Page 1 of Bite The Power That Feeds

1

KINGSNAKE

She lay in our bed, her bandaged body hidden underneath the covers. Her breaths remained short, her skin pale as snow. My duty was to my people, and part of that obligation was recognizing my incapacity. I couldn’t lead. I couldn’t protect. Not when the person I loved most balanced on the edge of life and death.

My eyes hadn’t left her face.

Fang was on the other side of the bed beside her, sitting there like a loyal dog. His broken scales had been bandaged as well, and an ugly gauze was wrapped around his thick body.I’m sssorry…

It’s okay, Fang.

You trusted me to protect her. I failed.

Ellasara was fueled by more than her orders.

His eyes shifted to me.

She knew I loved Larisa—and she was furious.

Fang continued to stare.

She didn’t want me, but she still didn’t want anyone else to have me.The most fucked-up shit ever.

Then it’s good ssshe’s dead.

Yes. I felt no pain. No remorse. The world was better without her.

Larisa will turn. She’s ssstill breathing.

I’m afraid of her reaction when she does.

You had no choice.

No. I had two very different choices. Just as my choice had been taken from me, I took it from her.

He shifted his gaze back to her.The situations are unequal.

I still feared her reaction.

It’ll be alright, Kingsnake.

I hope so, Fang.

The door opened and Viper entered. “Come with me.”

“I can’t leave, Viper.” I was sunk in the armchair, weighed down by grief and stress. “I gave you the crown for a reason.”

Viper entered the bedroom, Cobra behind him. “How is she?”

“She’s breathing.”

Cobra stared at her for a while before he looked at me again. “She’ll be an Original.”

“Yes.” Because I’d also poured some of the Golden Serpent venom we’d collected into her mouth, we wouldn’t share the same venom, which was disappointing.

“We won the war?” I could only assume by the way they’d leisurely walked in here.

“Yes,” Viper said. “The Ethereal fled after King Elrohir was killed.”