Page 126 of The Slave in A Princess Disguise

Ottai stood rooted to the spot, too shocked to move. His eyes trailed Vladya who was trying to calm the growing panic among the people.

Even as Ottai saw Zaiper hurry towards them with the grand king's bloodhost in tow, Ottai was still toodumbfoundedto move a muscle.

Soulbond?

Did Vladya just imply what Ottai was fairly sure he'd heard the male imply?Soulbond...?

His mind repeated the word over, and over,and over, again. A concept so foreign, so rare that it was inconceivable.

Unbelievable.

"It's your fault, Ottai," he said to himself. "Next time, do not ask for explanations from a male battling feral madness."

With that perfectly rational reason in mind, Ottai cleared his mind of such a ridiculous statement. He joined the other grand lords in their efforts to quell the unrest.

Would the beast return?

Did it go on a killing spree?

Is Daemonikai feral again?

The questions swirled in Ottai’s mind.If one can be cured of feral madness, could they fall back to it again?

Ottai was terrified.

Worried and utterly terrified.

“Give me the damn torch,” one of the masked assassins snatched the flickering flames from another's grasp before turning to Emeriel. “I’m afraid this is your end.”

“The fact that you’re hiding your true identity and spending time with him is simply unacceptable. He even shared your heat with you,” M said, disgusted. “You reek of him so much that if we closed our eyes, we’d think it was our king we had tied up. We can’t allow someone like you to keep roaming around him.”

He hurled the torch into the pile of wood at her feet. Flames licked greedily at the dry kindling, spreading fast. The assassins stepped back, watching with cold detachment and satisfaction.

"Take it out! Take out the light!" The ropes cut into Emeriel's arms, every inch of her body screaming in pain. Yet she fought against her bindings with every ounce of strength she had.

The fire was spreading, the heat growing. She could feel it against her feet, the flames inching closer.

Would King Daemonikai even come for her?

It was always the beast who answered her calls, now the grand king had returned, would he care enough to save her?

I’m going to die. Gods, I’m going to die here!

Her thoughts spiraled in a chaotic terror.Where had they taken her?

Which cave were they in?

Even if the king answered her silent plea, could he reach her in time if they were too far—

A deafening roar split through the air. So loud, so powerful, Emeriel felt it in every fiber of her being.

"What was that?" one asked, fearfully. They all looked around, searching for the source of the sound.

"Not what.Who," another choked out.

A massive beast stood at the cave entrance, dominating the entryway.

"Holy shit.The grand king?”G stumbled backwards. “How is that possible? How did he know about—"

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