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Somehow.
Barely.
Last I saw, he’d been lying unconscious in a bed located in the remote northern wing of the palace, with Thalia hovering at his side and the rest of his friends nearby.
Miroslav hadfoldedan unconscious Zurie somewhere. I hadn’t bothered asking where. I didn’t actually care and - although I still held moderate disdain for the male - if he was anything, he was capable. I had no concern about Zurie getting free. Especially because, if she managed to get free, he’d likely be the first one she killed, considering his betrayal.
Andnow, Mareina was lying in my bed. Also unconscious.
Miroslav had folded us here with one of the healers from my army, Bohyun. Not only was she arguably one of the most powerful healers in all of Atratus, she was one of the few people in the world that I trusted. Swaying her loyalty away from Zurie had taken almost no effort. Not that she would trust or vow her loyalty to Nakoa.
Bohyun had as much faith in politics and those seated in positions of power as much as I did.
Which was to say,not at all.
Her loyalty lied solely with those she loved and helping the most vulnerable -minoriand humans. She’d only joined my army perhaps a decade ago, so Mareina had barely met her, but I was certain they got along. At the very least, Mareina would trust my judgement in telling this woman what had occurred at the palace and tending to Mareina’s unconscious body.
Not a single scratch marred Mareina’s skin, other than those fucking claiming marks on her neck and shoulder from fucking Nakoa. I wanted to ride back to the palace just to gut him. The only thing that had held me back from doing so was that I was terrified to leave Mareina’s side,andI imagined Mareina wouldn’t want me to murder hersoulbound.
Even if he was an absolute cunt.
I knew Mareina well enough to know that she hadn’t wanted to wear his marks… Perhaps Bohyun could do something about them. Though now wouldn’t be the time to ask.
“I’ll pay you triple what Zurie does.Did.To stay here and tend to her.Please.”
Bohyun heaved a sigh as she straightened from where she’d been hovering over Mareina’s painfully still, supine form around which whorls of her dark crimson magic seeped and writhed. Even now, it stretched towards me, curling itself around an ankle or arm. When Bohyun had first tried to touch her, strands of Mareina’s magic had lashed out to restrain her before they sniffed out her and her intent.
“There’d be no point… There’s nothing I can do for her… Not to mention… I have no experience in healinggods.”
My eyes flicked up to hers from Mareina. I hadn’t given her that information… Though I imagined it would be blatantly obvious if any healer worth their gifts wentpokingaround.
“Tell no one, Bohyun.Especiallynot that mate of hers.”
Bohyun reared back, horrified by the suggestion. “I wouldneverbreak patient confidentiality.”
I nodded, giving her an apologetic look. “I know... Thank you. You’re one of the few people I trust. I just…”
My throat worked roughly against the emotion clogging my throat. I’d never seen Mareina so…vulnerable.
Even before I’d found out that she wasn’t sanguinati but a literalgoddess,she had always beenmygoddess. My fuckingQueen.My warrior.
My everything.
I had witnessed her overcome terrifying odds long before she’d come into this power. We’d fought in awartogether, for fuck’s sake. And this female had become the heart and soul of me. If something happened to her, I would fucking break down Mors’ temple doors and force his creepy-ass acolytes to open that hidden entrance into his after-realm to find her.
I’d throw myself onto my own sword to get there if I had to.
So to see her like this…
It made me feel something I’d never truly experienced before despite having faced death on a battlefield countless times.
Fear.
“If she wereactuallysanguinati, I’d say she needs to feed… But I have no idea how gods sustain themselves…”
My face slackened in realization.
Bohyun’s black brows pinched together.
