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Primal Wolf King (Wolves Of The Night Book 2) 37
I was about to ask Elias if we were expected to dance, as well, when a young servant dressed in black hurried up to us, her brown eyes flashing. “Pardon the interruption, Your Highness,” she said, “but His Majesty has requested your presences.”“And where is that?” Elias asked.“In his study, Your Highness.”Elias sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. From the dance floor, Kodan looked up inquisitively, but Elias just shook his head.I stood up first. “Lead the way,” I said.I half-expected Elias to put up a fight, but he seemed to know as well as I that there was no getting out of dealing with Draunar. Better to do it in private, anyway. The servant led us out of the throne room and through the same side door Draunar had left through himself, and into the same small study in which he’d first tried to entice me with the map. He murmured a thanks and closed the door behind us, leaving us three alone in the study. The noise of the party was muffled through the thick stone walls, an
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Behind him, Draunar was leaning against his desk again, a smug look on his face.“This is my choice,” I said low. “Listen to me, Elias.”He stepped closer, tipping his head down so his brow was nearly pressed to mine. “You can’t be serious.”“I am,” I said. “I’m not going to risk wolves dying because you wanted to keep me as your own.”His face crumpled. “Keep you? Reyna, that’s not—”“It is, and you know it is,” I said. “Our marriage was never ours. It was always your decision. I was just a plaything in the contest.”“Reyna,” he said again, his voice cracking with desperation.I steeled myself. I wasn’t going to back down now—even as my wolf howled out her despair in my chest. She wanted me to wrap my arms around his neck and pull Elias into a kiss, soothe the pain so obvious on his face, but that wouldn’t solve anything. He’d always put Frasia first. He’d killed Griffin for that very reason. And yet now here he was, turning his back on his nation to preserve his ego.“This was never
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Draunar beat his wings. It whipped up a wind in the study like a tornado, sending the loose papers on his desk swirling toward the flame, and even knocked down books from the shelves along the walls. Elias yelped and barked desperately as Draunar took to the air. I stumbled backward, stunned and dizzied. Before I could even realize what was happening, Draunar’s immense back feet, clawed and flexible, gripped my shoulders and curled around helpless arms.“No!” I cried, scrabbling uselessly at his ankles as my feet lifted from the floor.Elias barked again, then leaped through the wall of flame, suddenly indifferent to the sparks dancing over his pelt as he lunged for me again. He jumped up, as high as he could, and closed his jaws gently over my foot—but it was too late.He couldn’t hang on. I slipped from his grasp, my shoe sliding off of my bare foot. Elias was left with only the silk in his jaws. Draunar rumbled something that sounded like a laugh as we flew up toward the open skyli
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I’d thought his jewelry was excessive, but this was beyond my wildest imagination. The cavern was piled in gold, gems, and treasure: trunks of coins, golden statues, furniture, weaponry, and armor. Everywhere I turned, something gleaming caught my attention. Here a fine crown, there a full-size statute of a dragon with its wings spread, and nearby were unfamiliar-looking heavy coins, piled so high they nearly touched the stalactites hanging from the roof of the cavern. Some of it looked brand new, other piles looked ancient, covered in cobwebs and dust.He was a dragon, and this was his hoard.“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked. “And it all belongs to me.”“Why am I here?” I asked. “Aren’t I to be your wife?”“Come,” he said. “This way.”I didn’t move. I felt pinned to the spot, frozen, and unsure my legs would carry me if I tried to walk. But there was nowhere I could go. There was only the cavern, and the empty air outside its mouth.Draunar rolled his eyes, then padded back over. He w
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My organza gown was beginning to itch at my skin, sweat building under my arms in the stuffy warmth. The knife my pocket felt as heavy as a brick.His green eyes narrowed. “Eat.”This time it wasn’t a request. It was a threat.I swallowed and reached for the pile of rustic rolls stacked near me. I tore one in half then took a small bite of the dry, stale bread. I halfway expected something to happen, some sort of entrapment like the rumors I’d heard about Fae food, but nothing happened. It was just stale bread in a stuffy room, with an asshole sitting across from me.He grinned, pleased. “Good wolf.”Internally, my wolf bared her fangs. The only thing worse than being Draunar’s wife was being his pet.“Why did you bring me here?” I asked.“You’re smarter than that,” he said. “I think you can figure it out.”“Just be forthright with me,” I said. “What do you want?”He laughed, low and pleased, like I was a child who’d asked a particularly endearing question. “Come on, now, Reyna,” he s
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13Sleeping fitfully in the stuffy cave, I had a dream.I was hovering high above the throne room, looking down into the open skylight. It was the same view I’d had when King Draunar had taken me in his claws and flown upward, but now there was no dragon holding my body in mid-air. I was just there—floating. Witnessing.The throne room was empty, save for Draunar in his emerald dragon form. Elias and Kodan stood in their human forms, weapons raised; then Elias roared and shifted into his wolf. He lunged forward, teeth bared. Kodan tried to grab the king and drag him backward, but she was no match for his bulk as a human, and he knocked her aside easily. Elias growled and slashed at Draunar’s body until his jaws were covered in blood. He fit his teeth around Draunar’s throat and bit down hard. Draunar thrashed under him, roaring and shrieking as he clawed at Elias, but eventually fell still. Elias staggered off of his corpse. He tilted his head up toward the sky and howled, long and m
