23

I took all of Sunday to recover from my trip to the Underworld, barely even getting out of bed. I woke up on Monday morning with a clear head and a new purpose.

I wouldn’t hide from my problems anymore. I’d face them—all of them—head-on.

My first problem was my mom. I’d decided to tell her, once and for all, that I’d been in contact with my father.

I’d say something along the lines of, “Dad contacted me and I’m positive he still loves you. How do you feel about that?” rather than, “My father’s a demon and, FYI, that makes me half demon. If you’re interested in seeing him again, you’ll have to be supercareful because there are all these stupid rules, and I don’t want you to get yourself killed.”

That might freak her out too much or cause her to enroll me in the nearest insane asylum. Therefore, baby steps.

It would be enough to see if there really was any hope there. Hope worth fighting for.

“Hey, Mom, I need to talk to you.” I cautiously approached her at the kitchen table. Bright sunlight shone through the window that looked over the snow-covered front lawn and driveway.

“Nikki.” She put her newspaper down. “I need to talk to you, too.”

“Oh? About what?”

“Sit down.”

I tensed. “What’s wrong?”

She cleared her throat. “You want me to be happy, right?”

“Happy? Of course I do. Listen, if this is about what happened last week, I’m really sorry. I’m over my drama, and I won’t be taking off to the mall alone anymore without telling you.”

“Well … good. But that’s not what I wanted to talk about.”

I frowned. “Okay, then what is it?”

She fiddled with the edge of the newspaper. “I know it might seem like I don’t have very good taste in men, but … well, maybe I don’t. But sometimes things happen for a reason.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I just don’t want you to hear it from somewhere else. It’s about Nathan, your biology teacher.”

“What about him?”

“He wants to see me again. Regularly. But I don’t want this to be awkward for you.”

A lump had quickly formed in my throat. “You like him?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“And you’re officially dating him.”

“I knew you might object—with him being a teacher at your school and with it being so close to my upcoming divorce from Robert—but, I know deep down in my heart … that there’s someone out there for me.” She sighed. “And if I stop looking, stop hoping, then I might never find him.”

My throat tightened. “Oh. And you think that’s Nathan … er, I mean, Mr. Crane?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not.” She grabbed my hands in hers. “This doesn’t mean that the two of us can’t still have fun together. It’s not like Nathan and I are eloping or anything. We’re just dating. But … but can you at least try to understand?”

I didn’t answer, instead crossing my arms and chewing my bottom lip.

“What is it?” she asked. “If there’s something you want to say, just say it.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. “No … I … it’s nothing. I think you should date whoever you want without worrying what I think of it.”

She smiled. “Thank you, honey. Maybe we can both have wonderful new boyfriends after our bad experiences. Me and Nathan, you and … what was his name? Rhys? He’s a real cutie-pie.”

“I need to get to school.” I grabbed my backpack, disappointment thudding through me.

“What about breakfast?”

“I’ll … I’ll grab something there.” I paused. “I do want you to be happy, Mom. Seriously. Whatever it takes. I love you.”

“I love you, too, honey.” She hugged me tightly. “Now hurry up and get to school.”

Without another word I was out of there. She hadn’t even given me a chance to mention my father. Was this a big fat sign I shouldn’t ever say anything to her?

Maybe I was being selfish wanting my parents to get together after all this time. Maybe it would have been wrong to tell Mom about my father today. I’d wait and see what happened with Mr. Crane.

I shuddered. I couldn’t believe she was going to date one of my teachers.

“Good morning, Princess.” Michael came out of nowhere and began to keep pace with me. I hadn’t even seen him appear.

I looked at him with equal parts surprise and happiness. “Why are you here?”

He glanced at me sideways, giving me a half smile.

“I mean,” I began again, “good morning to you, too. Uh, why are you here?”

His eyes were almost as bright green as they’d been on Saturday night. “Your father wanted me to let you know he’s spoken directly with Queen Sephina, and she’s promised Prince Kieran will be punished severely for what he attempted to do.”

“Really? Punished how?”

“He’s being sent to Hell to inspect and report on all the dungeons there. I hear there are thousands of them. He can’t leave until he finishes. I’m thinking it’ll take him decades.”

I couldn’t help but grin. Kieran would absolutely hate that. Served him right. I felt some much-needed relief at the idea that he’d be occupied for a very long time. “Not as good as putting him in a dungeon and throwing away the key, but it’s a nice start. So that’s why you’re here? To give me that news?”

“Yes, and I also wanted to walk you to school this morning. Is that okay?”

My smile grew. “If I said yes, would that make me seem needy?”

“Not at all.”

