Page 64 of Savage Is My Kingdom

The Fae King would pursue me until he got what he wanted.

I could stay the way I was, innocent and powerless—or I could become something else—a mighty female who could stand up to him.

Standagainsthim.

There was only one thing of value I possessed. One thing I could offer the magic, in order to claim the king’s power. My innocence.

Blood magic was powerful. And blood given one time—virgin blood—had unmatched power. It would be enough. Ithadto be enough.

I held onto that thought as I passed out.

* * *

We broke camp early.

I helped pack, then waited to be told who I was riding with. Tavion led his horse over and I tensed when he got on behind me, expecting some acerbic barb, but he stayed quiet.

We walked for most of the morning and my tender ass was grateful for the slow pace, my mind wandering. I didn’t know what it felt like to lose a brother, but it had to be like leaving Ember behind. Worse, because she was still alive and there was a chance I could make things right.

Julian was dead.

I forced myself to repeat his name in my head, as if that would be penance enough for taking his life. Julian.Julian Montgomery.

I replayed everything Julian and Solok said that night, trying to pick out the similarities to Tavion.

“Princess.”Julian had said, little more than an enormous shadow.

“You must come with me. Your father sent us to take you to safety.”I puzzled over that one for longer than I should have. Did that mean the Shadow King was my father? No, the Fae King sired me, else how could I end up with his magic? But why had Julian called me princess?

One thing was clear. He’d hated Solok.

“That’s right, you piece of shite. I’m taking her back to her father, then you and your demon king can wither away to nothing.”

I’d ask Zorander about that, since he knew magic. Could this simply be a game of cat and mouse, where I had to stay out of the Fae King’s clutches until his magic ran out and he died?

That would be too good to be true.

But what I wondered about most was this—

“You’ll have to go through me, to get to her, creature. And I’ve killed enough of your kind to know how to end you.”

I didn’t know what that meant but, Solok—liar, lech and all-around bastard—believed Julian was something other than Fae.A creature.And Tavion was his brother, so what did that make him?

I’d been tempted to trust Julian, that night in the forest. Had wanted to take his hand, but I’d hesitated, and my indecision cost a good male his life.

I didn’t think Tavion would much care that his death was an accident, because his brother was still dead, and his killer was right in front of him. The more I reimagined Tavion’s stark horror when he’d found out, I knew his hatred would be eternal.

But in five days, I’d never see him again.

Never see any of these males again.

I ran my finger along the softened edge of the note. I didn’t know what lay ahead for me, but I had a secret. I just had to make the magic mine.

And once it was, I wouldn’t be anyone’s pawn, ever again.

As the hours passed, the idea of losing my innocence seemed like a better idea. Everyone lost their virginity. I just had to pick one of these males.

The only question was…which one?

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