Chapter 40
Daisy
He thought I was stupid.
And maybe a few days ago, I would’ve believed his words.
But the way he looked at me, the way he spoke to me, the way he dropped to his knees before taking me to bed? That couldn’t be faked, and I was no business transaction. Not anymore.
Korithax might be a grumpy bastard at the best of times, but he was a horrible liar.
Apparently, Sariya knew this would happen, because the outfit I just pulled from the pack was from her, with a note attached that read:
Don’t let him fool you, sweet girl. If he wants to play hard to get, you play harder. Enjoy the rest of your journey. Love, S.
She’d gifted me an outfit to die for. I didn’t know much about the realm we were heading to next, but just like Lyvia, Sariya clearly had a theme.
The dress was flawless—tight, black, with a deep plunging neckline that barely contained my breasts.
The long skirt flowed to my ankles, high slits slicing up both thighs.
Thin straps adorned with black diamonds held it in place, and the low back exposed my back dimples.
Simple, yet jaw-dropping. Shock painted my face as I caught my reflection and watched lightning strikes dance across the fabric like flickers of a storm.
Alongside the dress, she’d packed a black circlet—delicate and powerful.
It sat across my forehead, a teardrop ruby in the centre flanked by thorned bands embedded with more black diamonds.
A matching black lace thigh sheath held a dagger with a ruby-encrusted hilt.
Paired with all of it were elegant black heels, sparkling with stardust and streaked with lightning that crackled faintly across the surface of the shoes.
A knock at the door pulled me from the mirror.
“Good morning, your Highness. I’m here to assist with your hair and makeup.”
“Come in. And please, call me Daisy.”
The girl who entered had rich bronze skin and long, beautifully styled dreadlocks woven with golden thread. Her eyes were warm brown, and her presence—like everyone else here—was calm and gentle.
“What’s your name?” I ask, smiling at her.
“Naema, Daisy,” she replies with a blush. “I was told to make you look so breathless your husband won’t be able to stop himself from falling to his knees.”
Her blush deepens, rose-gold spreading across her cheeks. I can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of me as I nod my head.
When she finishes, I barely recognised myself.
It was the heaviest makeup I’d ever worn.
Dark, smoky eyes with winged liner that made my blue eyes electric.
My lips were painted a blood-red so deep it made my skin look nearly porcelain.
My golden hair was in loose, cascading waves down my back.
And for the first time in my life, I felt powerful. Dangerous. Sexy even.
If Korithax wanted to play hard to get, I’d play harder—looking like a Queen of Hell, apparently.
I thanked Naema, then stepped out of the bathroom. Korithax sat at the table, aimlessly turning over a piece of the sweet bread he’d brought in.
“Gods, finally—”
He looks up, his mouth agape, crushing the bread in his large fist. I can’t help but smirk when a low groan escapes his lips. “Are you ready to go, my king?” I ask, letting my voice turn smooth as silk.
He clears his throat, dropping the bread and rising slowly before closing the distance between us in two long strides.
“You’re going to be the fucking death of me.”
Before I can respond, he grips me in his arms, and the horrible feeling of teleportation rips through my body. That gut-twisting, stomach-lurching sensation yanking me from Solara. We land, and I gasp. My vision flickers as the nausea rises up my throat.
“Gods, I’ll never get used to that.” I whimper, stumbling into Korithax.
He catches me easily, holding me steady.
“You look absolutely divine, Daisy.”
I smile up at him, my vision clearing. “You don’t look so bad yourself, Kori.”
He wore a loose black shirt tucked into equally loose black pants and his usual boots.
The sleeves were rolled up, exposing those veined, muscled forearms. The shirt was unbuttoned just enough to tease a glimpse of his chest. His hair was down, some of it caught in his horns as the wind whipped through it, the sky above crackling. The ground trembles a second later.
I gasp again, falling slightly forward into him.
I straighten myself, looking around, and for the first time, I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy the realm we’d arrived in.
Dark clouds loomed overhead, thunder roaring in the distance, and streaks of lightning danced across the sky.
I see where Sariya got her inspiration. The air smelled of rain and fire, thick and charged.
The ground beneath my heels was cracked and unsteady, as if at any moment the Earth beneath us might split open.
“Welcome to Stormravan,” Korithax whispers in my ear, tucking a strand of hair behind it. “The realm that provides storms and natural disasters to Earth.”
“This is… definitely different from the other realms,” I say, shivering.