He didn’t try to hold my hand. Instead we just walked side by side to the high school. It felt good to have him here without any emergency to deal with. He was someone else—other than Rhys—who I could be completely open with. Who knew my secrets and seemed to like me anyway. I could even talk to Michael about things I’d never share with Rhys.

I told him about my mom dating a teacher when I’d rather she get back together with my father, even though I knew all too well it was against the rules.

“They’re very different,” he said when I’d finished. “From different worlds. She’s human and he’s a demon.”

“So what? It worked before. I know she loved him more than anyone else.”

“Do you know that for sure, or are you just hoping it’s true?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. It’s a gut feeling.”

“If it’s meant to be, it’ll just happen.”

I turned to comment on his fate-filled outlook but noticed his attention was elsewhere now that we’d reached the school. I followed his line of sight.

Rhys was leaning against the wall of the school, watching our approach.

“The faery king is waiting for you,” Michael said without enthusiasm. “I really don’t like how he looks at you, Princess. When’s he going back to his regular home?”

“I don’t know—”

He kissed me. Right there in front of everybody, including Rhys. And it was a really good kiss.

“What happened to being careful?” I asked when we parted.

“From this moment forward, we’ll be careful.” He glanced again at Rhys and his lips thinned. “Just promise to be careful with him.”

“Cross my heart.”

“Till next time, Princess.”

I wished for the thousandth time that he went to school here with me.

After another moment, I turned and started walking toward the school entrance.

“I think your Shadow is trying to tell me something,” Rhys said.

“You think?”

He nodded. “But he doesn’t have to worry. I’m not interested in you that way. I’ve already forgotten about our kiss under the mistletoe.”

If he’d forgotten it, why would he bother mentioning it?

“Well … good.” I cleared my throat. Rhys was looking at me very closely, gauging my every reaction.

“I assume everything went okay?” he said. “You’re still alive.”

“Okay” was not really the word I’d use for my experiences in the Underworld.

“It’s over, that’s the important part.” I eyed him. “By the way, the prophecy was a lie created to make me look bad and possibly lead to my death. So there’s no reason for you to stick around any longer.”

“I had a feeling it was a false prophecy.”

“You did? Why?”

He shrugged. “Because I know you now.” Then he looked at the ground. “However, I’m still staying. For a while, anyway. I want to experience the human world before going back to the faery realm to be king full-time. I have to return regularly, most evenings and weekends, but I can come back to school here in the new year. Is that going to be a problem for you?”

I thought about it. Of all my problems, this one was low on the list. In fact, the thought that somebody as weird as me was going to keep attending Erin Heights High was actually comforting. “No. As long as you promise not to try to kill me.”

Rhys grinned at that. “I think I’d have to get in line. You know your best friend is a demon slayer, right?”

I froze. “How did you know that?”

“Isn’t it totally obvious?”

“No.”

“You’re right. It isn’t obvious at all. But I explored her house on Saturday night after you left and found myself unable to resist a locked door.” He glanced to his left and waved at a rapidly approaching Melinda. “Here she comes now. Maybe we should tell her your little secret.”

I grabbed his arm and dug my fingers in hard. “Don’t you dare.”

He grimaced. “Ouch. You’re strong.”

“And don’t you forget it.”

Melinda stopped when she got to us. “Hey.”

“Hi,” I managed. After everything that had happened—and even taking into consideration my new decision to face all of my problems instead of running away from them—I was basically tongue-tied in front of my best friend.

“Can I talk to you?” she asked me, with a glance at Rhys. “Alone?”

“I can take a hint. I’ll see you later, Melinda. Nikki.” He held my gaze a moment longer, and I saw those now-familiar gold flecks swirl in his brown eyes. Then he entered the school, leaving me and Melinda alone outside. A cool breeze zipped past me and I shivered.

“You didn’t come back to my party,” she said.

“No, I’m … I’m sorry.”

“You went somewhere with that Michael guy?”

“Yeah.”

She frowned. “Isn’t he the guy who was hanging around two weeks ago staring at you all the time? The one who was lurking outside your house?”

I cleared my throat. “Uh, well, yeah. That’s him. But he’s actually a friend. Nothing to worry about.”

“He’s kind of cute for a stalker.”

“Trust me, he’s not a stalker. Look, about what happened at your party—”

Melinda held up a hand. “Rhys already explained everything to me.”

A breath caught in my throat. “He did?”

“He said he’d had too much wine—thanks to Larissa—and kissed you as a joke before you pushed him away.”

“A joke?” My eyebrows went up. “He really said that?”

