“I’m sorry!” the boy under Dahlia yells. I recognise him now. Tibalt Moltren. I had his father exiled a few weeks ago for eating a young human girl’s soul. I’ve heard reports of his son nottaking the punishment well. Seems like tonight he decided to take it out on my princess. Big mistake.
“You better be sorry, arsehole!” she shouts.
“Step away from the boy,” I compel her.
She whips her head up, glaring at me while my magic forces her off him.
My heart flutters. It’s the most she’s acknowledged me all week. By the time she turns her pretty face away again, I’ve already made up my mind.
Whether she forgives me or not, her bratty behaviour stops here.
But first… “Get up,” I snap at Tibalt.
He scrambles to his feet. “Lord Tauren!” he wheezes. His buddy springs up to bow with him. “We didn’t mean any harm. We were just talking?—”
“It looked like you were threatening my brother and my bride.” I shove my hands into my pockets, stepping towards them. “Tell me that I do not have demons in my court stupid enough to threaten those closest to me.”
“No, sire!” Gill, the other young demon, sputters. I don’t know much about him, except that his parents like to spend more time guzzling down food in my banquet hall than managing the spies under their command.
“Gill, is it?” I loom over him.
He nods quickly.
“You’re going to take young Tibalt and yourself to the castle infirmary, and then, once you’ve been treated, you’re both going to return to your chambers and stay there for the next month. Do you understand?”
They both nod.
“Good. Because if I hear even the smallest whisper that you’ve been spotted outside your chambers, I will have you locked in the dungeon instead.” I don’t like to throw teenagersin the dungeon, but these boys are old enough to know better. “And, Tibalt?”
The boy looks up at me, shaking. “Yes, sire?”
“If you call my bride a whore again, I will have you dropped off in the same forest I exiled your father to. It was an act of kindness to let the rest of your family stay here under my care after what he did. Do not make me regret being kind,” I snarl. “Now get out of my sight.”
“Thank you, sire,” both boys squeak before scurrying off to the castle. I’ll be speaking to their families later. For now, I have more important matters to deal with.
“Are you alright?” I ask Dahlia. “Did they hurt you?” If they did, I’ll be exiling them both anyway. I don’t care how old they are.
“I’m fine,” she snaps at me before turning to Claren, her voice soft. “How’s your shoulder? He shoved you pretty hard.”
“It doesn’t hurt. I’m more worried about your fists,” he chuckles. “I didn’t know princesses could hit that hard.”
“I have eleven sisters, remember?” She grins at him.
He blushes.
I am not jealous of my baby brother. I am not jealous of my baby brother. I am not?—
“Claren. Leave us,” I bark at him.
For a moment it looks like he wants to argue, before Dahlia cuts him off, “Come on. Let’s go. It’s getting late and I’m hungry.” She pulls him towards the castle.
I grab her arm. “I did not give you permission to leave.”
She glares at me. Thankfully, Claren has enough sense to scoop Pumpkin up and head towards the castle, leaving me alone with my vicious bride.
I glance at her bloodied hands. “I think you broke Tilbalt’s nose.”
“He deserved it.” She scowls. “Claren can tell you all about him. He’s a bully.”
