by Brea Alepoú
They exited the room, and there, already dressed for the day, were Liby and Kyo.
“How is Ginger?” Titos asked.
Liby and Kyo were both were placed as her guards while they were there, especially after what happened. Liby bowed slightly.
“Still in her room. We are waiting for her now,” Liby said.
Titos nodded. He contemplated his next thought before giving in to it. He went to the door across from his and knocked.
“Coming,” Ginger said.
The door opened, and sure enough, Ginger stood before him, her green hair down instead of in its usual elaborate style. She had a glittery pastel robe on.
“Titos, is everything okay? I thought everyone was going to sleep in,” Ginger said. There was a hint of panic in her tone.
Titos waved her off. “Don’t worry about it, Ginger. But I did want to talk to you and—” Titos glanced over his shoulder, right at Kyo.
“Me?” Kyo asked, a perfectly arched brow lifted in question.
“Come in,” Ginger said.
Titos took in a deep breath and walked into her room. Everyone followed right behind him. His eyes roamed over the room. It was very much like theirs, except there wasn’t a bunch of air mattresses littered around the room. Once the door closed, Titos focused on what he wanted to do.
“I want to offer both of you the choice of making a pact with me like Liby,” Titos said.
Ginger’s and Kyo’s eyes went wide. He was prepared to tell them both they could think about it, but he couldn’t even get the words out as they both said yes with no hesitation.
“Are you both sure?” Titos asked.
Ginger smiled at him. “Yes, I never thought I’d have the honor.”
Kyo shrugged. “Feels like the right thing to do. I question my instincts.”
Titos wanted to question them more, but instead, he nodded. He held his hand out to Seth, who cut into his hand. The sting was one Titos was all too accustomed to. He offered his blood to Kyo and Ginger.
Ginger was first, her face red as she lapped up some of Titos’s blood from his hand. She swallowed before meeting his gaze once more. “I, Ginger Calvik, promise my life to King Titos for all eternity or until he has no use for me.”
Titos barely held himself back from pointing out to Ginger that it would never happen. Titos felt the moment the link was fully formed. It was like putting two LEGO pieces together. Ginger stepped back as Kyo moved forward.
“Don’t make this weird,” she whispered.
Titos chuckled as she licked up the swelling crimson drop. Her eyes closed for a moment as she stood up straight. A soft sigh left Kyo’s lips. “I, Kyo, promise my life to King Titos.”
Seth took Titos’s hand and sealed the wound for him. Warmth traveled up his arm from the contact with his keeper.
“We were headed down,” Titos started.
“I just need to get ready. I will join shortly,” Ginger said.
Titos smiled at them. “Take your time, ladies.”
Titos intertwined his fingers with Alfrik once they were back in the hallway. Seth stood in the front along with Adom. Mazki and Gin were behind Titos, and Kail was behind them. It was a formation Seth had come up with; they each got to rotate with the person holding Titos’s hand. It was another sweet thing his keepers did just for him.
The moment they made it downstairs, Titos was instantly drawn to the sound of Larkyn’s voice. Whatever song he was singing was quickly becoming Titos’s new favorite.
Seth: Would you like to go in there?
Titos bit his bottom lip. The draw to Larkyn was very much like the others, but it was almost more intense. Titos was pretty sure it had everything to do with the day before.
Titos: Yes.
They made their way into the living room. The moment Titos’s foot crossed the threshold, his and Larkyn’s gazes locked. Bright blue eyes twinkled back at him. Larkyn was the perfect picture of Prince Charming with his wind-tousled blond hair, square jaw, straight nose, and thick brows.
“Good morning, King Titos,” Larkyn said. He bowed.
Titos hated formalities, but it sounded good coming from Larkyn. He was wearing a white button-up with the sleeves rolled and cuffed up at his elbows, showing off his tanned forearms. Alfrik squeezed Titos’s hand, pulling him from his lingering thoughts.
Alfrik: He said good morning.
Titos cleared his throat as his face went aflame. “Morning.”
Larkyn gave him an award-winning smile.
“So, ah, you said you know something about—” Titos glanced as they weren’t alone. “Soul eaters.”
“Yes, I do.” Larkyn moved around to the couches and took a seat. “Please sit, and I’ll tell you all I know.”
Titos went to sit, but Seth grabbed him before he could and placed him on his lap. Titos was so accustomed to it, it no longer fazed him.
A deep chuckle resonated around the room, and Larkyn scooted closer to Titos, but the number of growls he got had him stopping short of touching Titos.
“A lot of information about soul eaters has been erased because they are deemed too dangerous. Do you know why?”
Titos could think of a few. That he’d lost complete control and nearly leveled an entire state pointed to the fact.
“It’s because unlike most edoli, soul eaters have mates. Our soul mates in human terms.”
“What?” Kail and Titos said in unison.
Larkyn nodded, his blond hair dancing around his face. “Soul eater rulers only bond with their chosen mates; it’s why you don’t feel the need to be with every single edoli you come in contact with. They don’t match your soul.”
