Page 101 of The Demon King's Destiny

Chapter 26

“Is all this really necessary, Marrok?”

His grip tightened on her hand, the one he held everywhere they went. “Yes. You wanted to see the palace grounds. This is what you must endure to do so.”

Evelyn swung her head around, seeing nothing but broad shoulders and heads of hair under helmets, all dressed in the silver and black colors of the King’s guard. Four in front, four to the rear, and four on each side of them as they strolled through the garden.

“What palace grounds? I can’t see anything,” she complained.

They had been here for four days now. She’d merely wanted to see something beyond their quarters and Marrok’s study, which were only a few doors apart.

Marrok had made some effort to keep her busy with choosing new furnishings for their bedchamber. He’d told her it had been the room he’d stayed in as a boy and he refused to take the King’s suite. Evelyn didn’t blame him for not wanting to lie in Brennen’s old room.

The study, however, had been Marrok’s father’s. Marrok spent much time in it as a child and had the space duplicated, almost exactly, in the fortress.

She wondered if she’d ever see Terenuskit. She couldn’t even see five feet in front of her.

“Did you hear me?” she goaded. “Or have you aged so much you’ve lost your hearing?”

The male to the right of Evelyn choked, playing it off with a fake cough.

“I heard you, little mate. I won’t change my mind, so I decided not to argue.”

The same male snickered and Marrok shot him a look that hadthe guardstraightening his posture. “Apologies, my liege. I’ve not had this much funprotecting you since the time you fell in the—”

“Stuff it, Danil.”

“As you wish, Sire.”

Evelyn snorted loudly and several of the guards tried to hide their amusement. Marrok’s disgruntled face made her laugh harder, which only made the guards transition to full-blown belly laughs.

She was having such a fit, she stopped walking, bending at the waist and holding her abdomen. Evelyn laughed until her side hurt. She drew in air, wiping away the gleeful tears which had surfaced in her merriment. Something about the stolid King getting razzed by his royal guard was hysterical.

Finally, her vision cleared and she chanced a once-over of Marrok. He was standing stoically with his arms crossed. It reminded Evelyn of how her father looked when she and her sisters got into trouble when they were younger.

“Are you done? Now that you’ve reduced my elite guard to nothing more than playful children?”

Evelyn bit her lip. “That depends.”

“On?”

“Are you going to spank them for bad behavior?”

Danil’s horselaugh was so loud several birds flew out of the bushes ahead. Shoulders all around her shook. Evelyn knew the guards might be in trouble for their gaiety. It wasn’t something warriors were supposed to fall prey to while on duty.

Sheepishly, she peered up at her demon lover. His eyes were bright gold and she could tell he was fighting a grin. Whenever he looked at her like this, like she was something dear to him, her world felt right and everything else fell away.

Marrok stepped into Evelyn’s personal space, yanking her hard to his front. Lowering his mouth to her ear, he whispered, “There’s only one person who needs a spanking. I look forward to delivering it.”

“You wouldn’t,” her breathless voice managed.

“I would.”

“We can hear you, you know.”

“I swear to the Goddess, Danil.” Marrok bent his head back, looking to the sky and praying for patience. “You’re fired.”

“So you’ve told me. Many times.”

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