by Sara Daniell
Life for Princess Aislin is complicated. Isolated and held prisoner in her own home since birth, she’s now a teenager with growing magical abilities who refuses to be placated.
Demanding answers about her family and heritage, Luke and Holly have no choice but to answer their daughter’s questions when her secret existence is about to be exposed.
But Aislin’s the perfect storm with no cure. Can she find the help she needs before it’s too late?
BOOK 3 OF
THE HOLLY NATHER SERIES
DAUGHTER OF A MONARCH
Copyright © 2015 Sara Daniell
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Published by
Opine Press
Print edition ISBN numbers:
ISBN-13: 978-0692571651
ISBN-10: 0692571655
HOLLY NATHER SERIES
A Life Unexpected
Cohen’s Tale
STAND-ALONE NOVELS
An Unfortunate Journey
Anything Goes On A Friday Night
THE RIVERBEND SERIES
WITH J.L. HACKETT
Collide
Igneous
ANTHOLOGIES
In Creeps The Night
A Winter’s Romance
Tales By The Tree
To my readers…you inspire me.
I TIPTOE THROUGH the hall and peek into my parents’ room to make sure they’re asleep. I hurry back to my room and try to remember the spell my dad used to close the realm passage between here and Gaia. I tap my thigh as I think.
What was that damn spell…
Oh, yeah!
I quickly use my handy talent of breaking codes to release the spell. My dad says I get that from my Uncle Brody, who passed away before I was born.
I smile inwardly as I feel the change in temperature and know I’ve successfully transported myself from Terre to Gaia. I pull the ponytail holder from my wrist and quickly tie my hair in a loose bun. I throw my shoes off and bury my feet in the warm sand. Man, how I’ve missed this place!
They’d have to be crazy to think I wouldn’t figure out how to return, even though they locked down travel between the worlds again. I walk toward the water, and suddenly feel like I’m being watched. Surely I haven’t been caught already! I turn around and see someone walking in the distance. I dart behind a tree and try to breathe as quietly and evenly as possible.
I watch as a male figure emerges from the woods and approaches the water. He has dark hair, and I catch a quick glimpse of his green eyes. He must be one of the Fae my mother has told me about. I try to teleport myself back to Terre, but for some reason, it’s not working. Well, damn. I start to panic as he gets closer. I look around for another place to hide, but there isn’t anywhere else to go.
He looks around, and I know he can probably hear my ragged breathing. I’m so nervous that I’m panting like I’ve run a marathon. I do my best to stay hidden behind the tree, but he is getting closer, and I’m shaking like a leaf. I tuck a few strands of hair that came out of my loose bun then put my back against the tree.
He leans his back against the tree I’m hiding behind, and I instinctively hold my breath. It doesn’t take long before I’m starting to feel lightheaded, and in my desperation for fresh air, it rushes from my lungs uncontrollably, completely giving me away. He bolts from the tree, whirling around to look directly at me.
I smile sheepishly and wave like an idiot. “Hi.” This would be less awkward if he wasn’t so attractive.
“Who are you?” he asks, studying my face and stepping closer. His eyes find mine.
“Ummm, it’s probably not a good idea for me to tell you that.”
My parents told me that the people of Gaia don’t like Versipellis, especially when they’re in Gaia. The level of prejudice between the worlds is ridiculous.
He looks confused. He shoves his hands in his pockets and mutters sullenly, “I didn’t think anyone else knew about this place.” He looks out at the water then back to me.
“Me either,” I say, walking out into the moonlight.
He smiles as he gets a better look at me. He stretches out his hand. “I’m Isaac.”
I shake his hand. “And I’m lost.”
He laughs. “I’ll help you find your way home if you tell me your name.”
“Aislin. But you might have a hard time helping me find my way home. Don’t worry. My parents will be here any minute looking for me. You might want to leave now, though, or they will probably kill us both.” I laugh as I sit down in the sand and rest my chin on my hand.
“What part of Gaia are you from?” he asks, sitting down next to me.
“I’m kind of not from Gaia. I’m actually from Terre,” I admit as I use my index finger to draw in the sand.
His eyes grow wide, and then he frowns a little. “Terre?”
I laugh and bat my eyes. “What, are you scared of a little ol’ Versipellis?”
He crosses his arms across his chest and stares at me. “Aren’t your kind and our kind not supposed to cross over to each other’s worlds?”
I shrug my shoulders. “That’s why you should probably leave. When my dad finds me—”
“Aislin!” Well, there’s my mother.
I stand up and wipe sand from my legs. “Hello, Mother.” She has her hands on her hips, and by the look on her face, I’m in deep shit.
“Do you realize what we’re risking by coming here?” She stomps toward me, and I have the sudden urge to run but decide I better stay put if I value my life at all.
I look away from her eyes. “I’m sorry, I—”
“Sorry? Aislin, we have told you repeatedly how dangerous it is to come here! I should—Her tirade cuts off abruptly as she becomes alarmed at the sight of Isaac. She studies him intently for a brief moment; then her expression abruptly goes soft.
