6

Rhys had been right, after all. He wasn’t lying. There was a prophecy about me.

And it was a really sucky one.

“That’s completely crazy,” was the first thing I said after I found my voice again. “I’m going to destroy everyone? That doesn’t even make sense.”

Kieran’s intense gaze didn’t waver. “That is what the prophecy says.”

“I don’t care what it says. It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

“I agree,” my father said.

I stared at him. “You do?”

He nodded, and looked at Kieran. “Who related this prophecy?”

“The official palace oracle. One who has relayed prophecies for a hundred years to my mother and to her mother before her. He has never been wrong before and certainly never about something so specific or catastrophic.”

“Well, your oracle is wrong now.” My father dismissed him without missing a beat. “It’s clear to me this must be a false prophecy based on a thousand years of rumors and lies about Darklings.”

“Your opinion is noted, of course, Your Majesty,” Kieran said thinly. “But I’m afraid your objectivity in this matter is at question.”

My father ignored him and placed his hand gently against the side of my flushed face. “There is no part of you that is destructive, Nikki. I know that. You are so much like your mother, and she is a beautiful and truly good woman. She’d never hurt a fly.”

I nodded in full agreement. “She takes spiders outside in glass jars so she doesn’t have to kill them.”

He smiled and rested his hand protectively on my arm. “I don’t doubt it for a moment.”

I relaxed ever so slightly. He didn’t believe the prophecy, so of course I didn’t have to freak out about it. This was a major relief.

“Prophecies are taken very seriously by the council,” Kieran said. He leaned casually against the edge of the large black table.

“And what does the council propose to do about this?” my father asked evenly.

“That remains to be seen, based on my report,” he said. “It’s likely the next step will be for the princess to be presented to the council in person, and a decision will then be made regarding what to do about her.”

“That’s not going to happen.” My father kept his hand on my arm, as if shielding me from the prince. “You insisted you tell us this news in person. I now see that wasn’t entirely necessary, was it?”

“There are procedures to be followed,” Kieran said. “It’s a rule that information of this level must be given face-to-face.”

My father hissed out a breath, betraying the annoyance he’d been trying to hide until now. “You have delivered this news. I respectfully request that you leave my kingdom.”

“But there’s much more to discuss,” Kieran protested. “This is a highly volatile situation and one that needs to be handled immediately. A prophecy like this can’t simply be ignored. I need to ask the princess more questions about her intentions.”

“No. You’ve had your say. You’ve gauged our reactions. Now it’s time for you to leave. If there is anything else you wish to discuss, you may contact me by gazer.”

His hand began to glow with red light and he waved it toward the door, which turned from a normal entrance to a swirling gateway.

“You may return to the Underworld now, Prince Kieran,” he said.

Kieran’s gaze flicked to me and his head cocked slightly to the side. “Your daughter means a great deal to you, doesn’t she, King Desmond?”

“She does, indeed.”

“I understand why you’d wish to protect her, no matter the cost.” The prince’s eyes moved to Michael, who stood silently at an arm’s reach from me.

I glowered at the prince. How could a statement that sounded so friendly, so matter-of-fact, be so filled with malice?

Kieran gave us a forced smile. “This matter will be resolved. Denying the validity of the prophecy will only complicate things.”

“Please give my regards to Queen Sephina and Princess Kassandra.” My father’s words were clipped. There wasn’t any friendliness in his voice. In fact, I’d describe it as ice-cold.

“I’ll do that.” Kieran dipped his head in my direction. “Princess Nikki, I look forward to the next time we meet.”

Without another word, he walked through the gateway. It disappeared in a quick flash of light a moment after he did.

“I really don’t like that guy,” I said.

“Kieran is only a messenger,” my father said, walking past the table and toward the fireplace. “He has no real authority, here or anywhere else. That’s what makes him the way he is—desperate to please his mother and to show his existence actually matters.”

“Does it work?”

“I doubt it,” he said. “I’m sorry you had to experience that. It must have been a shock to you to hear what he had to say.”

“Not as shocking as you might think. I already knew there was a prophecy.”

His eyebrows went up. “How?”

I quickly told him about Rhys—his enrollment in the high school, his presence in my biology class, and finally his reason for being there—to find out more about the threat of Nikki Donovan, sixteen-year-old Darkling-o’-danger.

“Faeries are naturally curious and extremely protective of their own kind,” he replied after he’d processed it all. “And King Rhys, since the death of his parents, has been attempting to prove himself to his advisers and the rest of his kingdom.”

