Rina squeezed her mother tight, breathing in her familiar scent.

“Mom, I’m so glad to see you,” she murmured, pulling away. She fought back tears and looked at her mother.

Her mother’s eyes were narrowed at Rhodack. It was then Rina realized how stiff her mother’s body was.

“Mom, did they hurt you?”

“No, my child,” her mother said, breaking her stare to turn to Rina. “I should be asking you that.”

“I’m fine,” she whispered, throwing daggers at Rhodack. She took in his fierce gaze, and her heart raced. She couldn’t believe she’d thought of nothing else but the kiss they’d shared.

She was a fool.

But as she really looked at him, doubt crept into the back of her mind. She wasn’t sure why. She should be appalled. Let him investigate why that figure was after her, take care of it, and then allow her to return back to her life.

“Rhodack Gahnoth,” Solana announced, gripping Rina’s arm and pushing her behind her.

Rina peeked around her mother, shocked her mother knew him. “Mom, how do you know him?” she asked in disbelief.

“Solana, it’s been a long time,” he murmured, eyes narrowed on her mother.

Rina glanced around. The gargoyles had spread out to various points in the room. Fear tiptoed into her chest, and she tightened her grip on her mother’s hand.

“Mom, what’s going on?” she demanded.

“You’ve really kept her from knowing what she truly is, haven’t you, Solana? That’s why she thinks she’s human,” Rhodack moved toward them.

“Mom, please tell him that I’m—”

“Rina,” her mother whispered, turning to her. She gazed down on Rina, tears filling her eyes. Regret lined her face, and she shook her head. “I’m so sorry.”

A gasp escaped Rina’s lips as she stared at her mother. She covered her mouth with her hand, releasing her mother’s. She took a step back. Her heart raced, and she tried to catch her breath. What the hell was going on?

“No,” she moaned, shaking her head.

“Rina. I did it to protect you,” Solana cried out.

Rina backed away.

“Protect her from what?” Rhodack snapped. “What is she?”

Rina stood in horror, watching her mother’s appearance shift. The air around her shimmered while her hair grew darker and longer. Her body became curvier, and she was now clad in a lace black gown, cinched with a red belt. Her eyes opened, and she stared at Rina. It was her mother’s face, but it was like looking at another woman. She’d never seen her mother dressed like this before.

“Rina, baby. I’m so sorry,” Solana cried, tucking her hair behind an ear. “There’s so much I need to explain to you.”

“Wait—how can you do that?” Rina gasped. How could she just change her appearance? What the hell was her mother? Rina’s breaths came fast as she glanced around the room. The slight hint of pain came creeping into the back of her brain.

It pulsed.

She blinked, trying to fight the agony.

“Witch,” Rhodack snarled.

The gargoyles around the room had their eyes trained on Solana as if they were waiting for Rhodack to give an order to attack.

Solana came to stand in front of Rina. She smiled through her tears and gazed down into Rina’s eyes. She reached up and ran her fingertips along Rina’s temple in the similar way she’d always done when Rina was a child. Rina closed her eyes and leaned into her mother’s hand.

She knew she could trust her mother.

“Yes, I’m a witch, Rina. I’ve known Rhodack for decades. He’s the leader of the gargoyles that protect this realm,” Solana stated.

Rina swallowed hard, trying to get a grasp on the fact that her mother was a witch. Did that make her a witch, too? Maybe that’s what Rhodack had picked up from her.

“That’s okay. I’d still love you for being a witch.” Rina smiled softly, reaching up to grip her mother’s hand.

“Answer me, witch. What is she, and who are you protecting her from?” Rhodack’s deep growl came from a few feet away.

Rina glanced over her mother’s shoulder. His lip curled up in a snarl.

“There’s a better question to ask, Rhodack, leader of the Gahnoth Clan,” Solana cautioned. She gripped Rina’s hand and turned to face Rhodack.

Rina glanced nervously from her mother to Rhodack.

“It is: who is she? This has been a secret I’ve been ordered to keep.”

Rina widened her eyes and turned her head to her mother. Her body trembled as she stared at the woman who’d raised her. If she wasn’t Rina Smith, then who the hell was she?

“What do you mean, who I am?” Rina gulped. Her heart slammed against her chest.

“Solana, as the protector of this realm, I’m ordering you to tell me,” Rhodack asserted.

Rina’s body trembled from the pain that pushed on her brain. It was a severe, piercing pain, spreading through her head. Tears clouded her vision, and she groaned, unable to withstand the torture. Her mother wrapped an arm around her to hold her up.

