Page 106 of Kingdom of Crowns and Daggers

“This one?”

He grins. “A fire started in the kitchen after Joha tried to cook.” His hand slides down my bare side, making me shiver despite the fire roaring close by. “What is this scar from?” he asks, and I look down to see the one he is tracing.

“Ah, one of my first hunts. I was too cocky. He was a loan shark preying on women. He stabbed me with a fire poker. It hurt like a son of a bitch, but it was a good lesson.” I smirk.

He rubs it before leaning down and kissing it, rolling me to my back as his tongue darts out to trace a flat one across my hip. “This one?”

I bite my lip before I speak. “Crux was teaching me to fight with blades, and I was too slow.” He smirks before kissing it and moving down, stopping on one just above my pelvis.

“This one?”

“Chain,” I admit breathlessly.

He kisses it better, sliding lower until his mouth hovers over my pussy. “Hmm, is this as sore as those scars? Shall I kiss it better?”

“Gods yes,” I reply, gripping his shoulders as I throw my leg over one, urging him on. He doesn’t reply, but his mouth seals over my aching cunt.

My cries fill the mountain air, and I know we won’t be getting rest tonight.

That’s fine by me.

Chapter

Fifty-Seven

CRUX

Iam going out of my fucking mind from boredom. Being on babysitting duty for the king is not what I had in mind when I set up my kingdom in the underworld. The thing that is really driving me mad, though, is that Alyx is out there without me to protect her.

If she ever heard me say that, she would kick my ass. She does not need my protection, yet I cannot help the urge to fight off any threat that even glances in her direction. She is mine, and I protect what’s mine.

Yes, this plan was the one that made the most sense, but it does not mean I have to be happy about it. She needs to get the information, and while she is away, the king needs protection. I happen to be the next best person for the job, which is why I’m here and not with her, even if I think he’s a pampered moron.

I am not sure how I ended up in this situation. Everything had been going well. Alyx had been looking at me in a new light, and then the king stumbled into her life. Now I have gone from king of the underworld to babysitter and harem member.

How the mighty have fallen.

Walking a step behind Joha in my stiff military jacket, I glance around the empty hallway. I’m close enough to pull him out of the way and protect him in a way the others cannot. We’re surrounded by his other guards who all stand in a circle around us, with several paces between us. Rookies. There have been multiple attacks on their king, and they stand too far away to do anything should someone try again. They may be loyal, but they need more training. Slipping into their ranks was easy. One word from Orion and I was one of them. Others from the outside watch us closely, though, looking for weaknesses, and I have to make sure I am acting exactly as a guard would so no one has any reason to doubt that I’m supposed to be here.

I wonder where Alyx is now and how her mission is going. The one thing that stops me from dropping everything and going after her is knowing that the king’s guard dog, Orion, is with her. Begrudgingly, I can admit he will help keep her safe.

The stomping of staffs against the stone floor brings me back to the present, and I swallow back my sigh as we walk into the main room where the council meets. As usual, everyone is already here, and they stand as we enter, bowing their heads to the king.

Something is wrong.

I couldn’t tell you what or how I know, but over the years, I have learned to trust my gut, and right now, it is telling me that something is about to happen. While I do not think it is a threat to the king’s life, I’m instantly on alert, my eyes scanning the room. These people are vipers in human skin, all waiting for Joha to put a single foot out of place so they can strike. The atmosphere is heavy, but as I pay more attention, I notice a few smug looks on the faces of the councilmen. They try to hide them and probably think they have gotten away with it. What they didn’t count on was me.

Of course, Queen Mother is here, looking demure and the picture of innocence when she is the worst of them all. Standing from her curtsy, she clutches her hands before her and smiles politely at the king.

“Your Majesty,” she greets, her smile never reaching her eyes. “How is your betrothed faring this morning?” The spark of interest in her voice tells me that she’s asking because she wants to know every detail about Alyx, not because she’s concerned. My girl is an enigma, something Queen Mother cannot control, and that drives her mad.

Joha moves farther into the room, pulling back his chair at the head of the table, and glances around, taking in who is in attendance. To my amusement, he doesn’t even look at her until he is comfortable in his chair and everyone else has sat.

Glancing over, he smiles slightly and tips his head in acknowledgement. “She is slowly recovering, Queen Mother, but she will need longer to rest until she can return to her duties.”

From my position directly behind the king’s chair, I have the perfect view of everyone in the room, making sure to note everyone’s expressions. My instincts still tell me something is not right.

“I see. That must be stressful for you,” Queen Mother continues. The insincerity in her tone is enough to make me want to roll my eyes. She is laying it on thick. Does she really think Joha would take her words as sincere concern?

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