Page 40 of Their Fierce Little Monster

The Viscount blinks, clearly taken aback. I grin, loving seeing him this way. Especially when his mouth opens to respond, but instead he inhales and takes one last look at us before turning on his heel. “Of course, Gamemaster.” And he’s gone, storming down the platform in the direction the Chosen were ushered away earlier.

Then he turns to Kazak. “And you are an Ash Clan from Grimvale, then?”

Kazak dips his chin in agreement, holding the Gamemaster’s gaze. “That’s correct. Dawn came with me, and she’s under my protection.”

“You confess so easily?”

Kazak grunts under his breath. “I have nothing to hide. But we can easily conclude this circus.” His voice is steel. “I’ll tell the king the complete truth, to his face. I request an audience with him.”

The Gamemaster bursts out laughing, his gaze never leaving Kazak’s. “Oh, you request an audience? After you broke his law, and now you think you have a say?”

Kazak’s shoulders stiffen, and the tension rolling off him burns through me. “Yes, I do. It’s my right, and I’ll reveal the full truth to King Slate only. No offense to you, Gamemaster, but I’d rather speak directly to the man in charge.”

Silence suffocates me.

The Gamemaster cracks his neck, and the tension is so tight it’s about to snap. “You’ll get your audience soon enough. Don’t worry.” There’s venom in his voice, and I cringe.

“Oh, good. Royal judgment,” Lian barks. “Was getting worried this might end way too sensibly. And, Kazak, do your best to look guilty, which shouldn’t be too difficult for you.”

Heat rushes up to my throat as the rest of me goes cold. “He did nothing wrong,” I declare.

Kazak responds with a smile meant only for me.

“Well, if punishment is going to be handed out so we can move on with this whole delay in us returning to Grimvale, I vote for Kazak. Only fucking fair, seeing as he caused this damn mess.”

My hands curl into fists, fingernails biting into the meaty part of my palms. “Lian, don’t make this worse.”

“Oh—”

“Lian,” Corvin snaps.

“All right, that’s enough,” the Gamemaster states. He flicks two fingers at his beefy guards, then points at Kazak. “You will be held in the royal cells until the king makes time for your audience.”

My stomach drops through me. “Wait, no!” I reply, reeling closer to Kazak, who drops my bag by his feet.

“Get out of the way!” the Gamemaster orders loudly, his eyes darkening as they peer into my soul. “He’s a criminal and isn’t permitted to move freely through the city. So either step aside, or you can join him.”

“No—” My response flies out before I can stop myself, and his hardening gaze seems to threaten to skin me alive. Suddenly, I feel as though everything I’ve ever done was wrong, and I’m about to pay the ultimate price for it.

A hand sweeps around my lower back, and I’m drawn sideways against Corvin, pulling me out of the guards’ path. My back collides with a solid chest that’s as hot as an inferno, a gasp of air gushing from my lungs.

“She’s staying with us,” Corvin states.

Kazak growls, an arm reaching out for me, and I rip free from Corvin. I throw myself at Kazak, and my heart hammers in my rib cage, fearful for him. His hand catches mine between our bodies, and he presses something cold and hard into my palm. I glance down for a split second to see a gold coin. My head snaps up as his hand forces my fingers to close around it. He’s in my ear, whispering, “Keep it safe for me.”

Then the guards violently wrench him off me. I stumble on my feet from the motion, our arms still stretched out for each other.

They seize him by the arms, hauling them back. Kazak growls as a third guard drives an elbow into his gut, and Kazak grunts as he tips partially forward from the impact.

“Stop hurting him!” I lurch toward him, but Corvin snatches me by the arm, bringing me into his steel embrace.

“Hush,” he whispers. “He’ll be fine.”

Kazak’s head tips back, our eyes meeting for the longest second in the world, and my insides shatter. Then the guards drag him away. Rage flares behind my eyes.

“He didn’t even hurt anyone.” I turn on the Gamemaster, knowing it’s wrong, yet fury burns through me.

Lian’s at my side. “I mean, he looked like he could have taken those three guards without messing up his hair if he wanted to. I think he wants to go to prison.”