Page 101 of The Fallen Fae King

After all, I’m no longer the newest pet king in the empire. People will forget about me because of their fascination with the shackled Shadow Vampire.

If I play this right, I will even be released from Maximinus’ grip.

These bloody idiots are frightened of the wrong King.

My lips twitch.

How can they think that Lanlin is the villain?

Sun floods the opulent room but through my dim vision, it is blurred to a smear of gold and silver.

It makes my skin prickle that I can’t see Maximinus; I can only hear him moving around the study. I strain to listen to the rustle of parchments on the desk and what sounds creepily like he is stroking over the smooth surfaces of the large gold and silver statues that line the room.

I wrinkle my nose at Maximinus’ bitter scent.

“And that’s everything that happened while you were in that monster’s kingdom?” Maximinus asks like I haven’t just spent hours recounting the events in excruciating detail, trying not to collapse or at least beg for a mouthful of water. Is it afternoon already? “You didn’t leave anything out, sweet pet?”

“Unless you want me to tell you about that special thing that I can do with my tongue…”

“Most certainly not, whore. I am already convinced that with your trained courtesan skills you were able to trick an unhinged but lonely freak like Lanlin Sin into loving you.”

“Stop, you’re making me blush.”

“How did you escape the iron bracelets? Or did you think that I wouldn’t notice?”

A fae can always hope.

“Heka, Sin’s tutor, decided to use me as his test subject. He’s obsessed with cruel experiments. One of them nearly bloody killed me but it ripped the iron off me.”

My heart speeds up.

Will he believe me?

Maximinus gives a sharp laugh. “That sounds like Heka. I have heard that he rivals even me with his experiments. Perhaps, he should be given the moniker the Nightmare of Sheut.”

I startle at the sudden touch on my cheek.

When did Maximinus get so close?

All my senses are dimmed by exhaustion. My muscles tremor with the agony of the iron poisoning, which has been increasing over the last few days. It has been hard to hide it from Freya.

I blink fast, hoping to at least clear some of my vision, but I can only see a dark blur above me.

My heart rate speeds up.

I wrap my wings around myself.

Maximinus’ thick finger traces down my cheek, and I shudder.

“I knew that my cursed mask would work on the Blood Moon,” he crows, smugly. “The idea of one king wearing the downfall of another as his disguise is pleasing.”

“Whatever gets you off, boss.”

I’m expecting the slap. It’s still hard enough to turn my head to the side and bust my lip.

I lick over the tangy blood, probing at my sore lip.

What a waste; I wish that Lanlin was here to lick it up.