Page 88 of Of Spindles and Nightfall
“Do you find this amusing?” He narrowed his eyes at her. “It’s going to get us killed.”
She shook her head. “Zarathos, you know how a Bloodbond works. It will affect you, yes, but only if the owner of the mark already has feelings for the beloved. You can’t blame what is happening on the bond alone.”
The sourness in his stomach grew. He rose, turning his back to her. “She is nothing to me.”
“You’ve never hesitated to share secrets with me before.”
Yes. He had.
“Or perhaps,” she continued, her voice thoughtful, “you aren’t as good at hiding them from me.”
That was more the truth.
He faced her and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. “This vampire princess is going to be the end of me.” Even now, all he could think about was returning to his rooms and finishing what they started. The beast had to be quelled. Bringing the elixir to his mouth, he downed its contents. Not only did it dull his scent, it also dulled his senses to a degree. He was capable of being aroused, but at least the creature inside him would remain in check.
Vivane watched, her lips pressed. “Well, then, my arch king, the answer is simple.”
He looked at her expectantly with raised eyebrows, desperation clutching his chest.
“You must kill the vampire princess before you let the situation go any further,” she said. “Unless she has already gotten her claws too deeply inside you?”
He stepped up to the fireplace, staring into its flickering flames, and felt its warmth against his body. “Never,” he lied.
“Then you will slay the princess at the next trial. Show the world that you will be the demon arch king that they desire and expect.”
Yes. That was the only answer. Whatever feelings were growing in him was a disease that needed to be extracted violently before they took root. He could still do that. That was still possible. It had to be. “I will.”
And yet, as he said it, the truth reverberated inside him as clearly as a death knell.
Itwastoo late.
Chapter 28
Aryana
Aryana didn’t enjoy being kept in the arch king’s bedchamber like a prisoner. The space was relatively large, bigger than her chambers in her uncle’s castle, but still. Other than when she'd been in King Salen's dungeons, no one had ever forced her to stay in one room day and night without leaving.
She’d decided on the next least scandalous dress in Zarathos’s arsenal of gowns. This one only dipped halfway between her breasts, clinging to her shoulders for all it was worth. It was a dark blue, with a heavier fabric and a light jeweled adornment across the bodice. Though she had to admit, she did kind of appreciate the ease andcomfort. Actually, all of Zarathos’s gowns had been very comfortable, including the silvery piece she’d worn at the opening ceremony.
He’d avoided her ever since their moment after the first trial. She shut her eyes, recalling how her body had sparked to life under his touch, how his hands had slid so easily and naturally between her thighs, like they belonged there.
He’d liked their interaction. It had been evident in the heightened, hungry glow of his gaze, in the scent of his arousal bringing out a smell so delicious that she couldn’t fathom ever having missed that it was so appropriately him.
Her eyes flew open when the section of wall on the far side of the room burst ajar. Ernon and Mils walked in, their little bat-shaped ears twitching. “Told you she was here,” Ernon said.
Mils rolled her eyes. “She’s been here since before the trials.”
Ernon hurried up to Aryana. “Come! Come with us, miss. We have something you must see. Oh, you’ll be so excited!”
They turned to the open wall and disappeared inside. Aryana crept forward, alert but also curious. She followed them up the long flight of stairs that ascended to Zarathos’s tower.
She watched the imps that were at least half the size of Jesir, though obviously adults for their own species. When Aryana wasn’t fighting for survival from the trials or dealing with the fallout of her uncle’s wrath, she’d thought a lot about the deal that Zarathos had struck with Kingdom Inferna.
“How does Zarathos protect your kingdom?” she asked.
“Kingdom Inferna used to have a cerberus that protected the entrance to our nation, but a demon from kingdom Aeria slaughteredhim,” Ernon said solemnly. “There isa rumor that Kingdom Spiritu and Kingdom Aeria have long been in league with each other to take over our throne and then the other demon nations. Without Zarathos, they’d overrun us.”
Zarathos’s bargains held these kingdoms in check. He probably wanted to avoid the demon nations from tearing themselves apart under his watch. But Zarathos could have asked for anything in return from Kingdom Inferna. Instead, he chose to protect the weak mimps. Was he truly that kind? Or was there another reason behind it?
