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Thankfully,he was often at my side anytime we were both at the palace, so it wouldn’t raise any eyebrows.
Miroslav nodded, wordlessly laying a hand on our shoulders as I pressed a hand to Chihiro’s neck. Miroslav folded the group of us in front of the palace gates.
Miroslav’s voice rang out in an imperious tone - a strange return to the only way I’d ever heard him speak until recently.
“Have Irae Kalini’s horse taken to the stables and fed.”
One of the guards approached, giving a slight bow to the both of us before taking Chihiro’s reigns.
“After that, you can return to the barracks. You’re dismissed,” Miroslav added, gripping the canvas sack that wrapped Vesper’s body as he placed his arm on our shoulders again, leading us towards the palace entrance. Nakoa or no, we were forced to make our way down the long, moted entrance lugging acorpsebecause no one other than Zurie’s employ could foldinfrom outside the palace or its gates, even if accompanied.
Once inside, it made no difference except for the areas warded against it, like Zurie's personal chambers or harem. The guards were all too desensitized to Zurie’santics,so no one batted an eye when we strode by carrying a body bag.
The hair on the back of my neck rose the moment Miroslav folded us from the Zurie’s giant entrance to the crypt. I hadn’t actually ever been in here before. Torches of flame, not fae light, burst to life, casting moving shadows against the alabaster stone of the crypt.
My eyes were instantly drawn to the marble relief of Mors’ sigil, the inverted torch with wings… Surprising warmth suffused my chest, easing my nerves considerably. His voice, from within my dream, returned to me.
“… Forget not that you are both death and eternity given form. You are never alone. Seek me, The Guardian of Life, to find your home.”
Malekai squeezed my hand, drawing my gaze to his, and he gave me a secret, knowing smile.
As though Vesper, in Nakoa’s long, bulky form weighed nothing, Miroslav gently set her on the bier - the platform which displayed the dead before burial - and began untying the rope at the canvas’ ends.
“I’m going to glamor you so you look more… dead… and she doesn’t see you breathing,” he murmured quietly to Vesper before turning towards me, “As I’m sure you already planned, tell Zurie, you magicked the body shortly after death to preserve it so she doesn’t think anything of it radiating off the body.”
My gaze drifted as he spoke, taking in the old letters carved into several dozen tombs housing Zurie’s family members. All 5 of her siblings had died young, and her parents, who weren’t particularly old, had also passed. More than half of them had done so insudden, tragic accidents.
How wildly fortuitous she’d had no one to challenge her for the throne.
Miroslav turned to me and gave me a look that I suspected was intended to be encouraging. “She’ll be distracted viewing herson’sbody…” His gaze lingered on me pointedly.
Vesper gasped, eyes bursting open. Miroslav only gave her a narrow-eyed look. If the information surprised Malekai, he was a superb actor.
Right, so stab Zurie in the back when she’s not looking.
I’d have felt guilty about that if she hadn’t committed mass genocide on multiple occasions, among other things.
The guilt I couldn’t seem to shake remained the fact thatI,Nakoa’ssouldboundand Queen, was supposed to murder the female who had birthed him without him even knowing.
A silver collar appeared in Miroslav’s hand. “This is what she has the males in her harem wear. It’s a magical suppressant. Slip it around her neck to prevent her from wielding magic in case she doesn’t die instantly.”
My skin crawled as I closed my hand over the collar andwilledit away for the time being.
Malekai held my gaze, surely sensing my increasing nerves. His warm hand curled around one of mine as he murmured a soothing spell.
“Katadamna kaza, tessari mú.”
My heart swelled with a love I’d denied for far too long. Though now was not the time to declare it. Instead, I squeezed his hand, not letting go, and poured my emotion into him.
“Katadamna kaza.”
Miroslav appeared a few breaths later, a hand resting on the middle of Zurie’s back afterfoldingher into the crypt. The sweet scent ofaetrarolled off her, making me want to bury my face into Malekai’s chest to replace it with his.
Zurie didn’t bother to acknowledge us. Understandably so, as she took in the sight of her ‘deceased’sonand drew a trembling hand to her mouth.
Seeing any emotion outside of anger or malevolent glee on her face was unsettling. I hadn’t witnessed such a thing outside of what The Well had shown me when she’d first ordered Nakoa’s death just after his birth.
She quickly closed the distance between them, coming to stand at the bier, running her shaky fingers over his luscious feathers. His proud cheekbones, eventually cupping his cheek.
