The Serpent King's Human Consort

er Bel

s, but one particular problem had been sitting i

quid. My husband's medicine. The mysterio

r as though it might suddenly open and reveal all

red. "Let's think ab

al serpent king." A second finger. "Two. He has a m

y knows more about his private life than his own husband does." I lowered my hand. "An

sensible people did, wasn't it? They stayed in their rooms, read books, enjoyed exp

eople probably didn't end

up and held it toward the light. The black liquid moved slowl

but I couldn't read it. Naturally. Because why would anything in this king

us potions. No getting executed before brea

and walked toward the door. Apparen

e palace. Mara had mentioned it during our tour, although she had a

e with a warning. Fortunately, the physician's door was o

deeply unfortunate expression of someone who had spent his entire life deali

morn

his desk. "Yo

le on his desk. "

expression changed. Only slightly,

id you g

nd gave i

d myself. Technically, Sylas had asked Mara to leave it i

and examined the inscription. "Did

N

l you to br

N

ed his eyes. "Then why ha

ing friends with peo

Tough audience.

entire medical history. I just want

g moment. Then he set the bottle d

lizing

"His Majesty

eryone keeps saying

mation is c

ead back. "Of

. "Your Highness, I advise you not to i

ith anything involving that man. I would prefer to spend the re

ld return to y

e bottle. "One

briefly. I liked hi

ve anything to do with

There. That was interesting. I

ou ask such

ve noticed

patt

afterward, the servants carry strange bottles through the palac

said nothing.

y are co

not say

dn't ha

ighness, this con

r. "Thank you for your hospitality. I shall reme

san

called me by my name before. Hi

red, do not confront His Majesty wit

ded. "Is he

nt, I realized that the question had fright

cuss this fur

than answers. Wonderful. My marriage was turning into a mystery

ow, drink tea, and mind my own business. For approximately seven minutes, I succeeded

rning, L

bottle in my hand. The

te me on another suspi

as hoping to s

ignificantly l

d. "May I

d. Stay away from Aldric. I looked at Aldric. Then

and appears with an execut

ound my chambers before settling on

id you g

hy does everyone ke

le belongs

ou've identified th

de me stop smiling. He approached me

bottom, and the longer he looked, the more troubled his expr

id you f

Mara said it

hen he asked, "Has t

ed. "Th

seconds, neither of us spoke.

u know about Sy

cian apparently considers info

ut a slow br

"You're going to e

rd the window.

son in this palace who

tell you is not something S

und considerably

For the first time, he seemed

is cu

ed between us.

rse

es

wh

changed. "That is

thout humor.

destroying his immortal body. At first, the symptoms were mi

iling. "His

mmortality and the magic protecting Nagaeon are bound together. If his condi

him. "What h

lity to control his transformation. The kingdom's

xpected secrets. I hadn't expected the possibi

curse b

fore his words did. "Not by

the bottle. "An

arily stab

ow

y. Physical closeness can temporarily slow its progression, al

t my husband has been sleeping with oth

es

all. Then I laughed. Not because anything was funny, but because the uni

ursed, his kingdom is in danger, and the solu

n oversimp

s

s far more compli

orehead. "Of

should understand. Sylas did not choose this curse. H

"And the person

came unreadable. "Some

knew the answer before

ou

it. The room seem

curse

lowered

spoken so sadly about lost love. The man Sylas still watched as though he w

I whi

rstand what it felt like to lose something he believed would always belong to him." He looked up. "I told myself that I was justified

gry. But I could also hear the regret in his vo

u rever

ed away. "I

e one who

startled me. He closed his eyes

ther of us spoke.

. Sylas will be furious if he discover

hy

doesn't want

ned. "

te him than look at him

o strained. Why he disappeared for hours. Why the servants carried medicine through the palace. Why his physician looked frighte

toward the doo

ed up.

tell him I s

st. Then I smiled faint

thought you mi

vival. A former lover who had caused his suffering. And a marriage I had entered without understanding any of it. I had

t read a single page. He entered without knocking. Of course he did. Apparently, doors were merely decorative ob

id you g

evening, husband. How

san

de. "Mara brought

ok it to th

"How did

darkened. "That

ncerning that the palace walls seem

anyone about

edicine. Not concern about my curiosity. Fear. He w

ke to

lowed was so absolute that I could hear the faint

id he t

ou're c

e unreadable.

at your condition could destroy this kingdo

ime, I saw something in them that

ght to discuss

at him. "

ad no

my conversation with Aldric? Not the f

ed. "That is no

top making it everyone's concern by keeping

a brief moment, I thought I saw something beneath the skin of his neck, a f

get what you

at his ba

d toward me. "W

at I think, or what I do with the information you've hidden from me. I'm your consort, Sylas. You brou

narrowed.

came here because I dreamed of marryi

t least then I could pretend he cared enough to be of

en asking you to tell me every secret you've ever had." I glanced at the bottle. "But if y

lent for a long t

othing abou

plain it

ill

hy

se I s

ghed. It was a terrible lau

lieva

or and opened it.

re you

ivacy. You see

san

ht, Your

ed in front of me. For one strange moment, I thought he might apologi

n perhaps you should tel

me and left the room. I closed the door.

e anger, another feeling had begun to take shape. Worry. I didn't love Sylas Nocthar. I barely kne

g. A man who was terrified of losing control over his own body. A man who might lose everything he h

the bottle. The black liquid shimm

ered. Then, after a moment, I added,

Sylas had ordered me to. Not because Aldric had asked me to keep his secrets. But because I refuse

ave to get used to disappointment. Because I had never been parti