“Now, Solana, your magic can no longer contain the power that’s radiating from her,” Rhodack said.

“Just know that I’ve loved you like my own child,” her mother murmured close to her forehead. “I will always love you. Please forgive me.”

“Mom,” Rina moaned. What did that mean? Fear ransacked her as she gripped her mother’s shirt. “You’re scaring me.”

“She is Princess Larina Omaris, the daughter of Khantar Omaris and Roshi Omaris, the king and queen of Faery. Rina is the sole heir to the throne of Faery. I’ve been protecting her here on Earth.”

Curses exploded around the room while Rina’s pain escalated. She released a scream when it seemed to explode. A hand gripped her head as muttered words in another language echoed through her mind. Another scream tore from Rina, and she allowed the darkness to claim her.

“Larina Omaris, you come back here,” a familiar voice called out behind her.

Larina turned back, giggles racking her body as she ran down the palace hallway and burst through the great doors. She knew her mother would give chase after her. The queen of the most powerful lands was never too good to run and play with her daughter. Larina sped through the garden. It was her favorite game to play with her mother.

Larina glanced up at the bright lavender sky. The twin suns hung there, and a few clouds filled the expanse, but that didn’t matter. It was a perfect day for hide-and-seek.

Her breaths came fast as she tried to hide from her mother. Her teachers had told her she was excelling at her studies and would be a powerful queen in the future. At the age of eight years old, she knew that one day she’d be more powerful than her parents combined.

She waved her hand and disappeared from sight. There was no way her mother would be able to find her now. She crept along in between two large bushes and waited.

“Larina!” her mother’s voice called for her again.

Larina smiled and bit back a giggle.

Her laughter always got her caught. She held her breath. Footsteps drew closer. She peered around the bush and watched her mother look around the garden.

Her mother’s long blonde locks flowed in the wind while she searched the area. The queen was dressed in one of her silvery long gowns that made Larina envious. Her mother was the most beautiful Elven woman she’d ever seen. She wished that she grew up to be like her.

Larina took in her mother’s face and froze in place. Her smile disappeared. Her mother ran faster past her, not seeing Larina, invisible to the naked eye hiding in the bushes.

She wondered if she should give up her hiding spot.

Nope, Mother was just bad at playing hide-and-seek and was being a sore loser. Larina chuckled, holding her hand to her mouth.

She walked out from the bush, still using her magic to make herself invisible. The castle alarms blared, and Larina froze in place again and turned to look back at their home. Dark clouds rushed in over the castle, hiding the rays of the suns. Darkness surrounded her. She backed up, tendrils of fear creeping into her small chest.

“Mommy!” she shouted, haring off down the path her mother had taken.

“Larina!” Her mother’s voice was drowned out by the roar that trembled through the earth.

Larina released a scream and tumbled to the ground, scraping her knees in the process. Tears blinded her as she sat, confused.

“Mommy!” she screamed. Fear gripped her, and her body shook with sobs. She wanted to feel her mother’s arms wrapped around her but she didn’t know where she was. She didn’t want to play the game anymore.

Her body trembled, and she sensed her powers slithering along beneath her skin. She cried out, a spurt of energy bursting from her body. She whimpered, trying to pull her energy in like her teachers had taught her.

“Larina, calm down,” her mother’s soothing voice sounded behind her.

Larina whipped her head round. Her beautiful mother stood there. Tears streaked her face, and she walked toward Larina. “My dear, what have we told you about using your powers to make you invisible? I need to see you. If it wasn’t for your powers glowing, Mommy wouldn’t have been able to find you. Hurry, little one.”

The desperation in her mother’s voice had her quickly closing her eyes and pulling back on her powers. Her mother smiled and, leaning down, she wiped the tears from her face. The queen swept Larina up in her arms and held her tight to her chest. Larina returned her mother’s hug hard, breathing in her scent.

“I’m so sorry, Mommy,” she hiccupped.

Her mother swiftly made her way through the gardens. “Don’t worry, Larina. Those powers will one day come in handy. We must hurry. Danger is coming. I must get you to safety,” she murmured against Larina’s forehead.

Larina didn’t know why the sky had darkened the way it had. She may only be eight years old but she knew danger when she saw it. She raised her head and peeked over her mother’s shoulder.

Dark clouds continued to scud along over the castle, and a shiver ran through Larina.

Something was coming.

She may be young but she recognized evil.

Somehow, young Larina knew the evil that was moving in toward their home was coming for her.