Page 26 of The Demon King's Unruly Mate

I stiffened. “If you’re again suggesting we dissolve the crown?—”

“I’m not.” He cut me off gently. “But you’ve called the court a pit of vipers on more than one occasion. I’m simply asking if you would consider sleeping somewhere else.”

I rolled over to face him, needing to see his expression for this. His gold eyes were serious, and watching me carefully.

“The court expects the king and queen to reside in the palace,” I said slowly.

“But what duties actually require our physical presence?” He traced my collarbone with one finger. “The meetings, the formal functions, yes. But do we need to sleep there? Eat there? Live our private moments under the watchful eyes of courtiers and servants who report to gods know who?”

I frowned, turning the idea over in my mind. The thought of escaping the palace’s suffocating atmospherewastempting. “What do you propose, then?”

“That those times belong to us, and us alone,” he said, his voice dropping to a rumble that sent heat pooling between my legs. “And I will guard those minutes jealously.”

Something warm unfurled in my chest at his words. The distance between my father and mother had been legendary—separate wings, separate lives, coming together only for formal functions and the occasional begrudging production of heirs. The thought that Kaz wanted to be with me, not distracted or disinterested, was... pleasing.

But doubt crept in, as it always did. “You’re just trying to avoid giving up your clan.”

“Is that truly so selfish of me?” Gold eyes searched mine. “They’re my family, Talia.”

Could I blame him? The display back in Silvermist Falls was enough to paint a pretty picture to contrast with the hellish landscape of my relatives. Kaz had a sister he’d defend to the death, brothers-in-arms that would do the same for them both, dozens and dozens of loyal ifrit across the globe.

I wouldn’t willingly throw myself in with the vipers, either.

“We can find a solution.” I caught his hand dipping maddeningly closer to my breast and twined our fingers this way and that, just needing to touch and be touched. “Roll them into the royal guard, perhaps. They certainly have the fighting skills.”

He shook his head. “The Kadhan clan isn’t meant for guard duty. We’re used to taking what jobs we want, when we want. Making us stare at the same walls without end would be a waste of our talents and an insult to the actual guard.”

“You can’t have both,” I said, my fingers trailing across his chest. “You can’t be clan leader and king at once.”

Kaz caught my wandering hand, pressing it flat against his heart. “Why not?”

“Because the crown demands your full attention and loyalty.” I tried to sound firm, but the heat of his skin beneath my palm and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat made it difficult to focus. “One clan can’t be seen as placed above all others.”

His gold eyes narrowed, searching mine. “Isn’t that exactly what your father did to you? Passed over the most qualified ruler because of outdated traditions?” His voice softened. “And now you’re asking me to abandon my clan, my responsibilities... everything I’ve built.”

I hesitated, feeling the weight of his words. This mattered to him—deeply. And if we were to build anything real between us, I needed to acknowledge that.

“Perhaps...” I traced a slow circle around his heart, considering my words. “Perhaps you could save it for a second son.”

His eyebrows shot up, and a slow grin spread across his face. “Already planning our family, princess? Do I get any say in this?”

Heat crept up my neck. “Pregnancy is not an immediate plan, but it will be part of our future.” I met his gaze steadily. “Heirs will solidify our claim to the throne. And frankly, we need more ifrit in the world.”

“Is that so?”

“Do you know how rare pure ifrit children are now? Mixed couples often don’t know if their children will be orc or ifrit or something in between. Bloodlines get diluted. Numbers dwindle.” I looked away, surprising myself with the sudden lump in my throat. “I don’t want to see my people fade away into nothing.”

Our people, I corrected myself silently. Because they were his too, weren’t they? Even if his branch had broken away generations ago. Even if he didn’t want anything to do with the dramatics.

He caught my hand and brought my palm to his lips. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft but firm. “That’s not a good enough reason for forced arranged matings.”

I rolled to my back with a huff, breaking eye contact and staring at the ceiling. “That’s not what I meant.”

Kaz caught my chin gently between his thumb and forefinger, turning my face toward his. His golden eyes burned as he leaned over me. “You told me that if an arranged mating is good enough for you, then everyone else should be happy to follow your example.”

“That’s not fair,” I protested, even as a small voice inside me acknowledged the truth in his words.

“What’s not fair is trapping people in bonds they didn’t choose,” he countered. “There needs to be an out available for all parties involved, and not just because of tarnished bloodline objections or to prevent future bloodshed.”

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