Demons Forever (Peachville High Demons #6)

by Sarra Cannon

  He leaned over, resting his arms against the thick stone railing. Worry flashed in his eyes.

  "Only, it's not so safe any more," he said. "I guess I knew eventually the Order would find a way inside, but I didn't think it would happen so soon."

  "Do you think you'll be able to repair it?" I asked.

  "Yes, but what then?" He lifted his eyes to the top of the dome. A thin layer of black residue still clung to it. A large crack ran through the center at the very top. "What's to stop them from attacking again? I have to figure out a way to make my people feel safe. They count on me."

  He sounded tired. I wanted to comfort him, but I didn't know how. He was still a stranger to me.

  "We'll help however we can," I said. I had no idea how long Jackson and I would stay here, but I knew we would both do everything in our power to make it safe. Especially since the attack might have never happened if it wasn't for me.

  The king straightened. "Thank you," he said. "But for now I'll leave you to get settled in. I need to meet with my council and the head of the guards so we can discuss our plans to rebuild."

  I followed him back into the bedroom.

  "Oh, and I'll have your handmaiden join you shortly," he said. "She's currently helping to clean the throne room, but I know she's be anxious to meet you."

  "Handmaiden?" I asked.

  "A sweet demon girl named Tulianne," he said, crossing through to the living room. "Don't hesitate to let her know if you need anything at all. I'm afraid I might not be around a lot in the coming days. There will be a lot of work to do around the city."

  Disappointment flooded through me. "I had hoped we'd have some time to talk," I said. "I have so many questions about my mother and how you came to know her. And I'd like to talk to you about our plan to get back to Peachville."

  At the mention of Peachville, my father turned sharply back to me, his face serious and stern. "Going back to that town is not an option," he said. "Not for many years. We need to fortify the city first and make sure you're safe from any attack. Then, after a few years, when the Order has backed off a little, we can revisit the idea of you going back there."

  I bristled at his harsh tone. Was I a prisoner here now? "That's not really a decision you can make for me," I said, lifting my chin. If he'd really been watching me all this time, hadn't he learned I wasn't really one to follow the rules?

  I swallowed hard and waited for his reaction.

  My father narrowed his eyes at me. "Of course not," he said. I saw his hand move to the pocket that held the Order's blue ring. "I only hope you'll see the importance of staying here inside the dome where you'll be safe."

  Where he could keep a closer eye on me. Wasn't that what he'd really intended to say? I was glad he cared about my safety, but I wasn't used to having a parent. And I certainly didn't want to have to start following his orders just because he was my dad.

  He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but quickly closed it again. Instead, he gave a short bow, then shifted to smoke and disappeared from the room in the blink of an eye.

  All These Questions

  Jackson hugged me tight as we stood on the balcony looking out over the gardens below. My father had prepared a room for him down in the guard's quarters, but he'd come looking for me as soon as he was done in the healing rooms.

  The three suns had started to set, their light fading rapidly.

  "How are you feeling?" he asked.

  I leaned against him, burying my head in his chest. "It's been the single most insane day of my life."

  I'd never experienced so many highs and lows in such a short period of time. I was happy to have found my father, but still in shock about the fact that he was a demon king. Then there was the attack and my father's determination to keep me here. It was all so much to take in.

  "Maybe you should get some rest," he said. "It was hard to really sleep down there in the dungeons."

  "I know," I said with a laugh. "The bed up here sure looks a lot more comfortable than a heap of straw. I'm just not sure I can sleep. My mind is spinning with all this. He wouldn't even answer a single personal question the whole time we were together."

  Jackson kissed the top of my head. "Give him time," he said. "This can't be easy for him either."

  I hadn't thought of it from my father's perspective. Was it hard for him to have me show up here like this? I guess answering a lot of questions after such a long battle might not be easy, especially when I wanted to ask him about very personal things like how exactly he'd come to know my mother and why he'd abandoned her all those years ago. In her journal, she'd said he broke things off abruptly, just telling her one day he couldn't see her anymore. Of course, she'd never told him she was pregnant, but why had he left her in the first place?

  Did it have something to do with his wife? Or his other daughter?

  He'd said he built this castle sometime close to when I was born. Was that the reason he left Peachville? I shook my head, unable to get a grip on all these questions.

  "I just hope he doesn't avoid me forever," I said. "I've waited too long to have this chance. He owes me this much. Especially if he's been watching me since I first came to Peachville months ago."

  Just knowing he'd been keeping an eye on me made my heart hurt. Why hadn't he come for me? Why did he let me get pulled into the Order's grasp? They'd tried to kill me! If Jackson and Mary Anne and Lea hadn't risked their lives to pull me through the portal, I would have died never even knowing who my father was. Why hadn't my father intervened and tried to save my life?

  The question stung. Did he even care about me?

  But when I thought about the rooms he'd had prepared for me and the look on his face when I'd first walked into his throne room, I knew the truth. He cared about me. I could see it in his eyes. Maybe he just didn't know how to express it. Or maybe he'd had his reasons for not coming to Peachville to save me.

