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The king?

The shadows in his mind rear high, hardening in an instant. Ice pierces my mind, and I flinch as the brain freeze seizes me.

He will know.His last words suck into a dark vortex of emotion, disappearing in an instant. His thoughts are replaced with a singular, building roar.

I slip out of his mind, cutting the connection spell, and land within the boundary of my skull.Fuck.

The roar bursts through his mouth, loud in my ears. I thrash and kick, pushing away from his body. His grip on my body breaks, and he flounders, reaching for me. I dodge, twisting out of the way. His teeth glint in the darkness to catch the rainbowed rays of the skylights, his smile twisting into a snarl.

I pump my tail. His claws graze the feathered edge of my fins.

No time to think. Just swim. Faster. Faster. I scan the dark water for familiar landmarks. Where is my escape?

He roars again, drowning the sound of the heartbeat thundering in my head.

I don’t make it more than three pumps before his hands are on me again. I slam into his chest. Arms tighten. A push of muscle, and we launch through the water.

Chapter twenty-five

Beast

Panic.

Anger.

Chaos.

The king will know what I’ve done.

Her golden ass, pressed to my erection.

Cock swells, hidden beneath a sheath. Desperate to emerge. To feel her. This soft, golden female, with kind, warm eyes.

And she wants to escape.

The king might know already. I have been careless with her.

I have been desperate.

But she is my friend. A friend that smells of arousal.

She wriggles in my arms.

Freedom, she wanted. Freedom, I gave her.

But it’s only for tonight.

I will never let her go forever. Was I not obvious? Does she think I’m stupid?

Inferior?

Submissive?

I snort. I am not any of those things.

I am the Beast—the king’s Beast. Important. Essential.

Protector of the Rime.