Page 75 of Immortal Throne

For the first time since the trials began, I felt good. Real good.

Speaking of real good, Ryker looked particularly delicious right now, despite the whole “I hate your family and spent my life preparing to take the throne” speech.

As if sensing my turmoil. Ryker reached out and quickly snagged my hand in his. He had large, warm hands, rough from calluses and hard work. His skin tingled along mine, his seductive magic sinking in.

I jerked my hand out of his. “Stop it.”

“It’s not me.” He scowled and grabbed my hand again. “It’s pixie dust, Sloane.”

“Bullshit. You can control me with touch. I knew you’d stoop to demonic shenanigans to win.” I stared down at our joined hands. Despite my words, my hand in his felt…nice.

Asshole.

He probably made me feel that way.

“I’m not controlling you, Sloane. I don’t want to win that way.”

I narrowed my eyes. Could I trust him? So far, he’d never lied to me. He might be a total jerk, but he was an honest jerk.

“I promise,” he said.

Fine. He didn’t seem too pleased to hold my hand either, so obviously something more was going on here. I just wished I wasn’t working with limited information all the time. “So, what is it?”

“Pixie dust. They’ll try to seduce us.”

“Who?” No one else was in sight.

“Anyone and everyone we come upon. This is Ba’al’s territory. I knew the second he stepped forward this would be a test on seduction and charm.”

I snorted. Ryker certainly lacked the latter of those two things.

“This is serious, Sloane. If you fall for their charm, their seduction, you’ll end up lost here, getting fucked to death. I wouldn’t wish that fate on my worst enemy.”

Yeah, that sounded fantastic and terrible at the same time.

“You’ll forget to eat, drink, sleep. You’ll become a shell of yourself,” he said.

I pursed my lips. “How do we get through it?”

“A good leader won’t fall prey to lower demon shenanigans. We have to be stronger than their magic.”

Easier said than done.

Ryker’s expression softened. “You’re so lucky I need you.”

That surprised me.

“The easiest way to defy pixy dust is to anchor yourself to someone else. For me, that’s you. Looks like we’re getting through this one together.”

“Again.”

He dipped his chin.

“Because I’m yours?”

His hand tightened on mine, but he didn’t say anything.

We walked in silence, hand in hand as the scene in front of us unfolded through the thick pink haze. Silken pillows, soft furs, and plush rugs lined the bank of a slow babbling river. Naked bodies lay across the fabrics, entwined and writhing. Soft moans and humming filled the air along with the slap of bodies coming together.

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