-17-
“Your father and sister are not on the island this evening,” Lady Nemea told me when I went upstairs to change for dinner.
“Eat with me,” I heard myself say.
She was more than happy to join me, but I didn’t know where to start with my questions, so I went with “How long have you known my father?”
She smiled. “Since he was a child. When he was born, the queen herself placed him in my arms. I was only seventeen at the time. She believed he was the one, the red-headed child from her family who would have the powers of Principality Azazel. The Chosen One.”
I frowned. “What happened to his mother…my grandmother?”
“She was around, but the queen decided they were not equipped to raise him. She took him from her, brought him to the castle, and asked me to be one of his nannies. He never wanted for anything. She watched him grow and watched him train.” Lady Nemea smiled. “He was special and she never let him or anyone forget it. Then he turned sixteen and his abilities appeared.”
“He didn’t have powers early like the Specials?”
She chuckled. “No, dear. That only happened with the last batch of children. First to appear was your father’s energy power, then solid, and finally psi. She waited for the rest to appear. Waited and waited.” Lady Nemea went silent and I felt her anger. “When they didn’t, she cast him aside, exiled him to the human world to watch over the other Specials. He was only eighteen.”
Poor Father. “Was he happy? As a child, that is?” I asked.
A pensive expression settled on Lady Nemea’s face. “As happy as a child who knew the fate of an entire race was resting on his shoulders could be. I tried to love him as a mother would, but I was a child, too. It wasn’t enough. He needed her love, but got her approval when he ran faster than everyone, outfought boys his age and older, and was at the top of his class academically. He knew she loved seeing him excel at various things, and he worked hard to impress her, but deep inside he would have preferred a hug or a kiss instead of a nod. It was heartbreaking watching him wait patiently as she read his report, then patted his head before sending him away. Yet he never complained, acted up, or cried. He worked harder, grew distant, and shunned everyone who tried to show him kindness or love.”
My heart ached for him. “Even you?”
She shrugged. “We had our moments when he was younger. Leaving home was hard. It was the only time I ever saw him show emotions. He was devastated. He knew what she was saying by sending him away. He wasn’t the Chosen One and therefore he was no longer worthy of her time. For years, he worked hard, hoping she’d call him home. She just gave him more and more responsibilities.”
“What about his parents and grandparents? Didn’t he have siblings, half-brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces, anyone?”
“He did, but he didn’t know them, and Queen Coronis made sure he didn’t have anything to do with them when he was growing up. Like most Specials, he wasn’t really close to his family.”
His family meant my family. Excitement coursed through me. “So, are they here on the island?”
She sighed and shook her head. “Maybe third or fourth cousins. No close relatives. Like most of us, you lost them when the Guardians attacked Coronis Isle.”
Great! Not only had I killed my people, I had killed my relatives. Talk about dysfunctional. “Did he ever go back to Coronis Isle?”
“Oh, yes, for meetings. She refused to find him a mate. Decade after decade, he waited while she approved mates for his cousins and other young men around his age. He met Solange’s mother and went to ask the queen’s permission to marry her, but she said no.”
“She was punishing him,” I said, fighting tears.
“Yes. It is a good thing he didn’t tell her the woman was already pregnant with his child. There’s no knowing what she would have done. He was afraid she’d take Solange and raise her the way he was raised. He made sure Solange and her mother were cared for, but he kept away from them. He visited whenever he could, but he couldn’t be in her life. Sometimes…” She sighed and blinked as though fighting tears, too. “I try to explain things to Solange, but she doesn’t understand that he was protecting her.”
No wonder Solange was always competing for his attention. I gripped Lady Nemea’s hand to console her. It was obvious all this distressed her. The smile she gave me was wobbly.
“So, when he met your mother, he made sure no one knew about her. He panicked when you were born and you had his hair. Anyone who saw you would know you were a descendant of Azazel. We had enough redheads on the island being treated like they could be the Chosen One, but none had hair like his, except you.” She reached up and touched my hair. My hair was various shades of red, totally weird, and everyone was always staring at it. “He worried that Queen Coronis would find out about you. Just like Solange, he didn’t want you raised like he was. Unloved. Every movement scrutinized. Every mistake treated like it was the end of the world. He was thinking of leaving everything behind, finding a place like this”—she waved to indicate the island—“and disappearing with you and your mother.”