  I hoped he'd be ready to talk about it soon. If he avoided me for too long, I might completely lose my mind.

  "It's going to be okay," Jackson said, pulling me closer. "Time is a different thing for demons. We're immortal. A day is nothing to someone like your father. Try to be patient. I'm sure he'll come around."

  Would he?

  I thought about the sapphire ring. Now that he had it, my father had more control over me than I wanted. He'd promised to give it back to me if I asked, but could I trust him to live up to his word? Or would he keep it from me so that I would be forced to stay here in his castle?

  Only time would tell.

  Still, as the suns set beyond the cracked dome, I couldn't help but wonder just how much time we had left before the Order attacked again.

  Such A Different Life

  The following morning, I awoke as the door to my bedroom pushed open.

  Panic rushed through me. I jumped up, ready to fight. A short, dark-skinned girl pushed through carrying a basket of food. I relaxed and laughed in relief.

  "You scared me to death," I said, clutching my chest. My heart raced.

  "I'm so sorry, Princess," she said. Worry crinkled her face. "I never meant to scare you. I knocked, but when I heard no answer, I thought you must still be sleeping. I wanted to leave this basket of breads and pastries for you."

  "It's fine," I said. "I'm just glad you're you and not a hunter."

  "Goodness, no," she said. She crossed to the left side of the room and set the basket on a mahogany table surrounded by high-backed chairs covered in tan leather. "My name is Tulianne. The king told me you would be expecting me."

  I smiled and held my hand out to her. "I'm Harper," I said.

  She smiled shyly and ducked her head. "I know who you are," she said, tentatively taking my hand. Instead of shaking it, though, she curtsied and bowed her head. "The king brought me here many years ago and I have trained to serve you. I cannot tell you how joyful I am to have you here after all this time."

  "Are you serious?" I asked. "You trained for me?" It complet
ely blew my mind to think about someone training for years just to serve me. Could this be real?

  "I have trained in how to braid hair and sew dresses," she said. "I helped to decorate your rooms, and I work every day to keep them clean. Also, at your father's direction, I have put fresh white roses in your room every single day for the past seventeen years."

  My mouth fell open. I couldn't believe she'd been here for seventeen years. The king must have brought her here right after my mother died.

  "I have also spent much of my time lately learning everything I could about you," she said. She moved to the bed and began to make up the sheets. Only instead of using her hands, she used magic. Within seconds, the bed looked exactly as it had when I'd arrived, each pillow perfectly placed.

  "That's insane," I said, unable to hide my shock. "This is your only job?"

  "Yes," she said in all seriousness.

  "I appreciate all that you've done, but I really don't need a handmaiden," I said. Just the thought of having someone make my bed and bring me food was so strange. I was used to doing everything for myself. "I'm sure there's something more important you could do rather than waiting on me hand and foot."

  Her face fell and she looked like she was about to cry. "Please do not send me away, Princess," she said. "Being chosen to serve you has been the great honor of my life. It would break my heart to be dismissed, but if that is what you wish..."

  Her voice trailed off, and guilt shot through me. I hadn't meant to upset her. I stepped closer to her and put my hand on her arm.

  "I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't mean it personally. I'm just not used to being treated like this. I grew up learning to fend for myself. I only meant that I don't want you to go to any trouble."

  "Trust me," she said, her face lighting up again. "You are no trouble to me. Every princess must have a faithful handmaiden. I am your devoted servant for life, as long as you will accept me. I will happily do anything you need."

  "Thank you," I said. I couldn't help but like her. I could tell from these brief moments together she was a genuinely kind person. "It will be nice to have a good friend here in the city."

  She lowered her head again, as if wanting to hide her smile. "You are too kind, Princess Harper," she said softly. "I am here to serve you. You are not obligated to treat me as a friend."

  "Other than Jackson and the little boy who came here with us, you're my only friend here in the city," I said. "I hope we'll get to know each other very well for as long as I'm here."

  She lifted her eyes to mine. "You do not plan to stay here?"

  I shrugged and walked over to investigate the goodies she'd brought for breakfast. I'd been so exhausted the night before, I completely forgot to eat before I passed out in my new bed. I didn't even remember Jackson leaving.

  "I don't know yet," I said. "Life is a little bit confusing right now, to say the least."

  I picked a sugary pastry filled with chocolate and cherries. The flavors filled my mouth with sweetness and I moaned.

  "Is something wrong?" Tulianne asked.

  "Are you kidding? This is seriously the most delicious thing I have ever tasted in my life." I took another bite, having to restrain myself from shoving the whole thing in my mouth at once.

  "I am pleased," she said, beaming from ear to ear. "This is one of my special recipes."

  "I love it," I said between bites. I was already looking through the basket to see what else was in there. "Did you make all this yourself?"

  She nodded. "I love to bake," she said. "I knew you would be hungry after such a long journey and after yesterday's attack."

  "Thank you," I said. "These are delicious."

  "I will bring them for you each morning," she said.

  I laughed and covered my mouth. "You'll make me fat if I eat this every day, but it's so good I almost don't care."

