Blood of Two Crowns (Hallowed Fates #2)

Chapter 45

Chapter

Forty-Five

MAREINA

M y eyes scaned the broad, scarred, muscled planes of Ataraxus’ body. Outside of the desire his powerful form inspires, it was also a map of his history that I wanted to travel. Something deeply rooted in my soul longed to know more about this male that I’d only just met but was undeniably one of my soulbound. And while I was filled with gratitude that against all the bizarre and gut-wrenching odds, we’d miraculously been united—there was also an unshakable sense of dread.

Somnus told me Nakoa and Malekai were coming for me. I should have been ecstatic. Instead, my gut was churning, and a tremor took over my hands. Ataraxus stole concerned glances as he tugged his trousers on, tucking away his long, thick, half-mast erection.

My breathing stilled as he stalked over to me topless, momentarily easing my anxiety. He tugged me against him before taking my head in his hands and guiding my gaze to his. “I won’t allow anything to happen to you, Mareina. Neither will Nakoa and Malekai.”

The fear in my chest pierced deep enough to draw tears.

“It’s not me that I’m worried about.”

Ataraxus leaned in to capture my watery emotion with his lips.

“It doesn’t end this way, Mareina. If I’ve learned anything in my life, it’s that Akash is conspiring for us. Not against us. She didn’t bring us together just to tear us apart. No matter what happens, have faith in this.”

I wasn’t sure I could muster that kind of faith. While meeting Ataraxus had been nothing short of an absolute fucking miracle, I had also experienced and witnessed too much senseless suffering to have such an unwavering ideology.

Before I could reply, there was an abrupt knock on Ataraxus’ bedroom doors. Ataraxus hesitated a moment, holding my gaze. “We all leave here together. Understood?”

I managed a weak nod. Ataraxus pressed a kiss to my forehead before calling out. “Enter.”

Erius and the pale female, whose name I still hadn’t learned, stood beside him. I’d tried asking her shortly after I’d arrived, and she’d only given me a blank stare before giving me her back and walking away.

Both were fully dressed in fighting leathers and wearing tense expressions. Erius’s breath came in quick pants. All of which painted a scene that spurred my anxiety.

“A portal’s been opened.”

Apparently, either the drakonati weren’t fond of permitting riders, or they didn’t socialize with anyone outside of their own kind because they had zero harnesses. And despite having four wings, there was no way I’d be able to keep up with their gargantuan 70-plus-foot wings.

Which is why I was currently being clutched inside a cage of Ataraxus’ talons as hundreds of drakonati flew towards Azrael’s palace. Or what was left of it, at least.

Less than an hour later Malovada came into view. It had already been reduced to ash from the riot where Erius had taken me captive, but it was the sight beyond it that had my jaw dropping.

A massive crater had replaced Azrael’s palace. Now, only sharp, ragged remnants remained. And beyond that, an exodus of demons and the rest of Azrael’s denizens were fighting their way through the barrier of Atratusian soldiers towards a towering black portal.

My heart leapt so far into my throat I choked on a sudden sob at the sight of a turquoise and gold drakonati that I knew without a doubt was Malekai. I squinted, desperately searching for Nakoa. We were still much too far away to see him, but the burning tug in my chest told me he was there.

My soulbound had crossed the realms and travelled to an actual hell for me.