Blood of Two Crowns (Hallowed Fates #2)

Chapter 16

Chapter

Sixteen

NAKOA

L eaving Cerebus behind, Azrael folded with Mareina back to his palace in Ouranissa. Mareina and Azrael stared at one other as the reality of the situation settled upon her.

“So you see our predicament.”

Mareina shook her head, no doubt in horrified awe. Azrael’s expression tightened with guilt and shame. “It wasn’t always this way.”

“What happens if they kill each other? It still weakens you?”

Azrael nods. “It takes a part of my soul to the chasm with them.”

Mareina studied him for several moments. “And why don’t you help them? Try to give them whatever it is they need to be…”

Mareina’s words drifted already recognizing their futility.

Azrael huffed a sad laugh. “I may have the power to take life, but I do not have the power to change it. The beings in my hell realms are too many for anyone else to fathom and, with a few exceptions, they are the most wretched and corrupt souls I have ever come across. And while I would not wish their wrath upon nearly anyone, it has become beyond my control to prevent it. If things continue as they are, in a matter of months, those in the barriers between our realms will fray wide open.”

My heart pounded a furious beat, knowing that whatever response Mareina would give, it wouldn’t be one I wanted to hear. What solution could their possibly?—

“What if… Somehow, I could lend these realms my power.”

Icy dread trickled into my veins. Azrael grew still.

“You are not made of the aether of my realms. There may be some hope that your power might be enough to strengthen my side of the barrier that separates my hell realms reserved for the dead from Avernus, but in order for your power to strengthen the barriers that divide my living hell realms from Bellorum… We would have to create a syphon to drain your power. And you would have to stay in Vassileo. It is not a fate I would wish upon a soul such as yours.”

My heart stalled in my chest as it cracked and shattered. My unheard words were breathless and frantic as I reached out and attempted to grip her by the shoulders, but my hands merely passed through her. “Mareina, no. No, no, no, lohane thili. Please, don’t do this.”

The look on her face told me everything I feared to hear. Deaf to my pleas, Mareina merely huffed a heartbroken laugh. “You have no idea the horror I have inflicted on others. It is a fate I have earned.”

Azrael shook his head as he studied her. “Because you are not one of the souls in my dominion, I do not know much of your history, but my power still allows me to feel and intuit the merit of every soul in existence. And I can assure you, you do not belong in any hell.”

Something like numb resignation settled on her face. “I deserve worse.”

No… No. This couldn’t be happening.

I had to stop this. There had to be another way. Surely, Moirai—the many-faced Goddess of Fate—had not intended this. An echo of Miroslav’s words filled my mind.

‘If you do not cherish the soulbound Akash has gifted you, you shouldn’t be surprised when she is stolen from you.’

My lips parted in horror in realization. Malekai wasn’t the one to steal her from me. It was Azrael. Fate. The universe itself. Mareina’s guilt, which I had only ever enflamed. My forcing Mareina into a position of power and obligation.

Azrael seemed to be deliberating something before he spoke. “Shall I take you to back to your… mates. To say goodbye? I would trust your word that you will willingly return with me should you give it.”

Raging tears streamed down my cheeks as I desperately tried to grasp Mareina and roared my protest.

Mareina sucked in a deep breath, her heartbreakingly beautiful green eyes swelling with liquid despair as she turned away from Azrael to hide them.

“That would be a promise that I am not certain I have the strength to keep. And even if I did, I know at least one of them would fight to their death to keep me from you.”

At least one of them.

Anguish devoured the scant remains of my obliterated heart.

I had done this.

Another roar left my throat, broken and pleading as regret, shame, and desperation spilled down my cheeks. Her eyes lifted to mine, as though some part of her had heard it and a shuddering breath left me.

She stared up into my eyes as if she were looking directly at me. Perhaps she realized that at least one of us, whether it was me, Miroslav, or my mother would see this moment in time.

“Lohane thili, please don’t do this. Come back to me. Let me make this right. Let us fix this together. ”

Her words were so soft they were almost imperceptible. “If you see this, know that I am sorry for all that I have done against you. And despite our differences, I cherish our time together. I cherish you… To protect our realms, you will need to find my father.”