Page 8 of Hell Fae Commander

Either the Hell Fae King would pass judgment on me now, which every fiber of his being clearly wanted to do, or he would listen to the Hell Fae Prince and head back to the Marsh Lands.

Melek wasn’t wrong. I’d seen some of the devastation caused by the portal, as well as the impact of closing it. The shock wave had rushed out for miles. As king, Lucifer was absolutely needed at this critical time.

The Nightmare Fae relied on him for protection and acceptance. Without him… Well, I wasn’t sure. From what I could tell, the Nightmare Fae were seen as abominations by other fae, making them homeless.

Lucifer had given them a place to nest, to run free, to bealive.

But someone, orsomeones, had attacked that safe haven.

It was Lucifer’s job to heal the kingdom and the Nightmare Fae who resided within it. I’d done my part. Whether grateful or not, the problem was temporarily solved.Because of me.

Which was why I didn’t deserve to be treated like this.

I didn’t deserve hisjudgment, especially when all I’d done was assist him.

Willing myself to meet his gaze, I lifted my chin as he gave me one last evaluation. His expression changed, and I wasn’t sure how to read him.

There was a sadness there, definitely frustration as well, and a hint of concern.

But there was also something else, something I couldn’t quite place.

To my surprise, he was the first to break eye contact. His focus went to Ajax, then to Az, and finally landed on Melek. He gave them all a slow once-over, almost as though he was trying to figure something out. Whatever it was, he didn’t comment on it. Instead, his lips flattened as a weird vibration touched the air, one that caused the hairs along my arms to stand on end.

Is something coming?I wondered, my gaze flickering around the room—the same one Ajax and I had been relegated to in Lucifer’s quarters.

I waited for someone or something to appear, but nothing happened. That odd reverberation just continued, the echo of it infiltrating my thoughts and buzzing down my spine.

What is that?I glanced at Lucifer to see if he’d sensed it, and instead found his attention entirely on me, his gaze flaring with renewed embers.

All of the emotions in his features had fled, leaving only rage behind.

Oh, shit. He’s decided to kill me,I realized.

Melek’s arm tightened around my lower back, reminding me that he stood at my side, while Ajax’s power flared to life across my skin.

Lucifer growled under his breath. “She’s not yours to protect, Warden.”

“That’s not for you to decide, Hell Fae King,” he returned, the title one he voiced with a hint of something that seemed to startle Lucifer for a beat.

The vibration intensified, causing my head to spin. Dizziness washed over me a moment later, and the edges of my vision grew dark.

Is Lucifer doing something to me?

Despite the tightness growing in my chest, the electric humming continued in my head in a steady repetition.

It’s… it’s repeating like a cell phone vibration.

Or a pager?

The latter was something I’d never seen in person, but I’d read about them in books.

“Watch her,” Lucifer said as the world surrounding me went black.

Melek’s arm flexed around me, my feet suddenly floating in the air.

Because he picked me up?I thought tiredly.

“I’ll be back to finish this later,” Lucifer added, leaving me alone in the darkness.No, alone with Melek. Maybe.Except… I felt… a new strength around me.Ajax?Had Melek caught me, only to hand me off to the other man?