The King’s Relentless Desire

Chapter Two“Do you want me to undress myself… or will you rip it off me, my king?”Liana’s voice was soft, yet it carried through the heavy silence of the king’s private chamber. She had not meant to say it, not with all the courtiers gone, not when they were finally alone. But the words slipped out, shameless, trembling on the edge of defiance.Kael turned from the tall arched window where the moonlight streamed across his shoulders. His golden eyes gleamed in the shadows, pinning her as surely as if he had chained her to the bed.“Your tongue is sharper than your mind,” Kael murmured. He moved toward her, every step slow, measured, predatory. “But I will allow it. Because I enjoy watching you trap yourself with your own words.”Her back brushed against the carved post of the bed. She had been trying to stay far from him, from the intoxicating heat of his body, but somehow her feet betrayed her, bringing her closer, cornering her.“I only speak what you want to hear,” she whispered,

Chapter Four“Do you crave me even when I am not in your bed, my king? Or do you simply crave control?”Liana’s voice slid into Kael’s ear like silk laced with venom. She stood close behind him in the council chamber, her fingers daring to trace the back of his chair while the most powerful men of the realm argued over maps and borders.Kael did not turn his head. His golden eyes stayed fixed on the parchment spread across the table, his jaw hard as steel. But his hand twitched on the armrest, betraying that her words pierced deeper than any advisor’s counsel.Around them, the air was thick with the scent of ink, wax, and sweat. Nobles bickered over troop movements, over taxes, over the bleeding edge of war pressing against the kingdom. Yet for Liana, the only battle worth fighting was the one she waged against the man seated before her.“Lady Liana,” one of the councillors sneered, his gaze sliding over her figure. “The king’s bride would do well to remain silent while men discuss ma

Chapter Six“Will you still want me, Kael, when I am the reason your council turns against you?”Liana’s voice was velvet and venom as she whispered against his lips, her gown slipping dangerously low, her fingers curling into his open shirt.Kael’s golden eyes burned with that relentless fire. His hand gripped her thigh, pulling her across his lap as though she were no more than silk draped for his pleasure. “You think their mutters mean anything? I am king. They bend. They break. And you…” His lips brushed her throat. “…you will learn that no chain can bind me.”Her smirk quivered into a moan as his mouth trailed lower, but her mind did not surrender so easily. He was wrong. Chains could bind even kings. They just had to be forged in secret.Because even now, whispers slithered through the palace like snakes.Serenya.That jewelled serpent had not disappeared after her humiliation. Liana had seen her in the corridors, her painted lips curving with false sweetness as she poured honey

Chapter EightKael’s grip never loosened as he dragged me deeper into his chambers. The heavy doors slammed shut behind us, cutting off the shocked whispers of the court, leaving only the wild thunder of my pulse.The stone walls flickered with torchlight, shadows trembling as though they too felt the hunger building between us. He pressed me hard against the door, the weight of his body pinning me, his scent wrapping around me like smoke and bitter wine.“You are dangerous,” he murmured, voice low and sharp. His golden eyes glinted with something between rage and hunger. “Do you realise what you’ve done in that hall?”I smiled, lips grazing his jaw. “Yes… and I would do it again.”His mouth claimed mine before I could breathe another word. The kiss was hard, punishing, his lips moving with relentless force. I moaned into him, soft and feminine, my body arching as the silk of my gown slid lower.He tore the fabric down my shoulder with rough hands, teeth grazing my skin until I shiver

Chapter TenHe had given me this. He had left me with his promise. His absence sat in the room like a weight I could feel with every breath.Lady Vessara had been plain and quick. Her steps hardly made a sound as she closed the door. She did not look at me. She spoke only of the news.“Raiders crossed the river earlier than we thought,” she said. “Lord Varos asks for soldiers. The council wants the king to gather.”Those words were small but heavy. War might come. Men might ride away and never return. The thought tightened my stomach.“Kael will ride,” she added. “He will take what he needs and return.”Her voice was steady, but I could tell she knew this was serious. I looked down at the simple iron ring on my finger. It felt cold and heavy. It was his mark. It was his command.“Keep quiet in his name,” Lady Vessara said. “Carry yourself as the king wants while he is gone.”I nodded. Kael did not ask. He ordered. I had learned to obey.When she left, the room felt too big. The fire b