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Tomorrow, I’ll be leaving, and no one can give me an idea of how long it will be before I return. It could be days or weeks or months. My heart drops painfully at the thought of anything longer than that. There’s so much uncertainty surrounding this situation, that it’s impossible to even guess, and I don’t want to get my hopes up just for them to be crushed further down the line.
This might be my last chance to soak up Azarius and enjoy being alone with him for a very long time.
I swallow hard over the lump forming in my throat and Azarius squeezes me to his side.
“What is it?” he asks gently. The strong, demanding voice that coaxed me to beg for his cock minutes ago is long gone, replaced by a tender tone.
“Just thinking,” I reply without opening my eyes. “Trying to prepare myself for my life to fall apart tomorrow.”
“It’s not going to fall apart,” he says, lifting my chin with two fingers. I open my eyes reluctantly to find him staring at me, a furrow between his brows and worry in his gaze. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”
“How can you promise that?” My voice threatens to crack, and I lower it to a whisper. “No one knows what’s going to happen. What if you get hurt? What if we lose? What if–”
He hushes me and presses his lips to my forehead, letting them linger there for a long pause.
“I might not be able to promise you everything, but I can promise you we won’t lose,” he says confidently. “I can also promise you that the moment I’m able to go to you, I will. This will be over soon. We just have to make sure you don’t get hurt in the process.”
I stare up into his vibrant blue eyes, a frown dragging the corners of my mouth down. I know he’s telling the truth, and I believe every bit of his promises, but they don’t make me feel any better.
I want to stay here, in this realm, and do what I can to help my men. I don’t want to be away from my mates, especially alone in a world I no longer recognize as my own. It’s all so unfair, and the worst part is nothing I say or do will change what has happened.
Tomorrow my happiness comes to a screeching halt, and everyone’s fate will hang in the balance.
“I believe you,” I say finally. “Just don’t forget to come back for me.”
To my surprise he laughs, his chest shaking beneath me, and he shakes his head sternly. “The Malevs have a better chance of killing us all than me ever forgetting about you, Darling. You consume my mind every minute that I’m away, and I’ve chosen you as my mate. My heart will always beat for you, no matter what.”
ChapterTwelve
RAFE
I’m hardly surprised when there’s a knock at my door, and even less surprised when I yank it open and find Devyn standing there. Elio and Azarius will have had plenty of time to break the news to her. She knows the decision that’s been made, that she’s leaving for Earth tomorrow.
Of course she came to see me. She’s probably here to yell at me or tell me how fucking heartless I am for sending her away.
Iamheartless, but it has nothing to do with me wanting her to leave.
In fact, I’m impressed by the amount of compassion I’ve managed to show since she arrived. For the first time in my existence, I’ve put another’s well-being before my own. I’m sending her away so that, at the end of everything when I’ve laid my claim on this hemisphere of our realm, she can rule by my side as my mate.My queen.
Considering I’d never given a second thought to a mate before Devyn unexpectedly crashed into my life, I’m surprised by how easily the thought comes to me. How perfect the image looks in my mind.
“Devyn,” I say finally when her unwavering stare doesn’t move away from mine.
Part of me wants to ask her what she’s doing here when I didn’t call for her, but a larger part is relieved she came without an invitation. I would have been disappointed if she’d left without saying goodbye, which shocks me in and of itself. Since when do I rely so heavily on her attention?
“Come in.” I step aside to let her in, and she moves past me silently.
She pauses in the middle of the room, arms wrapped tightly around her middle, looking more conflicted than I’ve ever seen her before. The way she chews her bottom lip has me arching my brows curiously, and I close the door quickly.
“You’re nervous,” I say, taking several slow steps in her direction. My instinct is to go to her, to pull her against me, to assure her everything is going to be alright… but I can feel my demon blood boiling at the thought. It’s a constant internal tug-of-war, and I’m teetering somewhere in the middle.
Despite how much I care for her, I have to keep as much distance as I can. I can’t risk hurting her. “Why are you nervous?”
Her green eyes flick to mine, gripping me and not letting go. She might be nervous, but her vibrant curiosity hovers just below the surface. It’s probably the thing I admire most about her. Even in a world full of hatred and darkness and demons hell-bent on destroying her mates, she’s nothing but goodness and light.
“I’m leaving tomorrow,” she starts shakily, clearing her throat.
“Yes.” I step closer, leaving only a few feet between us, unsure of what response she expects. Does she want me to apologize? Is she here to challenge my decision and beg me to let her stay? “It’s what’s best.”
