Blood of Two Crowns (Hallowed Fates #2)

Chapter 40

Chapter

Forty

NAKOA

K eres, who was supposed to be the one folding my army to the portal still hadn’t returned. I could only guess my birth mother wasn’t dead because Keres hadn’t come to wreak her revenge. Yet. Which is why I was now standing in front of Miroslav, asking for his help. Again.

The slender, seven-foot-plus male wore a haughty but unreadable expression as he looked down his nose at me. “Under one condition.”

I quirked a brow. “Go on…”

“Invite your mother to the palace. Your real mother. Leilani.”

He needn’t have specified. There was only one female who had earned that title. And it certainly wasn’t the female who had given me to Miroslav to kill. Still, I’d been too much of an emotional wreck after everything that had happened with Mareina to acknowledge any of the emotions I had regarding the fact Leilani had lied to me my entire life. Not that it made me love her any less. I missed her terribly. I just couldn’t handle anything else right now.

“Agreed… but it has to be after we get Mareina back.”

Miroslav’s expression softened, gradually nodding. Silence hung awkwardly between us for a moment, and I finally took it as the opportunity I’d been waiting for. The last I’d be given before I potentially led us all to death if my fleeting vision held any truth.

“By the way…”

His slender, elegant brow arches as if I’ve finally said something interesting for the first time.

“I know that I owe you my life… and even though words will never be enough, I just wanted to say thank you. For rescuing me from Zurie, saving my life on so many occasions, protecting my mother and Mareina—for everything that you’ve done.”

Miroslav stared at me for so long that part of me wondered if he’d heard me until I saw the faintest glistening in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, hesitating. His gaze fell for a moment as he cleared his throat.

My chest grew tight with emotion, but when his silvery eyes returned to mine, all evidence of his reaction was gone.

The timber of his voice became softer than I’d ever known it could be. “You were destined for greatness, Nakoa. I would not have robbed the world of that. Or your mother.”

Don’t cry.

Don’t cry.

Don’t cry.

Don’t cry, you fucking fool.

A great breath fled me as Miroslav broke the tension by changing the subject and bestowing me with the best news I’d heard since Mareina left.

“I found Mors.”

Hope swelled brightly in my chest. If anyone stood a chance against Azrael, whether we had to kill him or not, it’d be Mors.

“Though, there is a rather… monumental obstacle.”

For fuck’s sake.

I anticipated Miroslav reminding me, like Somnus, that we can’t kill Azrael because of blah, blah, fucking blah morals.

“He’s not quite himself…”

My brows pinched with both frustration.

“Which means…?”

Miroslav heaved a sigh, rubbing his temples between thumb and forefinger. The gesture made me recognize how exhausted he actually looked. The male had always seemed so imperturbable that I’d forgotten the fact that he was, indeed, susceptible to stress. Even if he seemed above it.

“It means that he doesn’t know who or what he is and has little to no control over his power.”

My face scrunched up in confusion.

“I’m sorry… What?”

“Keres forced him to drink from the River Oblivion.”