Page 15 of Princess of Bael

“She really doesn’t like you,” he replied, shrugging. “I have to admit, I’m on her side with this.” He held up a hand before Mietek could respond. “But I also understand the value of finding Kristina. So”—he captured and held Kayla’s gaze—“I will give you what you wantafteryou find Kristina.”

“That sounds familiar,” she deadpanned.

His midnight irises practically sparkled. “Doesn’t it?” He slipped a cloaked arm around Lucía’s stiffening shoulders. “Shall we go, sweetheart?”

She flicked her fingers in a pattern I knew all too well. However, Alastor seemed too amused to understand the danger she’d just created with that skilled move.

“Let’s get one thing straight,” she murmured, a silver sword appearing in her palm. “I’m not a toy to be manhandled or directed.” She pressed the tip of the blade to his throat in the next breath, similar to what I’d done when telling him not to test my patience. “And I am not a doll to be fondled and petted.”

Alastor hissed, releasing her immediately.

To which Lucía arched a dark brow. “Do we understand each other,sweetheart?”

Alastor’s eyes narrowed. “Hmm.” A slow smile started at the edges of his mouth. “Yes, you’ll absolutely do.”

Lucía gaped at him before looking at me and then at Azrael and Mietek. “He’s insane. You can’t send me with him.”

“Done deal,” Alastor told her, his palm circling her wrist—the same one holding the sword. “You know where to find us.”

They disappeared, the Archdemon far more powerful than I cared to admit.

I growled, the instinct one I couldn’t control.

Kayla cursed, her irritation seeming to be over losing her precious blade.

Because she’d intended to kill me.

This whole event had been her way of calling me down and capturing a piece of the Divinity, all in exchange for a rare angel-bone knife.

Which meant she’d just jeopardized the balance for her own selfish vendetta.

My hands curled into fists at my sides, the very notion of it making me want to murder my own fucking mate.

Except Mietek started talking, and his words frustrated me even more.

“You two focus on cleaning up this mess. Meanwhile, Azrael and I will handle Bael and Johanna.”

“Actually, I’ll take care of that,” Lord Zebulon interjected. “Prince Ashmedai requested that I personally handle the delivery to Prince Bael.”

“Or I could take her,” Kayla offered.

I narrowed my gaze at the little troublemaker. “And, what, hide in Daddy’s realm? No. Absolutely not.”

“I’m not going tohide,” she bit back. “Not after how long it took me to escape his realm the first time.”

My eyebrows lifted. “You escaped?”

“You sound surprised,” she replied. “I’m not the weakling you abandoned in Hell, Ezra.”

No, she certainly wasn’t. She’d more than grown up. Something I really hated noticing.

Mietek and Azrael ignored the exchange, their conversation shifting back to Johanna.

“She’s my charge,” I told them. “I can take her.”

“We need you to focus on finding Kristina.” Azrael’s tone remained measured yet authoritative. “You’re best suited to find her, Ezra.”

Mietek glanced at Azrael. “Not sure about ‘best suited.’?”