Blood of Two Crowns (Hallowed Fates #2)

Chapter 62

Chapter

Sixty-Two

MAREINA

A fter briefly folding to the palace to drop Val off, Nakoa and I came straight to his mother’s. Though leaving so swiftly when Ataraxus was still unconscious had tension winding knots in my chest. Leilani, Nakoa’s mother, was already waiting for us outside with Pomona when we arrived, presumably having already anticipated our arrival thanks to her skills as a seer. Her face was splotched with red, her eyes puffy as if she’d been recently weeping. A choked sob escaped her when her eyes landed on Nakoa.

My heart squeezed painfully tight at the sight of Nakoa taking his mother in his arms and holding her against his chest. I could only imagine what she had been going through, considering Nakoa hadn’t spoken to her since before we’d overthrown Zurie, and he’d realized she’d hidden the fact that Zurie was his birth mother. And now, with Miroslav, her soulbound, missing, potentially even dead, no matter how unfathomable, it was remarkable she hadn’t shown up at the palace herself.

Pomona threw her arms around my neck. “I’m so fucking relieved you’re back.” I squeezed her back, eyes suddenly stinging. When she pulled back, the concern in her eyes made my gut sicken with anxiety. She doesn’t know I found Malekai in Avernus.

“How are you?”

I gave her arm an appreciative squeeze. “Better… He’s in Avernus. With me.”

Pomona’s eyes went round, her jaw-dropping in realization for a moment before saline swelled in her eyes, and she threw her arms around my neck. “ Oh, praise Akash.”

I rubbed soothing circles on her back, the action soothing both her and my own freshly healing wound. Leilani and Nakoa filled my line of vision, and I let Pomona go to give Leilani a hug that she accepted gratefully, stroking my hair.

My words lacked the conviction I’d hoped to muster. “We’ll find him, Leilani.”

Leilani’s fingers dug into my tunic as she held me tighter, losing a shuddering breath. “You need to go.”

I froze before slowly pulling back.

“To Ataraxus.”

Leilani opened her palm, and a vial of dark blue, glimmering fluid appeared. “It will induce a coma-like sleep. It is for both you and Azrael. Atraxus’ soul is somehow tied to Azrael’s.”

Nakoa’s hand slipped into mine as my throat squeezed tight. “But how? And why would inducing a coma fix it?”

“You need to find their souls. There is a haemorrhaging of Azrael’s magic. When he attempted to kill Ataraxus, somehow, Ataraxus managed to survive by attaching his life force, his soul , to Azrael. And Azrael is dying, as you may have already noticed. You need to heal him.”

My heartbeat echoed in my ears as her voice grew distant. Whatever anger I would have felt at the news that Azrael had also attempted to kill Ataraxus was drowned out by the fact that my soulbound’s life was tied to one of the most wretched creatures in existence who was dying. The consequences of Azrael’s death would be catastrophic.

“I still don’t understand… Why would I be able to heal him? All I know how to do is kill.”

Leilani’s grey eyes searched mine as the darkness veiling them lifted like a cloud revealing the moon.

“That is because you have only come to know one aspect of your power.”

I frowned, anxiety twisting my stomach in anticipation—of what I didn’t know. “I am a Goddess of Death. What more is there to know?”

Leilani’s head tipped back with laughter for a moment. When her gaze returned to mine, unmistakable excitement shone in her eyes.

“Oh, my darling, you are so much more. You are a Goddess of Rebirth.”