I wouldn’t back down.
Dante was within those walls. I could feel the pull of my mate even from this distance.
The pain he had endured. Through our bond, though not settled into a strong link yet, was still formed enough for me to feel a dull ache whenever they harmed him. I couldn’t feel what was happening, but the agony he was feeling vibrated through the connection and rattled my very core. I needed to take care of my mate.
And kill the High King.
I’d be free of the contract once and for all.
I whipped my body around, slashing my tentacles out at my enemies and cutting them down as they grew near. Although they needed weapons, my true form was five times the size of any single creature in Brasil. I could destroy the entire kingdom if I wanted, yet they still believed I was no threat to them. Even after taking my mate from me.
In blinding fury, I killed my way through the guards and down toward the main castle where I knew they were keepingDante. I could feel my mate close by. The tight pull in my gut, or at least where it would be if I were in my more human form. I was led through the tight opening of the castle entrance where half the guards fled at the sight of me. I should’ve laughed at them, but all I could do was focus in on where the throne room was. The High King was always very narcissistic and insisted on remaining in that room with his entourage most days.
Blood splattered my tentacles and I was sure much more, but all I could worry about was Dante. They had him for almost a full day while I shook off those measly creatures and got here. What had they done to him in that amount of time?
Without much effort I slammed into the grand doors, sending them flying off in different directions before bursting through the gaping hole and facing off with the High King on his throne. There was a cruel smirk on his lips and when he made eye contact with me, it grew into a wicked grin.
“There you are. Finally.” He cackled, his head tossed back. “I was wondering how long it would take for you to get here.”
“Where is he?”
“Oh, I’m sure he’s havingloadsof fun right about now.”
As my vision went red, the side doors of the room were thrown in and the crowned princess entered. She had a small snake curled around her wrist and she carried a swirling whirlpool of anger behind her.
“Brother! I demand to know what the meaning of this is!” She barely flicked her gaze toward me, but the snake in her hand perked up and tilted its head.
Why was there a snake here in Brasil? Why did it seem self-conscious too? The more I watched the creature, the more in tune with my body that I became. The pull and intensity of my mate being nearby had increased, but only when the princess had entered. The snake unfurled from the princess’ gasp and danced in the palm of her hand while watching me.
Fuck, was that–
“So it’s true. One of the guards mentioned he was a Monvie.” The High King cackled once more. “Surprises, surprises. Xexon, did you know that your mate was in fact a shifter? And not just any shifter, a Monvie!”
Dante, a Monvie? Were they not extinct?
“What have you done to this poor shifter?” the princess scowled, though her brow was trembling and her hand twitched closer to the swirling pool behind her. She was not simply angry at her brother. Not as siblings normally were, at least. No, this was stronger.
“Xexon needed to be taught a lesson.” The High King shrugged. “So we used his mate instead.”
“You…” she gasped and backed up a step, looking down at Dante.
Fuck, they didn’t–
“You–!”
The High King only continued to laugh as the guards surrounded him, protection from me. Though even as my vision blurred further, my mind comprehended the quick movement of the princess.
A horde of guards rushed in from behind her, weapons drawn. She flicked her fingers through her whirlpool, brandishing a silver blade adorned in emeralds. With one quick move of her wrist, she chucked the sword at her brother.
The High King was so busy laughing at his own actions that he hadn’t seen the weapon nor was he able to stop it in time. It sliced right across his neck, decapitating him.
His guards whipped around at the sound of his head rolling, but the princess’ own guards lunged forward, stabbing each of them through the chest.
The shock of it all froze me in place and my vision cleared, my mind unsure of what to do next. The High King was dead. Thatmeant the princess was to be the new High Queen. And Dante was in her hand. She held all of the power, yet he didn’t so much as twitch with fear during the entire scene.
Dante just continued to watch me, slithering ever so slightly. Was he missing me as much as I had been him?
Slowly, as the guards stepped down and the princess gave quick orders for the room to be cleaned up, I moved down toward the floor. With each second that passed, I shifted a little more into my more human form, the room growing larger in my eye as my body shrunk down.