The Foxling Soldati (Soldati Hearts #2)(20)
“Why don’t we discuss this in my study? I’m certain that between us, we can—”
Pavoni was indignant. “My brother was almost defiled in your home by one of your men, and you dare attempt to placate me? I will not stand for this, Khalon, and neither will General Segreti.”
Khalon was silent for a moment, his jaw clenched tight. When he spoke, his voice was rough. “What is your punishment?”
“Twenty lashes before the whole of the Soldati court by my hands.”
Tears rolled down Toka’s cheeks, and he shook his head, his heart splintered. Pavoni loathed Rayner. He would surely show no mercy. Rayner hung his head. He was left with no choice but to accept his king’s pronouncement, and Toka wished nothing more than to go to him, to hold him close and kiss away his pain. Riley stood stunned, disbelief on his handsome face.
“And your recompense?” Khalon asked quietly.
King Pavoni’s sneer was terrifying. He thrust a finger at Toka, and Toka’s world came undone. His knees grew weak, and he sank to the floor. No. Please, no.
“You will gift me the foxling.”
Riley rushed to Toka’s side, dropped to his knees, and drew Toka into his arms. Toka was numb as Riley ran a hand over his head. This can’t be. The horror was too great for Toka to accept, and his chest tightened. Breathing became arduous.
“How dare you!” Riley fumed. “Toka isn’t anyone’s to give. What’s more he’s my personal courtier. You’re not laying one repulsive finger on him.”
Pavoni snarled at Khalon. “Your prince has quite the mouth on him, Khalon. Might I suggest a firmer hand, seeing as how your mate clearly does not know his place.”
Khalon straightened, anger burning in his eyes. “I’ll have to insist you watch your tongue, Pavoni, when you speak of the Soldati prince.”
Pavoni let out a snort of disgust. “How can I forget when you continuously lord him over us. Regardless of who he is, your prince will gift me the foxling.”
“Never,” Riley spat out.
Pavoni loomed over Riley and Toka. “Then Khalon will simply take him from you.”
Toka began to shiver uncontrollably. His life, his home, Rayner… all gone.
Riley’s eyes widened, and he looked to Khalon. “You can’t.”
“I can, and I will. Or you will face a war,” Pavoni snarled.
Riley shook his head in disbelief. “Do you realize what you’re saying? You’d be sentencing the human world to death. Without the Soldati there to protect it, it’ll be overrun by demons. You’d let an entire species die?”
Pavoni scoffed. “The human world is the Soldati’s cross to bear, not mine. What happens to those pathetic creatures is not my concern.”
“Not your concern?” Khalon fumed. “Who do you think the demons will come for next when the humans are gone and the wards are destroyed? The Soldati keep our world from falling into chaos. You not only risk your own people, but those of every realm.”
To Toka’s horror, Pavoni stepped up to Khalon, his voice a low growl. “I would watch the Soldati and every other realm burn just to watch your lapdog suffer. Decide. Turn over the foxling, or I promise you General Segreti and his army will be here before morning.”
How could one man be so heartless? Toka shut his eyes tight, feeling the bile rise in his throat. He opened his eyes in time to see Khalon turn away from Riley, his eyes closed.
“Forgive me.”
“No!” Rayner grasped the hem of Khalon’s tunic. “Please, Khalon.” His voice broke, tears in his eyes. “You cannot let him take Toka.”
Pavoni marched over to Rayner and grabbed a fistful of his hair, jerking him away from Khalon. “Begging suits you, you contemptable creature.” He released Rayner, growling out the words over his shoulder as he headed to his room, Prince Merlo and Princess Verity quickly following. “Come morning, I will have what I’m owed, or I give Segreti the order.”
Toka scrambled to his feet, ran to Rayner, and threw himself into Rayner’s embrace. The tears fell as his world came apart around him. He didn’t know what he feared most, being taken by that beast or never seeing Rayner again. Rayner ran a hand over his head, over his face, as if desperately attempting to come to grips with what was happening.
“How can you do this?” Riley demanded as he faced Khalon, tears in his eyes. “How can you give Toka away like he doesn’t mean anything? He’s not a piece of property!”
“I will not risk war for a servant,” Khalon roared. “You are not in your world. You are in mine. It’s time you learn what it is to be a Soldati prince.”
“If being a Soldati prince means giving people away, giving in to assholes like Pavoni, then you can keep your fucking title!” Riley grabbed the crown off his head and threw it at Khalon’s feet. Toka saw Khalon flinch, saw the pain in his eyes, and the wetness that followed as he watched Riley storm away, leaving pieces of his princely garb along the way. He stopped halfway down the corridor and turned, a tear running down his flushed cheek. “You’re not the man I thought you were. You should have left my soul in limbo. At least you couldn’t hurt me there.” Riley turned and marched off. A door slammed somewhere in the distance, and Khalon blinked through his tears. He sniffed and straightened, his gaze turning hard. He didn’t look at them when he spoke.