“Uhhh.” I drew out the word.
Ash inclined his head. “I am Nyktos.”
The Princess stared. I didn’t think she took a breath in the several moments of awkward silence that followed. “You’re the Primal of…”
“Death,” he finished for her.
She nodded slowly, blinking rapidly as her head cut towardme. “How are you—?”
“With him?” I jerked my chin at Ash, and his brows furrowed. “It’s a long story.”
Interest sparked. “I like stories.”
I grinned. “This may be one you’d be better off not knowing,” I said, worrying that my true mortal identity and new title as the Primal of Death’s Consort could cause her or others problems. “Are you able to take us to Delfai?”
“Of course.” She bent quickly, picking up the fallen book. The cat eyed her with impressive displeasure as she placed the book where she’d sat. She started forward, then stopped, staring up at me. “When I left Lasania, I never thought I would see you again.”
“I thought so, too,” I said.
She peeked at Ash. “I don’t think I thanked you for your…help.”
“You didn’t need to.”
Her mouth opened and then closed. “We received word some time ago that Princess Ezmeria had taken the throne of Lasania, but there was no word on Prince Tavius’s fate.”
“The former Prince of Lasania is most definitely no longer a concern—to you or anyone,” Ash said, his voice dropping to a near growl. “He spends his eternity in the Abyss.”
I tried to stop my smile and failed, wondering if I would ever feel bad about the twisted burst of pleasure that accompanied thoughts of Tavius’s fate.
Probably not, especially when I saw the relief skate over Kayleigh’s features, relaxing the tension around her mouth and eyes. “Oh, my gods. I…I was too afraid to believe that was the case, but…” She laughed, pressing her hand to her chest. “Gods, I shouldn’t laugh. That makes me seem like a terrible person, but I haven’t…” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Our betrothal had all but ended, but not in the eyes of many. As long as there was a chance that I was still promised to him, I have been, well…” Her eyes glimmered with tears. “Stuck in this waiting period of him becoming betrothed to another or…”
“You’re not a terrible person. Tavius was a wretched excuse for a mortal,” I told her, wishing I’d known that Kayleigh’s life had been put on hold. I would’ve figured out away to send word to her. “You should laugh and celebrate. You are no longer stuck.”
Her smile was shaky but tremendous as she looked at me, her glistening gaze tracking over my features before dropping to my right hand—to the golden imprint. “You were never the Queen’s handmaiden, were you?”
I sucked in a breath.
Princess Kayleigh glanced at Ash. “Was she?”
“No,” the Primal answered, the lines and planes of his face softening. “She was the one who should’ve been destined to rule Lasania.”
Ash’s proclamation ignited a flurry of emotions inside me, ones I would have to dwell upon later.
The Princess led us down the hall to a set of heavy wooden doors. It was clear that she wished to join us, but I coaxed her back to the receiving chamber. I had no idea how Delfai would respond to us.
Or howshewould respond to knowing that she had a god cataloging her father’s library.
I nodded when Ash glanced at me. He then pushed open one of the doors, taking no more than a step before a voice spoke from the dimly lit cavern of a chamber in a rush of softly scented sandalwood.
“I’ve been waiting,” a man spoke. “For three long years.”
Chapter 44
Tapestries blocked out any sources of light as the door closed behind me. My gaze swept over the portraits of those with emerald eyes and the heavily stacked shelves lining the wall, stopping on the source of the voice.
A man stood near the bookshelves, his dark hair brushing the shoulders of a brilliant blue tunic. His back was to us, arms cradling what appeared to be a stack of books.
Ash moved to the center of the library by a golden cushioned settee and chairs. “Is that so?”