Page 120 of The Serpent Prince

Several people surged forward.

In a flash, that beast inside him rose. His eyes shifted into reptilian slits that seemed to scream silently. His wings spread wide, and with a swipe above his head, Kiran caught another arrow then cut the heads off the five attackers, his eyes still fixed on Imani. He brutally cut down anyone in his path, blood spraying unnecessarily onto his pants, the ground, the gravel, and his hair.

He was terrifying. He was ethereal. And he was now so incredibly powerful. So powerful there could be no mistaking the identity of the new monarch.

Maniacal laughter rose from his chest, and she watched, gripping the Drasil in amazement, wondering how he had hidden this plan all these years.

He glanced sideways at her in a way that was both endearing and reckless.

Somewhere deep down, a sick part of her loved it. Delighted in what it felt like to unleash that power and control, to let it rip through the ground and coil around those foolish people. Delighted that someone else spoke to her soul.

While part of her could abhor the violence, something had always been wrong with her—a darker side that didn’t shy away from what needed to be done, no matter how ruthless.

Gods, it made her want him more. The mighty prince had become even more unhinged. And she was partly to blame.

Something inside her protested at the thought—a quiet voice so low that it was hard to hear. Imani shoved it back down where it had come from and watched the king reveal what was on his arms.

He ripped his sleeve off his shirt, showcasing markings neither Imani, nor anyone else, had ever seen. He had twelve markings all shimmering blue … except for three. One was a red brand for his cadence magic—from the Under—and two red stags entwined to showcase his sigil for the world to see, and his heartmate’s. They looked identical to Imani’s. Also, now his Drow elf marking was gone.

Imani lifted her fingers to her open mouth in shock.

He’s an Eldritch elf, like me, and those heartmate markings look exactly like they did at the dwarves visit.

Something wasn’t adding up.

Rage rattled her chest, and she fisted her hands at her sides. Her thoughts were frenzied, but one thing was certain—she and the Niflheim king needed to have a conversation about his lies and what came next.

No one spoke. One by one, everyone in the room dropped to their knees in front of Kiran as he settled back onto the throne, its power enhancing his own.

She remained standing.

He locked eyes with her again, and Imani barely recognized the unyielding evil blackness swirling inside them.

CHAPTER 44

Alone in her room, Imani picked up a goblet of wine and barely lifted it to her lips before dropping it. The liquid sprayed the floor, and the gold cup clanged against the stones.

Loosely holding the wand in her hand, she flicked it and sent the goblet soaring back onto the table, and then dissipated the wine.

Performing silly magic did nothing to calm her shaking hands.

Enraged didn’t even begin to describe the emotions churning inside her.

While it seemed like he was really into what they had going, and that he was genuine in the sweet nothings he said to her in the quiet hours they’d spent wrapped in each other’s arms, there was a real possibility that he’d figured out how to manipulate her into getting exactly what he wanted—again. She had been an easy fuck for him to feed from.

They needed to have a conversation for closure. He was probably done with her, and what they had shared was gone. But he didn’t want to let her go. So, where did that leave them?

Still, her heartbroken soul needed to hear the truth from his mouth.

Flinging open the curtains in her room to look out past the mountains on the east side of Kehemol, she found the night sky above and the city below remained still, as smoke continued billowing from the smoldering fires.

Imani pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to wrap her mind around the monstrous lies Kiran had kept from her.

His shifter beast.

His high-bred Eldritch breed.

His murderous plans against his father and family.