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Corinne paused, her head tilted for any sounds. Then, once she was sure Draunar had left, her posture slumped and she sighed heavily. Her left hand moved to her right wrist, and she worked a forefinger under a tight emerald band there, like it was irritating her skin. “He’s gone.”“You can tell?” I asked. I climbed off the mattress, with a fur wrapped around me like a robe. My underclothes weren’t immodest, but I’d just met the woman. “I thought I was alone in here.”“I’m the only other one, as far as I know,” she said. “Though Draunar may have other hoards unattached to this one.”“How long have you been here?” I asked.She smiled faintly. “Come,” she said. “I’ll show you the rest of the quarters. And get you a change of clothes.”“Thank the gods,” I said. “I only have a formal gown.”“There’s not much finery here,” she said, “but there are things that are clean.”I blinked as Corinne opened the door. “We can just leave?”“He locked you in for the first night, I assume?”“Yes, it was
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Then, we’d take our time bathing in the warm baths, change into clean slacks and robes, then make our way into the reading alcove and spend some time picking through the books. Whenever I tried to ask Corinne details of how long she’d been here, or about her life outside of the caverns, she’d deflect and change the subject. As much as I wanted to lash out and demand answers, I needed her to trust me if we were going to work together. So I let it slide.By day four, I was getting antsy. My wolf was beginning to knock against my ribs, demanding attention, and I was dreaming of moonlight runs with Elias nipping at my heels behind me. At night, in the privacy of my chambers, I’d taken to shifting into my wolf form and pacing in circles, just to release some of the pent-up energy to try to sleep.On day five, or what I thought was day five, I woke up after another night of fitful sleep. I’d had the same nightmare I’d had the first night. The blood. The fight. The falling. But this time, th
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Primal Wolf King (Wolves Of The Night Book 2) 91
Elias and I sat at a long table atop the dais, with Enet and Khainan seated at our sides. The band played a riotous, fast-moving song, and the crowd of wolves on the floor engaged in one of Nightfall’s many elegant, quick, high-energy jigs. I caught a few glimpses of Fina and Adora in the crowd, exchanging grins as they bounced gleefully between dance partners. Laughter rang through the room as men swung women up into the air, dark skirts flashed like waves, and even a few kisses were snuck on the dance floor.Looking out over the crowd, with a glass of wine in my hand and Elias’ hand on my thigh, I felt settled. I felt like I was at home. Elias gazed over the crowd, too, then caught my eye and gave me a small smile.We’d been through a lot. In my darkest moments I’d thought I might never see him again.But here we were. Seated side by side with a convoy from abroad, overlooking our kingdom. I’d survived Draunar and Corinne both. Elias had survived a brush with craziness.If we’d made
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I pushed open the door to the balcony and stepped outside, immediately sighing with pleasure in the crisp, cool midday air. Enet joined me, then braced both hands on the railing and gazed out over the tree line.“It’s beautiful here,” she said. “Colder than Askon, but just as lush.”“I’ve read about Askon,” I said. “And pored over the maps and the few sketches we have. Your architecture is incredible.”Enet smiled, looking vaguely impressed. “You’re interested in Askonian architecture?”“It’s unique,” I said, “building around the trees like that. I hope to include some of that style if Efra continues to grow.”Enet nodded. “What else have you read about Askon?” she asked.I knew a leading question when I heard one. I stood next to her, gazing out over the tree line.“There’s not much in the library,” I said. “Frasia hasn’t maintained a close relationship with Askon, obviously. But there’s some history.”“History that led you to call on us rather than Osna, or Cruora?”“We’re also both
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I had never seen such a grand procession of carriages. I had to intentionally keep my jaw shut as they rolled seemingly without end through the gates of the manor. The carriages were pure black, detailed with gold, and pulled by gorgeous horses with sleek black pelts. They carried no markings of the jaguars, but the sheer beauty of the carriages proved they were royal. Two carriages rolled ahead, guided by a few servants hustling on foot—luggage and servants of Askon’s own, I assumed. The third carriage in the line came to a stop at the front doors of the palace. The horses tossed their heads, nickering; the driver hopped down and swept into a dramatic bow before he opened the door to the carriage.I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. I had a vision of what jaguar shifters might look like—tall and elegant, catlike and sleek, dressed in gold and jewels, like the dragons of Shianga. But the two that stepped out of the carriage surprised me.The queen emerged first. She was a short, lean