She nodded. “I’m so sorry I doubted you. I never should have done that. I value your friendship so much, and I don’t want to put it at risk because of stupid misunderstandings. And I won’t let any guy come between us again, I promise, no matter who he is.”

“You had every right. That … I know that didn’t look so good.”

“It’s okay.” She smiled. “Besides, Rhys finally asked me out.”

I blinked. “He what?”

“He has to go home over school break and visit his family, but he says he wants to see me when we get back in January. I guess he broke up with his old girlfriend after all.”

“Um, wow. I didn’t know that. That’s … that’s great?”

What was he doing? Why would he ask Melinda out? Was he crazy? He was a faery king. Besides, I’d never gotten the impression he’d even noticed Melinda, let alone liked her enough to date her.

But maybe he did. Maybe I’d been too blinded by my own problems to notice anything else.

I had to admit, part of me was happy that Melinda would get what she wanted, even though I knew it couldn’t possibly end well. I’d have to keep a very close eye on the two of them.

I ignored the smaller part of me that felt a slight twinge of jealousy at the idea of Rhys and Melinda dating. I mean, how did that make sense? I wanted to be with Michael, not Rhys. It couldn’t happen now, but I was willing to wait as long as necessary. I didn’t like Rhys that way. I never had and I never would.

“Listen, Melinda,” I began, ready to face another problem head-on. “When I was at your house the other day, before the party, I overheard you and Patrick talking—”

She held up a hand. “I quit.”

“What?”

“I quit my … my dance lessons.”

I stared at her blankly. “I don’t understand.”

She took in a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. “It’s been too much. It’s been really distracting and overwhelming and I never liked it. In fact, I hate my lessons. Even though my parents insist … well, they can’t make me do anything I don’t want to do. So I quit. It’s over.” She gave me a shaky smile. “I can finally be normal again.”

She’d quit her demon-slaying lessons. Just like that?

“You’re sure?” I asked tentatively.

“Yes.”

“So you don’t want to be a … a dancer?”

She hesitated. “No, I don’t. To be a dancer I’d have to give up too much, sacrifice almost everything else in my life for something I don’t even believe in doing. I don’t want that. I want to go to school, and hang out with you, and date Rhys …” She smiled. “That’s just how it’s going to be. If anyone has a problem with it, then that’s just too bad.”

“Well, good.”

She nodded, and then her gaze moved over my shoulder and she swallowed hard. “I just wish he’d leave me alone.”

“Who?”

“Patrick.”

I looked over to see a black car pulled up at the curb a dozen feet away. Patrick was behind the wheel.

“Melinda,” he called.

“Would you just go away, please?” she shouted back. “I told you, it’s over.”

“It’s not over,” he replied. From what I could see, his expression was tense. “I can’t give up on you.”

“Then you need to try harder.” She turned her back to him.

“I’ll give you some time to clear your head, but then I’ll be back. This has only just begun, Melinda. I promise you that.” After another moment, he shook his head and drove off.

“Is he gone?” she asked.

“He is.”

Melinda’s eyes were shiny and she sniffed hard. “He doesn’t want me to quit. Says that it’s in my blood. I disagree.”

The entire subject made me extremely uncomfortable. “He said he’d be back. Maybe he’ll be able to convince you then.”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. It’s over. And I’m happy for the first time in weeks.” Her expression brightened as I followed her inside the school and we went to our lockers.

I spotted Chris, sitting by himself, his back against his locker. He was scribbling away in a sketchbook he had propped against his knees.

Melinda nodded at him. “Do you have any idea what’s up with Chris? He’s been acting so strange lately.”

I shook my head. “I guess we all can act strange now and then, can’t we?”

“Good point.”

Chris looked up at me and our eyes met. He frowned and looked away again.

What was he drawing? Another vision about me? Or about someone else?

It could be a lot of things.

My best friend was a demon slayer who’d just quit her training sessions despite her very persistent instructor. My biology partner was the king of the faery realm whom I was prophesied to marry some day. My sort-of boyfriend was a Shadow prince–servant with the potential to fully drain a demon’s life energy as easily as if he were drinking a milkshake.

And to top it off, my mother was now dating one of my teachers.

“We’re so going to the mall today,” Melinda said after a moment. “It’s a rule that all students are supposed to go to the holiday pageant in the cafeteria at noon, but let’s blow it off and leave early.”

I considered that. “If we break that rule, will they throw us in the dungeon?”

She blinked at me. “What?”

I forced a laugh. “Just kidding, of course. Let’s do it.”

Forget dungeons, demons, Shadows, faeries, slayers, or even giant talking cockroaches … those things could totally wait for another day.

After all, I still had some major last-minute Christmas shopping to do.