by Sarra Cannon
I walked with her through the living room and into the small foyer. "It was nice to talk to you, Tuli," I said. The nickname just popped out of my mouth, and I liked the sound of it. The shorter name seemed to fit her so well. "Do you mind if I call you Tuli?"
She smiled and looked down at her feet. "I love it," she said. "It is what my mother used to call me."
"Good," I said, wondering if something bad had happened to her mother. "It fits you."
She paused near the door. "Thank you, Princess."
"For what?" I asked.
She lifted her eyes to mine, and for the first time, I noticed how beautiful they were. A light, clear violet that contrasted well with her dark skin and deep brown hair.
"For treating me as you would a friend," she said. "It is the greatest joy of my life."
She bowed her head and curtsied. Then, with a shy smile, she turned and left me alone with my thoughts.
Exactly Who You Are
The following afternoon, my father sent word that he'd like to have a private dinner with me.
My stomach flip-flopped, making me jittery and slightly insane. I called Tuli up to my room to help me figure out what to wear. Jackson laid back on my bed while I paraded various outfits in front of him. Dresses. My torn jeans. One felt way too overdressed while the other felt ratty and awful.
"A princess is allowed to be a little overdressed for a dinner in the presence of the king," Tuli said. Then, her face brightened and she clapped her hands together. "I think I might have just the thing."
She disappeared into the huge walk-in closet, then emerged with a green silk gown draped over her arm.
I scrunched my nose up. "Don't you think that's going to be too much for a random dinner?" I asked. "Maybe I should just wear my jeans."
She clenched her jaw and pressed her lips together in a tight line. With a shake of her head, she lifted the dress and motioned for me to go into the bathroom.
Jackson laughed. "I agree with Tuli," he said. "If you've got all these gorgeous handmade dresses in your closet, why not make the most of it?"
"I'll be right back," I said, rolling my eyes at him. There was no way I was going to wear a fancy green silk dress to dinner tonight. I would feel ridiculous.
In the bathroom, I looked around for a screen or some other place to change.
Tuli laughed. "There is no reason to be modest around me," she said. "Part of my responsibility is to help you dress. I promise you can feel safe around me."
Embarrassed, I removed my clothes and stepped into the green dress as Tulianne used her magic to start six separate braids in my hair. I had no idea how she kept them all going at once.
"That's amazing," I said, watching her. "I can only ever lift four things at once. If I even try adding a fifth to the mix, everything falls apart."
She smiled and also used her magic to lift the dress up and fasten it around my neck. "It is merely a matter of practice," she said. "Besides, I am sure you are only being modest. Everyone here in the kingdom knows you have great power."
"You're wrong," I said. "I barely even know how to use my magic. I wish I could learn more about it. Especially the demon side of my powers. I don't even know the first thing about them."
"Perhaps you can ask the king about training while you are here," she said. "He has many guards who work with your kind to master both sides of your power."
"My kind?"
"Half-demon, half-human," she said. "Many humans have left your homeland to come here over the years, so there are many children like you in the city. We call them hybrids. Learning to use both sides of your power at once is quite a challenge from what I hear."
She finished the braids, then coiled them up against my head in an intricate pattern. She fastened them with golden clips that glittered against my blonde hair.
"How can they practice both when the dome protective seal only allows pure demon magic?" I asked.
"There are training rooms below the throne room where both types of magic can be used," she said. She stepped back to survey my outfit. She reached out toward the scrap of white fabric tied around my wrist, but I pulled away.
"I never take that off," I said.
"I am sorry, Princess," she said. "I did not realize it was important to you."
I'm sure the ratty piece looked strange to her, and completely out of place with this gorgeous dress, but I had vowed never to take it off. It was my reminder of the evil the Order was truly capable of."
"I am thinking you need one final touch."
Tuli lifted a gold chain and long, dangling emerald earrings from a box across the room and floated them toward us with a simple wave. She handed the earrings to me and while I put them on, she fastened the golden chain in my hair in such a way that it almost looked like a crown with a single teardrop-shaped emerald hanging down across my forehead.
I gasped when I looked into the mirror. For the first time in my life, I actually looked like a princess. It was almost too much to take.
"This isn't me," I said in a whisper. "I'm not this girl."
Tulianne leaned close.
"Now you are the one who is wrong," she said with a knowing smile. "This is exactly who you are."
They Found You First
Nerves knotted in my stomach.
This would be my first dinner alone with my father. My first real chance to ask him questions about my mother and about his life in Peachville.
As I made my way to the dining hall, I had to wipe my hands on the skirt of my beautiful green dress at least four times. I tried to breathe deep and calm my heart, but the air stuck in my throat. I took my steps slowly, the gravity of the moment weighing heavy on my mind.
I didn't want to mess this up.
