Blood of Two Crowns (Hallowed Fates #2)

Chapter 42

Chapter

Forty-Two

MALEKAI

M iroslav was dressed in black trousers and a tunic while the rest of us, all 2,000 of us , were dressed in fighting leathers. Though it might make a mockery of the rest of us, it was obvious that his presence bolstered our soldiers’ confidence and courage.

Many of us witnessed first-hand the ease with which Miroslav could kill in an instant, with nothing more than his will, all without spilling a single drop of blood. He was an Orisha, but unlike Famei, he was one of the few original Orishas. Beings so powerful that not even Zurie dared to mess with them lest she incur their wrath. They were also known to be reclusive and rarely left the haven of the Yatól Mountains. Outside of Miroslav and Famei, I’d never seen another of their kind.

But fuck, if it wouldn’t make me feel that much better if Mors would show up.

I scrubbed a hand down my jaw, anxiety reaching a crescendo the seemed to be triggering Pomona and Val’s maternal instincts.

Fuck me, what I wouldn’t give to have Nakoa here to punch me in the face.

“Yew, alright, lad?” Val asked as he clapped me on the back, and Pomona rubbed soothing circles on my shoulder, looking just as tense as I was.

I blew out a breath, needing to expel this energy somehow. “He wouldn’t have left without us, right?”

Val huffed a nervous laugh. “What? No… No? No. No, no, no. Mm-mm. No. He wouldn’t do that.”

That instilled zero confidence.

Pomona glared at him. “Maybe if you say no again, you’ll find that conviction you’re looking for.”

A hush went out across our army, and a few of them began pointing towards the skies, drawing my gaze.

Oh, thank fuck.

Nakoa, side by side with Rumiel, made a swift, sharp descent before drawing up at the last second in an impressive, near-silent landing.

His olana kah’hei rushed him, battering him with questions regarding his whereabouts that he shrugged off. His eyes lifted to mine, an obvious apology in there somewhere when he saw the tension lining my features.

Nakoa made a beeline for me. “Somnus visited me.”

Oh, thank fuck.

“Is he coming?”

Nakoa shakes his head. “No, but… he told me she’s in the mountains somewhere… Safe. ”

Despite the fact he used the word safe, anxiety and dread fist my heart. I can see the hesitance lining every bulging, rigid muscle of Nakoa’s body. “Safe?”

Our soldiers’ roars rent the air as Nakoa worked them into a frenzy, but I was too busy staring at the gaping portal to pay attention to what he was saying. His father and olana kah’hei seemed to be in a similar state. Though their thoughts were surely consumed with the task at hand, mine were consumed by the thought of Mareina in the hands of another male. And my emotions couldn’t decide whether to be relieved or heartbroken that it was with another soulbound.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose at the sensation of the dark, heavy magic bleeding from it. My heart pounded in my chest with undeniable fear and impatience to step through the cursed thing so I could hurry up and get Mareina back home safe and sound. It was black and completely opaque so we still couldn’t see what laid directly on the other side of it.

Lokus gave a derisive snort, scowling at the portal as if it had personally offended him. “Fuck that.”

He stomped off toward the jungle, carrying a long, crooked, broken branch and jabbed it through the portal. We all watched with bated breath. Including Miroslav. When nothing happened, Lokus wiggled it around before drawing it back out. The stick remained exactly the same, but he appeared unconvinced.

Lokus scratched his beard, leaning on the branch.

“Anyone got a dog and a leash?”

The question earned him a few chuckles and eye rolls. Lokus’ mischievous grin illuminated his face as his eyes landed on Roderick, the lykos wolf shifter.

Roderick heaved a long-suffering sigh, stifling his own grin. “Fuck off, mate.”

“I’d bet my whole fucking ball bag that you’ve got a leash and collar lyin’ around somewhere in that kinky little bedroom of yours.”

Roderick gave him a dazzling smile as he tossed him a wink. “I do, actually, but it’s not for me to wear.”

Lokus tossed his head back with laughter, easing some of the nervous tension in the air.

As though not entirely convinced, Lokus jabbed the branch back in, swinging it around halfway down the length. After a moment, the branch was halted mid-swing, and something yanked on it. Before we could even react Lokus shrieked as he was pulled through the other side faster than he could let go.