Мишель Роуэн - Reign Check

“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.”