Blood of Two Crowns (Hallowed Fates #2)

Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

ZURIE

“ M y son will not be pleased to discover you’re allowing me such luxuries,” I murmured as I stared longingly at my bathing pool. Azrael hummed. “What’s he gonna do? Kill me?”

My eyes flicked up to his just as he turned to leave. Something wet began leaking from my eyes when I found myself staring down at my bathing pool, as it filled with steaming, fragrant water. I’d already scrubbed my teeth clean and washed off the layer of grime coating me when I was in the shower, and now I wanted a proper bath. Swiping away at the wasted water spilling down my cheeks I gave Keres my back, lest the wretched female witness it. Wisely, Keres and Azrael had refused to let me bathe in peace, though the latter had resigned himself to hunting down Miroslav. Why they thought that I would have any inkling of his whereabouts was beyond me. The male had been plotting against me since before we’d even met.

Both Azrael and Keres were searching for the Goddess of Life, Persephone. I wasn’t surprised when they’d chosen not to disclose why.

Kere’s eyes on my nude form felt like the scrape of a blade as I stepped into the bath. Every hair on my body rose from the delicious heat, and I didn’t bother to stifle my groan.

Azrael had kept his promise and procured something to help with the pain. It was a little clay-colored tablet that he said would help block the pain receptors in my brain. Apparently, it was a drug from the largely human realm, Terrenea. The effects felt like putting a tiny bandage over a gaping stab wound, but it had reduced my fever and dimmed the splitting pain in my head enough to stand.

Sinking beneath the hot water of the pool was better than any orgasm that any male, outside of Rumiel, had ever given me. My eyes slipped shut as I leaned back and thought I might even be able to have a nap like this. With any luck, maybe I’d drown, and I wouldn’t have to deal with any of this anymore. Less so from the withdrawals or the time I’d spent in the dungeon and more so due to the treacherous lovelessness of this world.

You’ve done nothing to deserve love, the thready, barely-there voice of my conscience whispered. Clearly, I had no argument. The chasm in my chest widened.

“There’s something else I’d like to speak with you about.”

My annoyance flared. “Oh? Is it to apologize for your deception in leading me to believe you were someone else?”

“I didn’t think you would entertain me otherwise.”

The sound of bare feet padding against the tiles had my eyes peeking open. My breath caught at the site of her nudity. While I had seen Thalia’s nude form, thanks to the glamor, this was the first time I was seeing Keres’ bared body. Lithe muscle, the petite palmful of her pert, pink-tipped breasts. Her long, lean, muscular legs. And the hairless visage of her pretty little cunt.

My voice contained far less venom than I’d intended. “What are you doing?”

I suddenly became jealous of the waist-high water licking across her body as she silently strode over, holding my gaze with dark, silvery eyes. Her eyes dropped to my breasts and then lower , all visible beneath the clear water. A coy smile tilted her lips when she caught me staring at the tightening peaks of her breasts.

“If you must know, I’m proposing.”