Desi cleared her throat, saying nothing as she headed for the door. “Desi,no.We need to get to the commander. We’re all leaving.”
“I’m going to go check on the others. I’ll be right back
“Don’t you dare,” I said, my voice lowering in pitch. But she didn’t bother to even act scared. Instead, she let her head fall forward and left, closing the door softly behind her.
All I could do was stare at the wood grain, wishing I could stop myself from feeling the agony and fear. Fingers glided across my arms, the touch a known and—surprisingly—welcome thing. Like returning home.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, leaning his head against mine. Stars above, how was I feeling calmer and more at peace? What was so different about us that I couldn’t even consider walking away? “What I did was wrong. I should’ve told you. There are no excuses. I’m selfish and cowardly.”
Ugh.
“Azazel,” I muttered, unsure what else to say. I could yell, but stars, I was losing my energy. I was soexhausted.
“Please, don’t leave me,” he begged, his hands gliding up my skin until they settled along my jaw and neck. His breath smelled like smoke, his clothes holding a sweet, warm vanilla scent. He forced me to face him, tilting my head back and staring into my eyes. “Please, baby.”
Feeling the defeat, I scrunched my eyes closed, my lips following the motion and my entire face tightening. “I won’t. I just need…time.”
“Time I can give,” he said, leaning down until his lips ghosted across mine, as if he was waiting to see if I’d pull away. Instead, I pressed forward, deciding that I was mad, but not enough to lose someone else I loved.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Azazel
“I can’t wait for the liberation to be over. Maybe then Father will get the fuck off my back.”
-From the journal of Azazel Altair, 9278 AS
Nova wouldn’t hold my hand. She wouldn’t look at me. I couldn’t even earn so much as another shout. Yes, I was grateful for the kiss and her words, but since that moment, I could tell something had shifted. She felt so far away. Like I couldn’t reach her no matter how hard I tried.
I fucking knew this would happen! I told all three of them that she’d be upset and lose trust in us!
Though I screamed at myself in my mind, I stayed silent as Desi nervously knocked on Commander Maitoza’s office door. Tension soaked the air, weighing me down. I had an unshakable feeling that something horrible loomed.
When Maitoza opened the door, Iknewsomething bad was coming. She had a soft smile playing on her lips, her dark eyes wide and knowing, uniform pristine. As if unfazed by our arrival, she waved us in. Stars, I hated her.
Walking past her, I forced myself not to look back. To show her that I didn’t believe in her power enough to fear her attacking me from behind. When the door clicked behind us, her cool voice rang out. “I assume you’re here about Celeste.”
“You’re aliar.”Nova didn’t bother with pleasantries or begging. She never had. I looked to my left, watching as she marched three steps forward and pointed at the commander’s face. “You let me believe my sister was dead, even when we talked about her.”
“That’s hardly a lie, and you’re not a child, so stop acting like one.” Maitoza immediately stepped away, walking straight past Desi and me to sit in her high-backed chair behind her wooden desk. When she was done shuffling around with papers, she folded her hands and stared up at Nova, who had turned to face her. “We needed you on our side regardless of whether or not Celeste lived. To guarantee that, we chose to omit her presence. The plan was always for you to find out, so please don’t waste my time with baseless, ridiculous accusations when bigger things are at play.”
“You let me suffer in grief because you feared not having my full loyalty! But guess what?” Nova pushed past me, stomping towards the commander. “You don’t have that and you never will. Now tell me where my sister is!”
I flinched as Nova slammed her hand against Maitoza’s desk, the sound nearly as sharp as the words that came out of the commander’s mouth next.
“Your sister was on a mission to recruit more of eadi for our ranks. During her time in the Star District, she was captured, along with the shaytan who was with her.”
Well, shit.
Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed Nova’s hips, my fingers gripping her just before she attempted to leap forward, a vicious scream pouring out of her in a violent wave that shook her entire body.
“No!” Desi shouted beside me, her voice strained as she collapsed to her knees, her small hands covering her mouth.
“We got word days after from one of our spies that the elite forces had the two of them. Since then, we’ve had no updates on their well being.” The words sounded almost clinical as Maitoza spoke them. As if she’d written them down and practiced a hundred times.
Despite knowing she was a heartless, manipulative liar, I still found myself startled by the truth. I clung to Nova, holding her back against my chest and breathing in her herbal scent as she fought against me.
“You promised me she was safe!” Desi was falling into sobs, her forehead leaning down until it touched the concrete floor beneath our feet.
