One day.
He will forgive me.
... Won’t he?
Azrael climbs out of the bathing pool.
Paces before me briefly beforewillinghimself dry, and clothing over his body.
He pauses. His eyes meet mine.
The disappointment and betrayal in them is sharp enough to draw blood.
To summon more tears.
Still he says nothing.
“Azrael..."
His jaw clenches and brow furrows into a hard line of condemnation, hands balling into fists.
The sight has my own anger igniting, propelling me forward tofoldinches away from his face. My words turn seething. “You did this. Youusedme. Youfuckingplanned this.”
Azrael’s expression briefly shifts. “Lazarus told you..."
My lip curls. “No.”
“Levi..."
I roll my eyes, pressing my index finger into his bare chest and forcing him to concede a step. “It doesn’t fucking matter who told me what. You were using me to meet your own ends with zero fucking care or concern for me or Levi, and how much devestation you would leave in your wake.”
My heart pounds a furious beat in my chest. The floor beneath our feet rumbles in reply.
Control yourself, Violette.
Dropping my finger from his chest, I close my eyes, drawing in a deep breath.
He’s here.
He’s alive.
He’s immortal.
Time for me to enact the second part of my plan, though I’m beginning to feel like it will make little difference. It doesn’t seem like it did. Considering where we are now, the paradox it forms, but that I recognize Imustfulfill.
Levi enters the bathroom behind me, snapping my gaze behind me.
“You ok, Vi?”
Lazarus follows just behind him. “You fulfilled the vow..." Pauses to glance between the two of us and the tension radiating between us. “Unwillingly..."
I briefly shift to meet Levi’s gaze. His lack of surprise or reaction leads me to believe he either knew this would happen thanks to his gifts, or... he just knows me well enough to know that I’m not above subterfuge.
The look on Azrael’s face is one of despair, causing the wound of his betrayal to throb.
“Don’t look so disappointed about being stuck with us, pet.”
Turning on my heel, I march towards Lazarus, andfoldus away.