Even in the short time I'd spent with him, I'd learned that my father, the king, could shut down fast if I pressed too hard. Jackson explained that it was part of the demon culture to be patient, while humans were always in a hurry. Demons had hundreds of years to say what they meant or to figure out the truth of their own feelings. Humans never knew if tomorrow would come. It was something I couldn't quite understand and move past.
I might be half-demon, but I had never had the luxury of time. Not the way my father had.
Besides, I felt like I'd waited long enough already.
Two women in plain black dresses stood at the entrance to the dining hall. They smiled as I approached. I blushed from nerves and embarrassment. I wasn't used to being treated like royalty, and I suddenly felt silly in this fancy dress and these green jewels.
"Princess Harper," the woman on the left said. She had short black hair and beautiful blue eyes that sparkled when she talked. "Let me show you to your seat."
I smiled and tugged at my dress.
She bowed and led me through the entrance and into a gorgeous room with high ceilings and the most beautiful long wooden table I'd ever seen. The dark wood shone in the light of the orbs that danced near the ceiling. The floor in this room was a deep slate gray and my shoes clacked against it as I walked.
There were twenty chairs seated around the grand table, but only two places had been set for dinner. I walked to the head of the table where ivory place mats were covered with ornate silverware, fine china with a deep blue pattern etched across it, and crystal goblets filled with water.
"Thank you," I said.
A man in a black suit pulled my chair out for me. He made the motions with his hands, but he never actually touched the wood of the chair's frame. Instead, the chair moved by magic. He bowed as I thanked him and sat down, the chair sliding perfectly under me.
I cleared my throat, then took a sip of water. My hand trembled slightly, so I gripped the goblet tighter, hoping no one noticed.
I stared at the empty place next to me.
"The king is still in the throne room with the head of the council," the woman said.
"Oh," I said. "Do you think he's still planning to come?"
"I'm sure he will do his best to spe
nd time with his lovely daughter," she said. She stepped back toward the wall, taking her place beside the other servants dressed in black.
I placed my hands in my lap and crossed my ankles under the table. It was so strange having all these people here to wait on me. I would much rather have been able to just wear my comfy jeans and meet my dad at some fast food place. We could talk over a milkshake and fries or something.
I took another sip of water.
The servants behind me straightened. I looked around, wondering what was going on, then swallowed hard as I saw the king walk through the door.
With a comfortable confidence, he made his way across the room, eyes trained on me.
"Harper," he said. He held his hand out to me and I moved to stand. "No, no need to stand, my dear."
He nodded and the same man who had helped me earlier pulled the chair out. My father sat down next to me, propping his elbows on the table and clasping his hands together.
"You look beautiful," he said. "How are you settling in?"
"Great," I said. My voice came out with a weird croak, and I cleared my throat. "Tulianne is very sweet."
"I'm glad you are getting along fine," he said. "If there's ever anything you need, you just let her know."
Around us, the servants moved with grace and precision, and in less than a minute our plates were full. I watched my father closely and did my best to copy his actions. When he picked up his fork and started to eat, I did the same. I speared a deep red strawberry. The tart flavor made the sides of my cheeks pucker, but I tried not to make a funny face.
I was completely out of my league here. I'd never even eaten at an expensive restaurant, much less at a king's table. I didn't want to make a mistake and look stupid in front of all these people.
I would have much rather spent time with my father somewhere we could both feel comfortable.
"Have you had a chance to explore much of the city?" he asked. "It's a shame so much of it was damaged in the attack, but everyone's been working nonstop to get things back in order."
I finished chewing, then brought my hand in front of my mouth, hoping I didn't have any strawberry seeds stuck in my teeth. "Not yet," I said. "I've mostly just been in my rooms."
A smiled tugged at one corner of his mouth. "I hope you're pleased with your accommodations."
"Are you kidding?" I asked. "They're amazing. The balcony is my favorite part. I love the view of the gardens. I can smell the flowers all the way up in my bedroom."
I wanted to mention the white roses. To ask him about my mother, but I remembered Jackson's advice and took it slow. Small talk might be driving me crazy, but at least we were talking.
"That's wonderful," my father said.
"There was a really nice breeze last night," I said. "But how exactly does that work? If the dome keeps everything out, how come I can feel the wind?"
"The weather here inside the dome is almost always perfect. When it storms outside, we can still hear the thunder and see the rain falling against the barrier, but nothing gets through," he said. "The wind and even the warmth of the sun are actually spells cast to make everyone feel at home here. Every once in a while, we will cast a rain spell that only rains in the gardens and grassy areas to they get properly watered."
Nothing gets through. I winced as I remembered those drops of black acid falling through the crack in the dome. Could I ask him about that? Or would that put too much tension in the whole conversation?
I decided to go for it and say what was on my mind, figuring it wasn't really a personal question.
"Do you know how the Order was able to crack the dome?" I asked. "Is it fixed yet?"
My father sighed and nodded to a servant who quickly brought a bottle of wine to the table. "The crack has been patched, but we're still working to recreate the protective spell that keeps witches from casting human magic within the dome," he said. "It should be finished by morning."
