Fucking bastard.
I struggled back to my feet, my legs still trembling. Ennis held up the remote that controlled the collar. His guards watched on impassively.
“Where is she?” I asked because I knew he was about to take me to his insane sister, and I just wanted to get it over with.
IHAD ACCEPTEDlong before Dianna and I ever got together that no one did it for me anymore. Temptation had begun in my youth and remained prevalent throughout my life. I had obliged those who’d literally thrown themselves at my feet, male or female, trying to fill some gaping void that threatened to consume me. It helped at times, but it grew too far, too wide. Perhaps my depression started long before Rashearim fell, and I hadn’t noticed it beneath the crown that sat on my head and the gold and jewels at my feet.
After the death of my world and the loss of my kingdom, I’d locked myself away in a self-imposed prison. I’d assumed that my lack of desire was a symptom of my depression, but then I’d met her, and I’d felt again, wanted again. More ferociously than I ever had before. She was my heart, my love, and my other half. The thought of even touching another made revulsion shiver through me. So, Milani spread out in what I used to think of as all her beauty, her breast pointing to the high ceilings, did absolutely nothing for me.
“You summoned me? For this?” I asked, doing my best to keep the disgust from my voice.
She flared her wings wide and fluttered them, making each gold-tipped feather sparkle and her breasts lift.
“You look even more dashing than I remember, especially wearing my house colors,” she all but purred. “I never imagined you cutting off those luscious locks of yours, but I cannot say I’m displeased. You are a dream.”
My lip curled as I looked down at myself. “You had your soldiers dress me?”
“Don’t worry.” She twirled a piece of hair. “I watched. You were perfectly safe.”
I had a split second to rein in my temper, trying my best not to lash out. “That’s beyond a violation.”
“It’s nothing I haven’t seen or tasted before.” She smiled. “Don’t look so down. I’ve missed you, and I thought we could pick up where we’d left off.” Her nails drew lazy circles on the tousled sheets of her massive bed. It looked like she’d been hedonistically rolling around in them before I arrived.
“Milani,” I said evenly, aware of how erratic her temper was. “What we had was over eons ago. What part of my leaving was unclear?”
“That’s what lovers do,” she purred. “They have spats, and then they get back together.”
I sighed deeply. “I was hoping to speak to you about a peace treaty.”
Milani pouted. “That’s boring. Let’s not talk,” she said, slipping out of bed. She tossed her hair back over her shoulders and flared her wings like some exotic bird trying to trap a mate. She stalked toward me, her hips swaying seductively. But she wasn’t Dianna, and she never would be.
She stopped in front of me and ran her fingertips along my shoulder. She squealed and yanked her hand back, clutching her fingers against her chest. Her eyes narrowed, and she glared at the collar around my neck. The small amount of electricity I’d used to shock her wasn’t even enough to activate it.
“How?” she demanded.
“The collar dampens my power, but it doesn’t tame it. You cannot bind me, Milani.” My jaw clenched. “Dianna owns my heart and my cock. You can have neither, and if you attempt to touch me again, I’ll stop worrying about a peace treaty with you. Now, get dressed. You’re insulting me and embarrassing yourself.”
Her face contorted with anger, her jaw clenched so tightly I feared she’d snap a tooth. She wrapped her wings tightly around her, covering her nakedness. “You’ve grown mean,” she sneered.
“My wife is meaner. She’d scorch your flesh from your bones for your indiscretions,” I said, my tone ensuring she knew I meant every word. I leaned closer and whispered, “And I’d gladly let her.”
A vein bulged across her forehead as she clenched her jaw, her mouth curling in anger at the mention of Dianna and who she was to me. Milani didn’t handle rejection well, and she hated not getting what she wanted. She had proven that when my arranged marriage to Imogen was announced across realms, and she threatened war. Luckily, her father, along with his advisors and councilors, informed her of the foolish mistake it would be. She’d had no power then, but now? She had far too much now. What happened next was my fault for forgetting what a spoiled brat she was.
“Guards!” she yelled, and a second later, the doors were thrust open. Her gaze held mine as she said, “I think Samkiel is ready to return to his room now.”
Double-pronged spears fell across my front in anXpattern before they pushed me from her room and led me back to mine.
I spent the rest of the evening looking for any weak spots in my room. It was massive and luxurious, but it held nothing useful. Every piece of furniture was attached to the wall, and the windows did not open. I could use Oblivion, but I wasn’t confident with the collar on that I could control it enough not to obliterate everyone on board. By the time the moon rose and night spread across the sky, I had given up. I sat on the edge of the bed, blowing out a breath as I looked out at the stars. I had no doubt that Dianna would find me. My only concern was how and when she would arrive. She was beyond intelligent and crafty. I just hoped she didn’t set the stars on fire to announce her arrival because no matter how strong my akrai was, I had given Milani information that had made her artillery damn near unstoppable.
62
SAMKIEL
Days went by with more of Milani’s failed seduction attempts. She showed up everywhere I was, spreading herself for me. The dining hall, hallways, gods, even my bedroom, weren’t safe. If I rebuked her too harshly and made her cry, Ennis would find me and activate the damn collar locked around my neck.
I had attempted to get her to talk about her weapons and machinery. I knew they were building something because I could hear them working on it, but the one time I mentioned it, she had the guards escort me back to my room. My efforts to broker peace and convince her to leave Nismera had failed. I would always seek diplomacy if I could, but she seemed to revel in being the malevolent force in the sky. It seemed she only wished for blood and fire, and unfortunately, that was precisely what she was going to get.
My stomach rumbled when a servant set a plate of food in front of me, but I sighed and waved it away, knowing Milani was not above poisoning my food to get me into bed. Her incessant flirting and chatter were grating on my last nerve. I was tired, hungry, and missing Dianna so much that I ached. I was growing restless, but worse than that, hopelessness was settling in.
