Stolen by Her Demon King Mate

Chapter 6: Execution

Aria’s POV

“The blessed woman has been confirmed to be Vey Belle.” Those words had been darting through my head on repeat since I heard them. Once I heard the king enter the room I tried to silence my cries. I was scooped up off the couch and into his large muscular arms. 

“Don’t restrain your tears around me.” My arms were around his neck and he was carrying me bridal style. We got into bed that way with him sitting up. My head laid on his shoulder with my breath hitting his bare neck. I let my tears run onto his shoulder. None of this made any sense to me. How could Vey really be gone? I was stuck in this castle and by the time I’d be able to leave she would already be in the ground. I’d never see her again.

“Did you know the woman who died?” he inquired.

It was hard to speak. My body was fighting against my will to push the words out of my mouth. “She… she was my best friend.”

“I’m sorry that she was killed.” At least he was sorry about something.

“She was killed by a low-class demon.” Low-class demons were demons far less evolved than we were. They weren’t civil or capable of complex thoughts. They were only driven by hunger and survival. They were drawn to blessed demons, hybrids, and demons with high magical energy like spell casters. 

“I tried to rid the kingdom of low-class demons but they’re not easy to completely exterminate.”

“I want to see her,” I mumbled.

“What’s the point? She’s dead, it would only hurt. I don’t want you leaving until we’re mated even if you're leaving with me.”

He held me until I fell asleep. I slept for the rest of the day. I didn’t have the emotional strength to stay awake.

When I woke up in the morning he wasn’t there anymore. Even though he was gone now I knew he had stayed with me all day yesterday in bed. I stood up and saw a note on the nightstand. ‘I had something to attend as King. You’re free to roam the castle for a few hours. If you need me, let an employee know.’ Signed King Grayson.

Lucky me, I got soo much freedom. He had left a tray of snacks by the note. He must have known I wouldn’t have felt good enough to eat a whole meal. I got up and put my socks and shoes on. After I ate I roamed around the castle until I saw Grace drawing in one of the open lounge areas on a couch. I walked to her and sat down on the couch. 

“Hey, Grace.” I greeted her.

She looked up and grinned. “Hi, what’s your name again?”

“Aria.” I chuckled. I was still mourning my friend but I was able to stay composed. “I like your drawing.”

“Really??” She brought it closer to my face. “I’ve been working really hard on it! My Daddy says that working hard is going to make my art extra good.”

“He’s right but sometimes you can have more fun with it. You don’t have to always push yourself.” That was my father and Courtney’s mindset. 

I looked up as the man with a hood on passed us moving quickly. It was the same man I saw outside the window yesterday. “I have to go. I can’t wait to see your finished artwork.” 

I got up and followed the man but he kept moving faster.

Eventually, I was led to the courtyard. I looked around and saw a man who was on his knees. Grayson walked to me. “Go back inside,” he ordered. “There’s a scheduled execution.” It must have been the man he ordered to be killed two days ago when I first left the dungeon. “You could stay as you’re the future Queen but I doubt you’d want to see it.”

“Why is he being killed?” I hugged myself.

“Punishment for a crime.” I think he intended on keeping this from me. I had a feeling he was keeping a lot from me.

“What crime King Grayson?” I reiterated.

“He’s an oracle who’s lied to me about a prediction he had in order to save his mate.” It didn’t sound like he was in the wrong. “He manipulated us into curing his mate's sickness.”

“It sounds like he had a good reason then. Did anyone get hurt because of his lie?”

“No, but a lying oracle is of no use to me. His lie provided me with false security and could have cost me my life if things had gone differently. He’ll die knowing he saved his mate.”

“Let him go,” I requested as confidently as I could. Grayson held his hands behind his back. I had to look up at him because he towered over me. 

“No.”

I walked past him. “Let him go, his life shouldn’t be the price he pays for what he’s done.” The guards surrounding him all turned their gaze to me. “As your future queen, I order you to let him go.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Grayson overrode my command.

I turned to him. “Fine. Get me another room. I’m not sleeping with a murderer.” My face flushed. “Am I going to be the next blessed demon you kill?” Vey died and I couldn’t stand to see another one of us dead.

Grayson stuffed his hands in his pockets and didn’t look me in the eye. He looked over my head at the guards. “Let Cane go.” Cane was released from his constraints. “I want both of you out of my sight.”

“Am I fired?” Cane asked.

“If I have to see you for another minute you are,” Grayson huffed in annoyance. 

I grabbed Cane’s arm and dragged him back inside. “Thank you, Queen Aria.” I didn’t consider him knowing my name. I had only recently gotten here. 

“I’m not Queen, just call me Aria. It’s nice to meet you, Cane.”

“I thought I would be the fourth person he’s executed this month.” He threw his head back and laughed.

“Oh… he’s executed three people this month?” I stroked the nape of my neck. “Like this month as in the last two weeks?” I needed clarification.

“Yeah, anyone who betrays or threatens him. My lie wasn’t exactly betrayal but he sees it as much.” He stretched his arms as we walked down the hall. “When we were younger he’d get into a lot of fights when someone wouldn’t listen to him. Even with people much older than him. His father encouraged it.”

“Wait, you two grew up together?” How could Grayson kill someone he’s known since childhood?