“He threatened the princess,” Michael said.

My father’s eyes clouded with anger. “He did?”

“Well … not in so many words,” I said quickly. “Seriously, I’m sure he’ll go away eventually. Especially when he realizes the prophecy about me is a false one. My main worry with him is that he’ll tell everyone at school my secret.”

I didn’t exactly know why I was defending Rhys, even in the slightest, but I guess I was. Did I feel sorry for him now that I knew he’d been forced to become king after his parents’ deaths? I did. How was I supposed to know whether that was hard for him? It was an assumption. I didn’t care who you were—human, demon, or faery—losing both your parents at any age would be a terrible thing. I couldn’t imagine how I’d feel if I lost my mom. And, since finding my father after all these years, I didn’t want to think about never seeing him again. The thought made a hard lump form in my throat.

There was silence in the meeting room for a moment. I finally looked up to see my father and Michael exchanging a glance.

“You said the prophecy is false, right?” I asked.

My father nodded. “I did say that.”

“So … why aren’t we celebrating?”

“Nikki, please sit down.”

The panicky feeling I’d had earlier began creeping back up on me. “You said it was false.”

He spread his hands. “And it probably is.”

“Probably?” My mouth felt dry. “You sounded so certain when you were talking to Kieran.”

“I feared what he might do otherwise.”

“So you think there’s a chance there’s some truth to it?” Michael asked.

My father took in a deep breath, his brow creased. “I honestly don’t know.”

That wasn’t very reassuring. “It’s not true. I don’t care what this crazy oracle guy says, there’s no way that I could ever destroy anything or anyone.”

“I know.” His eyes flashed. “Still, it is worrisome. Dragon oracles are rarely wrong when it comes to a prophecy this specific to an individual. And that Kieran said it was related on your birthday, the day you would have begun to manifest your half-demon powers, worries me even more.”

It couldn’t be true. That my father had just been lying to Kieran—faking him out—so he wouldn’t put me under arrest or something and drag me to some Underworld prison, and—

Wait a minute.

“Did you just say dragon oracle?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yes, of course. All oracles are dragons.”

“But not all dragons are oracles,” Michael added.

I pointed at my dragon’s tear bracelet. “Big, scaly, fire-breathing dragons.”

“Much like demons,” my father explained, “dragons are capable of shifting form when it suits them. But yes, they can be big, scaly, and fire-breathing if they choose to be.”

Brain exploding now. “Okay. And they can make prophecies.”

“They see glimpses of the future and interpret them, then pass this information along to those whom the prophecy affects. They communicate when they have something … prophetic … to share that will affect demonkind, but they live wherever they please, be it the dark worlds or elsewhere. I know there are several living in the human world as we speak.”

“But …” I licked my dry lips, a thousand questions swirling around in my head. “How can they be in the human world? How can they get through the barrier here?”

“Dragons are the only creatures capable of easily moving between the worlds without using gateways. However, they took an oath of peace centuries ago and are very rarely, if ever, dangerous unless provoked.”

I tried to wrap my head around all of this. I finally sat down in the closest high-backed chair and gripped the edge of the table as if trying to anchor myself. “So that’s why one of their tears works to help me focus my power?”

“A dragon is a very powerful and magical creature. It’ll cry only one tear in its entire existence—at the very moment of its death—a tear filled with all the power it had during its lifetime.” His expression turned grim. “Since dragons are naturally immortal, their death must come at the hands of someone else.”

“You mean when someone kills them?”

“Yes.”

“So the dragon that cried the tear on my bracelet is dead?”

There was a heavy pause before he replied. “That’s correct.”

I shuddered. “This place is so violent—all this talk of killing and death and destruction.”

My father sat down across the table from me. “Is the human world that much more peaceful?”

“It’s different.”

“Yes, I agree with you. But along with all that is light in the human world, there is still much that is dark.”

“Like me?” I looked up at him.

He shook his head. “Don’t even think that.”

“But that’s what you’re saying, isn’t it? That there’s a possibility the prophecy’s true? That I might be like the last Darkling and go postal on everyone?”

He studied me for a moment, a quizzical look on his face. Maybe he’d never heard that particular expression before. “I’m only saying that we must be very careful in future dealings with Kieran and the demon council. They’re the dangerous ones in this scenario.”

