Page 163 of Death Game: Supernatural Battle

That was one time!

…And then when Gerome compelled me. That wasn’t my fault.

Betraying his family.

Shit. I totally drove Kyros mad.

The thought only made me smile. He was so screwed.

The ruler turned to leave but paused when he reached the path. “True mate of my eldest son.”

“Yeah?” I’d nearly congratulated myself on getting through the conversation alive.

That’d learn me.

“Kyros seems to believe you don’t wish to become Vissimo. With a reminder of what will happen to Kyros at your death, I suggest you reconsider.”

Four months apart had removed a lot of my last doubts. The time was spent processing everything I hadn’t hadtimeto process since enteringLive Right.

The concept of fearing what Kyros and I shared was ludicrous to me now. The obstacles between us, insignificant.

I wasn’t human as it was.

Leaving Kyros alone in this life made me feel sick. “I have to be invited.”

The mating ritual book still sat in my underground office, the chapter on the seventh exchange unread. Fernando and Lauren only detailed the first six exchanges as I never expected more would happen.

The king studied me. “Welcoming my son’s mate, a formidable power in her own right, to join him in immortality and one day rule by his side is my honour. I invite you to join my clan, Basilia Le Spyre, and my family as a Vissimo.” The ruler rested a hand against his heart and inclined his head to me.

My mouth dried.

He did? He was seriously asking me to join his family? For real?

What was I meant to say to that? There was probably a formal response.

“Be sure it is what you want,” King Julius said, not waiting for my fumbling reply. “There’s no going back.”

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Kyros had demanded a two-daysettlement periodto my decision in case I got cold feet.

Glad to see winningIngeniumhadn’t robbed him of his business sense.

I’d dragged every detail of the process from him and his siblings after consulting my various books back at the estate. All without losing contact with Kyros for longer than it took to shower—that took skill.

“Basilia? Can I have a word?” the queen asked.

We’d gathered at the king and queen’s mansion for the transition ceremony, and she was dressed in a sheer sarong and nipple pasties with tassels.

“Uh, sure,” I said, squeezing from between Lalitta and Francesca.

Lalitta gave me a little push. Francesca didn’t budge an inch to help. So things were pretty much the same nowIngeniumwas over.

I followed the queen to a small lounge I’d never been inside. Kyros tended toward practical space. His parents did not. This place was a sprawling maze that made no sense—unless it was a representation of King Julius’s mind.

She tugged me to sit beside her. “I wanted to talk about the transition.”

The queen was the perfect counterpart to the king, really—in terms of her perfect nipples and how she balanced him. She popped up sporadically to smooth situations and keep the peace in the family. I’d gained acceptance from her and Angelica right at the start, simply for being the force that reminded Kyros he needed to live, but I hadn’t spent much one-on-one time with her.

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