“Do you think… Will they keep us apart? What if she’s chosen soon? What if Ryuk discovers us and he?—”
“I won’t let him touch you. You know that. I won’t let you get hurt.”
“He’s a god, Kaiden!” My chest felt tight with nerves, my stomach twisting and turning. We had only just begun to move past two years of death and war. It felt like the biggest slight from the gods. Why couldn’t they just leave us alone? Why couldn’t we be happy? We deserved to be happy.
Kaiden took my hand in his, pulling me so that I had to face him. “I love you. I won’t let them take that away. We’ll figure it out.”
“Is that not what Ryuk told Rosina when they fell in love?”
The words pained him, and he grimaced in response. “I am not Ryuk. I would never…” He pressed his lips together. “I love you. I will only ever love you.”
Whilemy heart warmed, I couldn’t help but picture Ryuk in Kaiden’s place, speaking the same affirming promises to her. Had she believed them?
Did I?
Chapter 33
MORRIGAN
Istopped by Malakai’s room and swiped a few of his blades, along with a leather harness that I could quickly strap around my hip.
Now that Iknewsome of the monsters that lurked beyond this castle, I wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire again—not with Azrael’s life at stake.
What is he thinking?!I slammed some of Malakai’s drawers shut in a fit of anger. I wanted to scream at Azrael for even considering leaving these walls, but… Iknewwhat he was thinking. He wanted to take back his control just as I had with Aamon. But he was a child, and those monsters wouldn’t be chainedto a table for him.
As I raced from Malakai’s room, he appeared in the hallway. His white hair dangled over his face, partly covering his worried, grey eyes.
“Morrigan,” he said with a low voice, but I ignored him as I pushed my way past him.
“I need to grab that blade from the dungeon,” I said over my shoulder, fastening the harness tight enough for me to be able to run.
“It’s not down there!” I could hear Malakai jogging to keep up with me. “Morrigan, you need to listen to me. I will go get Azrael. You have to?—”
“I will not stay here!” I turned on my heel, glaring sharply at Malakai for even considering to suggest that I stay behind. “I am going to get Azrael, Malakai. And then, Tristan is bringing me to get the guys, and we areallleaving this place.”
I finally made it to the courtyard with Malakai on my tail, before he grabbed my elbow and spun me around.
“Just…” He ran his other hand through his hair. “Walking will take too long.”
He quickly shoved a bag into my hand that I hadn’t even noticed he was carrying. When I looked inside, I found random pieces of clothing, which only confused me further.
“Malakai, I don’t have time for this—” I yelled, then stammered back as Malakai practically leapt over the stairs, his clothes tearing mid-air as his skin stretched and morphed into white fur. He grew almost to the size of a horse, but far wider than that of any animal I had ever seen. When he landed on the ground, the collision alone shook the stone beneath my feet, and his claws dug into the dirt, skidding to a stop.
I had never seen him changeintothat form before, only him changingoutof it and back into his mortal form. It was… terrifying in an almost beautiful kind of way.
His grey eyes turned back to me as he lowered himself a little, his mouth turning into a non-threatening smile, like he was speaking a silent command.When I realized what he was implying, my eyes widened and I began to shake my head. “No. No way, Mal! You can’t expect me to?—”
A low growl vibrated from deep within his chest. Though I couldn’thearhim, I knew the look in his eyes.We don’t have time for this.
With a nervous puff of breath, I ran down the stairs and stopped beside him. “If you drop me, I swear to the gods…” I hissed in his ear, earning a light chuff from his snout that I justknewwas a laugh.
Carefully, I gripped a thick chunk of his white hair before lifting myself over him, swinging my leg across his back. It took a few seconds of shifting around to find a comfortable position, but once Idid, I settled my other hand into his fur and gripped on for dear life.
“Okay…” I breathed, and Malakai took off in a sprint hard enough that the wind threatened to rip me off of him. The air struck my face, making it harder to breathe, so I dipped my chin to block out the gusts.
We’re coming, I wanted to tell Azrael, wishing he could hear me. I had promised to protect him, and I would do just that.
It wasn’t long before we came to an abrupt stop.
