Page 13 of Death God

“Your Majesty,” Going-gray chimed in. He stepped out of the car and looked up at the Alpha King with a reverent yet rigid expression. “I think Lady Pip means that she needs some space for now. We all know she’s never been good with words and doesn’t know how to express herself and her feelings properly. But of course, she’ll learn. She’s a smart girl. We’ll get the best court tutor to teach her etiquette, which we should’ve done in the Shifters Academy. I myself also realize that we can’t treat her like an ordinary shifter solider anymore. So I say let’s give her what she requires. If she wants more time and some space, then she should have it. Once she’s satisfied, she’ll come around since she won’t have any complaints.”

The Alpha King bit his lower lip, pondering, eerie shadows swirling in his eyes. Spartoi was with him.

“I’ll personally monitor her to make sure everything goes smoothly, just like I did before,” Going-gray continued. “You can count on me, cousin. Lady Pip will stay in the wing where I reside, and seven guards will be with her at all times.”

“Fine.” The Alpha King waved his hand dismissively. He wasn’t pleased. “But I expect her to be at the dinner reception tonight. My subjects need to see their future queen.”

He wanted to show off his trophy.

“Yes, sir.” Going-gray bowed. I’d never seen him bow before. He usually just saluted his superior as a high-ranking officer.

When he lifted his head, I saw relief in his tawny brown eyes.

Why was he helping me? What could he gain from this? Was he playing some angle? He’d been a straightforward man for the most part, except that one time he’d outsmarted me and caught me on the wall of the Shifters Academy.

The commander slid back into his seat. The van was now occupied by him, the dark mage driver, and me. The guards from the backseats had filed out of the van, as they were the Alpha King’s personal bodyguards.

Before Going-gray closed the passenger door, the Alpha King slid his gaze to me but ordered his commander, “Include Asmodeus in the security detail.”

“Yes, my king,” Going-gray answered sharply.

He closed the door and trained his gaze on the mage driver. “Asmodeus, drop us at the west wing.”

Asmodeus was a demon name, wasn’t it? The fucker turned to grin wickedly at me as he shifted gears.

The black van moved away from the palace and cruised down the winding way where we’d come.

Without the Alpha King in the van, it was easier to detect the mage’s magical caliber. His power was potent, but not at the highest level, even though he carried a strong vibe of self-importance.

He was going to be Spartoi’s eyes and ears and would report back everything I did. It also indicated that the Alpha King/Spartoi didn’t trust Going-gray completely. Judging from the commander’s clenched jaw, he probably knew it as well.

I regarded the dark mage like a hawk, and he held my gaze in challenge through the rearview mirror.

He had sharp cheekbones and pale skin, with a toothpick between his lips. He was built more stoutly than many other mages, since evidently he was a war mage, and he didn’t wear a robe like the others.

He wore a biker jacket and cargo pants.

The mage flashed another nasty grin at me, as if he enjoyed toying with me. From the shady glint in his moss-green eyes, I’d say he knew me from the old days.

“What are you looking at, Meatball?” I called out as the van sped down the road.

“I’m looking at you since you’re looking at me, Princess,” he said mockingly, chewing the toothpick and making it turn over.

“I bet you know me well from my old days here,” I fished. “Have you met me somewhere before, Meatball?”

A smug, sadistic glimmer flashing in his eyes confirmed my suspicion. He’d had a hand in torturing me, or at least he’d watched and enjoyed my suffering.

“Then you know you’d do better to treat me with respect, Princess,” he said.

My intention of provoking him to get him to talk seemed to be working.

“Don’t like to be called Meatball?” I smirked. “What about I call you demon’s spawn, since Asmodeus is the name of a demon lord, but you don’t come across as big and mean. You must be a weaker spawn then, probably a bastard.”

I must have hit a nerve, because he hissed, “My ancestors came from the great Asmodeus line. You’re as ignorant as before. If you’re any smarter this time around, you’ll learn fast that you’ll need some friends in this place. You might think you have a higher status now, but it can be taken away from you at any time, as soon as you are no longer useful. Then you’ll be in a worse place than before, worse than a patient zero, Lady Ophelia.”

Going-gray gave him a hard look as he barked, “Do not provoke her! Nothing good will come of it.”

“I heard that many are wary of this new version of her, and some even fear her,” Meatball said. “You should have seen what she looked like before, Commander. She often played dead on the table, hoping we’d leave her alone.”

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