The Serpent King's Human Consort

er Bel

nd time, I laughed harder. By the third time, I realized he wasn't joking,

loor, and I wasn't particularly interest

me to ma

rs against his forehead. "T

er, who suddenly seemed fascinated by her

rtal Serp

es

ler of

es

cts supposedly eat h

do not eat human

ying a man whose people mig

, and I consider

the importance of marrying someone respectable. Apparently, my family's definition of respecta

I have a

ha

ur mind, or has s

on darkened.

ncerned about

rry King Syl

ed entire villages before breakfast and complained when the blood stained his expensive boots. I picked u

e?" I

and that hesitation

having only three servants. No. We were the sort of broke where my father had started counting coins in his stu

its shine. And now my father had apparently decided that selling

recognized noble family," he explained. "The king

lec

es

y unfortunate veget

was afraid of him, but because the table had survived three generations

a serious

Yet nobody seems intereste

der, darling, please understand. Th

will it

d softly, because for once, I coul

g, and arranged my marriage without asking whether I wanted it. I was twenty-three years old, a

I leave?"

row mo

at him. "

es

ings, or would the king prefer them

der, e

n forbid I complain about being se

and I pretended not to hear her. If I stayed another minute, I might actually cry, and

whether their king had scales beneath his clothes. And whether I would be expected to share a

had been packed into four trunks. Four

married or b

another shirt. "Your father wants yo

g or his di

aused. I

was a

w, my

ok frig

t frigh

like you're atte

head. I patte

die, you can hav

don't sa

have the blac

miserable, so I deci

. A face my mother described as handsome and my older relatives described as wasted potential. Perso

n unfortunate mouth and a family that had apparen

n, "today you become someone's husban

bbed my co

roying days. The carriage bounced over rocky roads, my back hurt, and the foo

s ready to declare war on

stopped. I leaned

ve we s

the door. "We've

mediately forgot every c

ingly bottomless ravine. Silver serpents were carved into the stone walls, their mouths open around crowns. The gates w

stared. One of the guards turned toward me, revealing golden eyes with n

tain my father couldn't

lowed. "Yes

Absolutel

e courtyard immediately bowed their head. I loo

, n

ced at me.

mportant i

he king,

en appearance of a hundred people who look

oss the stone. I tur

octhar. My f

pent King was ridiculously handsome. He appeared to be in his late twenties, with long black hai

ith silver serpents. He was tall,

onsiderably less dignif

ething and actually standing in front of the man you were expected to marry were two entirely different experiences.

h on a man who could probably have me executed before lunch. Besides, I had no idea whether I even liked men. I had never imagined marrying

t of me. His golden e

the human

lf. There was nobody

cretly arranged for

extraordinary. I almost admire

a remarkab

've had it my

uard trying not to laugh. Sylas didn't smile. Perhaps the man had never

who I am?"

s reaction, I'm guess

if

ke to complain a

I should have kept that particular though

ght here to become

rom the four trunk

y the laws of

ural

restricted chambers

rstan

nterfere in mat

state interfere w

that my future husband was not particularly fond of me, which was an unfortunate

ery brave or very

n accused

prickled. For one brief moment, I felt the overwhelming urge to step away. I refused. I had already been dragged across two

to marrying m

esty, I object to marrying a man I m

et you

able habit of making dec

you should lea

should learn that not e

I couldn't quite understand, and I had the uncomfortable feeling that he was

t wing. The wedding

ed. "Ex

head. "Did I s

on that the treaty required a consort, not

d. "Do you objec

es

had just rejected the most powerful man in the kingdom

. "You are standing

otic

follow m

will foll

ever so slightly. It wasn't a friendly smile. It was the sort of sm

urned away. "Bring

ce, leaving me standing in the courtyard with a rapidly deteriorating se

el

lord, you cannot speak

ently,

have you i

e prison has co

ry. I sighed and followe

and silver serpents decorated the pillars. Strange paintings lined the walls, depicting ancient ba

spacious bedroom. The bed was enormous. The curtains were black. The wind

is my

my l

s it come with

ant star

other joke,"

e of humor. Perhaps they needed time. Or perhaps th

st it. For the first time since arriving, I allowed myself

twenty-eight despite supposedly having lived for centuries. And I had alre

have I

father had done it. But t

of the bed. Tomorrow, I would see Sylas

long enough to regret it properly. But I knew one thing. If Sylas Nocthar expected me to become a silen

o army, and no powerful relatives willing to rescue me

e most terrifying king in the supernatural world, I might as