“Mom?” I’m worried about her mood swing... She’s never this quiet when I’m in trouble. For some reason, seeing Isaac shut her up, and although it’s weird, I can’t peel my eyes from the scene unfolding before me.
Isaac looks scared. My mom slowly closes the distance between them. I laugh a little at his panicked expression. Isaac looks at me with disturbed eyes, and I laugh again. My mom on a rampage would scare even the most fearless of tyrants. I shrug my shoulders and watch as my mother continues to stare solemnly at him.
“What is your name?” she asks in a whisper, only inches from his face.
“Umm, Isaac.” He takes a cautious step back, adding some precious inches to his unoccupied personal space. Another laugh escapes my lips.
“Who is your father?” she pries further, her eyes searching his face intently.
“Cohen Aberdeen.” I watch as my mom blanches at the sound of a man’s voice coming from a patch of tall grass behind her.
My mother turns her head slowly and claps her hand to her mouth as she gasps at the sight of this man. When he walks out into the open and his gaze lands on her, his eyes widen in shock and awe.
“No way…” he chokes out. Isaac and I exchange worried looks and then turn to watch the events transpiring between them.
My mom looks down at her feet and shakes her head. Looking up at me, she says in a steady, forced-calm tone, “Aislin, we have to go.”
I rush to my mom’s
side at the sound of fear in her voice. “Mom, what is it?”
“Now!” she screams. She turns to walk away but is stopped by the man’s hand on her shoulder.
“Holly?” he asks, pleading.
She takes a deep breath and turns to face him. “Cohen, you know I’m not supposed to be here.”
“Wait, you know him?” I gulp, pointing to the newcomer.
I watch a single tear slide down his cheek. “I can’t believe it! I haven’t seen you in eighteen years!”
She hangs her head and sighs softly. “1,200 years according to Terre’s time.”
“Luke?” he asks.
She laughs coldly and looks up at him. “Is going to be very upset if he finds out I’ve been here. I only came to get my daughter. Now, I need to go!” My mother grabs my hand, and I watch as a solitary tear slides down her cheek before teleporting us back to Terre.
I WATCH AS my dad paces around my room. Just yell at me already. I lie back on my bed as he says something about me being irresponsible. My mom is standing in the corner, mute as a mime. I think she’s still in shock after seeing that Cohen guy. When I look up, I see my dad standing directly above me.
I sit up and give him the best remorseful expression I can as I smooth my hair down. “I’m sorry, Dad. I won’t do it again.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose and looks over at Mom in the corner. “Why are you so quiet? Are you okay?”
She looks anxious. I watch as she looks at Dad.
“I—I’m fine…” She places her hand to her forehead and walks toward the door with an empty stare. “I think I need to go lie down,” she says in a hazy tone.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” he asks. She nods, and although he doesn’t seem convinced, he nods his head and watches Mom leave the room.
He turns to look at me again and sighs. “You always say you won’t do it again, but you always go anyway. Your mother and I have told you how dangerous that place is.”
“Yes, but in my defense, you’ve never told me why! I’m sick of this castle!” I stand up and walk to my window. I look out and wish I could explore freely outside of the castle walls. I only get to go to Earth to see my grandparents once a year at Christmas. And all I get to see is the house they live in.
“It’s not safe.”
I cut my eyes at him. “I’m sick of that same three-worded answer, Dad. I’m seventeen! I think I can handle more than just a part of the truth. And I heard about how when you and Mom got married it was supposed to create peace. What happened to that? If there is peace, then why are you so scared to let me go places?” I cross my arms across my chest and turn to face him.
“Things didn’t go as we planned. You’re just going to have to accept our decisions, A. Our kind stay in Terre—bottom line. The only thing that changed is how Terre is run. Versipellis can live freely now. But even they’re not safe to be around. We only want to protect you.”
“This is getting ridiculous! I’m home-schooled and only have two friends! The only reason I know Collin and Ben is because they are your friends’ kids!” I stomp my foot and huff to plead my case.
“A, I’m not arguing with you about the rules your mother and I set in place.” My dad glances toward the door. “What is wrong with your mother? She is never this quiet.”
I shrug my shoulders. “She started acting weird when she saw some Cohen guy. It was like she knew him or something.”
“Cohen?” My dad’s face turns red, and he peels his eyes from the door to look at me. “She saw him!” he yells.
I nod and look away from his fiery eyes. He’s making me nervous.
I’m startled when my door slams shut.
O-kay. What the hell is happening? I’ve ran off before and have been in trouble, but this is unlike any previous bad decisions and the consequences that followed.
I wait until I hear their door shut and tiptoe down the hall. I place my ear to the door and listen.
“Holly! Talk to me!” My dad yells.
“Luke, I’m not discussing this. I was shocked that I saw him, and that’s it. I never expected to see him. I thought it wasn’t possible with the whole alternate reality thing.”
Alternate what!
