Ruling Sikthand (Clecanian, #7)

by Victoria Aveline

“A rider gains nothing by taunting their mount.”

“What is that? Like a sex doorbell or something?” She eyed it warily. Alno erupted into laughter, his hearty chuckle matching that of a man considerably rounder in the belly and redder in the face. “I heard humans were funny things.”

😂😂😂

If her potential soulmate were standing in front of her and all she had to do to know for sure that they were the one was smell them? Well, she’d probably go around sniffing after folks too.

I mean yeah, probably

The first two symbols might sound like Ja, though she didn’t trust her memory enough to be sure.

That bitch!!!!???

Something about Sikthand’s out-of-place tattoo had pulled at her, and she’d itched to learn what it said. Now she knew. It was her name. Japeshi. The woman he’d thought was his mate.

Elbows lowering to his knees, he leaned toward the mirror. Can you feel me, little human?

There, sketched in three different poses, was…him.

A black animal that was a cross between a lizard and a snake coiled its thick body around his neck and disappeared into his ear.

I’m sorry WHAT?

She peered into the glass at the thick milky liquid. And pointed at it, wincing, and gripping her neck. Silent laughter had dissolved Alno into a shaking ball. He clutched his stomach, and his laughter redoubled as he caught sight of her flaming face. She had half a mind to toss the rest of the fire milk at him.

Alno is literally the best

the king and sucked in an appalled breath. He was standing, the ghost of a smile on his face as he ran his fingers over the lapis bone detailing on Difila’s thigh.

Bitch WHAT?????

“You interrupted my conversation with Difila. Were you attempting to take her place in my bed tonight?”

And if I was??????

“Removing it would imply there is room for something else to take its place.” His fingers slipped from her waist. “There isn’t.”

🫣 yikes

“Hey!” She clapped twice, her breathing quick and shallow. When they eyed her hands, she hiked her shoulders. “I don’t have a tail.” She said matter-of-factly to explain why she hadn’t tapped twice as was customary when asking to speak.

Hahahahahahhahaah

“No. I don’t bend.” Sikthand’s eyes drifted to the mirror. Truth rose like acid in his throat. “But I could break for her.”

The Guild had explained that the queen had hundreds of humans still asleep in pods.

Probably the ones that Fejo saved??

My ancestor, Queen Slesain, mysteriously slipped and fell into a vat of molten metal, and

Horrible way to die

“There were reports of you fighting during the escape. You might not be a warrior, but you know the basics of defending yourself. Right?” He glared toward Alno. “Right?” Alno lifted his hands as Sikthand’s tail began to scrape over the ground. Sophia cringed and sucked her lip in to chew on it. “So, about that…”

Dying 😂😂😂😂😂

“I had a warrior character I liked, so I learned some moves, but the weapons we used were all…foam,” she added, wincing. “During the escape, I knew the soldiers weren’t allowed to harm any humans,

🤣😭🤣🤣😭🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

After a few tense moments, he growled, “You stay at my side.”

How much did a cow weigh? Estimations like that had never been her strong suit. Someone could tell her they weighed five hundred pounds or five thousand pounds, and she’d believe either.

Felt that 😆

“I’m gonna learn to fight, aren’t I?” she groaned, rolling her still-stiff shoulders.

I’ve memorized it all so I know exactly where to find you when the pressure in my chest threatens to crush me.

“We won’t know what happened until he wakes up and tells us, but Ahea collapsed at the infirmary with the king in her claws. She carried him straight there, brilliant girl.”

♥️♥️

I enjoy how empty your face is without a hood. He frowned. Describing her captivating, beguiling, hoodless face as empty? Idiotic.

🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Fuck a duck. Heat seeped through her insides. She was going to get into the king’s pants tonight if it was the last thing she ever did.

Were the corners of his eyes black?

His mind shorted when foreign scribbling met his eyes. What language was this?

…. English hunny you know the language she speaks???

And hypothetically I’d take that shiny retractable spear you gave me to train with, and hypothetically I’d shove it up your ass.”

🤣

It was because she’d seen Sikthand’s eyes up close when he’d removed his helmet…and they’d been solidly black.

I know it’s a long shot, but I really think Asivva is the best choice.

YESSSSSS