Chapter 169

ALEXANDROS The cold evening air feels good, almost cleansing as I take a deep breath and let it flood my lungs. There has been so much pain. So much loss and destruction. But there has been relief as well. And, dare I say it, joy. We spent yesterday and the better part of today counting our losses, and although they were great, the victory was greater. Lucian? Just because you force-fed me your blood and saved me doesn’t mean you get to pop into my head whenever you want. The sarcasm eases my conscience a little. He did beg me to let him go, but there was more of him begging to stay. And I would rather him be alive and angry with me than dead. So I sliced my wrist and held it to his mouth, and he drank until his cut began to heal. I believe force-fed is a tad hyperbolic. You suckled at my wrist like a newborn. Fuck you, old man. A smile spreads across my face. Are you okay? It is an incredibly complicated question, but he thankfully takes it at face value. Yeah. I heard the elementai s