ince her last encoun

't seen

t was better this way. But deep down, she

she thought bitterly

the palace soon. Before t

kitchen one morning,

k door

sert beyond, carrying with it

as e

could carry her-out the door and into the vast, des

of the slaves escaped! T

embling so badly she

ur Highness, it

oking up. He was about to pardon the old woman-she w

d be brave enou

he asked, hi

girl. The one who se

d his fork, the metal bending

in

feeling gripped his

her," he said,

prince carefully. This human slave seemed to arouse

Clifford said cautiously. "She'll be de

s blood

her word, he

demons-monsters that ate humans, tortured th

to Reina made Daresh's heart ac

to fi

teps were easy to

een running

emed to come alive with eerie noises-howls

e'd gotten lost. She had no idea which

erged from the gr

t looked al

loser, she saw

, its body covered in rusted chains. It had sharp teeth

to rise from the sa

scre

ng his black, ugly lips with a long, forke

her to the ground. She cried, kic

etermined t

forward, his bre

en he

f the

to their knee

erwhelming aura, powerful and command

herself up

re

the fading light, blue eyes burning like

le monster bow

red, his voice shaking. "Forgive

ho said she was mine?" he said coldly

onfused. "Is... is she

yes shifte

n his gaze-pity, mayb

e says she

ence st

understood what he was as

depended on

aid, her voice tr

mon prince posse

d-wildly, al

, his swor

blink, all the

knelt there and let him kill them, on

st happened, Daresh scooped her up eff

k to the pala

straight t

aid, his tone leaving

clothes, soft and luxurious. It was the first time Rein

fall in waves behind her. She

like a prin

time in weeks, she

ked in and saw

spell

for now, Princes

led her a princess-not because he knew she was o

" she

yes locked

mine," he said simply. "S

eave, then pau

Princess. I'll

n he wa

but stare at the girl

s

ead across the pillow like silk, her breathing slow an

ma

e'd looked him in the eyes in that courtyar

girl. Killed for her. And

soft and hazy in her sleep. She liked him. May

ange the fact th

his mate certainly couldn't be human. It was aga

n't mate w

ye

n't help

Hold her. Pull her into

might s

the chair beside the bed an

se that it must have

her brow furrowing slightl

uddenly, sharply, as if she'd b

thing she

Those burning blue

ment flooding her features. She turned slight

ness," she said, her voi

d. "I thought I told

," she said with a s

lp the way his

And she knew exact

it far

came at

od there, her head bowed, holding a be

ur Majesty," the

and closed the door

nding her the gown. "We'll

, he walked out of the r

ful-deep emerald green silk that shimmered in the light, embroi

dress she

The fabric felt like water against her skin, soft and cool. She found a brush on

ething floral and light.

he mirror, she barel

like a prin

walked out of the bedroom

e table was carved from dark wood, set with gold plates and crystal glasses. It was bi

he head of the t

up as sh

fr

n to the emerald gown and back up again. His ga

?" she asked, sudde

w and soft. "You just look.

ks flush

uring to the chair b

g to steady he

'd seen in weeks. Fresh bread, roasted meats, fr

n to eat

like this. In the servant quarters, they got s

esh spoke, his voice bre

u sleep

by the question. "Yes.

hing her carefully. "You k

in his tone. Just... cur

a slight smirk tu

together, a flash of

"If you were captured and ensla

d nothing. Then his

d quietly. "I did, on

rprised. "You t

d. "I just... tried to fi

g in the air

know what t

lass, taking a slow si

refully. "In your kingdom

r fork. She hadn't expecte

d down at

d finally, he

ng her space to con

ok a b

e didn't care about me. He just wanted to be richer, more powerful. So he

enched at

idn't care that I begged him not to. All