A hard punch cut off the rest of his words, then they were rolling again, knocking into furniture and ripping at each other’s clothing. The king ended up on top, his fist connecting hard with Cassius’s face, once, then twice, then several more times, each with an almost joyous bark of glee, and just when Aurora was about to run over and throw herself into the fight as well, the older man stiffened, and jerked, his arm hanging in the air for a moment where it had been poised to strike again. Then his whole body was shoved sideways, sprawling flat on the bloodied rug with a dagger buried to the hilt in his chest.

Cassius, bloody and breathing heavy, sat up to look at her—his face swelling from his father’s punches. Between heaving breaths he said, “He made me paranoid as a child. Now I keep weapons stashed everywhere. Including here.” He thumped a hand underneath the settee next to where they had been fighting. Cassius reached up and wiped away some of the blood that had been running down his face, then he looked at her with purple, swollen features.

“Now will you believe me when I tell you I mean you no harm?”

Aurora stared, stunned and relieved, and a part of her—that new, dark, hateful part—relished the violence she had just seen, that had been done for her.

She jerked, horrified by that feeling, and quickly declared, “I am still not marrying you.”

“Fine,” Cassius grunted, climbing to his feet with a wince on his bruised face. “But maybe a different kind of partnership? You might have more gifts than I realized,” he said, gesturing toward her heart with a knowing look. “But I am willing to bet you cannot take on the Stormlord on your own. Face it, you need me, Aurora.”

What she needed was Kiran. And her mother. And Duke. And Jinx. And every other member of her newfound family. But she looked at him, at the earnest expression on his face, and the blood he wore like a badge of honor. He had killed his father to protect her. That had to earn him at least some measure of trust.

Finally, she answered, “I’m not looking for a partner, but I’ll take a soldier, if you’re willing.”

She held out her hand, and Cassius took a step forward. He towered over her, and even covered in blood and bruises, the man looked dangerous. He ignored the hand she offered and knelt before her instead.

“As you wish, my Queen.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS