Page 175 of The Princess and Her Grand King

"I loved his late children like my own," Vladya continued, his voice quieter now. "I watched Alvin and Myka grow from children into fine young males. When they died, and their father went mad, I had to bury them. That loss has stayed with me to this day, and I wasn't even their father." He looked away, jaw tight. "Just... thank you for not giving up on him."

Aekeira slipped her hand into Emeriel's. When Emeriel looked at her sister, she saw a watery smile on her face.

"He won't always get it right." Lord Vladya's gaze shifted to Aekeira as he spoke. As though imploring her as well. "But don't give up on him."

"Rest assured, Lord Vladya, I will never give up on him," Emeriel said with conviction, "My only regret was waiting so long to rekindle what we have. But even then, I never stopped loving him, neither did I let him go. And I never will."

A commotion arose outside.

Distant shouts, cries, and hurried footsteps.

Aekeira turned alarmed eyes to the door. "What's going on?"

Lord Vladya stepped out of the room, only to collide with... Daemonikai.

"Daemon? Why are you running—?" Vladya's brows furrowed as Lord Ottai and Lord Zaiper appeared behind him, hot on his heels. "What's happening?"

"Take a good look at him, Vladya." Lord Ottai looked deeply sadly and confused all at once. "Just look."

Whatwasgoing on? Emeriel remained inside the room, watching the exchange with growing unease, heart thumping in her chest.

Lord Vladya turned to Daemonikai, watching him with scrutinizing eyes.

"Get to her. Have her," Daemonikai growled in a primal voice. "Drink her.Mount, mount, mount."

Whatever Lord Vladya saw in those eyes seemed to alarm him too because his entire body tensed visibly.

"Daemon, you cannot take her in this state," Vladya said firmly, trying to reason with him. "You will hurt her immensely."

"So thirsty.So hungry."

It became clear to Lord Vladya that his words were falling on deaf ears, and he glared at Lord Ottai and Lord Zaiper. "What the fuck is this?!Why is he mindless?"

Emeriel's ears rang. Mindless?Did she... hear that clearly?

Stepping forward, she tried to intervene. "What is—"

"Stay right there and do not say a word!" Lord Vladya and Ottai shouted in unison.

Emeriel was about to ask why, but... she didn't need to. Because right before her eyes, her Beloved wentberserk.

Growling and snarling in her direction. He lunged forward, trying to force his way through the others.

Her voice had acted like a trigger of some kind.

Lord Vladya held him. "No, Daemon—"

"Mate! Mine!" he snarled, his claws extending with a loudshink.

"We have no idea how it happened," Lord Ottai explained, tensely. "He just suddenly became like this."

Lord Zaiper demanded. "What's wrong with him?"

"Daemon, Daemon, listen to me..." Lord Vladya's voice was desperate, placating.

Ignoring the claws, he gripped the grand king's shoulders, trying to force him to make eye contact. "You cannot touch your mate like this. If you mount or drink from her in this state, you pose a very serious risk to her life.”

Daemonikai lashed out with no finesse and no warning. With a wildness that was shockingly brutal as he attacked Lord Vladya.

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