“Why would that make them more dangerous?” Adom asked.
Titos audibly closed his mouth. He should probably be asking the questions, but he was just too shocked by the news to even come up with a coherent sentence.
“Their bond is more solid, and as such, they can harbor their keeper’s power while building their own. But not only that, soul eaters can break bonds. Hence the name. Some say that their bonds were literally eaten.”
“What?” every single one of them shouted.
Larkyn sat back a little and had his hands up. “Yeah. Why do you think they were hunted to extinction? Soul eaters were once upon a time at the top of the edoli food chain. They kept everything in order. Those born with more power, what we call kings and queens now, abused their power in anyway they were punished. Soul eaters would break their bonds and diminish their power .You can see how people took to being policed in that way. They rebelled to having someone above them.”
Adom shook his head. “All the information on soul eaters was erased long ago. How in the world do you know all of this?”
Pearly white glittered back at them. Larkyn puffed up his chest. “My great-great-grandma was a soul eater. She wasn’t a ruler, but she’d been one. Family has kept it a secret for generations.”
Kail scooted to the edge of his seat. “So I’m going to find my mates too?”
Larkyn tilted his head to the side. “Haven’t you already?”
Kail opened his mouth before his gaze landed on Titos.
Kail: Is that why I accepted everyone so easily although this is all new to me? What does this mean?
The worry and fear that laced the bond was concerning. Seth moved Titos’s to one leg and offered a hand out to Kail. Titos sent warmth through their bond; they were all there for him, but they were there for each other as well.
Seth: Come here, Kail. You’re not alone anymore—you don’t have to solve all the problems by yourself. We are here, and we will figure it all out.
Mazki: Exactly. We are all here.
Kail nodded, but Titos could still feel the uncertainty through the bond. He wanted nothing more than to continue to reassure his keeper, but Kail had to come to terms with everything on his own time. Titos laid his hand on Kail’s leg in solidarity.
Julyanah, holding Alice, walked into the room. She smiled
at Titos, and he returned it.
“How is everyone?” Julyanah asked.
“Good. Thank you for allowing us to stay an additional day even after the remainder of the event was canceled,” Titos said.
Vince came in with a bottle in his hand, followed by Julyanah’s other keepers.
“It’s no problem. After all, you protected us as well although we hadn’t created an alliance yet,” Julyanah said.
Titos sat up straighter and pulled slightly away from Seth.
Titos: Did I hear her right?
Adom: Yes.
Alfrik: You showed tremendous power yesterday and showed that you stand up for what you treasure.
Titos cleared his throat. “I only find it fair to tell you everything if you truly want to enter an alliance with me,” Titos said.
Julyanah smiled. “Oh, like the fact that you aren’t officially a king or that you aren’t like other edoli?”
Titos should have known she’d pick up on it. Julyanah paid close attention to everything, even when she looked as if she couldn’t care less. He was glad she wasn’t his enemy.
“Yes.” Titos took a deep breath and just went with it. “I’m a soul eater.” It was getting easier and easier each time he had to say it.
Julyanah’s black eyes bored into him for a split second as she continued to feed Alice. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Titos asked.
Soul eaters had such a stigma to them he was sure he’d get more backlash for it.
Julyanah shrugged. “If you would have told me what you were when I was a kid, I’d freak out and call you the bogeyman, but I’m not that innocent little girl anymore.”
Titos opened and closed his mouth, unsure what to say to that.
Julyanah continued to smile at him. “I’ve met monsters in flesh and bone before. No offense, Titos—that battle yesterday showed that you are crazy powerful, but it didn’t make you look like a monster in my eyes.”
Titos chuckled. If anything, the amount of bloodshed yesterday was like a wake-up call to him. “Well, okay.”
Caspyn ran into the room. “I want in on the alliance as well.”
His black hair was messy, as if he’d just woken up.
“Caspyn, what about your father?” Julyanah asked.
Caspyn waved her off. “He is already checking out, and I am next in line. I don’t have any keepers yet.” His lilac-colored eyes skirted over to Larkyn for a brief second.
Titos moved without thought and blocked Caspyn’s view of the man. Titos might not be bonded with him yet, but he felt the pull for Larkyn. Not to mention the new information he’d just acquired. He wasn’t going to give up his mate.
A warm chuckle came from Larkyn that helped ease Titos. He was one second away from growling “mine” like some crazed alpha.
Capsyn’s gaze was once again focused on Titos. “Sorry, I know that will never happen.” He put his hands up. “And I’m glad he found the one he was meant to be with.”
“Thanks, Cap,” Larkyn shouted.
Titos’s shoulders dropped slightly.
Titos: What do you all think? He is young.
Kail: Dude is literally only a few years younger than us. At eighteen, I’d say he has a solid idea of what he wants.
Adom: That is true, however, it is hard to say when his father will hand over the reins completely.
