Page 6 of King

Do it…my bloodlust whispers to me.No one would expect it here in front of everyone.

I want to listen. It’s tempting advice. Except for the fact that, even if I succeeded, I’d be killed by the nobles strolling proudly around me. The thought of never seeing Rue again and never meeting my son quickly brings back my rational side.

“It feels strong,” I tell her, faking a smug smile. “I haven’t had to use it, but I want to.”

“In time, Durin,” she purrs, seeming pleased with my answer.

It takes every bit of my strength to swallow a snarl when she reaches out and touches my face. Her slimy magic seeps into my skin, racing toward that hidden place where my own resides. I feel the icy tendrils scrape at my magic, then pull a fragment with it as it withdraws.

At first, I worry she’s reclaimed her magic, but I realize she’s only taken a small amount–the magic I’ve nurtured since she first shared hers with me.

Having someone steal any of my magic away from me is horrifying. But I can sense a barrier within me. The rest of my magic remains locked away, untouchable. She tried to take more, but she only succeeded in siphoning what I’ve managed to grow.

By the look in her eye, she thinks she just discovered a bottomless well of power. If I don’t get rid of her soon, that’s exactly what I’ll become. Unfortunately, I’m not prepared yet. Right now, my focus needs to be surviving the part of the night that will take place in her bed.

She rises gracefully and glides back toward the castle, smiling at the fae who bow as she passes. I’m not sure whether to be thankful she’s gone or angry that I have to see her again so soon.

But if I have to endure another night in her bed, I might as well be drunk for it. I get up and stomp toward a table where the fae have been filling their drinks.

“Fuck the empath,” I grumble. “I’ll just drink to survive this time.”

I freeze when I hear someone chuckle behind me. “I’m not really up for a fuck right now,” he says, clearly amused. “But I’d be glad to help you through your duty tonight.”

I turn and see Daylor, the empath, smiling at me between curtains of his long purple hair.

“I apologize,” I mutter, not sure what else to say.

“No, it’s me who should apologize,” he says, stepping beside me and turning to watch the crowd. “I was unable to assist you last time.”

So, I was right about him. He was helping me after all.

“It’s okay. I got through it,” I mutter, feeling some of the tension fall away.

“The queen had commanded me to work with the lost mixed fae shifters that day,” he says.

A mixture of hesitance and hope washes over me. But I don’t feel them as if they were my own. He must be projecting his own emotions onto me. Showing me that I can trust him.

“Doing what with them?” I ask, allowing my interest to show.

He takes a breath and clasps his hands in front of him. “The queen sometimes has me try to convince the crazed ones that they’re whole again. It never works. But I always give it a good try. I would love to end their distress.”

I wonder if he’s talked with Kahras about me. Perhaps he’s come to trust me after learning my emotions, which speak loudly to who I am.

“She wants you to do what Kahras’s elixirs cannot,” I guess.

“Right,” he says. “But despite my best efforts, it doesn’t work. She walks away frustrated, often taking it out on me. Last time was particularly harsh. I was with the healer when she summoned you.”

I think about his distinctly crooked nose and wonder if it’srelated to the queen’s abuse.

“Fuck… I’m sorry,” I tell him, feeling my bloodlust stirring to life again at her cruelty.

“Don’t fret about me. Just… be successful in whatever you do. I’ll be there to help you tonight.”

Before I can thank him, a familiar head of orange hair catches my eye. The sight of Farris moving through the crowd overwhelms me with relief. He can check in on Rue and explain to her why I haven’t come.

I watch him scan the area, looking for me. When our eyes finally meet, I expect a grin. Instead, a look of panic unfolds across his face.

He’s not here to visit or enjoy the celebration. He’s not the solution to my concerns about Rue. He’s here to deliver a whole new problem for me to deal with.

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