loud, my tone leaving no question as to how I would react to such a statement.
Ajax’s jaw ticked, but I didn’t back down, my gaze locked on his as he debated his next move.
