Eidolon (Wraith Kings, #2)

by Grace Draven

If her physical strength equaled that of her character, she could carry a loaded wagon on her back up a mountainside and never break a sweat.

“Privilege,” she said gently, “gives the crown its shine. Duty gives it its weight.

“I will not give you up,” he vowed between clenched teeth. “I will suffer the ritual, gladly. Let it rip me apart and put me back together again. I will rob my people of their magic and fight the galla. I will not renounce my wife.” He shook against her, burying his face in her neck. “Don’t leave me, Ildiko,” he implored. “The burden is only bearable because you’re here.”

“Nothing but a bunch of bluster if you ask me. I’d want proof to believe that nonsense.” “Any time, any place, fair Anhuset.” Serovek’s sudden appearance out of seeming thin air made Ildiko jump and Anhuset snarl. He closed the distance between himself and the Kai woman until there was only a hand’s length of space between them. Brishen feared the margrave courted imminent disemboweling. “Name it,” he almost purred, “and I’ll be happy to prove the title is more than bluster.” Ildiko eyes rounded. Anhuset didn’t step back. Her eyes shone bright, even in the afternoon light. Quick as a striking snake, she cupped Serovek between his legs and pushed upward. He inhaled a sharp breath and went up on his toes, gaze drifting slowly down to where her claws caged his genitals. Her wide, pointy grin guaranteed most human males would piss themselves at the sight. “You wouldn’t survive me, horse lord.” Serovek wasn’t most human males. After the first shock of surprise wore off, he relaxed into her palm and quirked a smile. “But I would die happy, and you’d regret killing me.”

It was a luxury he’d taken for granted—days, months, years to indulge in the love of his beautiful, ugly wife.

“I would have been content to live my life as just Brishen,” he whispered into her hair. “Who was loved by Ildiko.”

“I’ll sleep long and hard when I’m dead. You defy death by celebrating life.”

“The Mollusk Queen who married the Eel King.” A mismatch if there ever was one, but for them, somehow, it worked.

When I told you I would have bludgeoned you had I seen you in my room. Very romantic. At the time I fancied myself a most unfortunate bride. Marrying a stranger who wasn’t even human.” She kissed his shoulder. “How wrong was I, and how glad I am for it.” “But you aren’t wrong, wife. I’m not human.” “You know what I mean.” A faint tug on her scalp told her he’d lifted a lock of her hair. “I recall you standing in the sunlight, pale as a bleached fish bone and this hair gleaming red. I thought your head was on fire.” She chuckled. “And I was sure someone had set loose a two-legged wolf in the garden, teeth and claws and yellow eyes. I think my heart stopped for a moment when you slid back your hood.” “That’s because I’m breathtakingly handsome,” he bragged in smirking tones.

“Hello, pretty hag,” he said. “Wolf,” she teased. “You look good enough to eat.”

“No. Nothing so grand. I’m content to live my life as just Ildiko,” she said softly, repeating words similar to those he once whispered in her hair when he thought her asleep. “Who is loved by Brishen.”