Page 336 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
Was it?
Other than the fact that Violette and Levi were still at mine and Azrael’s sides, in my current state, my mind can only recall a few details, and nothing remarkable.
At my silence, she continues to hover and I feel a tiny pinprick of annoyance.
“You may leave..." My words drift because I still can’t recall her name.
And fuck me,stillshe lingers.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but... the palace is under siege.”
I heave a long suffering sigh. “Very well.”
When I say nothing more and she finally realizes her efforts are an exercise in futility, she briefly dips lower before gliding away and disappearing through a bookcase.
Alone at?—
“I heard you were back... I almost didn’t believe it.”
My eyes shut at the sound of Azrael’s voice.
Fuck.
The padding sound of boots on carpet taunts my ears until he rounds the armchair with which I have become one.
He gives me a pitying look. “How the tables have turned.”
Despite the words, my voice holds no ire. “Fuck off.”
He gives me a flat look. “No.”
The only reply I can muster is a sigh.
The sounds of battle grow closer.
“Do you remember, before you bargained with Persephone to give you a body, how you returned to Akash’swomb?”
My mind drifts, drawn to the memory like smoke through a vent.
I remember it with perfect clarity.
“Vaguely.”
Tilting his head, he smirks, knowingly.
“Remind me again how you ended up coming back to the physical realms..."
The remembrance summons the burning herald of my tears. For the first time since the apathetic phase of mourning began within the last... however many dozens of anguish-filled years it’s been since Violette passed, shortly followed by Levi. When neither of them were to be found in Ourinessa, Azrael and I showed up at the doorsteps of Mors’ temple in Avernus, demanding entry...
Only to discover, they’d already reincarnated.
Azrael’s expression softens as he watches two fat tears, one, swiftly followed by the other, leap from the lids of my eyes to plummet to their end.
When I don’t respond, he kneels in front of me, drawing my hand into his, thumb stroking encouragingly as he stares up at my face.
My mouth trembles.
His voice drops to a gentle murmur. “Tell me, brother..."
