I carry my treasures over to the little dining nook and set them on the table, then return for a magical glass of water, and go to sit.
All while King Negru watches me with an openly curious expression.
“So, you want to hear about my world?” I ask, popping a strawberry into my mouth.
He returns his bowl to the fridge—which causes it to vanish—and joins me. “Yes.”
I nod. “All right…”
CHAPTER TWENTY
CIPRIAN
STRIGOI KINGDOM PALACE
I gape at the screen,dumbfounded.
Viviana is fearless, just talking to my father about her realm, telling him about her studies and how she discovered my existence, and explaining every detail of her life, all without a care in the world.
She even tells him that she prefers to be called “Vivi,” something she’s never said to me.
I learned about the nickname when researching everything I could find about her existence, but she’s not mentioned her preference to me. She only focused on her dislike forpet, which I’ve now learned isn’t a true dislike.
Because she definitely responds favorably when I call herpetin the right setting.
However, all of this is… mind-boggling. And not just because my intended mate is calmly talking with a psychotic Strigoi, but because that psychotic Strigoi isn’t acting all that psychotic.
The last time I saw my father—over a thousand years ago—he could barely string together a sentence, let alone carry on a conversation.
His mind was as broken as his heart and soul, his desire to feed and kill the only two instincts that kept him alive.
When he shoved Viviana up against the wall, everything inside me rioted, my need to escape the palace and get to my mate stealing my breath and nearly causing me to slaughter everyone in the sitting room.
But then he backed off. Because she told him to.
And I… I’ve been captivated ever since.
This has been going on for hours, the two of them having long since finished their meals. My father is on his fourth blutini glass, and she’s gone through several waters.
It’s like they’re old friends reminiscing. My father even found her a blanket to curl up in when she expressed being cold.
I was relieved when she covered her bare skin, yet furious that she was on display for the entire kingdom for at least an hour before that.
Everyone knows what my mate looks like, which is typical for these proceedings. But it’s unacceptable to me. She’smine. No one else should be allowed to see her in that manner. Only me.
Though, I can’t deny that she resembled a beautiful queen as she conversed and moved with confidence and grace. I warned her that trials are typically broadcast to the kingdom. I’m not sure if she remembered that or not, but at least I did my part in sharing that detail with her.
It’s unclear whether or not that makes any of this consensual. Fortunately, she doesn’t seem disturbed by the experience. She’s merely talking to my father like he’s an old friend.
“The general consensus is favorable,” Barnes announces, drawing my attention to where he and my grandfather are seated. They’ve been scanning feedback on their tablets while I watched my intended mate on the holographic screen hovering in the center of the room.
Fjord left us hours ago, choosing to do security rounds instead.
But I know he’s here as a babysitter—for me.
Which explains the full guard outside.
They were prepared to stop me should I have chosen to intervene. I didn’t. However, it wasn’t because they intimidated me. I was too captivated by my intended mate to do anything other than observe.
