Page 21 of Hell Fae King

“What are we doing?” I asked, pleased that my voice seemed to be somewhat less hoarse than before. Yet it still came out breathy.

“Calming the Source,” he replied through his teeth.

My eyebrows pulled downward as I repeated those words in my mind, only belatedly recalling the chaotic energy I’d experienced while pushing the warmth into Az.

The death stone.

Lucifer’s Source.

My inability to stop the transfer of power…

I swallowed.Oh.

I’d… I’d fucked up again.

And now I seemed to be alone with the one who would no doubt punish me for it.

Except he didn’t feel angry so much as exhausted.

“Sorry,” I whispered, unsure of what else to say to him.Please don’t kill melingered on my tongue. But in the next instant, I realized I wasn’t sorry or apologetic at all. “I saved Az.” That was what mattered. “So no, wait, I’m not sorry.”

“You shouldn’t be sorry,” he said, his mouth close to mine. “I’m the one who needs to apologize. You need training, something I should have realized weeks ago. But I was too fucking stubborn to trust you. And it almost cost me dearly.”

My eyes widened.What?

“I’m going to fix this,” he went on. “Weare going to fix this.”

Fix what?I wondered, bewildered.

“Just bear with me another moment.” His lips nearly touched mine before skimming my cheek on the way to my ear. “Hold on to me, Camillia.”

My body obeyed his command on impulse, my hands clutching his shoulders just as a wave of hot energy pulsed through him. I closed my eyes, the heat a welcome kiss to my senses. Unfortunately, it dissipated too soon, leaving me shivering beneath Lucifer’s intense form.

After a beat of stillness, I snuck a peek up at him.

He’d moved onto his elbows, his muscular body caging mine. “I suppose it only seems appropriate to begin your training down here. But you’re going to need food first.” His eyes dipped down to my exposed breasts. “And clothes.”

My jaw clenched. “I can’t believe I’m naked again.”

“You do seem quite fond of losing your clothes in my presence, Miss De la Croix.” His lips curled with the words. “Not that I’m complaining, but I suspect the others won’t approve of you returning to the Netherworld without something on.”

“Returning…?” I glanced around for what felt like the thousandth time. “Where are we?” Because I’d assumed we were still in the Netherworld due to the soot-colored walls and lava flows.

“A cavern deep under my palace,” he told me. “This is where I first fell, Camillia.”

He shifted off of me and stood, his hand held out in a gesture that would have shocked me mere days ago and still sort of did now.

Lucifer is offering to help me. To train me. To… to…

Wait.

This… is where he fell?

He cleared his throat and arched a brow. “Do you want a tour before we go?”

I stared at him and accepted his hand. “You know what? I think I do.”

His lips twitched. “All right.” He helped me up, then shrugged out of his jacket. “But put this on, Camillia. Your tits are fucking distracting.”