  "If there is anything else you would prefer, simply let me know and I will bring it to you," she said. "The kitchens are always fully stocked with meats and fruits and all kinds of fresh foods."

  "I'm sure anything you make will be fine," I said.

  The idea of having a handmaiden was going to take some serious getting used to. I would feel weird asking her to fetch me some food or brush my hair or clean my room. Maybe that was normal for a princess, but I still hadn't even wrapped my head around that whole thing yet.

  Still, it would be nice to have someone besides Jackson to talk to.

  "Can I ask you a question?" I asked, picking another pastry from the basket.

  "Anything."

  I motioned to the leather chairs around the table. "Here, have a seat," I said.

  I sat down, but Tulianne kept standing. She bit her lip, looking worried.

  "What?" I asked.

  "A girl in my position is not usually permitted to sit down in the presence of her mistress," she said.

  "Why not?" I asked. "Is that some kind of rule you have to follow?"

  "It is an unspoken rule," she said. "I do not want to intrude on your time or your space."

  "You're not intruding," I said. "I'd much rather sit and talk to you than be alone up here in this big room."

  She eyed the empty chair.

  "I understand if you have something else you need to do," I said. "But I'd love to spend some time with you if you want to hang out for a bit."

  She smiled. It was infectious. So sweet and pure. Her chocolate-colored skin seemed to glow from within when she smiled. "Thank you," she said. "I would love that."

  She sat down, crossing her legs neatly under her chair and placing her hands in her lap.

  "Feel free to eat any of this food too. I'll never able to eat all this," I said. I pushed the basket toward her.

  She studied my face for a moment to make sure I was serious, then carefully put her hand in the basket. She removed a small loaf of white bread and set it on a napkin on the table.

  "What would you like to talk about?" she asked. She folded her hands back in her lap, not even taking a bite of her bread.

  I considered her question. I desperately wanted to ask her about my father, but I decided it was probably more polite to ask her something about herself.

  "Do you have family here in the city?" I asked.

  Her face darkened. "No," she said. "Many in my family chose to stay in our small village in the outerlands instead of coming here to the domed city."

  "How come you came here, then?" I asked, hoping it wasn't too personal of a question.

  "I came here for you," she said. "The king was visiting our village years ago when I was just a young girl of fifty. He stayed overnight in the inn my father and mother owned. I used to serve him the same soup and homemade bread every night. We would sometimes exchange pleasant words. When his visit was over, he told me he had a young daughter who may someday come to live in his castle. He said if I was willing, he would like for me to come to the castle to serve as your handmaiden. This is a great honor to my people, and I could not refuse."

  I listened to her story in awe. She'd lived such a different life. I couldn't imagine growing up surrounded by a family I loved, then leaving them for a princess I'd never met.

  "Do you go back to visit your family often?" I asked.

  She shook her head. "My mother is no longer with us," she said, "and I have not been back to see my father and the rest of our people in many years. It is too dangerous to leave the city and travel such a long way."

  The sadness in her voice nearly broke my heart.

  "It must be very hard to be so far from the people you love," I said.

  "Yes, but at the same time they are the ones who stubbornly refuse to come to the dome," she said. "I believe it is foolish to take such risks."

  Her speech patterns reminded me of Essex, Mary Anne's boyfriend in the Underground. He came from a small village in the far north while Tulianne came from the south, yet they sounded so similar. The thought of Mary Anne in love brought a smile to my face.

  "What makes you smile, Pr
incess?"

  "Your English reminds me of a friend," I said. Thinking of him made me realize I should contact Mary Anne now that we were settled somewhere. When we left the Underground, we'd exchanged communication stones that were supposed to work kind of like cell phones. They only had so many uses in them before they wouldn't work anymore, so I hadn't thought it was important enough to call her yet. Now, though, I really wanted to fill her in on everything that had happened.

  She'd probably never let me live this demon princess thing down. Maybe I would skip that part for now.

  "A good friend, I hope," Tulianne said.

  "Yes, a very dear friend," I said. I turned my attention back to this small demon girl who had left everything behind to come here for me. "Thank you for coming here."

  "You do not need to thank me," she said. "It is truly my pleasure, and I am very happy that you have finally come home."

  Home. The word seemed strange in association with this foreign place. Would this ever feel like home?

  I didn't plan on staying here long enough to find out. All I really wanted to do was get back to Peachville. For the first time, there was a real chance of closing the gate and setting both me and Aerden free. We needed to get to work collecting the ritual items so we could perform the binding spell in reverse.

  Maybe once we'd succeeded, Jackson and I both could come back here to spend more time with my father.

  Of course, once Aerden was free, maybe Jackson would want to go back and live with his parents in the Northern Kingdom. Something told me his family wouldn't take too kindly to having me move in with them. The half-demon, half-human princess of their rival kingdom? Not exactly daughter-in-law of the year.

  "I can see you have much on your mind," Tulianne said. "Let me leave you to your thoughts. I should get back to the kitchens and to my work in the gardens before the whole morning passes."