Court of Nightmares and Ruin

Chapter 22

Kohl

My mind was foggy, and I had a pounding in my skull that won't quit. To top it off, I'm unsure exactly what happened to me. I remembered seeing Icelyn at the party, seeing her dancing with other males, but everything after that was a blur.

Still, on the ground, I glanced up at Icelyn, who hoovered nervously nearby. My body is engulfed in flames just by looking at her. By the sprites, she was sexy. That silky black dress that skimmed her lovely curves left nothing to the imagination. No wonder I went feral with all those other males looking upon what was mine.

She stood ready in a fighting stance I taught her, waiting for me to retaliate after the blow she dealt me. I had difficulty focusing on retribution with her shapely leg exposed through the slit in her gown.

"So you want to play rough, little Snowflake?" I asked her with a smile, still seated on the ground with an elbow propped on my knee.

"I'm ready when you are." She answered thoughtfully, crouching even lower in a warrior stance.

I didn't know if she was ready for what I was getting ready to bring. She had no idea what was coming with the blue moon still high in the sky and my feral side still scratching just beneath my surface.

In seconds I was on my feet, my quick movement causing her to jump, but she never broke her stance, and her eyes never wavier from their target. A feeling of great pride washed over me as I looked at her now. She stood up to me and put her life on the line to protect the inhabitants of the Night Realm. A purely unselfish act that clarified one thing: she was a queen, my queen. I made the gravest mistake of my life, denouncing her as my true mate, and I would spend the rest of my days trying to make it up to her, but even that may not be enough.

"Do you wish to set ground rules before you face off with the king of the Night Realm?" I asked, slowly circling her delicious body, my eyes savoring the view from all sides.

She watched me like a hawk, and I saw her muscles tense as I ventured closer. This was going to be fun.

"Only that you keep your original promise and stay out of my head."

A deep rumble of laughter vibrated in my chest as I disappeared and reappeared with my arms around her waist and my lips mere inches from hers.

"Done," I said in a whisper and brushed my cheek against hers.

She moved instantly and slammed my chest again with a wall of ice. I'm pushed back a few feet but easily push against her magic this time.

"You caught me off guard the first time; this time will not be so easy."

She threw both palms toward me, and I was encompassed in a wall of ice. She held me there for a few minutes before I was able to break through.

"Impressive, little Snowflake."

Her eyes enflamed every time I called her that, which was why I did it. We go back and forth for a while, her being offensive and me simply playing defense. I counteracted all of her blows without ever dishing out anything of my own.

Finally, she reached up to the sky, hurled down an arctic blast, and hail the size of grapefruit. She pushed me halfway across the courtyard this time before I could stop her, I wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was undoubtedly starting to fatigue me, and I found it enthralling.

"My turn." I smiled at her while I formed my black mist and hurled it toward her. I molded it and bent it until the fog turned into giant bats, all barreling toward her.

"Kohl!" She squealed as the bat's wings lightly brushed her skin. She ducked down to the ground until they were gone.

I smiled as she hammered me with evil eyes. I knew they wouldn't hurt her, and I wouldn't let them hurt her, but they certainly made her squirm. I collected my mist again at my side and watched her eyes round as I formed a thousand slithering snakes.

"Don't you dare..." she warned, but I released them anyway, and they all took off toward her.

She quickly formed an ice cap that projected her high into the air, safely out of reach of the serpents. She wasn't getting away that easily. I touched her ice ladder, which instantly melted, hurling her back toward the ground. She screamed, but I caught her in my arms before she hit the ground.

"Do you yield, my queen?" I asked and hugged her tightly to my chest.

"Put me down! You are such a hypocrite. You just told me this morning that I would never be your queen or anything else for that matter, and yet now, you call me your queen after you announced to the entire realm that I am your mate!" She was struggling in my arms, but it was in vain. I would not release her until she heard me out.

"Even kings make mistakes, Icelyn," I said low and serious, my eyes staring deep into hers.

"Yes, I am sure you deeply regretted blurting out that I am your mate." Her anger foamed, but she finally stilled in my arms.

"The mistake I am speaking of is not telling everyone that you are mine from the beginning and not showing you the proper respect you deserved by making you the queen of the Night Realm."

She considered me for a while, and I knew she believed me. I let her slide down from my arms, but I pulled her chest close to mine, and she tentatively wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Do you mean that?" she asked as tears gathered in her eyes.

"I do, and I will also admit that I was a fool for treating you the way I did this morning. I do not like uncertainty and vulnerability, but I would be doing a great injustice to you, my people, and myself if I didn't announce you as my true mate and the proper ruler of this realm."

"Life is uncertain, Kohl, but why waste our time together dwelling on what could happen?"

She pulled on my neck and urged my lips to hers. A tremor overtook my body, and I knew I was a goner. She was everything to me, my life, my heartbeat, the very next breath I breathed. If anyone dared to try and take her from me, I would slaughter them. Not even hell would be a refuge for them from my vengeance.