Page 13 of A Kingdom of Death & Darkness
Frustrated by Thorn’s ability to avoid my every hit, I launch myself at him. Something explodes out of my chest when I lunge, and when Thorn would have danced away, he suddenly freezes, his eyes widening in surprise just before I slam into him. We tumble to the ground, his hands coming up to wrap around me as if that’ll keep me safe. He slams against the cobblestones with an oomph and flying dust, his wings flattening out to avoid being crushed. I land on top of him, straddling his waist. WhenI realize I’ve finally gotten the upper hand, I immediately press my staff under his chin.
“I win,” I snarl, pressing it against his throat. “Say it.”
His eyes glitter dangerously. “Just because you hit me once doesn’t mean you won, little fighter.” His hands tighten on my hips with a flex of fingers, and I suddenly realize the compromising position we’re in. “If I wanted to move you, I could.”
I press the wood tighter against his throat. “You’re a real dickhead. You know that?”
He flashes sharp teeth at me in what I suspect is stifled laughter. “If it’ll get you on top of me like this, you can call me whatever you like.”
I scowl and go to move off him, but his hands stop me, strong fingers curled into my hips, careful that his sharp nails don’t prick me. “I’m going to hit you again,” I warn.
“Your magic requires emotion,” he comments. “That’s a weakness. You must learn how to wield it without resorting to anger.”
His words breathe across my lips, and I’m stunned by his reasoning about what abilities I may or may not possess.
“I still don’t even believe it’s my magic,” I counter.
“Oh, it’s yours,” he reassures me.
“How do you know?” I ask. “How do you know it’s not something else?”
The mating bond I share with a certain three brooding vampires slinks through my mind, and I don’t know why I associate my magic with them, but I do. It can’t be me making these things happen. I’m just not...magical. In any way, shape, or form.
His hands slide up along my hips, tracing my skin, pushing my shirt up gently as he traces my ribs. Goosebumps followtheir wake, and I’m suddenly so much more aware of the way I straddle him.
“Because the magic bites like you,” he whispers. “Sharp teeth and all.”
I narrow my eyes, and this time when I move to stand, he lets me. I stare down at him, sprawled across the ground like a sexy fae trickster, and sniff. “Well... maybe I’ll work on it then,” I reason. I’m not stupid even if I’m stubborn.
I stare at him for a second longer before I offer him my hand to help him to his feet. The corner of his lips ticks up, and he accepts my help, even if he doesn’t actually put his enormous weight on me as he stands. This time, when he towers over me, I don’t feel as small as I did before.
I also don’t hate him in this moment, but hey, a bitch has priorities, and right now, I have a Fae King I can ogle. Even if he’s an insufferable arrogant prick sometimes. Even cactuses can be pretty.
EIGHT
Rorrick
The wind whispersthrough my feathers as I sit on a stone arch in the training courtyard, my eyes taking in the King, who seems thoroughly enamored with Crymson. I don’ blame him, not necessarily. Crymson is intoxicating for many reasons, and she’s a force to be reckoned with. But to see them getting more familiar with each other, to see Crymson straddling his waist, to see his hands exploring her ribs, I can’t stop the fury that tickles my throat.
How dare he!? That fucking fae bastard! War bells are chiming through my bird brain so loud, I can’t even think.
Knowing I need to report to Christian and that I have a long flight back, I lift into the air with a screech that feels like all my agony in one sound. But before I go, I circle over the training courtyard. Right when I’m just above the Thorn King, I push hard within myself. And I shit. Right where I intended to. It gives me great pleasure to see him look down at his bare shoulder indisgust before looking up at the sky for me. When he sees me flying and bares his teeth, I screech again and soar away.
It’s petty, but fuck ’em.
Fuck him and his perfect flawless features.
Fuck him and his ability to keep our girl safe when we weren’t able to.
Fuck him and this whole kingdom.
NINE
Crymson
It’s earliertoday than yesterday, but I woke sometime in the middle of the night and haven’t been able to fall back to sleep. The grand halls are empty and dimly lit in shadows in the hours just before the break of dawn. I know there is staff everywhere within this castle of a home, but I don’t see a single one as I make my way through the empty kitchen and down the hall to the silent infirmary.
The golden harp sits alone in the far corner. The pretty fae girl must not yet be on the clock for her daily show. The curtains are drawn shut, and in the darkness of only a single candle do I see him. The candlelight dances across healing bruises that line his arms. Teeth marks are permanently embedded across his flesh, and my fingers skim over the pink healing wounds on the back of his hand.
