Page 95 of Hell Fae Commander

Melek slid off the couch to go kneel at his king’s feet, his palms flattening against Typhos’s suit-clad thighs as he peered up at him. “Trust takes time, my love. We all know that.”

I nodded, agreeing with Melek. “We all distrust things we don’t understand. And Camillia De la Croix is definitely an unknown entity. But my Phoenix trusts her implicitly. He saw something in her that was worth his bite, and you know he doesn’t choose lightly.”

“It has to be a spell,” Typhos said. “She has all of you acting out of sorts. These rash decisions are unlike you.”

I assumedall of youincluded Ajax.

And that last part wasn’t entirely true—Melek was the prince of rash decisions.

“Maybe it’s a spell,” Melek echoed. “Or maybe it’s fate. But we deserve the chance to determine the cause. We deserve the option to indulge in these instincts and to trust them. We deserve the right to know Cami. She’s special. Let us try this our way, my love. Let us be free with her and open with you.”

I stayed quiet, Melek’s plea exactly what I wanted, too.

He was asking Typhos to let us get to know Cami, to see if what we felt toward her was real, and in return, we’d keep him informed. Just like I had now.

Give us the freedom to date her, and we’ll tell you if you can trust her,was essentially Melek’s request.

“You pointed out once before that if she betrays me, it’ll be my pain to bear. I accept that risk. It seems Az’s Phoenix does, too. Let us know her. Please.” Melek bowed his head toward Typhos’s knees, his utter submission a gift from him to the Hell Fae King.

Because Melek didn’t submit to just anyone.

Hell, I submitted to no one. But I suspected my bird might try to submit to Cami.

Typhos sighed, his fingers combing through Melek’s thick hair. “What exactly do you want me to do, Melek? She touched my source. Do you wish for me to forgive her? Set her free? Allow her to come back? What are your terms? Be specific.”

Melek considered him for a few seconds before looking at me.

I knew what the terms needed to be.

But I let Melek lead. His penchant for dealing with Typhos gave him an edge that I didn’t possess.

I usually obeyed orders because I agreed with those orders.

Melek rebelled—even when he agreed with the directive—because he enjoyed rebelling.

Rather, he enjoyed the punishment that followed.

I didn’t play those games with Typhos.This is all you,I thought at Melek. He couldn’t hear me. But we’d known each other long enough that he could no doubt read the words from my expression.

Ajax had tasked me with halting Typhos’s pursuit of them. He hadn’t told me how to accomplish it, just that I needed to get it done.

So I was using the assets at my disposal—my asset being Melek.

“I have a list,” Melek began, his gaze glittering as he returned his focus to Typhos.

“I imagine you do,” the king drawled as he relaxed into his chair as though it was a throne. He waved a hand and said, “Proceed.”

“You will not harm Camillia. This includes physically, psychically, mentally, the hiring of an external party, the ordering of an external party, and strategic plotting of any kind that may result in even the tiniest amount of pain or harm to Camillia De la Croix.”

Typhos arched a brow. “That’s quite a term.”

“I’m not done, my love,” Melek murmured. “You will also do whatever you can to make amends with Ajax. We need him.”

“We do?”

“We do,” Melek echoed. “He’s mated to my intended. And he’s mated to your mate. He’s officially part of our circle now. You must make amends with him.”

Typhos scratched his chin. “Anything else?”