Page 142 of Hell Fae King

This ultimate consequence of a nullified deal.

But she wasn’t the only one who understood the importance of layers and contingency plans.

She’d taught me well, after all.

I knew never to go into an agreement without thinking several steps ahead, thanks to her endless games.

And this was no different.

Something she seemed to know, as her smile dimmed now. “Typhos…”

She must have heard the intention in my mind or seen the glimmer of promise in my gaze. I wasn’t sure, and I wasn’t about to pause to evaluate how she knew what she knew. She’d clearly breached my thoughts, but I wasnevergoing to let her breach my Source.

I’d die first.

Closing my eyes, I activated the protocol I’d hidden deep inside myself for this very moment.

And let my Sourceengage.

Vivaxia screamed as blinding light filled the room, the echoes of it resembling fire beyond my closed eyelids.

I let it engulf me. Become me.Push me.

Then I relaxed into what came next, welcomed the pain, and gave myself to the darkness of the fall.

It was the only way to protect the realm.

To protect my mates.

To protect Camillia.

Because Vivaxia couldn’t take my Source if my mind was no longer sound.

But as a member of my inner circle—as a mate to my mates—Camillia could. She could absorb all of it. Create her own light.And save us all…

CHAPTER 35

CAMI

A Few Minutes Earlier

Chills trickled down my spine as we walked through the Netherworld Courtyard. There were trees everywhere.Skeleton trees. Their bony limbs creaked in the wind stirred up by the turbulent sky above, the village surrounding us a literal ghost town.

“The Corpse Fae are all hiding in the crypts,” Maliki said as he wandered alongside us. “And the Death Fae are in their castle. First time I think I’ve ever seen this place empty.”

He’d met us in front of Death’s Den, having seen Melek flying us all into the crater that the Netherworld Kingdom called home.

Or maybe he’d felt Ajax’s protective energy; he’d created a massive shield around Melek to ensure he wouldn’t weaken too much in the Netherworld Kingdom. “Can’t have your wings giving out mid-flight,” he’d said to my Virtuous Fae mate.

“Thanks,” Melek had replied, giving Ajax a small smile. “Once we reach the tunnel, I’ll be fine.”

That’d been the end of the conversation, all of us too somber to talk on the journey.

But Maliki didn’t seem to share that melancholy feeling.

As evidenced by him facing Az now and asking, “So, want to tell me what’s going on, big brother? Or shall I guess?”

“What you should do is go grab Hades and see if he wants to help us take down a Virtuous Fae,” Az returned.