“I love you too, Azrael,” she mumbles as sleep takes her.
I pull her even closer, cradling her in my arms, and let sleep claim me. I welcome the time to recover before we return to the mortal realm.
Chapter 49
Selestina
Idream of chaos. Swords clash, ringing in my ears. There’s nothing I can do to help Azrael as he battles a creature three times the size of the one Tavien saved me from. Finally, Azrael’s sword pierces its chest, and the world opens up, swallowing us whole. We tumble and spin. Azrael’s wings are no match for the magic pulling us to another realm. We land with a thud, and I jump awake.
I’m alone in a massive bed. The black stone walls of the castle surround me. I blink a few times, allowing my eyes to adjust. Far across the room is a sitting area with a fireplace. The flames glow green, licking up the sides of the stone. Marble encases it, spanning all the way to the ceiling. A large mantel, fashioned from bone, sections it off. Overhead, bone-carved chandeliers glow dimly. My eyes sweep the room until they land on Azrael. He sits on the floor in front of the fire, muscular back on full display as he hunches over a book. Old journals and books arescattered around him, clearly taken from the bookshelf against the adjacent wall.
Moonlight pours in through the window, casting a spotlight on him. How long did I sleep? It should be morning, yet the moonlight suggests otherwise.
I rub my eyes, taking in the rest of the room. The space is massive—small eating area, several wardrobes, another room just off this one that I assume leads to a washroom. My hands run over the soft silk sheets as I lift myself onto my elbows.
Azrael’s head snaps in my direction. “Good morning, my love.”
“Good morning,” I answer, feeling the heat of his stare as wetness pools between my thighs. I squeeze them together, wondering if looking at him will always have this effect on me.
He smiles. “Don’t worry. We don’t have time. We need to return to the portal. I have to find my brother and send him back to his prison in Hell before he wreaks havoc on the rest of the realms—or worse, the mortal world. He’s waiting for our return. An urgent message from Zora arrived earlier today.”
Relief washes over me. I’m sore from yesterday, and though my body craves him, I know I can’t handle more.
“Earlier?” I ask. “How long did I sleep? Is it always moonlight here, or did I sleep through the entire day?”
He winces. An unspoken confession that tells me everything I need to know. “You were exhausted, my love. It’s okay you slept the entire day. You needed the rest, and I’m glad. How are you feeling?”
He’s right. I hate that he’s right. I wouldn’t have slept this long if I didn’t need to. But it doesn’t make it any easier. I circle back to the message from Zora.
“What did Zora say? Why is it urgent? He looks away, guilt staining his face for a matter of seconds before he smooths into calm. “She said they’re all in some kind of trouble.”
I leap from my bed. “Why didn’t you wake me? My mother is there!”
He stands, crossing to wrap me in his calm. It smothers my worry and slows my racing heart. “Stop. I want to go back immediately. We need to get to her.”
I push away from him. “Is my mother okay? Why aren’t you in more of a hurry?
Azrael cups my face. “Angel, stop. Don’t you understand? This is a trap. He’s luring us back. We can’t rush in unprepared. Sylis and Zora would never let anything happen to your mother—you know she’s safe,” he strokes my hair. “As long as we think this through she’ll remain safe.”
I nod, my bottom lip trembling. Azrael pulls me close, and I lose myself in his embrace.
“Beelzebub is gathering a small group of warriors and a special shield, warded for protection. We’ll leave as soon as everything is in order.” His tone is reassuring as he runs his hand up and down my spine. “I’ve reached out to Zora for additional intel. The more we know before we arrive, the better.”
I nod again, allowing him to comfort me. After a few minutes, he snaps his fingers, and breakfast appears on the small table.
“Let’s eat, my love. You’ll need your strength. I don’t want you fighting, but there’s always a chance you might need to.”
I allow Azrael to lead me over to the small table, laden with an impressive spread of pastries, meats, fruit, and nuts. My stomach rumbles as he fills our plates. He sits across from me, picking up a pastry and stuffing it into his mouth.
“Do you need to eat?” I blurt. Rude, but too late to retract.
He chuckles, setting the pastry down, amusement in his eyes. “I don’t need food to survive. Neither will you eventually. But I enjoy the taste so I indulge now and then.”
“What do you mean I won’t need it eventually either?” I ask, picking up on the small hints and clues he’s constantly dropping.
His eyes darken with sadness.You’re endless this time. And the endless don’t need to survive. The energy of the universe keeps us going. So long as the universe exists, we do as well.“ He takes another bite.
“But then how—“ I pause, thinking carefully about how to word my question. “How did we both end up dead last time?”
