Whatever conviction had made the female join forces with the Prince, it had withered after seeing her comrades slaughtered like animals. She made a raspy sound until Kesh eased his hold on her neck.
“Y-Yes, my Lord,” she croaked. “Whatever you want, my Lord.”
“Your Majesty.” Kirigan strolled over to the captive and put a finger under her chin, forcing her to look up. “My son is your king now, wretch. Get used to addressing him as such.”
The smaller demon looked stunned, but when Kesh dug his claws into her neck, she came around quickly enough.
“O-Of course, Your Majesty. I’m sorry, Your Majesty! Whatever you say, Your Majesty!”
Kain smothered a sigh. He didn’t give two flying shits about his title, but his family’s insistence on drilling it into their surviving witness was undoubtedly a wise decision.
All that mattered was keeping Selma and his unborn son safe, and for that to happen, he needed every Lord on the continent to bend their knee to him.
Reluctantly, he let go of his mate and stepped over to the fallen Prince. He grabbed him by the horns, and with a twist, tore his head clean off his body before turning to his father and brother.
When he’d left his father’s house on the same day he’d matured into an adult, he’d turned his back on them, never once wishing to lay eyes upon them again. Yet in his most desperate hour, they’d both rallied behind him, all for the sake of the woman who’d brought love into his life at last.
Perhaps in time, there would be more than the loyalty of blood between them.
“Let’s go,” he said. “We have a continent to conquer.”
41
Selma
“I do not appreciate being strong-armed into hosting a meeting for the continent’s Lords without first being given a reason. I hope you understand that if this turns out to be a waste of my time, and that of everyone else who travelled here, there will be consequences.”
Selma fidgeted by Kain’s side at the less-than-amused look the large demon across the desk was giving her mate. Being back at the Governor’s mansion did not bring back entirely pleasant memories, even if she couldn’t recognize her auctioneer in his current form.
“Naturally, Your Excellency.” Kain gave her shoulder a small squeeze and then stepped forward, leaving her flanked by Kesh and Kirigan, the latter of whom had the female demon they’d captured on a chain.
Behind them stood five silent demons from Kain’s personal forces. One of them had greeted Selma with a familiar smile, but she hadn’t recognized Thomren before Kain called him by name. They were all here for her protection in case things went bad.
“So? What is it?” The Governor looked irritably to her mate, drumming a clawed hand against the desk's mahogany surface. “I am not letting you into the arena before I know exactly what’s going to happen.”
With a shrug, Kain turned the bag he was carrying in his right hand upside-down and shook it. Naharan’s decapitated head landed on the thick carpet with a thunk.
The Governor stared at the head as if fascinated by the fluids slowly seeping into the fibers. When he finally lifted his fiery eyes to Kain again, there was apprehension behind his gaze.
“So… you’re planning a coup?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask why?”
Kain glanced down at the head by his feet. “He ambushed me and gave me to the queen to breed, all so he could steal my mate. I saw no other option.”
The Governor’s eyebrows rose incrementally. “That sounds… unlikely. Your mate is lovely, to be sure—” He nodded at Selma as if paying her a compliment before continuing. “—but no sane man would commit the highest form of treason, even for a Pure Breeder. Do you have any proof to support these allegations?”
“Selma.”
Her name on Kain’s lips sounded less like a lover’s caress than she was accustomed to and more like the command of someone who was used to being obeyed. She stepped forward nonetheless, glancing up at her mate before looking at the Governor.
“Would you please show His Excellency the object you claimed when you defeated the queen?” Kain said.
He was stretching the truth a bit here—she hadn’t taken anything after more or less accidentally killing the queen. She had promptly passed out, leaving Kain and his family to get them out of there, but she’d been told that claiming ownership of the Stone of Power would more firmly secure her position—even if she had no idea how to use it, or even what its significance was.
Fumbling a little, she pulled the smooth rock out of her pocket and held it out. It fit perfectly in her palm and shone with a dark light that pulsed warmly against her skin.
