The Serpent King's Human Consort

der B

oke me befo

lipped into the bedroom, the kind that settles over a graveyard

urtains had been drawn back, and gray moonlight spilled across t

le timing. My second was that if he intended to murder me, he

cognized the long black hair and t

la

lders rose and fell too quickly, as though he had run up ever

rearm, a pattern of fine, glossy scales that rippled and receded like a tide. He pressed his palm fl

ilable to me. I stayed perfectly

hing slow and even, which was far harder than it sounds when your hear

enough that the cold of him prickled along my arm. He stayed there for a lo

icked it half off in my sleep, apparently. His fingers did not touch me, b

ietly that I almost bel

the window was closed, the curtains

n the Serpent King's palace was offensively comfortable. Second, the breakfast was excellent,

s particularly irritating because it meant I couldn't

Sunlight spilled across the floor. Sylas Nocthar was gone

the faint scent of rain on stone that still clung to the curtains. Not that I had expected him to come at all. We had been ma

g for him in the eastern wing? A lover? A companion? Someone he had been s

problems. Like the fact that you live in a kingdom where

nded. "Your

Or my jailer. I h

me

hes. "His Majesty requests your pres

at her.

our Hig

a sudden interes

know, Your

That would be

"His Majesty also wishes to remind y

oward the clothes. I sl

eres

High

tion why he felt the

N

tood at the corner of that corridor wit

Sylas shouldn't have known. Then again, he was an immortal serpent k

ng," I said

d her eyes

chec

I entered the breakfast chambe

ws, dressed in a dark blue c

d human. Unlike Sylas, who carried an unsettling stillness that made every room feel smaller, this man appeared app

id. "The ne

de the table.

over his chest and bow

othing to me. At

ld friend,

ade me wonder how old their friendshi

ed to Nagaeon afte

vely fo

ed. "You're q

it sav

" He extended his hand. "It's a

ot cold enough to be alarming, b

kew

e silver serpent clasp at my

? I was hoping the outfit would m

tle, a fraction of a second perhaps. His smile softened, and his eyes lingered on the king with a familiarity that made me f

was going to

wn. "So," I said brightly, "how

undred

ea. I coughed into my n

use

ive centuries,"

Sylas. "Your friend is

es

looks li

s narrowed.

as never had to wor

iled. "Yo

en worrying about my hair

y-three," Syl

ank you for that deeply

suspect that making my husband laugh would require eit

Aldric telling us about

Actually listened. He didn't interrupt. He didn't issue orders. He didn't look as though he wanted to execute the pe

palace garden, and Syl

he white roses?

cour

would never sur

y di

led. "No.

ting them. Whatever their relationship had been, it was not an ordinary friendship. And sudde

had been given a marriage

every old friend receive a private breakfa

ward me. Sylas s

e you im

admiring you

und sus

or two days. Suspicion is p

ether, clearly trying not t

r breakfast

"Yes, Your

to keep secrets, he should at least learn to stop looking

ardens, and I accepted immediately. Not because I was i

ike the sort of person who knew far more than he admitted. Besides, he was considerably les

oss the grounds, filled with silver-leaved trees and dark roses that seemed to ab

ou something

ill the answer g

erely h

proc

. "Did you choos

n't a particularl

at would improve my life? Marrying an immortal king who loo

ed slightly. "So y

as a treaty. Apparently, my l

ment. Then he asked, "Do

ite thing to do. Unfortunately, I had neve

like a politic

red his gaz

that made me study him more caref

m n

spiciously like

never been particularly skilled

t is he s

vivi

ate that I fell silent.

mmortality does not necessarily make someone wise. Sometimes, it me

first time, his pleasan

husband is emotio

ghed so suddenly that a nea

could describ

st someone underst

e. People who knew Sylas too well were likely to be dangerous. And Aldric Valemont, with his five-hundred-

fternoon, Mara was waiting beside my

here is something

behind me. "That

ted Lord Valemont to

how l

ated. "Ind

ould bring his ancient friend into the palace and keep him here ind

aps we can celebrate by in

High

Mara. I'm pe

t that Aldric's presence unsettled me. Not because I was afraid of

warm in ways I hadn't known he was capable of being with someone else. It made me wonder whether I had b

e gardens shimmered beneath the afternoon sun. Aldric was there.

. For one brief moment, our eyes met. He smiled. I returned the

ic hadn't returned to Nagaeon simply because he missed an old friend. And

ars ago, it wasn't over. Not even close. And someh

ed, "next time you decide to sacrifice your son for the family, could

beginning to think the universe

Sylas stood in the doorway. Alon

uss your behavio

d. "My b

kfast. Your remarks. Yo

everal seconds. Then

ts with whoever you please, you barely acknowledge your own hus

ed. "That is no

ctly are you s

o the room. For once,

ing involved in matters

aps you should stop bringing

emed to grow colder. For several seconds, neithe

ay from

retreating fig

idn't turn aroun

I don't think I did. Are you forbid

arning

ut w

nswer enough. I t

start issuing more orders. You cannot treat me like a stranger whenever it suits

thing flashed in his eyes. Anger, per

about my marriage,

age." My voice softened, but only slightly. "Because you haven'

stared at me. Then he left. The

hing. I hadn't learned what had happened between Sylas and Aldric. I hadn't discovered

ldness, Sylas Nocthar cared very much about wh

nt while he dragged me through the ruins of his

ilver serpent clasp from my collar. Its jeweled e

f you want me to stay away from Aldric, yo

ous. And in Nagaeon, curiosity was apparentl