Blood of Two Crowns (Hallowed Fates #2)

Chapter 28

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

MAREINA

“ Y ou look lovely this morning.” I turned away from the mirror to find Azrael standing in the doorway, dressed sharply in the modern-fashioned suits popular amongst humans from Terrenea, as per usual.

And yet, something is off.

I returned my gaze to the mirror, trying to stifle the unease working through my body, fidgeting with the corset. Whilst rather suffocating, it had a remarkable effect on accentuating my curves. I willed my voice into something casual. Pleasant even. Lest Azrael be made aware of the strange, unfounded suspicion that I’d woken up with a week ago.

“Thank you… I can’t remember the last time I wore a dress.”

Looking at myself in the mirror, dolled up in the best way I could manage, I looked like a different person entirely. My eyes dipped to the scar I discovered on my forearm, bearing the name of the blonde male in my dream, and I tugged my sleeve back over it. Something deep inside me told me I needed to hide it. Protect it.

A week ago after having the most delicious erotic dream of my entire life, I’d found it on my forearm when I’d bathed to wash the arousal soaking my thighs. I’d been both thoroughly unsettled and reassured by it.

While I had no recollection of it being carved there, there was but one way someone would be able to put their name on my body in such a perfect scrolling script—and it required my permission. Even before I’d noticed it, the moment I woke up, I felt a profound, unignorable longing for the males in my dream.

Logic told me that some sort of memory-wiping potion had laced my food or drink. It would also explain why I longed for the males in my dream with such a soul-deep need. Despite having no memories of them, I knew them. My longing for them hadn’t waned in the least.

Fuckery of the highest order is afoot, and Azrael has something to do with it.

“Are you hungry?” Azrael asked.

Why, yes. I am. For your blood.

I feigned a sigh of relief. “Gods, yes. I’m fucking starved.”

“Splendid. Join me for lunch?”

Lunch? Since I’d arrived in this realm months ago, not once had the male invited me to lunch. My suspicions rose further.

“Sounds delightful,” I replied a little too sweetly.

Azrael studied me for a moment as a tight smile crept across his face as he lingered in the doorway.

To smile or not to smile? I turned away from the mirror to look back at him, giving him the most casual look I could manage.

Suspicion narrowed his eyes.

Fuck, I shouldn’t have smiled. I don’t just give away smiles. Who the hells do you think you are?

My smile faded. Azrael’s suspicion eased.

“Right…,’ he announced awkwardly before turning on his heel to leave.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Stringed instruments tickled the air as Azrael rose politely from his seat as I entered the dining area and I barely succeeded in stifling my eye roll.

Gallant are we, you duplicitous cunt?

Azrael’s gaze remained fixed on me as I strode towards him and I began to perspire beneath the mask of nonchalance I was wearing.

Nonchalance.

Nonchalance.

Nonchalance.

You are the Queen of Nonchalance.

My voice turned airy and high-pitched.

“Thank you for having me…”

Gods, you’re a terrible actress.

Azrael’s eyes narrowed again, this time with concern.

“Are you feeling ill?”

Fuck me, why am I smiling again?

I cleared my throat as I took my seat across from him and made eye contact with about a dozen fucking effigies of Azrael’s soulbound that all seemed to have been sculpted to boast the most judgemental expression fathomable. Twelve of them surrounded us in a circle from their columns only feet away from where we sat beneath Vassileo’s five Akash -forsaken red suns. Despite Azrael keeping his courtyard a balmy 72 degrees thanks to his magic, sweat trickled down my back.

Why am I so nervous?

What if he’s done nothing wrong, and I’m just losing my fucking mind?

Awkwardness settled between us. The food, though undoubtedly delicious, held zero appeal to me despite my immense hunger. My fangs ached, and I couldn’t help but shift restlessly.

Why are we even here?

“Is there… Something in particular you’d like to discuss with me?”

Azrael gave me a polite but notably forced smile. “I realize that, while your desire in coming here is due to your desire to protect Bellorum and Avernus, but… I feel I owe you a great deal of gratitude…”

Oh…

The tension in my body that had been building for over a week, eased slightly.

Maybe I am just insane.

“… Despite the astronomical number of people you’ve killed here, which bears its own consequences that I won’t bore you with, your power is… breathtaking in magnitude. The wards holding the realm together feel stronger than they have in millennia. I’ve been working closely with the alchemist who created the rhyton, and I’m certain that soon, we’ll find a way for you to feed as much as you need while also helping me hold the fabric of this realm together. I’m not afraid to admit, I owe you a great debt, and… I hope that one day, I’ll be able to repay you.”

I couldn’t help but feel a little speechless. And wildly disarmed.

No one had ever expressed gratitude so freely to me. Or at least as far as I could remember. Internally, my mind battled with his seemingly sincere kindness and my rapidly dwindling sanity. From beneath the table, my thumb found it’s way to the scar on my arm bearing Malekai’s name, and it instantly grounded me.

“Thank you… Though, it’s not like I had anyone or anything tying me to Bellorum, and my father’s been ruling Avernus on his own since time immemorial. If anything, I just wish I’d been able to spend more time with him and my mother before coming here.”

Azrael gave me a sad smile. “Perhaps they can come visit sometime.”

Right. You’re officially insane.

Magic crackled through the air moments before a male with giant wings and golden, iris-less eyes stepped through the garden doors. His mouth opened to speak, but his words were cut short when they landed on me. Both his astounding beauty and a strange familiarity to him that I couldn’t place stilled the breath in my lungs.

Azrael’s body went rigid at the sight of him. “Asterion. You’re supposed to be travelling to Creshmir to meet your new squadron.”

“I was, but there’s another riot. They’ve set fire to Malovada city.”