The LEVELER King ✔

BOOK 2: CHAPTER 12

"She kept them too long!" Idsel screeched, pacing back and forth in an effort not to reach for Citel's throat.

"Calm yourself, Daga," Sessel soothed, her hands raised. "This is the queen's first brood. It is not uncommon to keep them too long. It's inexperience and nothing more."

Her words brought Idsel to a halt. He stared past Sessel to Citel's morose expression. It could be true what Sessel'd said, but the way Citel moved when they mated said differently. She knew what she was doing, and she'd done it before. There was no discomfort when he'd penetrated her.

Beyond pleased, Sessel stepped past them and surveyed the water.

"This is a great batch. It'll strengthen the others to come rather easily." Sessel turned to them, beaming. "We must perform the ceremony yet again."

"No!" Idsel traded a glance with Citel after they spoke at the same time, both voicing their reluctance to relive that awful experience once more. "No," Idsel said, quieter. "No. We cannot do it again. We simply cannot." At the entrance to the chamber, Nala stood, her shoulder pressed against the wall. She kept her head hung. The sight of her drove Idsel to repeat himself. "No," he said, turning to Sessel yet once more. "We must take from this batch. I cannot do it again."

"Nor can I," Citel said, finally. "I will not with...with that...." She gaged, fighting to find the right words. "With that Summoner—that thing. With that lewd thing. I cannot. I won't share another mating ceremony with a Summoner so...so base."

A deep growl in the back of his throat, Idsel darted to her.

They were face to face as he showed her his teeth and said, "You've given me a fresh brood and if it wasn't for the fact that you must nurse the new king, I would reach into your back and pluck your hearts right out of your body."

Sometime in the months that had followed, Idsel had stopped considering Citel as a foe, a challenge, as anything but the cause of Nala's pain.

The queen's stern posture reminded him that she'd earned her title as much as a king had earned his.

"Do not think to threaten me. It is out of respect that I don't declare you strange and select a common fighter to breed a new king to challenge any from your twisted loins."

He looked from her to Nala then back again.

"Says the queen who allowed her people's tails sheared while she kept her very own."

That stole Citel's drive. She struggled, unable to form a coherent answer.

This small victory came at a price—she didn't go toward the water as Idsel had seen others do. She didn't dip in, calling the newborns to her so that she could embrace them. In fact, she didn't move a muscle.

Rather than beg, Idsel turned toward the water with a sigh.

"Curse the day I met you," he muttered.

Sessel hurried to intercept. "Daga, you cannot touch them before the mother. They will feed on all other flesh."

Idsel ignored him. It was only when he submerged, far colder than he'd been moments ago, that he remembered himself, or rather, his form, his lack of armor, and eased back.

As soon as he disturbed the water, the pool of gray newborns swam toward him, their pudgy worm bodies squirming and twisting.

Other than a nip on his skin, Idsel suffered no injury. He felt confident enough to enter fully when nearly all were to him but he remained safe.

Even Sessel was disbelieving. "Remarkable."

Time and again the newborns bumped into each other, their tiny legs and fat bodies bouncing around in the water.