“Yes. It would appear Sariya didn’t think her little plan through when she chose your outfit.”
I laugh. “Clearly, she was too focused on how much of an idiot you are.”
He frowns. “Yes. I am.”
Another tremble shakes the ground, causing me to yelp in surpise.
Korithax huffs a laugh. “Come on, little flower. Let’s go meet our host. He’s... not like the other rulers you’ve met. Brace yourself.”
We walk across the dark, cracked path toward the looming castle ahead.
It matches the realm perfectly—towering and jagged, as though it had been carved straight from a volcano mid-eruption.
Thunderclouds circled above the spires, lightning cracking across the sky with violent flashes.
Lava flows down grooves etched into the stone walls, pooling into glowing channels that disappear into the ground.
At the entrance, tall gargoyle-like soldiers stand guard.
Massive, winged, and stone-skinned, with glowing eyes and molten veins beneath their obsidian armour. They bow as we approached.
“These are the creatures born from Hell,” Korithax explains quietly.
“They were sent here to help protect Vor’Khar’s realm.
Because he’s such a powerful and destructive ruler, his lands often come under scrutiny and attack.
Vor’Khar isn’t evil—just chaotic. He doesn’t destroy for pleasure; it’s simply in his nature.
Like lightning striking a tree… it just happens. ”
I nod, absorbing it all.
“Every natural disaster you can think of—from earthquakes to hurricanes, to volcanic eruptions—is his doing. Not many people live here; most choose to relocate to Hell, where it’s at least less unpredictable.
We have an open connection between our realms—his people and mine can travel freely if they can make the journey, as long as they behave accordingly. ”
He gives my hand a soft squeeze.
“Due to the nature of this realm and its magic, I can recharge quickly here. We’ll only need to stay for a few hours.”
“Good,” I murmur with a shiver. “I already miss the peace and sun of Solara.”
The guards lead us inside, where a massive, cracked stone door slowly groans open.
The throne room is large and terrifying.
Lava pours in steady streams down the walls into glowing cracks in the floor.
Lightning crackles across the ceiling like a pulse.
And at the far end, upon a throne made of jagged rock and molten lava, sits the King. Vor’Khar.
He’s enormous. A towering, inhuman man, carved like a mountain struck by meteors.
He has skin like obsidian rock, cracked with glowing veins of red, blue, and gold, each vein pulsing with an element: fire, lightning, and molten earth.
His wings look like storm clouds torn into shape, and his eyes are a blinding white, like lightning frozen mid-blink.
His smile reveals jagged teeth, the action making the sky above the castle crack and roar.
“Don’t stand on the cracks, little flower,” Korithax mumbles. “They’ll burn.”
I nod, training my eyes on the stone as we move.
“Vor’Khar. It’s been a while.” Korithax says, nodding his head.
Vor’Khar nods once in return.
“Still a man of many words, I see. I hope you don’t mind my beautiful wife and me stopping by to recharge before we move on to the next realm.”
He nods again, another smile revealing those horrific teeth. Again, the sky outside lights up, thousands of lightning flashes blinding the clouds. Thunder booms so loud I slap my hands over my ears, grimacing.
“Thank you,” Korithax says, unfazed. “Is there a room in which we can rest?”
Vor’Khar grunts, the sound making the entire room shake.
“This way, Your Highness.” One of the guards rasps, his voice like gravel.
“Well, that was brief,” I whisper as we follow.
“Yeah, he’s not a man of many words. He just sits and causes chaos. What a life to have.”
I nudge him, laughing. “But if you had his life, you wouldn’t have me.”
He looks at me, and I give him a wink. He barks a laugh, the sound rich and beautiful.
We’re led to a smaller room, the walls made of cracked stone with glowing lava veins. The room is bare, save for a stone slab shaped like a bed—no mattress, no covers.
“Well. I’m glad we’re not sleeping here.” I say, wrinkling my nose.
“Yeah. He doesn’t get many guests, as you can imagine.” The guard leaves as Korithax sits on the edge of the stone bed, pulling me between his legs.
“But I don’t need a mattress to make you scream, little flower.” He whispers, stroking a hand down my bare back.
I pull away, watching as his brows furrow. “Oh no. I’m just a business transaction. And I don’t recall seeing anything in the contract about sexual relations, Korithax.”
He runs his tongue over his teeth, making a low sucking noise.
“Really, Daisy?” He asks, irritated.
“Really,” I say, crossing my arms. “If you want to play those games, then so do I.”