Seth: But he already knows what Titos is, and he is more than ready to be on board to back us.
Mazki: He is destined to be king of a small territory in Main, and although he still doesn’t have any keepers, his alliance will still be promising for the future.
Alfrik: Not to mention Larkyn has served under him for a while. They seemed to be good friends, and Larkyn has already proven he is loyal.
Gin: The more people who back you, big or small, is a win. They are going to make this into a fight.
Titos held back a sigh. Another fight when all he wanted was peace and to live happily with the men he’d bonded to.
“And before you say I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, I do. I know you are a soul eater. My family allowed many to take refuge in our territory all those years ago. Soul eaters are the closest to gods and goddesses for edoli,” Caspyn said. He pushed his fingers through his messy hair.
“Thank you. I’d be happy to have an alliance with you both,” Titos said.
Caspyn was all smiles, and it looked as if he wanted to go in for a hug but just barely refrained. Titos couldn’t help but smile at that. Julyanah passed Alice over to Vince. Ginger, the ever-prepared woman, had contracts already drawn up.
“I wasn’t quite prepared for Prince Caspyn to join in on this. If you’ll all allow, I can always write up a new one,” Ginger offered.
Caspyn shook his head. “Just add my name, please.”
Titos shrugged. If Caspyn was fine with that, then he was okay with it. Julyanah nodded. Ginger added Caspyn’s name to each document by hand. Once again, Titos was faced with a contract, but this one was of an alliance, one of friendship. They would aid each other and be a friend to lean on.
Caspyn’s fangs dropped down fast, and he cut into his finger first, his blood splattering on the white paper. Seth handed Titos a blade, and he sliced it into his hand just as Julyanah cut her hand as well. They each bled on their own contract and then on each other.
“I, Caspyn Halox, agree to this alliance. I will willingly aid and support both Julyanah of Amongie house and Titos—” Caspyn hesitated before he pushed through. “And his territory.”
Titos gave him a smile. He needed to come up with a house name soon, but it had never been on his mind before. Titos shook his head clear of all distracting thoughts. He completed the alliance, and as power rushed over them, he was once again hit with the realization that this was now his life. Gone were the days of being lonely and on the run.
Julyanah and Caspyn looked at Titos. “Now you just have to claim your crown.”
* * *
The End
For now. The story continues in A King to be Crowned.
Glossary
What the heck is that? — Explanation page
Houses: The king’s/queen’s territory. The size of the house is dependent on how powerful the king/queen is and how many edoli there are to help protect it.
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Soul eater: Once upon consider like gods among the edoli. They have the ability to break bonds and use their mate’s powers.
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Edoli: They are super humans born of gods and goddesses. They drink blood to bond with others, create connections, and share power. Their abilities range from shapeshifting, use of elements, use of magical items, etc.
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Ranks within the edoli:
Kings/Queens AKA master/mistress: They are considered the most powerful. By themselves, they are weak, but they call other edoli to them. They bring out the power in edoli, and the stronger the king/queen, the more powerful the edoli who bond with them. Master/mistress is a title that kings/queens are referred to by the edoli who bond to them. They are king/queen to others.
Keepers or potential keeper: Potential keepers are seen with great power and usually show signs of having a beast or great magic. Once bonded to a king/queen, the power will increase. For shifters they gain the ability to turn into their other form completely. That is when they become keepers. Keepers are edoli who are the first to bond to a king/queen. They are also the power base. Keepers are to protect their king/queens with their lives for the gift of power. Most keepers are shifters or powerful element users. It is best that a king/queen choose their keepers wisely; too many can drive them mad and too few can be the death of them.
Alpha: They are second to the king/queen. They hold power over the other keepers and are also the most powerful keeper the king/queen has. The position can be taken or changed, but it is unwise. Having a trusted alpha is always in the best interest of the king/queen.
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Others
Hunters: They are considered the weakest of the edoli but are vast in numbers. Since many edoli end up breeding with humans, there are a lot more edoli who don't possess enough power to become keepers.
Magic users: Hunters who possess enough strength and power to wield a magical item.
Hunti: Trained killers and hunters. Sometimes referred to as trackers. Once they are determined not to be a potential keeper, they are then put through training in order to protect the king/queen’s territory. Everyone must help the king/queen keep the territory safe.
Swerves: The lowest rank amongst edoli and lean more toward human-like. They are the subjects within the house. They tend to work and be amongst humans. Some are servants who work within the king’s/queen’s home.
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Magical items: Edoli have found magic from the gods and goddess, but it was so great they diluted it by placing it in inanimate objects.
Author Note
Thank you for reading A King to be Feared the third in Our King, Our Master series. Gin was added and it’s looking like Larkyn will soon follow. How exciting was it to find out more about Titos and his men. The next book in the series will be A King to be Crowned and I hope you’re all ready for the epic story. I’d greatly appreciate an honest review telling other readers your thoughts on the book.
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Insanity is contagious
Brea Alepoú
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