Lady Nemea went silent, but I knew what was coming. “Someone betrayed him,” I said.
She blinked and stared at me for a moment without saying a word, then nodded. “Yes, someone close to him betrayed him, and Queen Coronis sent her guards to Seattle to get him and you. The orders were to kill your mother. I hid you and your mother in a secret room under the floor. When they started the search, I used my energy to hide hers and yours.” She cupped my face and wiped my cheeks with her thumbs. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. We triumphed. You and your father are back together now, and that’s all that matters.”
“He’s been through so much,” I murmured.
She shrugged. “He’s a tough man.”
“Even tough guys need love,” I said.
“He’s loved. By you. By your sister. By everyone on this island.”
I studied her. She was young for someone who used to babysit him. “Do you?”
She cocked her brow. “What?”
“Do you love him, too?”
She smiled, her eyes twinkling. “I’ve known him since he was a baby. I changed his diapers. Of course I love him.” She stood. “We need this food warmed. We’ve been talking and completely forgot to eat.”
She was running. “Telepath the kitchen and they’ll warm it for us.”
“Oh, I need to oversee this.”
I grabbed her hand to stop her from teleporting and telepathed Bilal, the head chef. “It’s okay, you know. To love Father.”
Lady Nemea studied my upturned face, a weird look in her eyes. A spasm crossed her face and I thought she was going to cry, but then she took a deep breath and smiled.
“You’ve seen him at his best and his worst, been there for him through the good and the bad. You must love him.”
“I do,” she said, her voice sounding sad, “but it’s complicated. And you have a lot to deal with without worrying about me and your father. Now, can I go warm the food or not?”
I smiled and indicated the servants standing behind her. “They’ll take care of it.” I waited for them to leave and for Lady Nemea to sit down again. “So, what’s complicating things?”
“Now, this is cozy,” Solange said from the doorway of her bedroom, her voice sounding funny. She was dressed in black, which seemed to be her standard uniform whenever she left the island. “Did I miss dinner?”
“No,” Lady Nemea said, and I could feel her relief. “It’s being warmed.”
“You two look like mother and daughter, talking and exchanging secrets.” Solange came to where we sat in the family room, leaned down, and stared Lady Nemea on the face. “But she’s not your daughter, is she?”
“Solange, stop it!” I snapped.
She glanced at me. “And she, little sister, is not your mother.”
I frowned. She sounded weird and her eyes were glazed. “Are you drunk?”
She smirked. “The best high, little sister, but we’re not talking about me, are we? This relationship you two enjoy is like a house of cards, little sis. One gentle push and it’ll tumble down.” She glanced at Lady Nemea. “Why don’t you go and see what’s keeping the food, Lady Nemea?”
Lady Nemea stood. “Your behavior, Solange, is incomprehensible.”
“Whatever you say, mother.” She dismissed Lady Nemea with a wave.
Solange took Lady Nemea’s seat, picked up a piece of dinner roll, and took a tiny bite. “So, little sis? Apple of Daddy and Mommy’s eye. Whatcha been up to since your victorious first council meeting?”
I leaned back from the fumes pouring from her mouth. She smelled like sulfur. “Why are you such a bitch all the time?”
“Because being nice gets you nowhere. You end up with responsibilities like educating the minions and fixing their beach.” She laughed. “What next? Their homes?”
“Yes. They live in the tunnels. Since the Prime Psis glamour the island, why not just build homes on the surface?”
She rolled her eyes. “You are such a child. Security means everything to Father. If we are ever attacked, we can teleport from the city to anywhere without being seen. And if the Guardians make it inside, then it’s kaboom. We have enough energy stored in crystals to sink the island.”
Ah, the crystals below the dungeons. I hated to be reminded of my psi energy being drained. The fact that she knew about them meant she knew about me. “Yeah, the energy from innocent Specials.”
“There’re no innocent Specials, including you.” She pointed at me. “Especially you.”
My heart dropped. Here was her confession. “Me?”
“You’re not as innocent as you look. You have blood on your hands.”
I swallowed. “Meaning?”
She gave me a lopsided smile, her eyes closing. She was really wasted. “Sweet, sweet, Lilith. Not so sweet, Lil. Do you know where I’ve been?”
I leaned forward. “What do you mean? Are you talking about the past?”
She frowned as though confused. “Who cares about the past? I fought Guardians today. Do you know why?”
