Aerolus coughed to hide his amusement, but Arim seemed glued to the byplay, his attention on Marcus an almost tangible thing.
“Comely lover? I’ll bet you say that to all the girls.” I smiled sweetly as Marcus narrowed his eyes. “Then what does affai mean? Sweetcakes? Honeybunches?” I teased, hoping to put an end to my buzzing curiosity about the matter.
“It means Bride of the Royal Four,” Aerolus murmured.
“Which is what Samantha is to Darius,” Marcus added after a beat.
“But that’s what you called me,” I blurted, astounded by the translation.
I could have kicked myself for saying so when four powerful gazes settled on me.
One in shock.
Two in surprised amusement.
And one in extreme satisfaction.
Chapter 17
Sin Garu—The Dark Lord
“So you say the River Prince is taken with the fiery-haired female?”
The wraith nodded, trembling in fear.
I had no compunction about taking my displeasure out on those undeserving, and it knew it.
“Truly, lord. I managed a glimpse of the River Prince protecting the female during the fight before you called me back, else I’d have stayed to save the others.”
I stroked my lower lip, idly creasing the flesh with a long, sharpened nail. The wraith couldn’t stop staring in helpless fascination. Much like those they prayed upon, its master had the pure skin and perfect features of a powerful sorcerer. Long, lustrous blond hair shone in the dim light of my chambers, vying for attention with the sparkling flame of candlelight in the corner.
My beauty couldn’t be compared.
The wraith absently ran a claw over its lumpy skull.
“This is good news, Caeth,” I murmured. “Very good.” I smiled, a gift of sharp white teeth that put Caeth’s blackened grin to shame. “I can almost forgive your brethrens’ failed attempt on the first affai. The mate of that enraged fire breather. A waste of anger on that one. She looked quite tasty, but what’s done is done.”
I sighed and ran my hands over the marble tabletop, which held my attention. Caeth, gauging my mood, took a closer step and noted the vision swirling there. A small sheet of murky water had pooled on the tabletop, and every now and again, a hint of candlelight illuminated the image of a pale woman with lustrous red hair and bright blue eyes.
I could read my minion easily. Caeth thought she appeared tasty indeed and salivated at the idea of biting into such tender flesh.
“Not until I’ve had my fill.” The soft note of apology made me seem like a noble taskmaster and not the evil feeder of souls Caeth knew me to be.
It amused me to read that the little wraith was taken aback, that a man so pure in looks and so calm in spirit as I could house such darkness.
Always hungry, wraiths categorized everything in terms of sustenance. One bite could paralyze their prey with pain, offering a tasty treat in terms of hot blood and bone, and the precious struggle to survive. Only the Djinn had the magical wherewithal to completely withstand a wraith bite. All other members of the sorcerer’s guild and non-gifted that lived in Tanselm fell prey to wraith toxins within seconds of being bitten. Survival depended upon an individual’s strength.
I’d withstood several wraith bites and inflicted my own damage, ensuring I would be heard by the wraith king. I’d made valuable alliances. Since then, wraiths had to obey my commands.
Four rulers in all, over a twenty-year period, had risen and fallen on my word.
Caeth stared at me with glowing worship, which I took as my due.
I had the beauty, the control, and the power of a true dark leader. Since promoting Caeth to Liaison upon Mirego’s death a month earlier, I knew I could do no wrong in the wraith’s eyes.
I turned from the tabletop and winked at my servant. “Oh, Caeth, I do love you so.” I pressed a gentle kiss on its uneven forehead. “It’s as if you were created just for me.”
The creature’s heartbeat jumped, jolting at a new, unpleasant hunger. I usually found sexual urges repugnant. An unwelcome and ravenous desire that made the ache in my body throb like an infection. Something lesser beings often engaged in—sexual congress.
