Blood of Two Crowns (Hallowed Fates #2)

Chapter 61

Chapter

Sixty-One

MALEKAI

L athrimos grunts through his laughter as he hefted me into his arms. “Gods, you’re a big bastard.” That causes my laughter to renew. “Hey, you offered. Though, I think even if I wasn’t terrified of being unable to shift back from my drakonati form, watching you struggle to carry me like a damsel is well worth it.”

Lathrimos’ wings gave a powerful beat, lifting us into the air and several more to keep us there before we’re finally soaring through the air. Silence descended between us for several moments as we glided beyond the meadow surrounding Mors’ humble home towards the mountains in the distance.

Admittedly, our journey was a highly welcome distraction from my worrying about Mareina, Nakoa, and Ataraxus since I was apparently fucking trapped here. Though I dared not vocalize my complaints, lest the universe somehow realize that my being able to share some part of life with Mareina wasn’t supposed to happen, and it was indeed too good to be true. My heart squeezed with gratitude for the male currently hefting me across Avernus.

“Words will never be enough to express my gratitude…”

His gaze shifts to mine, offering me a sad smile. “It wasn’t entirely selfless. Avernus was bound to fall apart with her in that state. And probably Bellorum with it if her soulbound was left to his own devices.”

I give a thoughtful but noncommittal grunt as my thoughts return to Mareina and my stomach gives a familiar churn of anxiety. As I’ve done a thousand times before, like when Mareina was a soldier in Zurie’s army or her Royal Irae, I repeated a familiar mantra in my mind to calm myself.

Mareina is the Goddess of Death and she will not be felled.