Page 174 of The Princess and Her Grand King

Daemonikai's fist connected with Ottai's jaw.

The fourth ruler stumbled back, but quickly recovered and shoved the king in return. "No! Snap out of it!"

Daemonikai's claws extended, slashing at Ottai with a speed that made his blood run cold.

The deadly intent behind the strike was unmistakable, forcing Ottai to dodge with lightning reflexes. Narrowly, he managed to avoidthreemore vicious swipes.

Now more determined than ever to stop the grand king, Ottai roared an order. "Send for Vladya and Zaiper! Tell them it's urgent! Go!"

Not wasting valuable time waiting for them, Ottai shifted into his half-beast form, bracing himself for what was clearly an all-out attack.

Every strike, every blow from Daemonikai was aimed to inflict serious damage.

This wasn't sparring; it was a fight for survival.

"Must get to her. Must have her," Daemonikai growled, angrily. "Out of my way."

His shortened sentences, his words gruff... as if he were driven purely by instinct.Mindless.

He landed a brutal blow to Ottai's stomach, stealing his breath, and Ottai staggered back, gasping for air.

"What's going on, Your Grace?" he wheezed, wiping blood from his mouth as he forced himself to stand. "Get a hold of yourself! Even you in your right mind would not want to go to her in this state!"

Daemonikai broke into a dead run, moving with a speed that defied his usual grace.

Ottai gave chase but couldn't match his speed.

People scattered out of their grand king's path, their screams and shouts filling the air.

Workers abandoned their carriages, mothers scooped up their crying younglings, everyone rushing for safety.

"What's happening?!" Zaiper appeared from the opposite direction, running towards Ottai in alarm.

"Stop him!" Ottai shouted, his voice desperate. "He has lost control! He cannot reach his woman like this!"

Zaiper cursed, his eyes widening with apprehension and... something else, as he joined the chase.

Something Ottai couldn't quite decipher.

***

At the door, Lord Vladya turned back to look at Emeriel. "Thank you for being there for him that night. When Aekeira informed me of the baby, I was... worried all night. I knew he would take the loss hard."

Pain flickered across his features. "He has suffered enough loss already... dangling on the edge because of it..." He trailed off, his brows drawn together in concern.

"You don't need to thank me, My Lord. I will always be there for him. I love him so much," Emeriel said with a soft smile, unashamed to admit it to anyone.

"And what about you?" Vladya asked, his gaze searching her face. "It must not have been easy for you either."

"It wasn't," she admitted honestly. "But I had him. We had each other."

Lord Vladya's expression turned thoughtful. "You know, I yearned for a child for so long it was a craving deep in my soulless heart. This longing has been inside me for so long, it feels as though it has become a part of me."

He exhaled heavily. "But then, when I think of Daemonikai's losses, I wonder which is worse: never having them, or having them and losing them?"

Emeriel carefully masked her surprise, even as her heart ached for him.

Never would she have imagined this formidable ruler confiding in her, sharing something so personal. How much he wanted offspring wasn't news to her, but his telling her felt... special.

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