Page 74 of The Slave in A Princess Disguise

"It is the madness, is it not? It creeps closer. Tell me what troubles you, Vlad."

Vladya met his gaze. "Nothing."

"You know better than to lie to me," Ottai hissed, stepping closer, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You vanished for days, now you return with bloodshot eyes, as if you haven't slept in weeks."

"Fine. It's the madness. I lost track of time. Zoned out for days." He stated bluntly. "What are you going to do about it?"

Ottai paled, his anger replaced with a wave of pity and sorrow. "Vlad..."

Vladya turned and began to walk away, unable to bear the weight of his friend's concern.

"Tell Daemon about this. Please." Ottai's plea hung in the air.

Vladya stopped, whirling around. “And what difference would it make? He already contends with enough burdens. He does not need the weight of my own struggles."

"Is that what you tell yourself? You think the grand king will not wish to know that his closest companion is battling feral madness? Since when do you lie to yourself?"

Vladya rubbed his throbbing temples. "I have a headache the size of a dragon's egg, I cannot do this right now."

"He sought you. Repeatedly. He even left to hunt for you, before news arrived that he had to attend to some urgent matters for days."

"What urgent matters?"

"I know not. My point is, you must tell him." Ottai pinned him with a stern look. "If you do not tell him, I will."

Anger flashed in Vladya's eyes. "Why is it so important to you?"

"You think I do not know what you are doing?" Ottai shot back, anger mirroring Vladya's own. "Your sanity deteriorates rapidly because you are not fighting this. You are NOT putting up a fight. You think I will let you? You think I would let you run away like a coward?" He closed the distance between them, jabbing a finger into Vladya's chest. "Think again! I. Will. Not. Let. You."

Vladya blinked slowly. For a man who rarely lost his composure, Ottai was truly furious.

"So, you either tell him, or I will. Do you hear me, Vladya?" With those final words, Ottai turned heading towards Mabblewood.

Vladya took a deep breath. His headache worsened.

Chapter twenty-one

INSTINCTS AND INDULGENCE

Leavingwasmuchmoredifficult than Daemonikai had expected.

He had been in the woods for a while now, their towering pines looming over him, their earthy scent of moss and decaying leaves mingling with the crisp tang of pine resin, filling his nostrils.

Daemonikai would like to tell himself that he was out here hunting his best friend, but he was a male who rarely lied to himself.

You left her in her first heat, all alone.

She is not alone. Her male is right there with her.

His beast snarled. That ugly feeling of jealousy rose again.

He squashed it yet again. The girl had him so distracted, he could barely see straight.

Daemonikai could not remember being so out of control. It had been so long; it felt really strange right now. Strange and uncomfortable.

His chest felt tight, painful, as if he were feeling someone else’s agony. Ridiculous.

His family was gone; he had no personal attachment to anyone else. Rubbing his chest absently, he rounded a grove of ancient oaks trailing Vladya's scent.

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