The Devil's Son and His Fated Bride
Chapter 167: I beg your help.

Chapter 167: I beg your help.

Sunkiath circled overhead before descending gracefully onto his barren field covered with ash and grey sand. It was near the black rocks and the entrance that led to his nest, underground, twisted tunnels where he’d love to play with his prey. The King slipped down from the saddle, eyes glittering with something strange, triumph, perhaps? Gods knew what he had gained from the Fae realm.

After Sunkiath had healed and regained his strength to fly, he visited the Fae King. But, strangely a fresh wound trailed blood down his arm.

"Let me heal it," Sunkiath offered.

"Not yet. I need it visible. Let them think I’ve grown weak. After dinner, heal it through the bond."

Sunkiath snorted. His rider was cunning. He walked off with a sly grin stretching across his face.

The dragon keeper approached, leading a bucket of meat to coax the dragon toward his meal. But Sunkiath stood firm, unmoving, clearly working on his own plan. His rider would need him tonight, and he was already full, having feasted on something extraordinary in the Fae realm, a big bull.

"Sunkiath, not coming?" the keeper asked, brushing a hand through his long red hair. This foody dragon wasn’t going to obey tonight. He narrowed his eyes, following the dragon’s gaze.

The sky. A storm was brewing. Not the usual kind, but the kind only the King of Alvonia could summon. But why was he bleeding? His wounds normally healed faster than a breath.

In the dining hall, Ren and Kai were the last to arrive, their companions trailing behind them. For the first time, the noble humans were being asked to sit at the same table as the shifters, creatures they had long labeled as filthy beasts. Could they get along? Of course not.

Who would spark the first fight, taking the first initiative to insult? That was anyone’s guess.

Ren’s heart pounded like a war drum, the kind that signaled battle long before swords were drawn. She felt like a soldier at war, forced to silence the discord between two warring species before even hoping to win the final fight. Gods, was such a thing even possible?

"Demons at our table? Gods forbid!"

A whispered remark sliced through the air, louder than the harp playing in the corner. Not truly loud, but to the sensitive ears of a shifter, it was louder than a hiccup in a funeral hall.

"Shut your mouth, they might kill us."

Some of the nobles were clearly torn between fear and revulsion. Others didn’t bother to hide their contempt, casting down glances as if the shifters were insects crawling too close to their silverware.

Some noble ladies giggled, casting flirtatious glances at Rail and a few of the feline guards. Well, it was hard to blame them, each one of the shifter warriors looked mighty and striking. But Ren had overheard these same women whispering vile things about shifters just days ago. Hypocrisy, it seemed, came dressed in silk and lace.

As chairs scraped across the floor and shifter people settled in, a young royal man suddenly shot up from his seat. His face flushed red with anger and embarrassment.

"This is an insult!" he barked. "Why are they here? Why is even our precious princess married to one? I cannot tolerate this! War? We can win it without them."

He unsheathed his sword.

"He is right!"

"Yes, we don’t need them!"

"Bring a vampire, we’ll burn it."

Ren’s mind stalled for a moment. Why the hell did he bring a sword to the dining table?

And his supporters! What nonsense! They will piss themselves if they see a mutated vampire.

He pointed the blade at Kai, the tip jabbing through the air in mock threat as if that could intimidate a man like him.

"I am Filoy Darsein, heir of House Darsein from Zillgaira, knight of the Seven Kingdoms. I challenge you to a duel..."

He faltered, blinking in confusion. He didn’t even know Kai’s name. His gaze darted around the room, silently pleading for someone to fill in the blank.

Kai chuckled. Heh, fool. The boy didn’t even know his opponent’s name and still dared to issue a challenge. In war, such a mistake would get your name carved first into the gravestones.

The blond boy stood a full foot shorter than Kai, barely able to keep his oversized sword aloft. His blue eyes shimmered with flickers of fear, though his pride still outshone everything else on his face, certainly outshining his cock. Agree?!

"He is Kaisun Al-Gathiran, you brat! Put that sword down. He could kill you with a fork," snapped a young man with short black hair seated beside the arrogant Darsein.

"Freak," another one muttered casually, already tossing grapes into his mouth like this was just another boring evening.

From their insignias and polished uniforms, Kai could tell they were knights. Gods forbid. Knights? These half-grown fools couldn’t even pull up their pants properly. How in the seven hells had they earned what was once a sacred title?

’Reject him, please!’ Ren’s voice pleaded through their bond.

But Kai only gave her a wicked, naughty grin. His lips parted slowly. "I accept your challenge, Filoy Darsein."

’I promise not to kill him. Just a good spanking,’ he murmured to her through the bond.

Ren bit her lip as the great hall erupted into a storm of whispers. For a split second, her gaze flicked to Araben, who was smirking, of course.

Gods, that mean little rat was impossible to ignore. How could someone so bold invade another’s privacy so shamelessly? Then again, Ren had caught her doing just that more than once, sneakily observing her parents making moves on each other like it was some royal pastime.

Ugh. The thought of Araben watching people make love in secret made Ren’s stomach churn.

"You find me gone for a while and turn my court into chaos!"

The King’s voice thundered across the hall, halting the harpist mid-note. Silence slammed into the room like a falling blade.

He strode in with his sister at his side, one arm wrapped tightly across his midsection.

Was he wounded? But how? Why?

"Pardon me, Your Highness. It was my fault," Filoy muttered.

The King’s eyes narrowed, landing a dagger-like glare on the young noble. "I saw everything," he said coldly. "I’ll watch your little duel." A smirk, sharp and amused, tugged at the corner of his lips.

The lean knight dropped to one knee. "My honor, Your Majesty!"

The King snorted lazily and climbed the steps to his platform table.

Ren and Kai followed, taking their seats to his left.

To Ren’s horror, her place was squeezed between her husband and Araben.

Of all the seats in the realm...

This meal would burn her throat like molten lava.

The other nobles who had arrived that day were seated at the foot of the platform. More than four long tables were packed, and the shifters had their own, far from the humans and entirely unbothered by their side-eyes and stiff upper lips.

One of those stiff-lipped fools had dared challenge their Alpha King. It was already becoming the stuff of legend. A tale to tell cubs by firelight, laughter echoing in every corner of Thegara.

A pesky human challenged the Lord of Shadows... and got spanked.

"Please, enjoy your meal," the King announced, and everyone hastily obeyed, picking up utensils with trembling grace.

Then Araben leaned in, her lips nearly brushing Ren’s ear. Her voice was syrupy with false concern.

"I know your husband is forcing himself on you. That must be so painful. Poor thing. This monster... I can save you if you want."

She chuckled like some self-proclaimed saint descending from the heavens.

Ren nearly choked on her own subsided laugh. Oh, Gods. So that’s what she got from the greenhouse scene? Fantastic. Her next move could be even more entertaining.

"Sister," Ren whispered back with mock desperation, "I beg your help. Save me. Take me back to Zillgaira with you."

~*~

Good News: Mass release coming on 11th May. 10 exciting but a bit nasty Chapters. Sorry, but this world isn’t that of a fairy tale. The start was fluffy, but you know, it is not heaven, and the antagonists remain antagonists and get wilder. But, I promise to give you an amazing, powerful ending full of Griffins and Dragons.

~Winter.

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