I sighed. She wasn’t going to admit anything. “No. Why?”
“They destroy our businesses and we destroy theirs and the Neutrals who side with them. They kill one of us. We kill one of theirs.” She finished her roll and stood. “And with Father visiting the sectors after yesterday’s meeting, we want to keep them busy and away from where he goes.”
“Dad is visiting sectors?” I stood and followed her into her bedroom.
“You think he’d take the sector leaders’ preening and bragging as the truth?” She shook her head, pulled off her shirt, and threw it down. She wobbled slightly on her feet. “No. He’s visiting all sectors and businesses.” She kicked off her pants. Wearing panties and bra, she turned to face me, hands reaching behind her to unclasp her bra. “That’s how you become a leader, little sis. You trust your people to do the right thing, but you must verify. We have all the knights doing their parts, including your friend Lottie’s boyfriend. Gus got his first Guardian tonight.”
My stomach dipped. Hopefully, it wasn’t my grandfather. “Who?”
“Some old man who owns a restaurant in Vegas.” She laughed, still struggling to unhook her bra. She wobbled slightly on her feet, her eyelids dropping. “You should have seen his face. He enjoyed the kill. Golden Boy has it in him to become a great dark lord, the kind that makes humans shake in their boots and Guardians lose sleep. Beats being the docile stay-at-home, just-want-to-get-along Hermonites we’re training now.”
I’d gone into selective listening right after she mentioned a dark lord. Lord Gavyn had used that term, too, when referring to Lord Zhane’s guests.
“Dark lord?”
“The ones humans call demons. The Hermonites with a higher purpose and…” She frowned and studied me as though she realized who she was talking to. For one brief moment, she looked sober. “Forget I said that. Want to help me with this?”
“What is a demon?” I walked around her and unhooked her bra.
“Nothing. A slip of tongue. Don’t ever mention it to anyone.”
Bran had said the exact same words. So, Hermonites became demons? Bad Hermonites? Why wasn’t I supposed to know about them? According to the journal Bran had given me, the Kris Dagger was created to kill demons, among other things. That meant I as its wielder killed demons, or dark lords. No wonder the ones at Lord Zhane’s had reacted in fear and loathing.
I shook my head. “Solange, are there many dark lords—”
“No more questions, Lilith. I need a bath.” She dropped her bra on the floor and started for the bathroom. I followed her.
“Gus told me his team is searching for the Specials.”
“Nixed that. The little brats would rather play video games and dress up, anyway. All that power in their pudgy little hands and they want to be neutral. We ought to round them all up and harness their powers until they agree to join our knights.”
She disappeared inside her bathroom. Since she left the door open, I followed. “What do you know about draining the energy of Specials?”
She didn’t stop, just got rid of her panties and stepped into the tub. Her personal maid adjusted the tub pillow for her. “Go away, Lilith.”
“What do you know about the Specials? Have you seen them?”
“No. Just rumors. Believe me, if I knew where the little brats were, I’d personally wipe out the people holding them and bring them home. Now. Go. Away.”
My sister was such a liar. She knew about the Specials or she wouldn’t have said the things she had.
“Stay with her,” I told her maid. Solange might be a pain in the ass, but she was my sister and I didn’t want her drowning in the tub because she’d had a few too many shots. “If she tries to leave, call me.”
In my room, I fished the Kris Dagger journal from its hiding place and reread the parts dealing with demons. Then I took out the dagger and tried to link with it.
Thoughts of my father out there and vulnerable to an attack by the Guardians, the dark lords and Solange, and my unstable psi energy and inability to connect to the Kris Dagger kept me awake. Whatever Solange had drunk had her so wired, I had to use my power of persuasion to make her go to sleep.
I ignored the light streaming through my window and pulled the blankets over my head. But I couldn’t go back to sleep. My sister was a dark lord—a demon. So were her friends and Lord Zhane’s guests. That was why the Kris Dagger’s power in me had reacted to their presence. Why didn’t they react to Solange? The powers must not have believed she was a threat. Maybe she was all talk. But now I understood why the wielder hunted demons down. They were a threat to humanity.
I hadn’t thought much about humans since I came to the island, but I now realized their role in the war between Guardians and Hermonites. Dark lords corrupted humans and made them do evil things. Guardians protected humans from dark lords. The problem was that not all Hermonites were dark lords, but Guardians didn’t know or care. They went after all Hermonites, which explained the attack on Coronis Isle and on Hermonite businesses.
