King's Duty

Each time Islinda thought she knew so much about Aldric, it turned out she knew nothing at all. Her mate was an enigma. 

Aldric hadn't been joking when he said he'd pack Straggler, the enormous Ka'er, in the backyard of the lords who had withheld lands belonging to the Night Court territory. 

She had known Aldric long enough to understand that when he made such outrageous declarations, it was not a joke, he meant every word. 

And for the umpteenth time, she felt a wave of gratitude that she was "with" Aldric, not against him. Her mate, after all, was a terror, and she shuddered to think what life would have been like had she fallen into the crosshairs of his cunning mind. 

Not that he hadn't tormented her life at the beginning. She had forgiven him and they've moved on. Kind of. Mate or not, planning revenge on Aldric has always backfired on her.