Page 147 of Hell Fae Warden

King Erebus smirked, his gaze flicking over Ajax’s shoulder and back to me. “Oh? Is this little creature reallyyours? Because she smells likeLucifer’s.” The sheer wings behind him fluttered back into existence. “If you’re looking to return her to the Hell Fae King, he’s in the courtyard. Or whatusedto be the courtyard. However, I suggest leaving the grounds immediately. This area has become unstable.”

No shit.

And what do you mean, I smell like I belong to Lucifer?

Like hell I wouldeverbelong to that monster of a man.

King Erebus’s wings began to flutter, moving too fast for me to see them anymore and leaving the space behind him a multicolor blur.

“I suppose that’s not the point,” he went on. “I have a particular bride who’s already intrigued me. If she went this way, she’s in serious danger of attracting my soldiers as well. And if that happens… well. Let’s just say that I really should get back to tracking her.”

Rather than ask us again if we’d seen her, the light around him broke and he disappeared.

What an asshat. He’s more worried about claiming a damn bride than the crumbling state of his kingdom.

But it didn’t surprise me that the Unseelie King would be an asshole. What did, though, was what he had said about me.

“Why did he say I smell like I belong to Lucifer?” I asked, not liking the sound of that.

Ajax’s Warden mask was securely in place, so I couldn’t sense a reaction. I suspected it wasn’t because he was trying to bury his feelings, but because he wanted to make sure we made it out of this alive.

“I think it’s the chains,” he said, looking pointedly at my new dress. “And that probably has something to do with why I can’t conjure you out of it. No telling what other sort of effects those things have the longer they’re on you.”

I snorted. “You’re the one who told me I had to wear them just a few hours ago.”

“Before I realized what exactly Lucifer had planned,” he muttered.

“Seems like it was pretty fucking obvious to me when I saw the outfit,” I countered.

He sighed and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Cami. I’ll never be able to say it enough.”

Well, that much was true, I supposed. And this wasn’t the place to discuss it more. “Which way?” I asked, my instincts demanding that I stay here yet not telling me why or what to do.

He nodded toward the fallen wall. “That way is toward the main courtyard.”

The courtyard. As in where Lucifer is, according to King Erebus.“You want me to gotowardthe Hell Fae King?” I asked incredulously.

“Do you have another idea? You’re the one who refuses to leave this kingdom.”

I stared at him, considering. “Actually, no, I don’t.” Because something about the direction he’d pointed in had felt right.

What is this weird pull?I wondered.Why does it feel like I should be here?

Helping the brides made sense, but deep down, I knew that wasn’t the real reason I wanted to stay. There was some intrinsic need inside me driving my actions.

Similar to when I touched the source,I realized.

Then maybe I should leave.

Run away.

Ignore this tugging on my spirit.

But I’d never been one to back down from a challenge.

Which was why I’d faced the one Lucifer had laid out for me earlier with my head held high.

This might be a more dangerous situation, one that made little sense.