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Primal Wolf King (Wolves Of The Night Book 2) 55
Corinne glanced over at me. Then she waved her hand and the hearth roared to life, bursting into cozy flame. I started a little, but then the warmth washed over me and I settled back down. That was nice of her at least.“I’ve instructed Adrian to let us rest for a day or so,” she said. “I’ll regain my strength, and then we’ll begin the preparations to return to Shianga.”I flicked an ear in acknowledgment. I was still angry, and wanted her to see that in my expression, but I did want to know the details. If I was stuck with her in this form—I could at least get those.I slept fitfully by the fire, and before dawn, when Corinne unceremoniously jerked me to my feet with a pulse of her power. I shook into wakefulness and padded after her, through the quiet white stone hallways of the palace, to a meeting room at the far end. This was much smaller than the other grand rooms we’d walked through, with nothing more than a low table and a vast window overlooking the still lake. When Corinne s
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I blinked. Within the palace walls?Then, Corinne left the room.Without me.I was alone in her quarters for the first time in what felt like an age. I stood up, shook out my pelt, and then glanced around.When I was sure I was alone, I closed my eyes, then tried to find my human form under my wolf’s wild nature. She was there still, pacing irritably—but I couldn’t shift back. Corinne’s magic still had a hold on my abilities, and I was locked in this form until she loosened her hold. In Daybreak, my tutors had always instilled in me that one was not to spend too much time in her wolf form, lest the wolf take control and the human couldn’t re-emerge. I’d thought after five days shifted, I’d feel less like myself, and more like an animal. Perhaps that’s what all the recent runs had done, though—made it easier to be myself while in my wolf shape.My paws itched at the thought of a run. Gods, that was what I needed now. A long, moonlit run, moving quickly through the trees with Elias on m
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Corrine’s plan weighed heavily on my mind. It wasn’t just Shianga she wanted. Surely, she’d come for Frasia next, what with the way the Fae lands had dissipated in our nation. She’d already spoken ill of Daybreak. And then after that, surely she’d use her power to take Osna, Cruora, and Askon, too.From spending time at her side, I knew how conniving and convincing she could be. I knew she would try to build a diplomatic relationship with those nations while she built up her army in our realm. She’d try to woo us all into a sense of safety, and then she would strike.But now I knew. Now, Frasia would be ready.Now, I could bring the fight to her.For the next two days, the queen continued to give me freedom to roam the palace during the day, but she did insist that I remain at her side during the dramatic banquets that happened every night without fail. It was part of the ongoing celebration for the queen’s return, but I was well sick of it. The first Fae banquet I’d been dragged to h
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Corinne smiled faintly as if she could read my thoughts. “I know, wolf,” she said. “You’ll have your human form back soon enough. You know I can’t risk you running off while we’re in Shianga, though. If the wolf king is still alive, I might need a little bargaining tool.”She fastened the clasps of her own armor, the same fine silver as mine, though hers was ornately engraved with a carving of a many-branched tree. She looked so different than the woman I’d spent those weeks with in the cavern—now she was a warrior queen. She removed the muzzle. I gnashed my teeth and shook my head, relieved to have it off. The blacksmith glanced at her, clearly nervous, but I wasn’t about to ruin my chances of making it back to the realm by launching a foolish attack now.She didn’t know if Elias was alive or not. My heart beat into my throat. I was terrified to face what awaited me in Shianga—terrified to be turned into a war-beast at the queen’s side—but the thought of seeing Elias propelled my spi
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“When I’m finished with you,” Corinne shrieked, “I will take your head and hang it above my throne in this very palace!”Her hold on me slipped as she focused on Draunar. I backed up, crouching low to the ground as I deftly dodged the soldiers and the other dragons. I glanced around looking for any wolves in the tree line, but I could barely see at all with the chaos of battle escalating around me.Draunar roared again, then beat his powerful wings, lifting his immense body into the sky. He inhaled, then exhaled a column of flame directly at Corinne. I cowered back from the sudden brightness as the heat rippled through the air.Corinne lifted the sword over her head. The blade blocked the column of flame as if it were a shield. The flame spilled over the edges, but none of it touched Corinne. Her eyes glowed pale, and then her hair moved like it was underwater as she channeled her power. The blade of the sword began to glow.I realized it then. The spell she had been discussing with t
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I was trying to make myself forgotten. As the party raged on, I stayed still, and tucked myself half-behind a statue of a dragon by the entrance.Her hold was loosening.I could feel it. It wasn’t intentional—she was just drunk and distracted. Susceptible to the same mistakes that we all made, it seemed.Adrian, a little unsteady on his feet, approached the dais and offered Corrine his hand with a dramatic, playful bow.Corinne laughed, though I couldn’t hear it over the din of music and noise, but I could imagine the sound when she threw her head back. She accepted his hand, then drained the rest of her wine and followed him down to the dance floor. He swept her in close, and then I lost sight of them as they disappeared into the raucous crowd.The music picked up even louder, faster, and cheers erupted as the Fae realized their queen and general were dancing with them.Then I felt it.She slipped.The control dissipated to barely a touch. I turned on my heels and bolted out of the o
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“Draunar has never been a wise king,” Gulde said. He stepped into the back room, and then re-emerged with a bowl of lukewarm soup. I took it gratefully and slurped it down, savoring the meaty broth and tender vegetables. He sat across from me and gazed into the fire. “And you understand your husband does not have the finest diplomatic reputation either. I had assumed these peace negotiations would fall apart due to someone’s ego.” He sighed. “But not to this scale. I never imagined anything of this scale.”“It’s only going to get worse,” I said. “The Fae queen… She’s been trapped in Draunar’s hoard for a long time. She carries a lot of wrath.”Gulde hummed thoughtfully, then stood up. “You’re probably right,” he said. “When you say fix this, what do you mean?”“I mean I’m going to deal with the queen,” I said. “Whatever it takes.”“Good,” Gulde said. His voice was low and chilly with anger. “That gives me adequate time to leave this wretched city. I wasn’t going to leave without my ma
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There had to be someone here who could help me. I could only hope that the people I found here were still wolves, and not dragons scouting their way into Frasia. I crept around the edge of the building, looking for a window or doorway I could peer inside, to see if there was light, or even better, food—When suddenly a knife pressed against the center of my back.“No sudden moves,” a low voice said.The spike of fear was suddenly doused in the cool water of relief. “Oh, thank the gods,” I breathed. “Kodan.”Behind me, Kodan inhaled sharply and dropped the blade. I whirled around, and she stared at me slack-jawed. “Your Highness?” She gripped my shoulders and squeezed, as if checking to see if I was real. “By the moon and stars. How— Gods above, are you all right?” Then she hauled me into her broad arms and squeezed so tightly it knocked all the breath from my lungs in a whoosh.“I think so,” I managed. “You’re crushing me.”She released me and then shook her head, amazed. “You look li
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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