I hear something hit the wall, and Dad starts yelling. “Do you know what could happen? It could mess up everything! Why didn’t you tell me that you were going? I would have gone with you!”
“Because, Luke, I was more concerned for the safety of our daughter than wasting one second notifying you of where I was going! Just chill out! We’re fine! This possessive shit is becoming more than me or your daughter can bare!”
I hear my dad take a few calming, deep breaths before responding. “I’m sorry, but it’s my job to protect the both of you. You know that, Holly. And now that he’s seen you and her… What if there’s trouble?”
“Cohen, at least the Cohen I knew, was a good guy. He wouldn’t cause trouble.”
“Oh really? And you’re sure about that? You’re acting funny about seeing him. And you know going there could—”
My mom laughs stiffly, causing Dad to stop mid-sentence. “Luke, are we seriously doing this? Fighting over something that doesn’t even matter? Yes, I was shocked. And, yes, I thought for a moment about Harim, Helen, Stella and my mother. I thought for a moment of Cohen and the little piece of my life that I loved so much. Do you honestly expect me to not have emotions for those that will always be dear to me? How else do you expect me to act? Now, can we please go to bed? We have a busy day of meetings, and morning isn’t far away.”
“You’re playing with fire with this, Holly. We made an agreement. I don’t expect you to ever forget about them, but I expect you to school your emotions.” I hear my dad kiss my mom. But what worries me is when my mom says nothing else. Not even an I love you back after hearing Dad tell her he loves her. My parents have fought before but not often. They are always so happy. I have never seen my mom like this.
I hurry back to my room and climb into bed. I’ll never fall asleep after hearing the conversation between Mom and Dad. I know the whole story about Mom and her life on Earth. I know how she and Dad met and how he saw Mom in visions. I also know that his parents didn’t like her and how they had plans of using her to rule Earth. What I didn’t know is that Mom knows people in Gaia and that something happened between her and this Cohen guy. I have never been in love, but the look on my mother and Cohen’s face definitely portrayed love. It’s the same way her and my dad look at each other. Only with a little more emotion, and that’s what scares me. For the first time, I worry that my parents’ relationship isn’t as perfect as I thought it was. What if something happens between them now that she saw that guy? It will be my fault for going there… I close my eyes and run my hands through my hair. This isn’t good.
I have to find out more. Obviously, my parents have been hiding more than I thought they were from me.
WHEN I WAKE up, it’s obvious that it’s past lunch time by the sun’s position in the sky. I roll over onto my back and hope and pray last night was just my imagination.
I climb out of bed and get ready for the day. It’s Saturday, so jeans and a t-shirt are appropriate. My mom says I take after her in the dress code category. I don’t have to wear dresses all the time, but I definitely can’t dress this casually with a sloppy ponytail pulled to the side every day.
I walk barefoot down the hall and smile at Alicia, one of the maids, dusting a shelf.
She curtsies and smiles. “Good morning, little troublemaker! We heard you caused a fuss last night.”
I laugh and roll my eyes. “What did I tell you about curtsying? You know that my parents don’t require that! Besides, it’s weird.”
She laughs. “I know. But I worked here when your father’s parents were in rule, and it is just habit.”
I scrunch my nose. “They must have been a real bore.”
She turns around and continues dusting with a small chuckle. “You have no idea. Now, go downsta
irs. Your parents went out for meetings, but lunch is on the table.”
I smile and pick up my pace as I head for the stairs. On my way, I sneak into the library and grab one of my favorite books. Once I make it to the dining room, I sit down and pull up a second chair to prop my feet on. I grab a sandwich and open my book to the first chapter.
“Mind if I join you?” I hear Uncle Jett ask. I know he’s not my dad’s real brother, but I’ve always called him Uncle, and Dad says he’s pretty damn close to being a real brother.
“Not at all.” I take a bite of my sandwich and set my book down when I realize I’ve read the same sentence several times.
I wonder if Uncle Jett knows about this Cohen guy… “Can I ask you a question?”
“With that look on your face, Kid, I’m not sure I want you to ask me anything.” He cocks an eyebrow at me while grabbing some food.
I laugh and roll my eyes. “Mom and Dad got in a fight last night. I snuck out again and went to Gaia.”
He narrows his eyes at me and takes a bite of his food. “And what is the question?” he asks around his bite of eggs.
“They were fighting after I told Dad Mom saw some guy named Cohen.”
Uncle Jett spits out his eggs and covers his mouth with his fist. He coughs a few times, and I prepare myself to perform the Heimlich.
“You okay?” I start to stand up to go over there and help him.
He holds up a finger and nods his head. He takes several drinks and coughs a few more times. He looks at me and furrows his eyebrows.
“Might I ask, what in the hell were you doing in Gaia?”
“Mom has told me stories about Paradise, and I wanted to go. It’s not the first time that I’ve went there… It’s just the first time that I actually saw someone. I didn’t know Mom knew anyone from there.”
“This isn’t good, A. Was your Dad really pissed?” He pushes his plate away.