I didn’t want to believe it, but now that I knew my father wasn’t entirely confident in the prophecy being a total lie, how was I supposed to be so sure, myself? After all, I’d seen myself in action in total Darkling mode a couple of times now. I’d felt that violence deep inside me that came from using my power. I’d blasted Chris out of the limo at Winter Formal, and only when Michael arrived and helped calm me down did I know I wouldn’t do more damage. The same happened when I’d used my power to stop my aunt. I’d wanted to destroy her, not just protect myself from harm.

What if I really lost control someday?

What if Rhys was right in thinking I was dangerous and deadly?

“Michael, would you be so kind as to fetch us something to drink?” my father asked, studying my stricken expression.

It snapped me out of my thoughts. There was that fetch word again. Michael wasn’t a trained dog.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Michael said.

::I’ll be back as soon as I can, Princess.::

I could hear his concern etched into the telepathic message. I watched him leave the room.

My father watched me watch him leave the room.

“Nikki,” he began, “about Michael—”

“You said he wasn’t going to be a servant anymore,” I said, surprised at how sharply and forcefully I’d spoken the sentence.

I could tell I’d surprised him. “I know. But I shouldn’t have said that to you or him. I was weakened and not thinking straight at the time.”

“That’s not a good excuse.”

He folded his hands in front of him. “Shadows are servants,” he said firmly.

“I get that.”

“No, I don’t think you do. I don’t think you get that at all, in fact.” His jaw tightened. “It was very dangerous to say what you did in front of Kieran.”

“What did I say?”

“About Michael being your friend and not your servant.”

“He is my friend.”

“Maybe so. But … how do I put this so you’ll understand? Kieran and the inhabitants of the dark worlds in general will not understand this manner of thinking. I know that our ways are different from yours, Nikki. But humans also have servants.”

“Not ones that serve against their will.”

“Michael isn’t being imprisoned here against his will.”

“No, but he doesn’t exactly have much of a choice, does he?” When he didn’t answer that, I continued. “Are you trying to tell me I’m not allowed to be his friend? Because then I think we have a problem.”

“Yes, it’s clear to me we have a problem.” My father stood up from the table so quickly and suddenly that his chair squeaked backward. The sound made me jump. I hadn’t realized how tense I was. He paced to the fireplace, and when he came back I realized something. My father was angry, but trying very hard to control it.

“What?” I asked, now uncertain.

“It’s against the rules, Nikki.”

“What is?”

“I assigned Michael specifically as your servant because I thought you’d feel more comfortable with him. He’s the only servant here who’s around your age.” He rubbed his forehead. “I wasn’t thinking. It was foolish of me, I see that now.”

“I don’t understand.”

“That’s the problem, but unfortunately not one that can be solved today.” He let out a strained breath. “I think you should go home now. Try to forget about the prophecy. Try to have a normal life. Take care of your mother and keep her safe.”

I stood up. “My mother should know about this, you know. About you. She has a right.”

His expression darkened. “No, Nikki.”

“No?” I’d gone from uncertain to frustrated to angry in no time flat. “Just like that? No discussion necessary?”

“That’s right.”

“She isn’t with anyone right now, you know. She broke up with the last guy because he was a jerk. And I also saw him hit her once.”

His eyes flashed red at that particular mental image. “Nikki …”

“She keeps meeting these creeps and hopes they’ll be the right guy for her, but it never works out. I know she still thinks of you. She was madly in love with you once, and I’m positive she still feels that way, even after everything that happened. And I think that you—”

“Nikki, stop!” He slammed his fist down on the table so hard that I heard a loud crack as it splintered down the middle.

I jumped back, and regarded him with wide eyes. He’d been so quiet, harboring more of a simmering anger, that I hadn’t realized it had grown to destructive levels—but, he was a demon, wasn’t he? I feared for a moment that he was furious with me, that I’d crossed some invisible line, said too much, pushed him too hard. I’d been upset and wanted to lash out.

So I lashed out at a really sore spot for him. Obviously I’d hit the mark.

“Let me try to put this in terms you’ll understand,” he said, his voice already quiet and controlled again. He blinked and his eyes returned to their usual hazel shade which matched my own. “What happened with your mother and myself was a mistake.”

I flinched.

He shook his head. “No, not because of you. Back then, I was young and foolish and willing to break the rules I’d grown up with simply out of rebellion. Because I hated my father and wanted to prove that he had no control over me. I was fully aware that I was forbidden to fall in love with a human. I just didn’t know what the consequences would be.”

I knew this already. “You had to come back here and take the throne. You were told my mom was dead so you never tried to contact her again.”

