Why?
Power, my angel. Power, and jealousy.His reply softens before our connection tamps off once again.
I hear the Ringmaster gasp for air as the shadows squeeze it out of him. “We would’ve gotten away with it too—if you’d only listened and stayed away from the girl. If only you’d been agood little errand boy, feeding us the souls of the monsters we released.”
“But I’m not your errand boy, am I, Leviathan? Who am I?” Azrael seethes.
“You are Lucifer, the one true prince of Hell,” he answers.
“That’s right I am, and you’ll bow to me so I can rule Hell once more.”
“We’ll see about that,” he remarks boldly.
I hold my breath as my body trembles and my thoughts swirl. I sold my soul to Lucifer. I fell in love with the prince of Hell, and now I’ve made a deal with the Fates to protect him and stand by his side after proving myself worthy to love him. What does that say about who I am if I had to prove my worth? I struggle to process the information. Shock grips me in a debilitating hold.
“What should I do with you, brother? How else shall I punish you for your actions against me and my mate?” Azrael’s voice is rough with anger.
“Send me back to imprisonment, I suppose. Or end me. Do you have what it takes to end me? Could you retaliate against me with the same fate we bestowed upon you, dear brother?” he spits spitefully.
I can hear Azrael swallow hard before he replies. “You know imprisonment isn’t an option. You’re far too dangerous and powerful. I can’t trust that you won’t turn against me again.”
“Do what you must, Shadow King, Prince of Hell. End me if you dare. But make it swift and stop lamenting.” The Ringmaster snarls in a challenge.
Magic explodes from Azrael. He releases his sprawling wings and lunges at the Ringmaster, dropping me to the ground in the process. I whirl around to witness the clanging and clashing of ancient metal as they battle. The Ringmaster moves with an impressive speed, but Azrael is faster. He dodges every attack, tiring out his weakened opponent.
No sooner does the Ringmaster show signs of fatigue than Azrael goes on the offense. He swings his sword, narrowly missing as the Ringmaster twists out of reach. Rage sizzles off Azrael’s body, shooting down our connection, and overpowering my own thoughts.
A pit forms in my stomach, my jaw locking as I watch them battle. Azrael swings harder faster—giving the Ringmaster no chance to deflect the blow. At last, he spins, driving his sword into the Ringmaster’s heart.
Black liquid leaks from the wound as Azrael siphons it away.
“I’m sorry, brother. You’ve grown to be too dangerous.”
The Ringmaster screeches. “Wrath made me do it. Punish him, not me.”
Azrael twists the blade deeper, and the Ringmaster shudders, gargling before going still. Azrael removes the sword and kicks the carcass to the ground. Nothing but silence surrounds us.
“Is he gone?”I ask cautiously.
“For now, until he’s deemed worthy of returning,” he says, unafraid.
Azrael waves his hand, turning the Ringmaster to ash. He holds up a second vial, and the ash is carried by a single breeze into the glass bottle.
“You’ll be missed, brother. Until we meet again,” he says, tucking it in his pocket.
Azrael turns back to me, disheveled and beaming, his hand outstretched—waiting for mine to fit perfectly into his. We were made for one another. I don’t know how I know it, but I do.
“Come, my love. There is much to be done before our return.” His voice is soft, serious.
I step forward slowly at first, but in a heartbeat I’m sprinting to him. When I crash into his arms, he wraps me tight as his wings fold closed, cocooning us in a shield of feathers. My mouth lands against his, still unsure of what to make of everything,but certain of the only thing that matters—I love him. Fiercely. Entirely.
I love you too.Azrael’s voice pours through our bond—low, rough, and aching with truth. The declaration pulses in my chest an instant before he deepens the kiss, pulling me under with him.
He breaks our kiss first, pressing his forehead against mine, then brushing a kiss across it.
“Don’t let go,” he whispers, taking my hand.
In the blink of an eye, we vanish. I squeeze his hand tightly, breath hitching to ask what’s happening—only to gasp. Suddenly, we’re standing at the entrance to the castle in the Kingdom of Shadow and Bone.
