Page 34 of Hell Fae Warden

“It means nothing until we determine what happened thirty days ago.” His forthcoming answers were starting to unnerve me. I preferred the playful Melek and his cryptic replies. Not this blunt version that talked to me like…

Like I’m a true prisoner.

“Will you share with me what you told Ajax? I would ask him, but as I said, he’s busy at the moment.” He waved his hand through the air, allowing a translucent screen of sorts to populate the space.

My eyes widened as it showed Ajax being thrown through the air by an irate Az. I’d known they were both powerful, but this… this wasintense.

“It’s their version of foreplay, I suppose,” Melek murmured before using his fingers to diffuse the image.

“How did you do that?” I wondered aloud.

He lifted a shoulder. “I can do a great many things, little angel. And perhaps I’ll share them all with you someday. But I need to know what happened thirty days ago.”

Right. The question everyone wants an answer to.“I’d like to know that as well,” I muttered. “But rather than helping me figure it out, everyone keeps insisting that I already know.”

“I imagine that’s because you were the one who went missing, so everyone assumes you know where you’ve been.” Melek shifted on the bed to place his back against the same wall as me but left the space between us. “But your response tells me you don’t remember.”

“It’s not that I don’t remember; it’s that only a few hours have passed for me since I was in Ajax’s room. I mean, prison.”

“You meanroom, which I know because I put you there,” he replied. “But go on. Tell me what you do remember, and perhaps we can solve this puzzle together.”

I stared at him, somewhat surprised by his offer. He was the first one to suggest we worktogetherrather than treat me like a prisoner.

I still can’t trust him,I thought, Rule #4 running through my head.But maybe I can use him.

“Okay.” I cleared my throat, but before I could continue speaking, Melek produced a bottle of water and held it out toward me.

“Hydrate first, then continue. And my offer for food still stands.”

I stared at the drink, my throat suddenly parched. It was possible he’d done something to it—perhaps added his own version of a truth spell—but I had nothing to hide. He knew all about the book and how it showed me things. Just as he likely assumed I’d wanted to escape the entire time I’d been in the Hell Fae Realm.

What more could he learn?

And he wouldn’t want to kill me before learning those answers.

So the water was probably fine. Some food wouldn’t hurt either.

“A pepperoni pizza would be amazing right now,” I admitted as I took the water from him. “Thin crust, preferably. Extra crispy. And maybe some mozzarella sticks. Oh, and garlic bread. Extra garlic.” That way, he wouldn’t try to kiss me.

Because I definitely don’t want that. At all. Ever. Nope.

His lips curled as though he knew exactly why I’d requested that last item. “As you wish, my angel.”

An Italian smorgasbord appeared on the bed between us, along with a set of silky napkins and two more waters. That latter was good because once I started drinking the first one, I couldn’t stop. I downed it all in a matter of seconds before snatching up the second, then the third.

More water appeared each time I set down an empty bottle, Melek’s sinfully decadent scent filling the air with each swirl of magic.

He watched while I devoured the food, his gaze holding an amused glint to it that probably should have unsettled me. But I was too busy enjoying the meal to let it ruin the moment.

If he’d drugged me, so be it.

At least he was feeding me in the process.

However, as I finished, all I felt was replete. No dizzying sensations. No cloudlike dreams. Just a fulfilled appetite and a very full stomach. “Thank you.”

He dipped his chin. “I’m just taking advantage of the rules and giving you as much as I can, while I can.”

I wasn’t exactly sure what he meant by that, but I didn’t press it. Instead, I started telling him everything I’d already admitted to Ajax. Because maybe Melek had really meant what he’d said—that he wanted us to figure out what had happened together.