Page 156 of Hell Fae Commander
I could tell by his lack of a reply that he wasn’t sure of how to respond to any of my questions. Probably because he’d assumed I’d simply drag him and Camillia back here to finish what we’d started after the last attack.
He likely hadn’t even considered alternatives. Which implied that Camillia hadn’t either.
Rather than comment further, I waited for him to consider and process everything I’d said.
Melek remained quiet as well, his silence confirming his intrigue. He was eager to see how the cards would fall, my little meddler a fan of observing the endgame.
Eventually, Ajax cleared his throat and asked, “How? What would be your terms?”
“You would resume your position as Warden,” I told him. “And you would need to become an official Hell Fae. That’s the only way I can allow you to claim a Hell Fae Bride.”
His eyebrow inched upward. “A Hell Fae Bride?”
“Any bride of your choice,” I stressed. “Including Camillia.”
His chin notched upward, his expression distrusting. “Except she’s no longer a bride. You announced that to your Hell Fae constituents.”
My lips curled, impressed—yet not all that surprised—by him catching that detail. “Part of my terms would be her reinstatement as a bride.”
“Before or after I become a Hell Fae?” he asked, impressing me yet again by setting specific terms.
“After.” I cleared my throat. “Strictly speaking, this would all be a formality at this point, but I can’t afford to deviate from this requirement. If my Hell Fae believe they can mate brides at will, chaos will ensue. And given everything else going on in my territory, I’m not sure I could handle that, too.”
It was a statement of vulnerability that I wouldn’t voice to just anyone.
Hopefully, Ajax understood that this admission meant something—that I trusted him. That I wanted to let him in.
“What else?” he asked, gaze narrowing.
“You and Cami can reside within the palace or wherever you desire so long as it’s within the Hell Fae Kingdom. I don’t want her staying in the prison.”
Mostly because I knew Melek would want to visit her, and those accommodations were not appropriate for my little prince. Or his chosen female mate.
“That means you’ll need to commute to the prison,” I went on. “So I want you to hire a Warden apprentice to help you share the burden. I’ll give you full discretion as to whom you hire.”
This would allow him to spend significant time with his mate and not just work all the time. He required balance. It was clear that would help him thrive.
And I needed him to thrive.
He swallowed. “You’re going to ask something significant from me in return.”
My lips curled. “Yes, Ajax. I am.”
He nodded, his expression more resigned than curious. “So you’re offering me and Cami safety, Hell Fae citizenship—for lack of a better term—and my old position back. Anything else?”
“Is there anything else you desire?” I countered, arching a brow.
“I just want Cami to be safe,” he admitted. “Which she is right now in the Midnight Fae Palace.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “And I’m not threatening to harm her. But I am offering you an alternative—a purpose and a good life—with your bride. One that I suspect Az will very much want to be apart of, too.”
“So you’re doing this for him?” Ajax asked.
“I’m doing this for all of us.” For Az. For Melek. Forme. “We need a solution and I’m offering one. But it’ll require your acceptance.”
His jaw ticked as he studied me. “All right, I’ll bite,” he said, suspicion darkening his features. “What would you ask of me in return?”
Melek’s excitement heated our bond, yet he didn’t outwardly show it.
