Page 155 of Hell Fae King

Because of course they weren’t here.

It’s another illusion.

Gritting my teeth, I stepped away from the black hole and searched the murky landscape for energy strands. I didn’t have to look far because Vivaxia was everywhere.

In the dead roses.

The fountain.

The blood falling from the sky.

The cobblestone paths.

And especially in that palace,I realized, eyeing the gothic spires of the cathedral-like structure bordering the courtyard.The Strigoi Palace.

Why would Vivaxia’s presence be particularly potent there? Had she bespelled them all to do her bidding? Perhaps they were the cause of these illusionary games.

It would be just like all the other incidents where she’d bespelled the Nightmare Fae to act on her behalf, like a puppet master controlling her minions.

Which suggested that walking into the palace would be a bad idea.

Yet my feet were already moving in that direction because some part of me knew that was where I needed to go. The Hell Fae Source had guided me this far. Why stop relying on my instincts now?

Whatever was going on here, the cause of it was in the palace. I sensed that more and more with each step, the energy seeming to buzz along my skin as though warning me to turn back.

Not a chance.

I wanted this illusion to shatter. And more than that, I wanted my damn mates back.

I hated not feeling them. They weremine. This blocking spell—or whatever the fuck had cut me off from them—needed to be taken down.

Except, I couldn’t sense any enchantments lingering inside me. Well, anynewenchantments, anyway. The funnel was still there. Although, it felt quieter now. Less eager. Something that was strange, considering I’d just imbibed a lot of energy.

Maybe all that work Typhos had done this week was paying off.

Or maybe the funnel is no longer needed, I thought, prodding it as I followed the path to the front of the palace. A sense of déjà vu settled over me, like I’d just done this recently. Which was impossible. I’d never been here before.

Yet, I could swear that at some point in my past, I’d seen those doors. That I’d felt the heavy atmosphere around me.That I’d sensed the wrongness of this kingdom.

Frowning, I paused and glanced up at the blood moon. It was clear now, the fog seeming to have lifted. And it was no longer raining.

However, I wondered if what I was seeing now was even real. Because I could feel magic tickling the air, the presence threatening my sanity.

I really miss having you in my head,I thought at my mates.Even you, Melek.

An inappropriate joke would make me feel a lot better about all of this. So would a scoff from Az or a taunt from Ajax.

Alas, nothing.

I couldn’t even sense our bonds.Just like when my mother took me to meet Vivaxia.

My teeth ground together as I started up the stairs, only to jump as the stone in my pocket released a heated sensation against my thigh. I pulled it out, ready to toss it away, but paused as the rock turned cold in my palm.

What in the world…?It’d burned me mere seconds ago. Now it resembled ice.Was it just trying to remind me to use it? Or was it warning me about something?

I’d nearly killed all those Netherworld Fae the last time I’d used this stone. It had amplified my power to a point where I couldn’t control it.

Is it trying to warn me that I might do that again?