He waved a hand. “Yes, but that wasn’t the penalty for breaking the law. I didn’t realize it at the time, but being with Susan and ignoring the very strict and specific rules of the dark worlds meant that I was putting your mother’s life at risk.”

“Her life?”

“Yes. She never knew what I really was, and that was in her best interest. If she found out I was a demon, if I told her then or now out of some selfish need to be with her, she would be in grave peril. The most common punishment for breaking a law like this is death. Since I am royal, I might be pardoned. But your mother is not royal, and she would certainly be punished—the council would see to it.”

“They’d kill her?” It was barely a whisper.

“Yes.” His expression was stony.

This was why he didn’t want her to know about him. Because he was afraid she’d get hurt.

“But you’re king here,” I breathed. “Can’t you do something? Can’t you change things?”

“I am king, but the Shadowlands are only a small part of the dark worlds. They serve one solitary purpose—maintaining the barrier. In fact, my title holds very little weight with the council. Perhaps if I were to become more lax in my duties and let those who wish to pass through to the faery and human worlds at will, like Kieran, have their way, then my opinion might be more valued. But I know I can’t do that. My sense of duty makes me an outsider to them. I have no doubt that if they learned I had told your mother everything and drawn her into a world she never knew existed, I would be signing her death warrant. And I will never do that.”

I was trying to process everything. Make sense of it. Trying to find another answer. There had to be one, right?

“You need to know, Nikki,” he continued, “that the decisions I make regarding your mother, as well as those I make about Michael, are not to hurt them but to protect them. Even when those decisions may seem harsh or difficult to understand.” He looked at me very intensely. “You are my daughter. And even though I only had the privilege of meeting you very recently, I know you will make the right decisions. I don’t think you’d ever put anyone you care about at great risk if you knew you could protect them.”

He was being purposely vague, I thought, but there was no mistaking his meaning. Just by liking Michael as more than a servant, I was putting his life at risk because of the laws in the dark worlds.

Indignation rose inside me but quickly settled into a strange, sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“It’s not fair,” I said quietly.

“I know.”

The next moment, Michael entered the room carrying a metal tray with a pitcher and two silver goblets on it.

“Thank you, Michael,” my father said. “But I think it’s time for you to take my daughter back to the gateway so she can return to her normal life.”

Michael put the tray down on the table. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Then my father looked at me, his eyes, so similar to mine, holding a shadow of the pain he felt inside. That he’d felt for nearly seventeen years since he’d been forced to leave my mother without a word of explanation. “I’ll send Michael to you when I have more news from the Underworld.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

“And please, Nikki, remember what I said.”

“I will.”

“Try not to worry about the prophecy. I don’t believe you’re capable of anything like that. There has to be another explanation, and I assure you I’ll find it.”

He said it with such conviction, such belief, I couldn’t feel anything but grateful to him. He was in a difficult position as king of the desolate and disrespected Shadowlands, someone who’d had to make tough decisions and sacrifices all his life. I wished I’d known him longer, instead of thinking my real father was some kind of jerk who’d simply abandoned my mother and never looked back. He’d quickly become one of the most important people in my life.

With a last glance at him standing in the meeting room all alone, I left with Michael and descended the massive staircase. My brain was working overtime and it ached—not because my horns were about to appear but from all the information I’d had to take in.

Rhys had been right. There was a prophecy about me. I felt bad about accusing him of being a big fat liar.

My father thought it wasn’t true, but he had doubts. Could it be true? Was I capable of destroying everyone? What did that even mean?

I could barely crush a soda can when I was done with it, let alone anything bigger.

Then again, I hadn’t tried to crush any cans since I came into my Darkling powers. I was willing to bet I could crush a lot more than that now.

I nervously twisted my bracelet as Michael led me outside. He’d been giving me concerned looks ever since we’d left my father.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said.

I laughed suddenly at that, and it came out a bit hysterical. “You think?”

He nodded. “Yes. Don’t give the prophecy another thought.”

“I’ll try my hardest.”

He took a step closer to me when we reached the swirling gateway. “Although, if you need to destroy anything, I think you should start with Kieran.”

“Are you kidding?”

“Half kidding.” He smiled, but it faded when I didn’t return it. He reached down to take my hand. His skin felt warm against mine.

“You’re really worried about this,” he said.

“It’s not just the prophecy.” I looked at him. “It’s the servant thing, too. My father made you a promise, and now he’s backing out of it.”

