Page 138 of Hell Fae King

She tsked, the sound one that echoed throughout the too-quiet room as she drew her nail across Nos’s throat.

He gurgled in response, causing my brow to pinch.

Then blood pooled from a fresh cut that went far deeper than should be possible from such a simple touch.

“Thank you for your service, Nos,” she said, her lips suddenly at his ear. I hadn’t even seen her bend. It was like she’d been in two places at once.

Because she’s playing with mirages, I realized as she whispered something to my dying lieutenant.

I stepped forward, only my feet didn’t move.

I frowned down at my legs, confused by their lack of a response.

“Is it that you can’t move?” Vivaxia asked softly. “Or is it that you don’t want to move?”

My gaze returned to her, my jaw clenching. “Stop fucking with my head.”

“Oh, so it’s my fault now?” She was the picture of innocence as she looked at Nos in disbelief. “Can you believe him?”

Nos released a tortured sound, one that had my teeth grinding. “You’ve made your point, Vivaxia. He betrayed me. But his life isn’t yours to take.”

“Actually,” she said, drawing out the word. “It is.” She gestured to the contract still clutched in my fist. “I gave him a queen and an heir. In return, he agreed to be mine, a deal we struck using a spell you may or may not remember.”

My hands nearly tightened into fists, my ire mounting.

Because yes, I knew the spell. I knew it well. It was the same one she’d used on Az to turn him into her personal slave.

She’d owned his life.

His every move.

His every breath.

His right to free will.

I’d fought for his freedom, agreed to countless deals until I’d finally crafted the perfect one. But I was beginning to doubt my success.

Which was probably exactly what Vivaxia wanted.

That’d been the point of her letter, the one where she’d insinuated that I hadn’t given her a proper blood sacrifice.

But did you bleed the way I wanted, sweet Typhos? Or did you grow into a being with so much more to lose? Tosacrifice?

The memory of our deal played through my mind, the terms ones I knew by heart and would never forget.

And yet, something about them felt murky at the moment.

Which was strange. I often revisited that history with Vita. It was my way of ensuring nothing like that ever happened again.

Every deal I made contained specific parameters, most of them driven by my experiences. The ones with Vivaxia were the most important of all.

So why am I struggling to recall the most significant one in our long history?I wondered, frowning.

Because that bitch is in my head,I realized in the next instant.

But how? How the fuck did she…?My eyes widened.Vita.

Vita housed all my memories.