placed his hand over Galina’s and gave her a small smile. “Don’t worry, my concubine. I won’t force her into a political marriage.” He turned his attention back to Natalia, and she tried to hold his gaze without shivering. “I’m also aware this has to be a trap of some kind. Either they are aware of Natalia and Raum being a potential match and view it as being a threat, or they have some other goal.”
“But if their goal is to keep Raum and me apart, why don’t you let us bond?”
“Because doing so would give Belal the excuse he needs to claim insult and declare war. There are strict codes and protocols about royal blood mates.” Something she couldn’t name flashed through his gaze. “Besides, I think this will work to our advantage.”
“How so?” Galina asked, tucking her feet beneath her on the couch. “I’m assuming we would have the ball here. I, for one, don’t want every high-born demon from Belal’s court in our home.”
“I already thought of that and restricted it to one prince, high prince, or ruler of each house.”
Galina’s brow furrowed. “But there are only three unmated high princes, you and….”
“Exactly.”
Galina’s eyes went wide and she looked at Asmodeus with admiration and a hint of desire that made Natalia look away. “Well, that is rather clever of you.”
“Can someone please tell me what is going on?”
“It is my hope that Satan will attend the ball.”
Natalia gasped. “King Satan?”
“Yes. I will word the invitation so that he cannot ignore it.”
Galina curled her fingers through his dark hair. “I’m sure his arrival will greatly upset Belal.”
Natalia stood and began to pace around the room. “If I find any potential blood mates there, will I be forced to bond with them?”
“No. I gave you my word that you would be allowed to choose your own mate, and I meant it. But I also meant it when I said you needed time to think it over. I realize you love Raum and Raum loves you, but it is too soon. After the ball, we will discuss a timetable that we all can agree upon for your bonding.”
Frustrated, she spun on her heel to face him and tried to keep her voice level. “I could accept the wait if it was just about myself and Raum, but the longer I wait, the more Gregor grows to hate Raum.”
“Be that as it may—”
“No!” she yelled. The demonic side of her nature surged awake. It did not like the idea of her men being kept from her, even by her father. “You don’t understand. Gregor almost killed Raum today. He was a breath away from pushing Raum into a bubble of Chaos.”
A chill filled the air until the windows began to frost over. Natalia shivered and her breath came out in little puffs of mist. Asmodeus’s power filled the room until her skin burned from the cold. “I understand many things, far more than you do. Ignorance I can forgive. Arrogance I cannot.”
Her teeth chattered as she forced the words past her numb lips. “Forgive me, Father.”
The room thawed so abruptly the ice on the windows melted into a puddle at the bottom of the frame. Galina cleared her throat and traced her fingertips over the curve of one of Asmodeus’s horns. “My liege, I had an idea of how to help ease Natalia’s burden with her men.”
Asmodeus gave his concubine a hard look but the lines around his mouth deepened as he fought a smile. “Do you know the only time you address me as ‘my liege’ is when you want something you think I won’t give you?”
Galina chuckled and continued to trace the spirals of his ram’s horns. “Really, my liege? Well, in this case I think you’re wrong. I have something to ask you that will greatly strengthen Natalia’s power base, and by default, yours as well.”
Now Asmodeus almost looked weary and he glanced at Natalia. “Do you know what she is talking about?”
“No, but I’m interested to hear what she has to say.”
Galina practically sat on Asmodeus’s lap now, and Natalia
“But if their goal is to keep Raum and me apart, why don’t you let us bond?”
“Because doing so would give Belal the excuse he needs to claim insult and declare war. There are strict codes and protocols about royal blood mates.” Something she couldn’t name flashed through his gaze. “Besides, I think this will work to our advantage.”
“How so?” Galina asked, tucking her feet beneath her on the couch. “I’m assuming we would have the ball here. I, for one, don’t want every high-born demon from Belal’s court in our home.”
“I already thought of that and restricted it to one prince, high prince, or ruler of each house.”
Galina’s brow furrowed. “But there are only three unmated high princes, you and….”
“Exactly.”
Galina’s eyes went wide and she looked at Asmodeus with admiration and a hint of desire that made Natalia look away. “Well, that is rather clever of you.”
“Can someone please tell me what is going on?”
“It is my hope that Satan will attend the ball.”
Natalia gasped. “King Satan?”
“Yes. I will word the invitation so that he cannot ignore it.”
Galina curled her fingers through his dark hair. “I’m sure his arrival will greatly upset Belal.”
Natalia stood and began to pace around the room. “If I find any potential blood mates there, will I be forced to bond with them?”
“No. I gave you my word that you would be allowed to choose your own mate, and I meant it. But I also meant it when I said you needed time to think it over. I realize you love Raum and Raum loves you, but it is too soon. After the ball, we will discuss a timetable that we all can agree upon for your bonding.”
Frustrated, she spun on her heel to face him and tried to keep her voice level. “I could accept the wait if it was just about myself and Raum, but the longer I wait, the more Gregor grows to hate Raum.”
“Be that as it may—”
“No!” she yelled. The demonic side of her nature surged awake. It did not like the idea of her men being kept from her, even by her father. “You don’t understand. Gregor almost killed Raum today. He was a breath away from pushing Raum into a bubble of Chaos.”
A chill filled the air until the windows began to frost over. Natalia shivered and her breath came out in little puffs of mist. Asmodeus’s power filled the room until her skin burned from the cold. “I understand many things, far more than you do. Ignorance I can forgive. Arrogance I cannot.”
Her teeth chattered as she forced the words past her numb lips. “Forgive me, Father.”
The room thawed so abruptly the ice on the windows melted into a puddle at the bottom of the frame. Galina cleared her throat and traced her fingertips over the curve of one of Asmodeus’s horns. “My liege, I had an idea of how to help ease Natalia’s burden with her men.”
Asmodeus gave his concubine a hard look but the lines around his mouth deepened as he fought a smile. “Do you know the only time you address me as ‘my liege’ is when you want something you think I won’t give you?”
Galina chuckled and continued to trace the spirals of his ram’s horns. “Really, my liege? Well, in this case I think you’re wrong. I have something to ask you that will greatly strengthen Natalia’s power base, and by default, yours as well.”
Now Asmodeus almost looked weary and he glanced at Natalia. “Do you know what she is talking about?”
“No, but I’m interested to hear what she has to say.”
Galina practically sat on Asmodeus’s lap now, and Natalia
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