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Narrowing his gaze on her as he took several steps toward her, he deetting, my love?”

Her eyes darkened with her own anger Visibly seething, she lifted her chin and said, “You are the king”

“Very good” He turned to go

Before he ot in her own jab “This is e could never be married!”

He slammed the door behind him and mounted his horse They rode hard to the castle, but the exertion and the icy air did nothing to calm Davian or cool his temper

Passing through the towering gates, he realized he’d be a y within hiave over his cloak to a stable attendant, along with Thunder’s reins

“I need an ax,” he announced, his voice heavy with agitation

Moments later, he had one in hand and stored through the blustery weather and banks to the dense woods inhabited by most of the shifters in his alliance, as well as other demons who preferred a simpler lifestyle than was the norm within the castle

He found a fallen tree with a thick trunk and took the ax to it, his blows strong, agitated ones The base ide and required a significant ae Chopping was a mindless—and harmless—way in which to release his emotions

As the sharp blade struck the wood over and over, he blocked his conversation with Jade froression and angst on the luh, he was breathing heavy, but feeling a little less inclined to throttle someone

He knew better than to blah the slayer was older than Jade by a few years, Davian himself kne difficult it was to refuse her when she set herconstitution and ere traits he admired when it came to her

He’d be a hypocrite to want her to be meek and timid Easily manipulated or directed His interest in her would never have developed were she not so detere he’d fallen in love with, not just her beautiful face and alluring body He couldn’t deny that

What irritated him was the fact that he feared he’d never be able to keep her safe It wasn’t a concern that had cropped up with her admission she’d been sworn in as a slayer, but one that had manifested itself deep within hi on the riverbank She’d been alone and vulnerable to pain for a long ti her once, and Davian was not so arrogant that he didn’t blaer

This nagging thought had hi stacked several h for him to be civil He headed toward the castle

Entering his study, he sank into the large chair behind his desk He needed a shower and soet no reprieve from the disaster he’d returned to—and the inevitable outcome