“There is no message, is there, Princess?”

She leaned in, her breasts pressing together indecently as she crossed her arms. “My title sounds so dirty as it drips from your lips, my king.”

Revulsion shot through my body. “Step away from me.”

My voice was nothing more than a rough growl, but the hunger in her eyes only grew.

“I’ve read about drakens. You’ve been trapped under a mountain for hundreds of years. Don’t you want to have some fun?”

She played with the necklace that dangled between her fingers, no doubt trying to attract my attention to her breasts. I wouldn’t play her little games.

“You have no idea what you’re dealing with, little girl.”

I glanced to the open door, but she raised her hand, fingers clenched. The door slammed shut, the sound echoing off the stone corridors. I flashed my fangs, claws and wings raised in alarm. My eyes shot to the sapphire circlet that sat on her golden hair like a crown. Apparently, the princess wasn’t as adverse to her heritage as the rest of her family. I gathered my own power around me as she leaned forward, one cold, clammy hand resting on my chest.

“I thought you might be a kindred spirit. We both know what it is to be trapped inside our homes, a victim to those who hold power over us.” The sapphire glowed ominously in her hair.

“You know nothing about me. Get out of my room.”

Kali pressed me against the door, her cloying perfume clogging my nose and burning my eyes. I didn’t want to hurt her by accident, so I didn’t fight back. She smelled like a dead, rotting garden.

“Your father would be appalled to see you.”

Her eyes glowed with untrained, raw power. Untrained witches were as dangerous as the little half-breed Luci was. How did she get the circlet from the queen?

“That’s rather the point.” Her hand trailed along my cheek, and I noticed witch claws struggling to burst through her human nail beds. “You’re a great, hulking brute. If I tell my father you forced me, who do you think he’d believe? Then you can kiss your alliance and this entire war goodbye.”

I recoiled from her, disgust rolling off of me in waves. “You don’t even want me. You just want to piss your father off.”

My voice rose in incredulity. She pressed her lips against mine, and I stiffened. Her hand drifted south and mine found her neck, careful to not mark her with my claws as I squeezed it in warning.

“Let go of me,” I snarled.

“Make me bleed and I’ll consider it.”

I dropped her in shock, pushing her off of me. Those words coming from Wren would have had me hard in seconds. Coming from this strange, sad girl it felt wrong. Ugly. An affront to my own mateship.

I pulled the door open. “Goodnight, princess.” I said firmly.

Kali sauntered out of my room while I scanned her neck to ensure I’d left no marks.