A Throne of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales 2)

A…man-thing waited just inside the double doors of the library. Two horns lightly curved into the sky from his forehead, about one foot tall. Their color gradually changed from sky-blue to an indigo that matched his skin. His ears stuck out a bit to the sides, changing from the blue of his face to a chartreuse at the painted tips. His thin face ended in a pointy chin, and his nose took up a bit too much real estate. His long hair draped down his shoulders, over the high-collared black duster he wore. He had on a black button-up underneath, tucked into pleated pants, just like the guy acting as fertilizer in the woods.

“Ah. There you are,” he said, turning toward an approaching Nyfain.

Nyfain cut through the library like a predator sizing up his prey. His sleek, graceful movements screamed his fighting prowess, and his height and broad shoulders absolutely dwarfed the much smaller demon. Despite wearing a worn-in white T-shirt and old jeans, he radiated power, prestige, and authority. It was clear who owned this library and the soil beneath it, regardless of who currently managed it.

“Nyfain.” The creature clasped his fingers in front of his body. “I’ve missed you today. I haven’t seen you skulking around, trying to intimidate my people with your presence.”

“There’ll be plenty of time tomorrow,” Nyfain said, his deep, rough voice crackling with menace.

“So there will.” The man-thing leaned forward just a bit, but I could tell it was for show. It was all too evident that he didn’t want to close the distance separating them. “What is that horrible smell draping you, Nyfain?”

Fear and frustration rolled through the bond. Followed by rage. That smell was obviously me. What a dick.

“And…look at this…” The man-thing must’ve forgotten himself, because he reached forward to pluck something off Nyfain’s chest. Possibly one of my hairs.

Nyfain snatched the man-thing’s wrist out of the air and wrenched it wide, bending him to the side as if he were nothing. The man-thing tensed, and the air crackled with electricity and magic, sputtering and spitting between them. Pain rolled through the bond, and my animal roiled within me, desperate to help Nyfain. She shoved power to his dragon, drawing and readying more, and the pain lessened.

The two men held each other’s gazes.

“If you kill me, the deal is forfeit and your kingdom will die with me,” the man-thing gritted out, clearly under pressure.

I pushed a little closer to the plant. This was the demon king!

Nyfain just stared for one more beat before releasing the demon king’s wrist. The last of the pain cut off.

“You know better than to touch me, Dolion,” Nyfain said, and the violence in his tone made my small hairs stand on end. He was a scary fucking bastard when he wanted to be. I doubted Dolion had known what he was getting himself into, tying a chain around that big dragon’s ankle.

“Where is she?” Dolion asked, adjusting his duster. Although he was trying to pretend otherwise, their little standoff had rattled him.

Nyfain didn’t answer.

“I can make you tell me,” Dolion said, electricity crackling again.

Agony throbbed through the bond, but if I hadn’t felt it myself, I would’ve never known Nyfain was under strain. He stood straight and tall, his shoulders squared and his arms loose, ready to grapple or just walk away. There was no telling.

His pain intensified, blasting through the bond. His fists clenched, pushing back. Refusing to yield. At this rate, he’d black out. Clearly he’d rather do that than give me away, as if a standoff today would somehow protect me tomorrow.

I rose from the lounger and walked around the tapestry as though I didn’t have the first idea what was going on. I held my book with my thumb stuck within the pages to hold my place.

“Oh, hello,” I said, closing the distance. Nyfain’s physical pain lessened somewhat, but his emotional pain more than compensated for it. I ignored it. He was the one who’d always encouraged me to hitch a ride out of here with the demon king. It was time to face the music. “I didn’t realize the circus was in town. Which clown are you supposed to be?”

Dolion took me in, his gaze lingering on my face, drifting over my body, and my clothes.

“My goodness, Nyfain. You certainly found yourself a pretty one. I’d have her draped all over me as well—”

Nyfain moved so fast that Dolion and I both jumped. He wrapped his fingers around the demon king’s throat and bared his teeth, his rage blistering through the bond. He squeezed and lifted, forcing Dolion to grab his wrist and hold on for dear life.

“Whoopsie.” I placed my hand on Nyfain’s forearm. “Dolion, is it?” I patted Nyfain. “You shouldn’t rile up a dragon. Now you know. Nyfain, put him down before he pisses himself all over the floor.”