Kiss of a Demon King

his head to fig-ure out how to win the witch. Once they'd been wed, Bowen had told him, 'I learned a lesson-with a mate, do nothing irrevocable. There are lines not to be crossed with a female, ones you can never come back from. And never for an immortal would suck in this case.'

Do nothing irrevocable. But by leaving Sabine bound, Rhdstrom was earning her hatred. While he took his revenge, was he doing something she could never for-give? It didn't matter what actually was wrong or right or fair-only what she believed was. .. . As he helped her across another stream, she said,

'Why do you even want this kingdom back so badly?'

No one had ever asked him that specifically. Weeks ago, the Valkyrie Nïx had asked him, 'Which would you prefer to have? Your queen or your crown?' He often thought back to that night. He'd answered his crown, a choice made so easily.

'It's my birthright,' he finally answered. But it hadn't always been. Rydstrom hadn't been raised as the heir of Rothkalina. And as the second son of an immortal king, I he'd had no reason to think he'd ever be the ruler.

Fate had had other plans, and Rydstrom had changed his out of necessity. 'I want to see my people prosper once more.'

'Why?'

'Because I'm their king. Their well-being is my responsibility.'

'At least you're honest and not spouting nonsense like 'Because I love them as a father loves his chil­ dren.''

Rydstrom feared that he didn't love his people-not enough. Sometimes he resented them, resented that he was trapped in a never-ending struggle to win a crown that should never have been his.

His older brother, Nylson, and their father, the great king, had gone to battle the Horde. They'd disregarded the custom to separate the king and heir in times of war, and they'd both died.

Leaving Rydstrom as a bewildered young ruler.

After that, he'd burned to get his brother Cadeon his own successor, out of harm's way, fostering him with another family as soon as he was old enough. Which Cadeon took a nine-hundred-year exception to. . . .

'I also want my home back,' Rydstrom added. ''To restore it to its former glory.' And to scour it clean.

Never had he felt at ease like he had at Tornin in ages past. He'd always held on to memories of his fam-| ily there, of Mia and Zoe playing hide-and-seek with

Cadeon when he was just a pup, of laughter echoing in those great halls.

But once Cadeon was grown, he had ignored Ryd-strom's summons to return to the castle and hold it against their foes. Cadeon had chosen to remain with his foster family. Tornin had fallen. . ..

If Rydstrom could win the kingdom back, then maybe some of the strain would fade between him and his siblings.

'Do you think you deserve this kingdom?' Sabine asked.

'It's mine by right.'

'Might makes right,' she countered. 'In any case, were you such a great king that it would be right for you to have it back?'

'I believe I was.' Of course, he'd only been ruler for very few years.

'You left this kingdom mired in the past. No advances even for the time. No roads, no tolls, no permanent portals connecting Rothkalina with other provinces.'

'I didn't have time! I'd been at war with the Horde from the first day of my rule.' When that crown had first sat so heavily on his head. 'And you forget-many of my kind can trace. Beings shape their world by neces­sity. There wasn't a need for clunking metal contrap­tions or blowing up mountains to build roads.'

'If you keep the kingdom without arteries, then only those who can teleport can prosper. I'll bet you're feel­ ing the-sting of that right now since you can no longer trace.'

'Because of Omort,' he grated. In the past, Rydstrom had been able to effortlessly trace from Rothkalina to other planes and civilizations. Now he was in his own kingdom, traversing Grave Realm-by foot.

Just another reason to slay Omort. With his death, Rydstrom and Cade's ability to trace would be restored.

Sabine continued, 'And what about other non-demon beings who might want to make Rothkalina home? You're hardly attracting them to settle here.'

'Like the Sorceri?'

'Maybe.' She raised her chin. 'We're not without talents.'

'Rothkalina has a dearth of wine drinkers and slave keepers.'

She ignored his sarcastic comment. 'Not that they'd want come to this medieval plane anyway. We're merry, and the rage demons are stodgy and stuck in old ways.'

'Then what's your excuse for wanting to remain?'

'Here there are no Vrekeners and no humans. Demon, even an evil sorceress needs a safe home to call her own.'

If you accepted me, I'd give you one. ...

'It's not like Tornin is a premium castle though,' Sabine continued. 'Don't you really want to get back in Tornin because of the well's power?'

He tensed. 'Do you know what it does?' Because Rydstrom ... didn't.

'Maybe I do. But don't worry, I won't tell. I like that everyone's imagination runs wild. Some think it's a mystickal prison, a power base, a wish granter. Oh, and that it resurrects the dead. Do you even know?'

'I know that my breed of demon was created solely to protect that well. Tornin was constructed to house it. It's my duty to safeguard both.'

'And you always do your duty. Doesn't it ever get boring? I think that's why you're so attracted to me, because I've shaken your reasonable, rational, ordered life. I'd wager that you've felt more excitement with me in the last week than in centuries.'

That hit far too close to home. 'And I think I've never known anyone as egotistical as you.'

'Egotistical? Try self-confident. Should I be meek instead? Would you like me better then?'

'No. I've never wanted a meek woman for my own. I've wanted a queen-'

'And now you have one.'

They carried on in silence as the terrain grew more punishing, leaving him to mull over her words. Even with their history, the fact remained that he had her.

The one he'd longed for... .

She began lagging behind again. Fortunately, the brush opened up just ahead, revealing a scene below them. The sun blazed down on a clear green pool fed by dozens of cascades.

'Do we have to cross this water, then?' She rubbed her forehead on her shoulder, trying to keep the sweat from her eyes. 'I can't swim. Even if you released my hands.'

He opened his canteen and helped her drink, then took a healthy swallow. 'All Lore creatures can swim. It's instinctual.'

She gave a bitter laugh. 'I can't tell you how wrong that statement is.'

'Have you drowned?'

'I don't know how to swim. Never learned. An out-doorswoman I am not.'

'Have-you-drowned?' he snapped.

'More-than-once?' she snapped back, her eyes growing blue with anger.

Obviously, this was a sensitive subject with the sor-ceress. 'I'm weary of this, Sabine. You give me hints of what you're like, about your history. Am I supposed to spend the rest of the day wondering if you've drowned? Or why you don't like people touching your face-'

'Sorry I don't feel chatty just now! I'm out of breath and need to rest!'

He shook his head. 'We press on-'

'We have to stop! I'm hurting here. My arms have been asleep for twenty-four hours. And when was the last