Page 114 of The Demon King's Destiny

“Okay. You know I hate doing this.”

“And we believe you, Favin,” Danil pronounced, full of his usual sarcasm as he breezed into the room.

“Twelve guards are in the hall. Forty at each entrance to the throne room, everyone else is on high alert,” he added, closing the door.

“Thank you, Danil.”

The male nodded at his king in return.

Marrok moved to the bed, not bothering to remove any clothing or his weapons. He needed to be at the ready in case Dmitri or the rogues decided to attack again.

Danil and Favin moved two chairs to either side of the bed, sitting closely so they could watch over their liege.

Marrok closed his eyes, concentrating on Evelyn. On her dark red hair and mismatched eyes. Her pert little nose and pretty pink lips.

In his mind’s eye, he could see her smile and hear her laugh. No one, not even his friends, had brought him such amusement. The little witch had woven a spell around his heart.

Once he found her, Marrok might lock her in their rooms and never let her out. He’d never felt so protective of anything. He needed her to be safe. He needed her to remain as she was. Perfect. Whole. His.

Marrok had fallen into a pit of despair when Melena took her own life. Slowly, he’d crawled out of it and continued on. If something ever happened to Evelyn, if Death rose from the underworld to pull her into its bottomless depths, he’d dive in and follow her down.

It should have scared him how much he needed her. It would have if he didn’t know he had her love. Gwydions did not have mates, and still she chose to love him.

He was her choice. Sweet, spritely Evelynchosehim. His demon pranced proudly and Marrok felt his chest puff out at the reality that Evelyn didn’t have to love him. She didn’t even have to accept him.

She’d stood there, after he’d been unable to return those three little words, and chose to love him anyway. She’d brought him to his knees, and he hadn’t been male enough to give her the same assurance.

Marrok had once imprudently believed he could use the bond as a sole means to keep his demon sane. He hadn’t counted on the force of nature Evelyn was. Fate or not, she, too was his choice.

As he felt the dark tendrils of sleep wrap around him, he finally let go. He let go of the past. Let go of the treachery. Of the lies. Of the hell Brennen put him through. If, in the end, Evelyn was his, it was all worth it. He’d choose to suffer it again if she was the outcome.

Loving Evelyn was the only thing worth living for. With that final thought, he opened his eyes.

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