Page 123 of Clash of Kingdoms

“And you don’t think they’ll want revenge for taking their throne?”

“I don’t see why they would if we’re the ones giving it to them.”

My eyes went back to my mother’s name.

“What do you keep staring at?”

I looked at him again. “I suppose. I can be the King of the Originals, and you and Cobra can resume your kingdoms. We can have an alliance with the humans.”

“I think that would be best.”

I sank back into the chair, waiting for him to walk out because the conversation was over.

But he stayed. And he stared. “You look like shit, man.”

“You don’t say…” My father was dead. My woman was gone.

“We can talk about it.”

“Talk about what? That it’s hard to sleep because I dream about killing my father or leaving my woman? Sometimes both?” My closed fist propped underneath my chin as my elbow rested on the armrest of the chair.

“I’m sorry.”

“That I killed my fiancée and my father?”

“Those two aren’t the same thing?—”

“Shut up, Kingsnake.”

He didn’t wince at my coldness. Took the beating because he cared more about me than his pride.

“My life had meaning. I fought to save their world from demons. I fought to protect the woman I love. Now I’m here…and I have nothing to live for.” I would relinquish my title over the humans to live a quiet life in Crescent Falls, feeding on prey and fucking them during and afterward.

“Aurelias,” he said gently. “You don’t have to stay.”

I ignored what he said.

“You didn’t have to come back with us. You could have stayed a while longer?—”

“The relationship had ended anyway. She ended it when I didn’t give her what she wanted.”

“But she tried to give you what you wanted.”

My eyes focused on him.

“She came to me and asked me to turn her, but I said no.”

If I’d had a beating heart, it would have stopped right then. “She did what?”

“You wouldn’t turn her, so she asked me to do it.”

“And you’re telling me this now?”

“I knew your relationship was already tense as it was, didn’t want to add fuel to the fire.”

I dragged my palm across my mouth, annoyed that she’d pulled a stunt like that…but also unsurprised. “You did the right thing, Kingsnake.”

“Did I?” he asked quietly. “She wants to be with you, no matter the cost, and you left anyway.”

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