A ping from Lady Nemea was followed by Rise and shine, dear. Today is your first day of school.
Crap, I’d completely forgotten. It was my first day at the Academy.
Lady Nemea had already laid out my uniform—navy-blue pleated skirt, light blue shirt, a navy-blue vest, and a striped red-and-blue tie. I was pulling on my socks when I remembered my father had been gone the day before.
I searched for his psi energy and smiled when I found it. He was home. Unharmed. Maybe I should agree to meet with my grandfather and ask for a ceasefire, because if they hurt my father…
I pinged him. Where are you?
He chuckled. Good morning to you, too, daughter. I’m in my quarters. Are you ready for school?
Yes. Are you okay?
There was a brief silence, then, Couldn’t be better. Why do you ask?
I was worried when Solange said you were off the island.
Have you had breakfast? Father asked.
I’m about to.
Come join me.
I pulled up the socks. They came to my knees, which made me look ridiculous. I poked my head out of the room. My breakfast was laid out already and a girl waited by the table. Ruby and Callum glanced my way.
“I hope you guys haven’t eaten breakfast,” I said, and pointed at the table. I teleported downstairs. Father was already seated.
“Morning, Dad.” I hugged him, pressing my cheek against the crown of his head. His hair had grown longer since I’d regained consciousness. “Please, don’t take off like that again without telling me.”
He chuckled and leaned back to look at me. “Now, why should I inform you of my every move?”
“Because I worry about you out there.” I dropped a kiss on his cheek and plopped into the chair beside his. Someone placed steaming waffles in front of me, then different syrups. I smiled at the girl. “Thank you.” I focused on my father. “I kept imagining terrible things—the Guardians attacking your entourage, hurting or capturing you.”
He threw me an indulgent smile. “And what would you have done?”
“Hunted down the person responsible, then had a long chat with my grandfather.” I poured blueberry syrup on the waffles and picked up the fork and knife. When I glanced at my father, the smile had left his face. “What is it?”
“Have you thought about what we discussed yesterday?”
“Yes, but I’m still not ready to see him. There’s a lot of work to be done around here, and that’s my first priority.”
There was silence as we both ate. I glanced at Father from the corner of my eye. He was focusing on his food, but he wore a pensive expression. I was happy he wasn’t a dark lord. He couldn’t be. He’d told me his goal from the moment I woke up. He was all about saving our people and making the world safe for all of us, which should benefit humans. I pushed the matter aside, picked up a piece of bacon, and bit into it, my thoughts returning to the conversation I’d had with Solange.
“Solange said you’ll be visiting sectors this week.”
Father nodded. “Starting today.”
“Will you be home tonight?”
“I plan to, but I might come in late. It all depends on how long each visit lasts.”
“Can you wake me up when you come home?”
He chuckled. “You do know I travel with well-trained knights, headed by Norath.”
Sir Norath was unstoppable. I hadn’t seen him since our little show. “I haven’t seen them practice, so I don’t really know how good they are or whether I should trust them to guard you properly. Maybe I should come with you and…”
He was shaking his head before I finished.
“Okay,” I said. “You don’t have to look so shocked. It was just a suggestion. Promise to wake me up as soon as you get home.”
He reached out and touched my cheek. “Sure, sweetheart.”
Sir Malax appeared in the doorway just as we finished eating. “I beg your pardon, my Lord…Princess. Something requires your attention, sire.”
Father nodded. “How about you finish getting ready for school, Lilith, then come and find me in the office?”
I looked at my skirt. “I’m ready. I just need to brush my teeth and get my backpack.”
He frowned and indicated I get up. I did, then turned, showing him the uniform. His eyes narrowed. “Isn’t that skirt a little too short?”
I laughed. “No.”
He shook his head. “I will have a talk with your sister about a new dress code. Maybe you girls should start wearing pants.”
I giggled. My eyes met the serving girls’ gazes and they were both trying hard not to smile. “Now you’re being a prude, Dad. This is perfectly decent. I’ll see you downstairs.” I blew him a kiss and disappeared upstairs.
Solange was in the family room, sipping coffee, and she wasn’t alone. Her two friends, Riesa and Kimber, were curled up on the couch, both holding steaming mugs of coffee. The lights in the room were dimmed, but I could still see their haggard faces.
