Page 47 of Kiss the Filthiest King

Because with it, he could command me, not just for the year he's claimed. Forever.

I'm so glad I am able to say, "I don't know."

I don'teverwant to know it, now I’ve witnessed, first hand, how it can be used.

“Don't worry, pet. We'll find out."

I cringe.

"Crawl to me.”

Does this guy take lessons in the art of sounding like a rapey asshole or does he come by that skill naturally? He excels at it.

I comply of course. I have to for several reasons, chief amongst them the fact that my body is making me. I get on all four and start to crawl, hating it, remembering the way he…

He’s planning to do it again. Dishing humiliation before using me in the worst way.

We're in a drawing room, or perhaps a music room—I see a red grand piano to the side as I scan the area to try to find a way out of this mess I'm in.

I know one of them, Ryther, Loch, Rachel, Caenan or Relva—my small circle—will eventually come for me when I don't show in my rooms. They'll likely be too late. No one expects me anywhere for a while. I have to get out of this myself, somehow.

What did he say?

No sound. No calling for help. No moving—for now. After he tells me to, that's another story.

That leaves me a lot of room; and no wonder. I remember he likes a little fight. He thinks I'm still that mortalish thing who doesn't know how to defend herself other than with an occasional kick or slap he gets to punish me for.

By all logic, he's not entirely wrong. Caenan trained me—read, tortured me—for all of two days. That was mostly making me run, lift weights, and telling me how weak and puny I was. A couple of days of fairy gym class didn't change that.I'm not bad at fencing and archery, thanks to my high school clubs, but there are no weapons conveniently lying about here.

There is something else in me now, though. Something powerful. I know—Iknow—that I can kill him where he stands with nothing but a thought, maybe a flick of my wrist. It would be oh so easy. And the power running in my veins, pumping through my cold stone heart, demands it.Make him pay.

I want to, and it would also be incredibly dumb.

The lords of the court fear me because I have too much power, and I am too young, unused to their land,their rules, their customs—not to mention, bonded to one side. My life depends on convincing them that despite all that, I am trustworthy. I can rule fairly. I won't let my personal issues taint my decisions.

Junis is a personal issue. Everyone knows it. Therefore I cannot kill him. I just can't.

The plan was always to incapacitate him. One of the guys was going to bait him into a fight, or they'd catch him in the night and cut his tongue out—something to file his claws without it being tied to me.

If I kill him now, there will be an inquest. They'll ask how, they'll ask why. And the conclusion will be that I didn't like the hold he had on me, the hold that breaks none of their stupid rules, so I acted in my own self-interest.

Icankill Junis. It's just likely to be my downfall.

But how satisfying would it be?that thing inside me asks.

To be honest, the answer isvery.

Still, I need an alternative. Another way to circumvent his commands and protect myself, because I amnotletting him touch me again. Not ever.

My one protection against his voice was decidedly simple: a spell Ryther concocted and prepared in a flask, to temporarily take my hearing. Andlike an idiot,I left it in my day clothes. It should have been on me at all times, but my mind was on so many other things; Rachel, Loch, the council, the revel, tomorrow's coronation.

Dammit.

"I said crawl, my thrall."

Ew, he's just so gross.

It occurs to me then that he's allowed me to move. According to his own words, now he's told me I could, I can move however I like. The only two remaining orders are not to call for help or speak.

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