“Like the rest of us, she was kidnapped and told to pick a man to marry,” a stocky brunette with pretty hazel eyes said. “Oh, and did I mention that man turned into a big-ass spider?”
Nico chuckled. “I can see how that might be traumatizing.”
“Glad I can amuse you,” the little female said.
“We’re trying to right our wrongs,” Roan told the group of females. “You won’t be hurt, and you won’t be forced to mate with someone you don’t want.”
“All of this has been explained to you, hasn’t it?” Callon raised his eyebrows.
“Lyric told us what Visata said,” the brunette said. “We’re the only ones who stayed. The rest were nulled and sent on their way.”
“The king and queen didn’t mention that.” Nico’s eyes stayed on the KOV female.
“Why are you staring at her like she’s a new species?” Bane spoke up for the first time since they’d arrived the day before. To say Bane was a man of few words was an understatement.
“What if I told you that this one is the mate to a male who is about to be crowned a king?” Nico looked at Bane and then Roan. “The new king of KOV to be exact?”
Roan walked around until he stood on the other side of the female. Nico motioned to the still visible tattoo. “I’ve seen her tattoo before. It was on Azure’s great-nephew.”
“I don’t want to go to the Kingdom of Venom,” the female spoke up.
Callon eyed the woman. “What’s your name?”
“Rose.” Her eyes shifted around as if she was looking for an escape. Nico hoped she didn’t run because Callon and Bane would be driven to chase her.
“Rose,” Nico repeated. “It’s not very reptilian.”
“Maybe because I’mnota reptile,” she shot back, showing a little backbone. That was good. She would need it.
“That tattoo says otherwise.” Roan motioned to her arm. “Have you agreed to stay a part of our world?”
Rose nodded, albeit reluctantly.
“Then you have to go to the kingdom to which you’ve been assigned. If you get there and hate Talbot, you don’t have to mate with him.”
Rose’s face turned a bright red.
Nico chuckled. “He didn’t meanthatkind of mating. Roan meant you don’t have to bond your life to his.”
Her eyes dropped to the ground. “Then he’d only have half a soul.” Her voice was soft, and Nico could actually hear the pain in it. It bothered her, the idea of Talbot not having access to his beast.
“Yes,” Nico agreed. “He may be an animal, but he’s not a monster. He would never force you to be with him. No matter what it means for his soul. Talbot is nothing like his great-uncle.”
One of the other girls, a female with dark chocolate skin and long braids, took Rose’s hand. “You know we got your back. You want to stay with us, then we will make that happen.”
The woman looked at Nico and then the other males in a clear challenge.Brave woman. Too bad she wasn’t a shaman.
Rose shook her head. “It’s okay, Lex.”
Lex gave her hand a visible squeeze before letting it go.
“I’ll go,” she told Nico, lifting her chin and pulling back her shoulders. Her white-blonde hair blew away from her face, and Nico noticed for the first time that she had multiple piercings in both ears and a nose ring.
“Don’t even think it,” Roan’s tone held a warning as he glared at Nico.
He raised his hands. “What? I wasn’t thinking a thing.”
“Bullshit,” Bane coughed.
