The King of Forever (Scarlet and the White Wolf, #4) by Kirby Crow Read Free Book Online

the Morturii slums, before snarling bastard at him and flopping back on his pillows. “Jochi isn’t my keeper. I’m a man grown and you can’t put my mistakes on him. You have no fucking right!”
    “I have every right.”
    “Just who in Deva’s shrieking hell do you think you are?”
    “I think I’m the only fucking king in this room.” Liall strove for calm. This was not the manner to take with Scarlet. It never worked. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in the chair. “I’m King Nazheradei of Rshan na Ostre, and like it or not, Jochi is my subject and will do as I command.”
    Scarlet’s jaw went tight. “And me?”
    “You’re Scarlet, son of Scaja the wainwright. You’re also ser Keriss kir Nazheradei, t’aishka of the king, royal consort, and Lord of the Wild.” Liall had formally given Scarlet the noble title last month, along with the Wild itself; a patch of rich hunting lands in the rocky countryside of the Nauhinir. The customary gift of land had angered his court, but it was expected that a nobleman should own something in his own right. It seemed even his small gifts to his t’aishka would be resented. “I don’t expect you to obey me, so get your temper down before you burst a vein. What I do expect is for you not to openly curse me or to coax my servants and vassals to defiance. What do you think would happen to Jochi if you were killed?”
    Scarlet frowned. “You wouldn’t do that.”
    Liall snorted. “Don’t wager on it. Living as atya of the Kasiri is not so far away in my memory, and krait-law is not that different from Rshani law. I would have made him pay for your life, and your guards would have paid as well. Is that what you want?”
    Reminding Scarlet of their Byzantur adventuring seemed to get through, because his chin dropped. “Of course not. Now that there’s light to see, I only wanted to wander a bit and taste more of the land. You said hunting was safe.”
    So that was it. Scarlet’s wilding nature was coming to life with the sun. “Hunting is never safe. I said it was safer within the palace grounds, not outside of them, as you well know.” Liall sighed. “We have not spent much time together lately, I know. That’s why I leave you in Jochi’s company: because you’re fond of him and he cares for you. He would not allow you to come to harm. That is, if he can help it.” He cupped Scarlet’s face in both his big hands, making Scarlet look at him. “You outrank him, love. Jochi has to obey you the same as he must obey me. He tried to change your mind about going off alone with Tesk. I know he did.”
    When Scarlet did not protest, Liall went on. “He tried to change your mind. And when that didn’t work, he bowed to your will, as he must, and obeyed. You left him no other avenue.”
    “I’m sick of being watched and followed like a thief. It’s not my way to have eyes on me all the time.”
    “It’s unwise for a king’s t’aishka to go traipsing through the woods alone—”
    “I don’t traipse!”
    “Because,” Liall continued, “quite apart from all the ordinary dangers, you make a very tempting target for my enemies.” His thumb brushed the curving mark under Scarlet’s right eye. A mariner had dealt that wound. It was faded in color, but the scar would remain gray, as if someone had drawn a fine line there in ashes. Hilurin always scarred so.
    “I wanted to kill the man who did this to you, remember? I haven’t exactly kept my love for you a secret. At first, it didn’t matter, because Cestimir was to be king and we were supposed to leave. You’re my weakness, Scarlet, and now everyone knows it.” He kissed Scarlet on the forehead, then sat back and looked at him steadily. “And you cannot go anywhere alone, love. Not anymore. Not as long as I’m king. I never intended to bring you here at all, but now that you are here and—I hope—intend to remain, our lives must change.” He massaged the bridge of his nose