Page 287 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
“It’s why I had Somnus show Levi our bargain when we first struck it.”
Shock rings through me, and I briefly turn to face Levi, who gives a short nod in confirmation. I shake my head in disbelief.
“How could you possibly think we would do anythingbutfall in love with you?”
His eyes glitter with tears as a sad smile curls and trembles at one corner of his mouth.
“I don’t deserve either of you, little seraphim.”
My brows knit together. “You do. Don’t you dare say that. You are a radiant light in this hellscape of three-dimensional reality, and I can’t fathom enduring it without you.”
Azrael's tremulous smile dims as he swipes away one of my tears with his thumb.
“Nor can I.”
What?
The lameness of my words makes my tongue feel heavy even as panic begins to rise in my chest, and threatens to close my throat. My mind reels, grasping for straws of hope that don’t exist as I willfully reject the meaning of his words.
“I don’t understand... All we have to do is fulfill the courtship rituals, and you’ll regain your immortality, right?”
Azrael remains silent.
Even then, my very being rejects the evidence presented to me in the anguish twisting his features. “Even with my blood, you and Levi will eventually die. And again, I will be left behind. No matter how distant a future that may be, it is as inevitable as the entropy of this world—and the entropy of every world I have quietly been forced to watch die, along with everyone I have ever loved. And I have never loved anyone as I have loved you.”
Still, my mind refuses to accept this.
It can’t be.
My hands tremble as I begin to pace, and I’m almost certain I feel the ground beneath my feet rumble, but I’m too far gone to care.
“What about Winnow? Perhaps she can heal you... Or I can create an elixir to alleviate this malady. Or Queen Theia? Her powers of the mind are nigh limitless..."
A pressure builds in my chest, its weight increasing exponentially with each silent moment that passes. In my peripheral vision, I can see Azrael exchanging pleading looks with Levi and Lazarus.
Levi’s hand slides around my waist, pulling me against him. “Violette..."
I shake him off, stepping out of his embrace only to come face to face with Lazarus. “Surely you know how to fix this? You have to do something.”
Pain carves lines of tension into his expression—and something else that takes me a moment to realize what and where it stems from. “You knew... You knew that he wanted to die, and yet you still bound our souls to yours.”
Lazarus’ features darken. “I told you I would do cruel things to keep you, Violette.”
The ground beneath my feet shudders, sending rippling vibrations up the walls. The crystal hanging from the chandeliers tremble and sing in protest.
This can’t be happening.
Little sparks of magic crackle and prick my fingertips.
The weight on my chest becomes unbearable, increasing to the point of pain–until it feels like a sickle of ice is piercing my chest with each shallow breath.
Levi’s hands gently grasp my shoulders. “Violette..."
A distant rumble and crack echoes in the distance.
Lazarus, Azrael, and Levi exchange words, but the sound is drowned out by the pounding in my ears. Distantly, my mind registers that something cold is pooling around my feet, drawing my gaze.
Water.
