T. Grey - The Fallen King

His boots splashed in the ankle-deep water as he made his way into the blackened cave that’d become his impromptu home. He’d had many ‘homes’ since being banished by his brother Telal. Sometimes on his travels, he would find a desolate shack or old farmhouse that he’d steal a few nights away in, but the further he’d gone from the kingdom the less he saw of other people.

Not much lived outside the kingdom, and the kingdom offered the only protection against idummi attacks. They had a highly trained militia of shahoulin demon warriors—the best in the rift. The lethal venom idummi carried in their fangs would kill anything it bit unless treated promptly by someone who knew what they were doing.

Alrik hadn’t slept well in years it seemed. Since he was forced from his crown, his journey seemed to stretch on endlessly. He had no one. He’d never known how much he craved companionship, even just idle conversation, until he no longer had it.

He couldn’t even relax let alone get a full night’s rest. Not when the idummi targeted him like he’d be their next juicy snack. He’d interrogated enough idummi before ending their lives to learn his mother stood behind the attacks. He couldn’t say that surprised him. She knew he was after her and that he was shunned from his kingdom. Which only meant that she knew he wanted to kill her. Alrik had prepared the best he could for her because few were smarter and more cunning than his mother. She’d set a target on his back the moment she learned of his banishment. Now it was just a matter of time to see who died first.

Just how many idummi she’d managed to rally to her cause, he didn’t know. If his mother was one thing aside from insane, it was smart. She might have an army bigger than he could imagine. He’d just have to prepare for the worst. He did have one benefit on his side—determination. He wouldn’t stop. Nothing would get in his way until her royal wet blood slipped between his fingers.

The cove he’d chosen to use was off a small, freshwater lake in the rift. The cave was well hidden around sharp rocks and a dangerous, steep slope that led down to the water. From atop the slope it looked like it went down into the water and nothing else, but when one actually walked down the slope and swam down, the slope actually gave way underneath to a large, cavernous space.

The human mumbled to herself, her head lolling left and right. Something tightened in his gut as he looked at her. He didn’t like it. Gazing upon her stirred something deep inside of him.

Alrik cursed.

Who was she to try to compete with his Arianna? She was no Arianna. Arianna was a goddess. Beautiful, shining, dark black hair fell down to her slender waist and a graceful figure and demeanor that could only be obtained with the best of haute, aristocratic blood in her veins. This human looked nothing like his Arianna. She had hair the color of wet dirt. It looked thin and not heavy like Arianna’s hair. She had wide hips and more curves than Arianna, but Arianna didn’t need blatant curves. Her graceful figure brought about attention alone.

Simply put, she wasn’t his Arianna.

Then why did his gut clench just looking at her?

Too long without a woman, maybe. His gaze trailed over her form once more taking in the slight span of her waist and the flare of her hips. The sight stirred something hot buried deep inside him. He wondered how she’d feel pressed tight against him…bare skin to bare skin.

His cock hardened like steel.

Enough!

Alrik charged into the dark cave. He didn’t need his sight in his place; he knew it like the edge of his sword. He went far back into the cave, sidestepping the fire pit he’d made before he’d left to find the human. Then he dropped the human on the sandy floor. He wasn’t gentle about it and she gave him the response he’d been looking for. Her eyes shot open, mouth forming a big circle as pain pinched her features. She let out a low, husky groan that did nothing to alleviate the pressure in his groin.

“What the hell,” she groaned, turning on her side to rub her back.

“We will talk now.”

She hadn’t been aware of him, he realized. Now she was. Slowly her head fell back, her eyes turned up to meet his. Recognition dawned slowly. Her eyes darted wildly around the cave filling with panic and fear. She stood in a rush then wobbled on her feet. Panic had her in its grip. She swung her arms out, found the wet cave wall with a hand and then leaned towards it to steady herself, pressing both hands against it.

“What the hell’s going on? Oh my god, where am I?”

“Be quiet. I will talk and you will listen. Do you understand?” He hadn’t met a human in years. In his previous experience, some were smart and others not so much. He hoped his salvation didn’t lie in a daft girl who looked entirely too young to have the amount of power the seer spoke of.

She turned and glared at him. The spark of anger was good, and the cleverness he spotted in her eyes even better. Good, she wouldn’t be daft.

“Excuse me? How about you tell me who you are, demon , where I am, why I’m here, and what you want with me?” She crossed her arms and set her light green eyes on him.

Alrik had the distinct urge to stalk over to her and tower over her just to see her quiver in fear. She will learn her place soon enough. Her attitude would go even quicker. He was a king, and some lowly human would not treat him like a servant.

Alrik straightened and let the darkness in his heart bleed out to the air around him, stifling it, biting out the oxygen she so desperately need. The human sensed his magic. Her eyes traced the air around her as if she could see it. Maybe she could.

Then she gasped, choking. Her hands flew to her throat as she gagged, her lungs working hard to suck in air. Her knees buckled and only then did he release his magic. Stepping close to her, he looked down at her puny form with a sneer. “You do not order me around, human. Stay down or what you just felt will only be a taste of what I’ll do to you.”

When she looked up at him it wasn’t with fear as he’d expected but...anger. Alrik took a step back, then another. He had to stay away from her. Maybe she was more dangerous then he’d originally given her credit for. She had fight in her. She wasn’t stupid and she wasn’t easily scared. Hmm... Maybe this could turn out to be in his favor. Having a strong witch under him, a smart one even, would be much better than a weak one. She wouldn’t cower in fear when she saw her first idummi demon, which she surely would see many of during their journey.

“Good, your lack of fear gives me some confidence that you’ll do after all.”

“For what?” she spat, her eyes glaring fiery hatred at him.

He loved the look. His body absorbed the hatred and when he sucked in a deep breath, he almost felt fuller, more whole, and some feeling close to happiness. He loved the hatred as much as it loved him. He smiled bearing his teeth. “You’ll aid me in killing my mother.”

She choked in surprise, her eyes flying wide and jaw dropping. He could see the edge of her pink tongue and jerked his gaze away as a blaze of something wrong flew through him. Kneeling by the fire pit, he set to work stacking logs and began lighting them with a quick spell. He needed something to do other than stare at her. Something unsettled him when he looked at her.

“Excuse me, camp master, but I’m not helping you kill anyone. Where am I?”

He waited until all the logs caught and the orange glow lit up the cavern. His gaze caught on her face. She wasn’t beautiful like Arianna, but something about her was pleasant to look at he just couldn’t put his finger on it yet. Overall, she almost looked plain, simple even, but something about him stirred him.