He sighed. “Don’t worry about me, Princess. I’m used to how things are here. Your father actually does treat me very well. Your attitude, your ability to see things as they could be, is so amazing to me. It’s made me think, just maybe, things could be different some day.”

I looked at the ground but felt his hand come under my chin, tilting my head back so I could look into his green eyes. Then he leaned toward me and brushed his lips against mine. When he moved back, he looked a bit confused. I hadn’t kissed him back. I guessed there was a first time for everything.

I tried to find the words, but they escaped me. How could I tell him that I couldn’t be his girlfriend? Not that I didn’t want to be, not that it was because I cared what his social status was. No, because I didn’t want him to get hurt because of me.

“Michael,” I began, and my voice cracked.

And just like that, he knew. I could see it in his eyes.

He blinked hard. “I think I understand why your father wanted me to go get drinks. Did he talk some sense into you? Remind you of what I am?”

“He reminded me of the rules.”

“The rules that you didn’t care about only an hour ago? The rules that you thought were stupid?”

“They are stupid. This whole place is stupid. But …” My throat felt thick. “But that doesn’t mean we can break them. Not if we don’t want to get in trouble. Do you know what the penalty is?”

“Yes.” He said it with such certainty that it surprised me. “Of course I know. It’s the penalty for breaking just about any major rule in the dark worlds. And they’re even more strict when it’s a Shadow that breaks the rules.” He smiled, but there was no humor there. “Some demons are afraid of Shadows.”

“Afraid? Why?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. But I’m sure it’s why the rule that forbids Shadows and demons … or demon princesses … from being together exists in the first place.”

“Why? To protect the demon?” It didn’t make any sense to me.

“That’s what I’ve heard from some of the other demon servants. But I’ve never met any more of my kind to get the real story.” His lips thinned. “I guess Shadows tend to break a lot of rules. Gives demons an excuse to get rid of us one by one so there’s no risk at all, right?”

“Don’t say that.”

“But it’s true.” He exhaled. “It’s fine, Princess. Honestly. But I guess I thought …” He shook his head, his expression tight. “It doesn’t matter now. You’re making the right decision, of course. Go home. It’s where you belong. I won’t bother you until your father sends me to you again, I promise.”

He didn’t sound angry or upset or even sad about this. He sounded accepting and matter-of-fact, as if he’d been expecting me to break up with him for a while. It made my heart ache.

He turned away.

“Michael …” I grabbed his hands and pulled him closer to me so I could look deeply into his eyes.

His face was tense. It betrayed the major emotions he was trying to hide.

“This is stupid,” I said. “I know it is.”

“I agree completely.” His green eyes were stormy now. “I wish there was another way, but I won’t risk your safety, especially with Kieran poking around in everyone’s business right now.”

I almost laughed at that. He wouldn’t risk my safety? And here I was doing this because I didn’t want him to get hurt.

“Kiss me,” I said.

“One more time before we go back to being only princess and servant?”

I nodded.

He gave me a half smile. “I think I can manage that.”

He put his hands on either side of my face before pressing his lips against mine. I kissed him back this time, feeling an ache in my chest, knowing that this might be the last time. It was too dangerous for him to be my boyfriend—for him—and I didn’t want anyone I cared about to get hurt. Just like my father was protecting my mother, I would protect Michael.

My mind was elsewhere, swept away by the crazy, conflicting emotions I was feeling. I should have remembered why it was a very bad idea to let my mind wander while kissing Michael.

The moment his amulet pressed against me, I felt a bone-jarring zzzaaappp! that nearly knocked me out of my winter boots. As well as giving a Shadow solid form, his green stone amulet worked as a shield, a layer of protection against demons. Or half demons.

“Ouch!” I touched my chest where the shock had made contact and staggered back a few feet. “That really hurt.”

“I’m sorry.” His expression grew pained.

I swallowed hard. “Me, too.”

And I wasn’t just talking about the amulet.

“I’ll contact you the moment your father has more information. I know this is for the best, Princess.” His voice sounded thick. “But I do wish it could be different.”

“So do I.” Tears pricked at my eyelids, but I commanded myself not to cry as I turned toward the gateway.

I liked Michael more than any guy I’d ever known in my life, and he liked me in return—but he couldn’t be my boyfriend, not even a secret one. And that just completely and totally sucked.

“Good-bye, Michael,” I said.

“Good-bye, Princess.”

I walked through the gateway that led me back to my seminormal life.

Michael didn’t follow me.