“Morning,” I said, waving a hand and increasing the intensity of the light in the room.
They all groaned and tried to cover their faces.
“Turn it down,” Riesa said.
“No need to yell, either,” Solange grumbled.
After her behavior last night, I wasn’t feeling sorry for her. “You guys been partying hard or fighting Guardians?” I asked, keeping my voice deliberately loud and chipper.
Curses came from them this time. Callum and Ruby traded grins.
“Go away,” Solange said, and shot me a glare.
I smirked. “You know what they say about playing hard and suffering in silence. Or is it do the crime and—” I froze the piece of toast she threw at me, plucked it from the air, and bit into it.
I was brushing my teeth when Solange appeared at the entrance of my bathroom. She really looked bad.
“Listen,” she said, squinting. “I was a bit out of it last night and said some pretty mean things.”
I spit out the toothpaste and rinsed my mouth. “You did.”
“So I’m apologizing.”
She didn’t sound apologetic, but it was a start. “That’s okay. Your bitchiness is growing on me.”
She gave me a weird smile. “And just so you know, I already apologized to Nemea.”
“That’s even nicer.”
“You should get going. You don’t want to be late on your first day of school.” She turned to leave.
“Hey,” I said, and she turned. “If you ever want to talk, I’m here.”
She wrinkled her nose and I thought she was going to blow me off. “My mother wasn’t around much when I was growing up, so I learned to fend for myself. So, when Nemea and I lock horns, just stay out of it. I always apologize.” She blew out a breath and sighed. “Now I need more sleep. Later, little sis. Don’t let the knuckleheads at the Academy mess with you.” She chuckled and left.
Shaking my head, I finished brushing my teeth, put on mascara and lip gloss, and then went to get my bag—a small satchel with the box of CCs for recording lessons.
Lady Nemea was waiting for me outside the offices.
“He’s having a meeting with some of the lords, but he wants to take you to the Academy.”
“He doesn’t need to.”
“Humor him. He missed out on your first day of school…kindergarten, middle school. That is, if your g…the Guardians gave you proper education.”
“I was homeschooled,” I said, then frowned. Where did that come from?
Lady Nemea whipped around and studied me with narrowed eyes. “What did you say?”
“I said I was homeschooled.”
She continued to study me, but she couldn’t hide her shock. “Are your memories coming back?”
“I guess so. Nice, isn’t it?”
The smile she gave me was super weird, then she pushed open the door to the first security room. Guards jumped to their feet. Malax was having a meeting with some of his people. He dismissed them and came to join us.
“Morning, Sir Malax,” I said cheerfully.
“Princess Lilith,” Malax said, bowing. “Lord Valafar is almost done. Would you like a seat while you wait?”
“No, I’ll stand.” Silence followed. It was the uneasy kind. I was never comfortable around Sir Malax, and now even less so since I had learned he was in charge of draining psi energies from the Specials. Possibly mine, too. I wonder if he’d confess if I asked. Maybe I had smoked people with my lightning bolts and that was why they’d drained me. Maybe that was what Solange had meant by saying there was blood on my hands.
“Are you excited about school, Princess?” Sir Malax asked.
“Oh, yes. Are you excited to see me go? No more guards chasing me all over the castle or the island. You’ll know exactly where I am from nine to four.”
Lady Nemea and Sir Malax exchanged glances.
“You can have a party,” I said, grinning.
He didn’t even crack a smile, but I felt his emotions. He was annoyed. Yeah, big deal psi-energy stealer. “Come on, guys. You know you’re stoked. Smile.”
Lady Nemea shook her head. “I’m looking forward to four o’clock.”
“I’m looking forward to school dances, sleepovers…”
She looked horrified.
“This way, Princess,” Sir Malax said. He led the way to Father’s office.
He was having a meeting with several men and women I didn’t recognize, except Sir Norath. Must be his security team. While they stood and bowed, I hurried to my father’s side.
“Dad, if you are busy—”
“Not for this.” He got up, took my arm, then glanced at the others. “Malax, finish up here. I’m going to enroll my daughter in school.” He made it sound like the most important event of his life.
I grinned. I couldn’t tell who was more excited, him or me. I pinged Sir Norath. Take good care of him out there.
I will, Princess.