“Yeah, I was probably his only friend other than Noblewoman Delilah of course.” That name again. “My family has worked for the royal family for decades as the castle’s oracle.” Cane wasn’t just someone he grew up with. He was a friend and Grayson was fine executing him. What chance did I have?

“What do you think about King Grayson?”

“Uh.” He rubbed the back of his head. “He’s the best king we’ve had in decades if you look at history. He’s passionate about improving his kingdom and protecting his family. I really liked growing up with him. We were best friends. I can’t really call us friends now. It was easier to be his friend when all I had to worry about was him trying to fight me. When he became king he’d send people to the dungeon but in the last couple years he just executed people if he thinks their crime is deserving of it.”

“How old was he when he became king?”

“Fifteen,” Cane answered quickly. 

“Wow. Who’s Grace’s mom and who’s Delilah?” Maybe Delilah was Grace’s mom. “Did his parents pass the crown down to King Grayson or did they die?”

“I shouldn’t tell you anything else. I’m already on thin ice with him. Vaness will probably tell you whatever you want to know about him.” There was so much I didn’t know and Grayson didn’t seem like he would open up to me anytime soon. 

I hung out with Cane for the rest of the day. We didn’t talk too much more but he gave me a general tour of the castle. It got my mind off Vey temporarily. We ate dinner in a dining hall that was open to the live-in employees. It was as big as the royal family’s dining hall but it was full of tables so it didn’t feel as spacious. It wasn’t as beautifully decorated but it was still nice. We had to stand in a line for our food but I was still given better food than the others. I guess I was still the future queen no matter where I ate. I was too sad about Vey to eat more than half my meal so I let Cane eat the other half.

I went back to Grayson’s room towards the end of the day. He had just walked out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. It wasn’t tied on very tightly. His skin was glistening and water was dripping down from his hair. 

“Are you going to react like that every time I have to order an execution?” He lowered his eyebrows. 

“If it’s unjustified.” Pajamas were on the couch for me. “Whose clothes have I been wearing?”

“A woman I know,” He answered vaguely.

“Delilah?” 

He closed off the distance between us. “I can help you out of your clothes,” he deflected. “We can arrange to get your own sets of clothes soon.” He caressed my cheek. “Don’t threaten me in front of my employees again.” His cold gaze in contact with my eyes sent daggers. He moved his hand down to my chin and pressed his thumb against my bottom lip. 

My heart raced and my lip quivered. I took a few steps back, grabbed the clothes, and walked to the bathroom without saying anything.

After my shower, I got dressed and walked out to see Grayson had boxers on. He was in bed on his phone. 

“Cane is really nice.” I paced around the room as I started a conversation.

“He’s fine.”

“How long have you known him?” I could only be comfortable here if I trusted Grayson and understood him. For either of those things, I had to know more about him.

“I don’t know.” He lied.

“Has it been a long time? He’s your oracle.”

“He is,” He confirmed.

“Does Grace see her mom a lot?”

“Yes.” He started tapping his thumbs across the bottom of his phone screen. He must have been texting someone. 

“How did you come to be King? Aren’t you a bit young?” I sat down next to him.

He glanced up from his phone. “I’m 23.” With that math, he had to have had Grace at 15. 

Maybe I shouldn’t ask two questions at a time because he’ll only answer the less invasive one. Maybe I should open up first. “I have four siblings but the oldest died. My community of blessed people started traveling when I was eight because low-class demons attacked our town. My father protected us, he died protecting us when I was 13.”

“Good.”

I scrunched up my eyebrows. “What?”

He put his phone on the nightstand and laid his head on my lap. “It was his job to protect his family and he nearly succeeded. Now I will protect you.” He pulled my shirt up slightly and planted kisses on my lower stomach. I felt a sensation from my front bottom. 

“Nearly?”

“He died, leaving you and your family unprotected.” He caressed my side. 

“You wouldn’t die for Grace?”

“I would but that’s an extreme. Dying isn’t an option because I need to protect her until she finds her mate. That is assuming they’ll be able to protect her. I’m not criticizing your father, I respect his sacrifice but it was at a price. He wasn’t able to protect his family past his death.”

“Did your parents die for you?”

“You’re assuming my parents are dead.”

“Are they?”

“You’re asking a lot of questions, my love.” His hand slowly made its way up my side to my back. “We’ll have a lot of time for you to learn everything about me.” I felt my bra being unhooked.

“My mom might not have time… she’s human. My brothers aren’t blessed with any abilities. My mom knows a little protection magic. That’s all she has. There are a few times I can think of that if I wasn’t there to protect them they would have died.” I reached my hands behind my back and rehooked my bra.

“She’s traveling with others who have abilities, isn't she?” He pulled away and sat up. “She shouldn’t have to depend on her daughter to protect her.” He squinted his eyes. “You’re only trying to learn more about me so we’ll mate faster and you can leave to find your family?”

“It’s so terrible of me to want to protect my family.” Sarcasm wasn’t what he wanted to hear. “I lost Vey, I don’t want to lose my mom and brothers too. Look, I want to protect my brothers just like you want to protect your daughter.”

Grayson laid down and turned his back to me. “I had already arranged for someone to protect them when I found out we were mates. They’ve already explained everything to them. You don’t have to worry.” Why didn’t he tell me that before? There was so much he hid from me. “If you want to go see them or have them brought here we could mate now.” It was a weird way to give me what I wanted. It’s not like he trusted me or he’d answer my questions. Could marking each other be the answer for now?