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Again she tried to speak, but she suspected only garbled noises escaped. Blood followed on their heels. Lots and lots of blood. The liquid streamed from the corners of her mouth.
The Astra maneuvered her to a supine position before slicing his wrist. Skin split and crimson welled. He held the wound over her lips. Scorching blood dripped onto her tongue, sweet and strong. Power flooded her in a rush, amazing and wonderful and terrible.
Nooo! Neeka rolled to her side and vomited. Weakness returned and redoubled.
Well, here it was. Proof. Rathbonewasher consort. Only his blood could heal her.
Why, why, why? Didn’t fate understand they were incompatible? He was too serious, while she was a good time waiting to happen. The purveyor of unpredictable fun. She brought brilliance to her team, but he’d washed his hands of her, revealing himself to be a fool. He refused to admit their chemistry was combustible, and they were kind of amazing together. He nursed his very legitimate grudge and she, she... She sniffled. Despite everything, she still craved him.
“So. The Underworld king is your consort,” Azar said.
She glared at his Adam’s apple, hating him. Hating Rathbone. Hating herself. There was a zero-point-zero likelihood Rathbone would part with a single drop on her behalf.
A vibration cut into Neeka’s thoughts. She searched for the source, seeing Taliyah. The General to the rescue!
“I’ve heard a disturbing rumor that had better not be true.” Her friend shoved Azar aside and took his place, crouching beside her. She slitted her eyes. “A lot of people will die cursing my name if someone doesn’t tell me what happened.”
“I don’t know what happened,” Azar said, as calm as could be.
“Well, give her your blood.” The General removed the pinner amid the Astra’s protests.
Neeka’s wings buzzed with relief before going limp.
“I did give her my blood,” the Astra said. “She vomited.”
Taliyah absorbed the information. “I was right. Rathbone is your consort. And he isn’t here to aid you?”
Dang it! Neeka’s tears resurged. The Red King might be the first consort in history not to want his harpy. But fine. Whatever. So he didn’t want her. So what? She didn’t want him, either. Not anymore.
Neeka was done setting herself up for rejection. Done with Rathbone. As of this moment, she’d washed her hands of him.
“Stay away from him,” she croaked, careful to articulate each word. Ugh. Still protective of the guy. Such a fool!
“If you want to save him from my wrath,” the General said, putting pressure on the worst of Neeka’s wounds to staunch the bleeding, “you’ll have to strengthen and stop me.”
“You cannot bring the King of Agonies here.” Azar evinced incredulity. “What if he sent the oracle ahead with the express purpose of gaining entrance?”
“First of all, I can bring anyone I wish tomypalace. Second, if that’s the case, feel free to attack him at your leisure once my friend is healed.”
A shockingly fierce battle growl left Neeka. Despite her weakness. Despite her disappointment in the king. She didn’t want his blood. Didn’t want his help or his presence. Didn’t want anything to do with him ever again. No thank you.
Yet she said, “Stay. Away. From. Rathbone.”
“Keep her alive,” Taliyah commanded the Astra, ignoring her. “If she’s dead when I return, you’ll soon join her. That, I promise you.”
24
Kill the oracle?
Slay her?
End her for good to save myself?
The questions played on a loop inside Rathbone’s mind as he paced near the head of the River Styx. A desolate clearing where spontaneous fires sprayed from cracks in impacted soil. Trees no longer budded. The sky alternated between smoky and very smoky.
“Who am I supposed to believe?” he asked the former king. “Erebus or Neeka? He’s never lied to me. She has.”Betray me once and lose everything you hold dear. Betray me twice... “And what of Lore?” The ex-wife he must free or condemn. “Is she everything you claimed?”
Ripples moved through the water without the aid of wind, and he halted, halfway expecting an attack instead of an answer. A school of fish in a multitude of colors swam to the surface, drawing together, using their different colors to create a face. Styx. He laughed with glee.
