I run my fingers through his fur again, the warmth of his magic tingling against my touch.
“Can you heal her?” Azrael asks, looking between us.
Yes. I already am.
“Good. Then you’ll carry her,” Azrael instructs. “I’ll keep us cloaked in case anyone else was unaffected.”
I look at Azrael skeptically. “So… am I to understand the lion is going to carry me?”
“No,” Azrael scoffs. “You’ll ride him. He’s your protector now. Because you’re mine, Mercy. And I won’t let anything happen to you ever again.”
How wrong I was to judge him. He’s loved me all this time, sacrificing his happiness to keep me safe from a danger I still don’t fully understand.
A deep, throaty growl rumbles beneath my hands where I cling to Marblas.Someone is coming,he warns.
“Zora,” Azrael whispers. “She’s coming along to help.”
A few moments later, Zora strolls through the barn door. She smiles at me before turning to Azrael. “Are we ready to depart?”
He nods.
“Mercy, let me help you onto Marblas,” Azrael says, stepping forward to scoop me into his arms and place me gently on the lion’s back.
“Is it okay if I hold on to your mane?” I ask.
Yes, Mercy. Hold on to my mane and close your eyes. You must rest while I replenish your strength as much as possible.His reply is soft, barely a whisper in my mind, but I lay against him, already drifting away.
Azrael’s lips brush my cheek. It’s the last thing I feel before the world fades—soft, dark, and still. I float in and out of sleep as we make our way through town.
When we reach the garden, I rouse, feeling strangely restored. Patting Marblas’s muscular shoulder, I whisper, “Thank you.”
His ear flicks down in recognition right before I hear his voice.You belong to us now. I’ll always be here to help you. All you have to do is reach out and call to me.
A shiver ripples through me, goosebumps rising across my arms.You belong to us.Azrael and the lion keep repeating that phrase. It feels like it means more than they’re letting on. But there’s no time to dwell on it. Zora and Azrael are discussing a strategy, arguing over the best way to restore order to the town. I clear my throat, and Azrael is by my side before I have time to blink.
“How did–” I start, but he silences me with a gentle brush of his finger over my lips.
“Are you well?” he asks, voice breathless, concern lacing every word.
“I think so. How–” Again, he stops me.
“Another day, my angel.” His fingers trace my jawline with a feathery-soft touch. “Do you think you can take us inside if I help you down?”
I glance from Azrael to Marblas, then down to where my knees rest behind his furry shoulder blades. The ground isn’t far. I could probably manage the climb myself. But if Azrael wants to help me down, I’ll let him. I can sense he feels terrible about everything that’s happened, like guilt is clinging to him just beneath the surface. It sits heavy between us, a quiet weight in the dark.
My fingers drag slowly from Marblas’s silky mane. I’m hesitant to leave him, afraid I’ll wake only to realize this has all been a dream. His ear flicks in understanding as Azrael’s strong hands land on my waist, hoisting me from the lion’s back. When he touches me, something ignites. Longing. Hopelessness. Obsession. It pours through me, wave after wave.
I fall into him, breathing in the scent of emberleaf, mint, and spice. I never want to leave his arms. It feels so right. They feel safe, like home.
He kisses my cheek gently, his lips barely brushing against my skin. “Lead the way, before I decide to leave them frozen in time and steal you away.”
I sigh, enjoying our closeness for another moment, then look into his eyes. “You would break your promise?”
Azrael’s knuckles brush over my cheek, where his kiss still lingers. Heartache radiates from his touch, spreading over me slowly until it consumes my senses. Is my heart breaking, or am I feeling his emotions?
“Never, my angel. I would never break my promise to you.” He drops his hand gripping mine and giving it a squeeze. “Eventually, I’d return you, but only to keep our bargain, not because I’d want to.”
“But, Azrael–” He stops me from finishing my sentence.
