Page 2 of The Demon King's Destiny

“You’ve gone too far, Uncle!” the voice roared.

“No, I haven’t gone far enough! You’ll never be King, Marrok. Over my dead body will you take this throne from me.”

“I didn’t want the bloody throne, Brennen. Now you’ve left me no choice.”

The two males moved far too fast for her to track. Suddenly, a body landed against the magical barrier separating the clearing from the forest, the one she’d built to protect herself.

The invisible shield pulsed with purple and white sparks. An enormous male jumped to his feet, black eyes glaring at her through shiny black strands of disheveled hair.

Marrok. The bad male had called him Marrok.

For a heartbeat, he remained locked on her and she couldn’t draw a breath. His eyes widened slightly before quickly slanting down in displeasure.

Movement behind him caught Evelyn’s attention. “Look out!” she yelled.

Brennen’s eerie tentacles of magic flew out of the woods. Marrok dove to the side and the ethereal appendages battered against Evelyn’s shield, trying to punch through it.

“You’ll never get to her,” Marrok seethed, searching the shadows for signs of his uncle’s location.

“Then neither shall you.”

A huge vortex ofmurky grey magicscame out of nowhere, whirling like a nest of vipers around Brennen as he stepped out of the underbrush. His eyes were wide, crazed. His mouth contorted as if he was lifting a great load.

Shite! Marrok cursed to himself. Brennen was completely out of control. He looked one last time at the youngling, praying he could hold off the menace.

“Run!” he hissed at her.

Dropping the doll, Evelyn ran for her life.

* * *

Marrok jackknifed off his thin bedding on the cave floor, clutching at his chest. His pulse raced as he felt for his heart.

Still there.

He could feel the pounding of his blood against his palm. A sheen of sweat covered his skin, cooling him in the damp air. The pain from the dream remained.

His pectoral was sensitive to his touch, burning with irritation. Marrok’s trembling hand lifted and came away bloody. Deep gashes from his uncle’s claws had shredded his shirt, easily slicing through the skin and muscle below.

He’d dreamwalked—or had he been summoned? His uncle had been surprised to see him, so it wasn’t Brennen who sought him.

The girl. It had to have been the youngling with the strange eyes.

Some demons could enter the minds ofothers, especially when they were sleeping and relaxed. Sleep made more than just the physical form vulnerable.

He could only imagine the terrible things Brennen must have done to obtain knowledge of who the girl was. The male had purposefully broken into the child’s dreamworld.

To do what?Marrok didn’t know. Whatever Brennen had planned, his uncle deserved the consequences he’d brought upon his own head.

Marrok lowered himself to his back, grinning at the thought of the Sundari royal guards finding Brennen’s open chest. Missing a heart.

“All is well, Sire?”

Marrok’s head jerked towards the sound of Favin’s voice. He could barely see the dark-haired male lying across the alcove. The night’s fire was almost completely out.

“All is well, Favin. Tomorrow we shall return home.”

“Truly?” his Second whispered.

“Truly. We’ll tell the men in the morning.”

“But, how …?”

“In the morning, Favin.”

“Very well, Sire.”

Marrok closed his eyes, dreaming of the child who’d just handed him the kingdom.

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