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There was a part of me that wondered why I still wanted to shift so badly. I’d spent so much time trapped in that shape—shouldn’t I be sick of it? Yet I only felt more connected to my wolf. We weren’t two separate identities in the same body. We were two sides of the same coin. Connected. One and the same. A run sounded amazing—a break from the responsibilities of leadership—but we had no time for that now.We could take a break in other ways, though.I took control of the kiss with a hand on his nape. Elias smiled against my lips, surprised and pleased. I set my hands at his chest and pushed him backward. He took a few steps back until the backs of his legs hit the edge of the bed, and then I pushed him down. He hit the mattress with a smirk, then scooted back, propped up on one elbow. He watched me with one eyebrow raised slightly, curiously, like he was waiting for something.I felt my face heat slightly. I still wasn’t used to being looked at like this—watched so openly, and with
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“The talks in Shianga were doomed from the start,” he said, “courtesy of Rodthar of Daybreak. I hope having you all here, as a show of good faith, will prevent such complications in these talks. Since all of our fates hang in the balance.”The heads of the packs agreed to stay until word was received from Askon. Now all that was left to discuss were the details of the invitation we would send to the jaguars. Elias nodded to the servants posted at the edge of the room, and on his command, they exited and returned with the fine spread of boar and vegetables prepared for dinner.As the conversation moved away from the more serious topics of politicking to the more casual engagements of wolves catching up, Elias got roped into a conversation with Giles, and at my side, Barion topped off my glass of wine from the carafe in the center of the table.“Your Highness,” he said quietly, “I owe you an apology as well.”I sighed and closed my eyes briefly. “Please,” I said. “Not now.”Barion’s exp
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There was Giles from Dawnguard, a broad-shouldered man dressed in leather armor, with a scar over one eye. From Duskmoon, Isalde, a tall woman who looked remarkably like Fina, wearing an immense necklace of amethyst and onyx. Starcrest had sent an older woman, Marget, whose eyes were clouded with blindness, but not Ealric, and for that I was grateful. It would have been a little much to have to navigate sitting at this table with Ealric and Barion of Daybreak.We took our seats at the head. I was between Barion and Elias, and anxiety was already crawling in my throat.“Thank you all for attending,” Elias said, “and welcome to Efra. I trust your journeys were not too challenging.”Around the table, murmurs of assent.“If I may,” Barion said. “Before we start, I do believe it’d be best for me to speak on the recent happenings.”He held my gaze as he said it, and he looked…beaten down. Terrible even. So unlike the gregarious man who had trained me all through my youth. His fine clothes w
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She smiled gently. “Well, I’m grateful to you for keeping them to yourself. Some shifters are not so keen to be reminded of our continued existence.”I nodded, glancing toward the back room.Aerika caught it. “They have even closer lineage than I do. It’s safer for them to stay there. I do the guest-facing work when I can.” She finished pinning the hem and moved up to check the fit of the waistband. “There’s no word going around. It’s more like…a feeling.”“A feeling?”She nodded. “There was a feeling when the queen was taken captive—though we didn’t know that was what happened. I felt like a hole had been struck inside of me, somehow, and my power was beginning to slowly drain out. So slowly I hardly noticed it happening. And then, a few weeks ago, suddenly the hole was plugged. I felt stronger. More awake. More like myself again.” She smiled again, softly. “Like I’d been living in a fog, and didn’t even realize it until it cleared. I knew something had changed. I had my suspicions,
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The thought was so horrifying it rattled down my spine like a physical touch. Had Duchess Alana really been capable of something so awful? Using her son to get rid of her own husband?“He’d be proud of you now,” I said. “That much I know.”He swallowed hard, his eyes closed tight. My heart broke for him—for us both—but there was still a flare of pride there too. It hurt, but we’d done the right thing. For ourselves, and for our kingdom.“Come on,” I said, “let’s get some sleep before we have to face your adoring subjects in a few hours.”Elias climbed out of the tub and toweled off, and then we fell into the bed as quickly as we could. We wouldn’t have much peace now, not with all the work that needed to be done to heal the city from Rodthar’s terrible leadership, and then the specter of Corinne looming in the future. There wasn’t a lot of peace to be found, but there was a little here, in this moment. The sun had already crossed the horizon, but with Elias’ arms finally around me, sl
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I still felt distant from myself, unreal, like the events of the past few weeks had happened to someone else. How was it possible that I was standing safely in this room? How was it possible that the man who raised me had tried to steal the throne? That the duchess’ blade had been at my throat just a little while ago? And that just days before that, I’d been a hostage of the Fae queen, and before that, a relic in Draunar’s hoard?I wasn’t sure how much time passed as I stood at the window. The sky turned golden with the dawn and the soup cooled to a lukewarm temperature in my bowl. I was about to give up, crawl onto the welcoming mattress and try to sleep, when finally, finally, the door opened.I turned from the window.Elias stepped over the threshold. The King of Frasia.My husband.In the privacy of our quarters, with his exhausted gaze meeting mine, the numbness finally cracked like ice inside me. I dropped the soup and barreled forward, threw my arms around his neck, and pulled