"That's great," I said, relieved.
"Sure, until the Order attacks again," he said. "As long as we keep you and the ring here, I'm sure they'll be watching and waiting for the next chance to attack."
I looked down at my plate, not sure I had the appetite for all this food. "I don't want to put your people in danger," I said.
The king set his fork down and stared at me. When I looked up, our eyes met. "Harper, these are your people too," he said. "They would all willingly lay down their lives for their princess. Don't you know that?"
I shook my head. "They barely even know me."
"They adore you." He took a long drink of red wine. "Please, promise me you won't leave the safety of the dome. You belong here. You're my daughter, and my armies are dedicated to keeping you safe."
The strength of his words hit me hard in the chest. A whole army to protect me? I would rather take them to Peachville with me instead of staying here doing nothing to fight. Was my father expecting me to stay here forever?
"Can I ask you something?" I said.
He drew in a tense breath. "Yes."
I paused, unsure how best to word this. "Did you know the Order tried to kill me?"
He cleared his throat and drank down the rest of his wine. The servant at his side refilled it instantly. "I knew they had you in captivity," he said. "But I only found out about their attempt to transfer your line after you had already been brought here to the shadow world."
"Is that why you didn't come for me?" My plan to make small talk and avoid the hard questions flew right out the window. I couldn't help myself.
"Harper..." His voice grew quiet. He looked around at all of the servants in the room, then leaned forward. "I'm not sure this is really the best time to talk about this. We'll have plenty of time later to talk about anything you want."
My hands went numb from clasping them together so hard under the table. "When? I know you don't really want to talk about all of this, but I have so many questions," I said. "I am trying to be patient and understand that demons aren't always in a rush because of the whole immortal thing. It's just that I've been in the dark pretty much my whole life and now I've finally found someone who knows the truth about me."
My father looked down at his hands, his shoulders tensing.
"I know this is hard," I said. I knew I was going too far, but once I'd started talking, it was impossible to stop. "It's hard for me too, but if we're ever going to have a real relationship, we're going to have to be able to talk to each other now instead of pushing the important conversations off until later." I took a deep breath, trying to still the wild beating of my heart. "Why can't we talk about this now?"
After several long breaths, he finally nodded his head. "I know it must have been difficult growing up without a mother and father," he said. He talked slower than normal, giving each word weight. "Events in my own life forced me back here to the shadow world much sooner than I'd planned, and I had to break things off with your mother. I had no idea she was pregnant at the time, but when she was killed..."
He didn't speak for a moment, and I didn't breathe. Time stood still between us as I waited for him to continue.
"I searched for you," he said, looking over at me. "I tried to find you before the Order could get their hands on you, but I failed. They found you first. By the time I realized it, you were already a part of their world, I couldn't just swoop in and take you away."
"Why not?" I asked, my voice uncertain and weak.
"I was afraid if the Order found out you were my daughter, it would put your life in greater danger," he said with a heavy sigh. "Of course, it turned out you were in danger anyway, long before they ever found out you were a hybrid. I should have just come for you, but I vowed a long time ago not to interfere in the human world."
"So they didn't know about my demon side this whole time?" I asked.
"No one knew," he said. "Until you shifted fighting those hunters, the only people who knew your identity were a few of the guards on my council and my oldest daughter."
My
eyes widened and my heart skipped a beat. It was the first time he'd mentioned my half-sister. All I knew about her from my mother's journal was that she was about six years older than me and had jet black hair.
"She's still in Peachville?" I asked.
"My daughter?" He raised his eyebrows. "Oh yes, in fact you've already met her."
I opened my mouth, nearly jumping out of my seat to find out who she was.
But before I could ask him another question, three guards burst through the door. I wanted to scream in frustration, but as I turned, I saw the fear in their eyes.
"I'm sorry for interrupting your dinner, sire," one guard said with a sideways glance at me.
The king pushed back his hair and stood. "Has there been another attack?"
"It's Gregory, Your Highness," the guard said.
I recognized the name instantly. He was the guard who had found me right after Jackson and I fought with the hunters a few days ago. He was the one who brought us here to my father's castle.
"What happened to him?" I asked.
The guard turned to me. His lower lip trembled slightly. "He's been taken."
The Actions Of Evil People
"I need everyone else to leave the room," the king said.
I had no idea if that applied to me or not, but I wanted to hear what these guards were going to say. I stayed.
The servants all rushed out, leaving me, my father and the three guards.
"Tell me what happened."
The king paced the room as the head guard filled him in.
"As you know, Gregory and his men went to the outerlands yesterday to answer to reports of more attacks," he said. "He took six men with him. A few minutes ago, one of these men, Xeran, showed up at the gates of the city, mutilated almost beyond recognition."
The guard glanced at me nervously, probably wondering if this was an appropriate discussion to have in front of a princess.
"I must go to him," the king said, moving toward the door. "Maybe I can help him heal."
