Blood of Two Crowns (Hallowed Fates #2)

Chapter 59

Chapter

Fifty-Nine

NAKOA

W hat a bizarre turn of the tides. If someone had told me that I’d be sharing my soulbund with another male, I’d probably have gutted them for even daring to speak the words. Now… I wasn’t entirely sure I would have it any other way. Though it felt like we were treading upon new, fragile grounds, daring to build something new. Something unfathomably precious.

And I found myself constantly worrying about someone new.

Ataraxus.

And I silently vowed that we would visit him tomorrow and sent a prayer that he would recover from whatever it was stealing his consciousness.

When I woke, some hours later, it was still only early evening. Mareina’s head lay on my chest with a leg draped over mine. Malekai was curled on his side against her with his large hand curved over the swell of her hip. I peeked down to see her eyes closed, lashes faintly kissing the apples of her cheeks, and her breathing even. My heart pinched at the gorgeous sight of her.

It also felt startlingly intimate to see Malekai in a sleeping state, his expression peaceful. I realized then that I’d never seen him at peace until now.

As if reading my mind, Malekai’s eyes opened in that exact moment. A beat later, he carefully disentangled himself from Mareina and silently rolled over to climb out of bed. His gaze dropped to the floor as if suddenly realizing that he didn’t have any previously shed clothes waiting for him there. Perhaps Mors wouldn’t mind sharing. Likely not, considering he was currently suffering the amnesiac effects of drinking from the River Oblivion. Malekai peered over his shoulder at me with a silent question.

Malekai followed me out of the room as we padded towards Mors’ bedroom. We strode directly towards a door on the far side of the room to discover his wardrobe. Constructed of elaborately carved dark wood, it was filled to the brim with clothing in every fashion, boasting surprising pops of color I’d never have assumed the God of Death would fancy. I opened one of several drawers to discover a style of soft, form-fitting undergarments with a stretchy waistband I’d never seen before. All of which were in a tremendous variety of patterns.

“He seemed kind. I can’t imagine he’d mind lending clothing to one of Mareina’s mates.” Malekai’s words sounded, if anything, as if they’d been spoken to reassure himself as he opened a few other drawers, sifting around beyond what was necessary to gather borrowed clothing.

I couldn’t help but feel a little pang of jealousy at the admission. “You met him?”

“Briefly. Yes.”

Before I could ask any other questions, Malekai’s snooping resulted in the discovery of a wide velvet-lined wooden drawer boasting coils of rope, silk ties, masks, nipple clamps, a remarkable variety of butt plugs in every shape and size, and other sex toys I didn’t even have names for.

Our brows lept with mild surprise as we stared down at the God of Death’s treasure trove. Malekai took short breath, hesitating to ask the very question running through my mind. “It would be… wrong for us to borrow these to use on his daughter… Right?”

I grunted in affirmation. “Totally…”

Neither of us moved and simply remained staring as our minds whirled with opportunity. Malekai gave a thoughtful hum.

“… So very, very wrong.”

My eyes caught on a sealed box. “Unforgivable, really.”

Malekai’s gaze followed mine. “Twisted beyond measure.”

As if drawn by some unknowable force, my hand found its way to the entirely new, unopened box.

“What’re you two doing?”

Malekai and I both yelped, jolting around to face Mareina, dressed in nothing but a soiled white sheet.

Mine and Malekai’s response came in unison. Our voices the epitome of innocence. “Nothing.”

Malekai cleared his throat. “Just borrowing some of your father’s clothing.”

Mareina’s eyes narrowed with distrust, her expression only softening as she took in our nudity. “… Right.”

Mustering nonchalance, I turned and carefully closed the drawer of Mor’s box of butt hole pleasures, and plucked out pairs of undergarments, trousers, and shirts for myself and Malekai. I hadn’t brought a change of clothing from the palace and wasn’t inclined to pull on gore and sweat-crusted fighting leathers. Malekai shifted to take them, and we both stifled conspiratorial grins when our eyes met, silently communicating that soon , we would come back and find out what was in that fucking box.

Mareina stepped up behind us, now seeing nothing amiss in her father’s closet. “Hm. I don’t know why I expected his clothing to be less… extravagant.”

“I imagine when you’ve been around as long as he has, you collect all manner of things.”

Mareina snatched a pair of stolen borrowed undergarments, the pattern of which I hadn’t yet noticed. “Are those eggplants?”

Our eyes met, chuckling, just as a knock sounded from the entrance of Mor’s bedroom.

Malekai and I were still nude when we turned to find Lathrimos standing in the doorway. Still, Mareina called him in, tightening the sheet around her body.

“Lathrimos. Lovely to see you.”

The male was so large he seemed to dwarf Mors’ enormous bedroom. My brows leapt when Val appeared just behind him. The two of them exchanged sheepish grins.

Well, well, well. What do we have here?

Val’s brows leapt as he takes in the state of our undress. “Well, what a delicious picture you three paint. I’m so happy ta see ya’all’re playing nicely now.”

My eyes narrowed as I caught Val’s eyes lingering on both Mareina and Malekai.

“Is there something I can help you with, Valerius?”

Val cleared his throat, eyes darting to mine. “Apologies, Your Majesty. I just thought you might like to know that your ehm… Zurie and Keres are at the palace. ”

I waited to feel some form of emotion at the news my mother hadn’t died. It never came.

“Is everything ok with Ataraxus?”

“Still asleep, but otherwise healthy, according to Bohyun.”

I grunted my disappointment. As much as it pained me to leave Malekai behind so Mareina and I could visit Ataraxus, his absence, and fragile state was an incessant cloud darkening the back of my mind.

“Well, thank you for coming. I appreciate you going out of your way. Pomona wasn’t around to spare you the trouble?”

A muscle in Val’s jaw ticked, sparking my anxiety. “She’s staying with your mother. Miroslav has gone missing.”

My heart seized. The male was so aloof and nigh-unkillable I’d merely assumed he’d folded back home.

“There’s been no sign of him at all?”

Val shook his head. My eyes dipped to Mareina as her gaze grew distant before she shook her head. “I don’t feel him here…”

I willed on the borrowed clothing as Malekai did the same, stopping short as realization darkened his expression.

“I’ll fold you to her,” Mareina offered, her features lined with worry. I nodded my reply even as my eyes returned to Malekai. His chest heaved, hands fisting at his sides to force away the tremor working through his hands. My heart squeezed with empathy. I couldn’t imagine being trapped here, forced to worry about Mareina and Malekai. Mareina pressed her hands on his chest.

“Azrael is trapped in a dungeon, wearing a palladium collar?—

Malekai shook his head, gaze lifting to mine. “So was Zurie.”