The waiting royals were about as pissed as the time I’d made them wait for dinner. I waved and smiled, then followed Carmine to our thrones, ignoring their hisses and grumbles.
I was just fucking relieved that Carmine hadn’t clasped a ball and chain around my ankle. I’d expected any number of punishments or new restrictions and could hardly believe he’d settled for no more than a roaring tantrum. It was like he wanted me to be late again.
I bit back a smirk, then glanced up when Carmine didn’t sit beside me.
“Who will fight first?” he called.
An energy filled the royals in the training hall. Servants had arranged chairs around the perimeter of the otherwise clearedfloor. A group of royals, both males and females, waited in front of the weapons wall, black bands wrapped around their upper arms.
This was Tiers, but a diluted version. The contestants would simply need to rip the bands off their opponents to win. No doubtsomeblood would be spilled, but this would be a delightful and humorous affair.
I shook my head.
Tygrio strutted forward and bowed low. “I will fight first, my king.” His gaze landed on me, and he smiled widely. “And I would ask a kiss from your future queen as my prize.”
Oh, shit.
I really hoped my swallow wasn’t as audible as it had felt.
“Indeed,” Carmine replied. “And what would my mate-intended say to that?”
Tygrio was going to die. And maybe he should. The absolute idiot was trying to humiliate thedemon king. Why the hell was he pushing this hard? I mean, not to undersell my physical attributes, but I didn’t expect they were enough to make Tygrio choose suicide after a handful of conversations.
I replied, “She would say that kissing a boy is not her idea of fun.”
The other royals laughed, and Tygrio clutched his chest in mock pain. I met Carmine’s glittering gaze and immediately knew that I’d made a mistake.
I’d downplayed the interaction, and he saw that I’d done so to save Tygrio.
“She accepts,” Carmine said in a silken voice.
And thenhewalked to join Tygrio in the fighting area. My heart sank, and I imagined Tygrio’s must have too. Did he know that his death was minutes away?
Carmine unbuttoned his tunic, drew it overhead, and tossed it to the ground. The inky designs of our mating covered his hardand muscled torso, and I couldn’t be sure if the women were gasping over the king fighting or his body. Dressed in the loose pants, gathered at the waist and ankle, that he favored, Carmine was something of myth and legend.
Tygrio forced a smile, then bowed in Carmine’s direction again. “My king, it is my honor to fight you, though I fear the audience will find the match one-sided.”
Carmine tilted his head. “So it will always be between a king and a boy.” He dipped his head in my direction. “Enamai.”
To Tygrio, he then said, “Begin.”
I’d been on the receiving end of his speed, but as Tygrio blurred forward, Carmine merely stepped aside as if the attack wasn’t one of near-untraceable speed.
“You toy with me, my king.” The demon bowed again.
Too late to save yourself with words.
Tygrio initiated another attack, this time portaling behind Carmine. I gasped with everyone else as Carmine slammed his fist through the portal and punched Tygrio back through the other side.
Ouch.
I wasn’t the only one checking the reactions of Tygrio’s family. His father was stony-faced. His mother’s gaze was set on the wall of weapons. They had no other child.
Carmine, what are you doing?
But anything I did now would only seal Tygrio’s fate, so the best thing I could do was nothing.
Carmine kicked Tygrio, who rolled to a stop at my feet.
