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“You have told me this before. Did they not try to force you to marry one of the princesses of the other kingdoms?”

Bradwick cringed, one side of his face crinkling in distaste. “I would rather not be tied to a brash woman of the west or a snow-trotting woman from the south.”

“And I know you hate the queen from the east simply because she put a frog down the back of your shirt last time they were permitted to visit.”

“I should not have informed you of that.” Bradwick pointed his finger at him in anger. “Although Queen Irvette is a great ally and a beautiful woman, she irks me terribly. We broke off the arranged marriage when my parents were killed.”

The deceased king and queen had been murdered during their travels from the western kingdom. It was speculated that the king of those lands had orchestrated their deaths, but since there had been no survivors, they were unsure.Could have been those of the south, since the west has been at war with them for ages.

“We would much rather tie our kingdoms through the marriage of our children,” he continued. “Now, I will have to produce one quickly, since she has already taken a husband and named herself queen. It will not be long before she bears an heir.”

“Much could happen in that time for both of you. You may die before you have an heir.”

“Then my brother would take my place on the throne. He already has children, and hopefully, he will tie the kingdoms together.”

Geryon already knew all this. “So, back to the women. You were informing me you are a yellow-belly secret keeper.”

Bradwick looked at Geryon through his lashes, a smirk forming across his face. “Okay, you caught me. I was trying to be respectful.”

He leaned his body forward to hush their conversation. He cupped the air in front of his chest, like he was grasping something.

“Did you see the bosom on the younger one? Women who have just come of age should not be so well developed. It makes it hard for men to not fawn over them.” He fell back in his chair. “She is submissive, which I appreciate, and I am hoping she is just nervous. Otherwise, it will be a pity, since it seems she does not have much thought.”

Geryon placed his arms behind his head while he listened to Bradwick, hoping to council him like he was supposed to. “As you mentioned, she is young. Perhaps she has not grown into her intellect yet.”

“You are defending her?” When he opened his mouth to confirm, Bradwick cut him off with one single word. “You?”

“Yes, I am defending the dim-witted human girl. You should remain open-minded; each of them will have their positives and negatives. You are only to choose the one you can tolerate the most.”

“Although she has yet to win me with any conversation, I do find the redhead pleasant to look at.”

“They are all pleasant to look at,” Geryon threw at him. “Stop focusing on their beauty. Each of them is appealing. You are lucky none of the dukes bred toads.”

“I was sure Duke Grayson would have sent me a deformed ogre.”

“And yet he sent you a beauty easy to behold.”

“You like his daughter, then?” Bradwick asked, and Geryon had to pause before he answered.

Yes, she is definitely someone who interests me.

Still, that wasn’t what the king meant by his question.

“I find her wild.”Someone who would not be easy to tame.

“She has such a pretty face but lacks any real emotion behind it. I do not see how you could find her wild when I think she lacks any form of passion.”Then you are a blind fool.“She also irritates me with her words.”

“It is her words, the confidence in how she speaks, that make her wild,” Geryon laughed. “You just do not like that she is not hesitant of you because you are the fucking king.”

“Watch it, Dragon,” he muttered quietly, so the servant in the far corner of the room wouldn’t overhear. Bradwick pointed at him, the softness of his features hardening with a quick show of anger. “Do not be so informal with me.”

It was true. King Bradwick knew of Geryon’s species and kept it hidden from the rest of the court. He had his reasons for being here after Bradwick was sworn in as the ruler of these lands. He was the only one who knew, although, sometimes, he toed the line in revealing what he was to others, much like how he did earlier.

It was one of the reasons his behaviour was often overlooked.He would not dare tell one such as I what to do.Nor would Geryon threaten him with the sheer power he held in comparison to the weakness of his humanity.I could burn him to nothing but embers as we speak.

“Or what?” Geryon grinned, crossing one foot on top of the other instead of laying them both flat on the table. “Must I remind you, once again, that you need me just as much as I need you?”

He sighed, flopping back in the chair as that hardened look fell. “Why must I put up with you?”