Page 91 of Hell Fae Prince

Painfully.

His nostrils flared, his lips curling down. “Breathe, Camillia.”

I didn’t.

Because what was the point? My life was forfeit. Each passing second brought with it a new memory, starting from our dance to my leaping into that dark hole.

I hadn’t felt much beyond that, just emptiness.

Until I’d awoken in this bed and thought it was a dream.

“Sorry,” I managed to get out with my last bit of oxygen. It seemed pretty meek and sad in comparison to the apology I owed him. But I didn’t have the air to voice much more.

“Breathe,” he demanded, his dominant tone hitting me square in the chest and forcing me to inhale. “Good girl, Cami. Again.”

His praise had me obeying, my need to please him a unique desire that I didn’t want to analyze too deeply. Because I doubted I’d like the reason.

After several more inhales, he complimented me again.

But then he said, “Tell me what happened. How did you end up in the Virtuous Fae Realm? And what did Vivaxia want?”

I gaped at him. How was I supposed to answer that?If I tell him I’m a siphon, he’ll kill me.

He already knows,Az replied softly.He’s aware that Vivaxia has been using you. He wants to help.

I nearly laughed.

Because that was impossible.

And just the notion of it being true had me wondering if this was all a dream again.

“I’m not going to kill you, Camillia,” Lucifer said after a beat, suggesting Az had told him what I was thinking.

Or maybe Melek had.

Our connection was completely open again, though he hadn’t tried to talk to me at all. That seemed odd.He was constantly talking to me before…

And you blocked me in response,Melek replied, his trademark amusement missing from his tone.I would like to avoid being punished like that again, so I’m trying to leave you alone.

I glanced at him in surprise, his use of the termpunishone that caught me off guard.

“I apologize,” he stated out loud. “I won’t use our link again until you’re more comfortable.”

My brow furrowed. Melek seemed… different. Hurt? Pained? Insecure?

Did something happen to Melek at the ball?I asked Az and Ajax, my mind connecting to theirs with ease. I was finally getting a handle on all these mating links.Why does he seem so… sad?

I blinked, that final word reminding me of what Lucifer had told me on the dance floor. My focus instantly went to his unreadable expression, my heart skipping a beat.

He wanted to know what had happened. How I’d ended up in the Virtuous Fae Realm. What Vivaxia had said. And he’d just stated he wasn’t going to kill me.

Probably because he couldn’t.

But he could imprison me.

Just like Vivaxia had commented.

Just like he’d done before.