Daughter of a Monarch (8 page)

I tuck my hair behind my ears. “I favor my dad, too.”

He nods. “You do.” He looks past me and at Isaac. “Did you invite her over for dinner?”

I look at Isaac. “No, he didn’t.”

Isaac comes out of the water, making his shirt reappear—much to my disappointment.

“I didn’t think you’d say yes.”

I look at Cohen and raise a brow. “Yeah, he called me a half-breed. I didn’t like it. Not sure a dinner invite would have been appropriate after that statement. Also, I really shouldn’t be seen around here. Speaking of which, did you guys rat me out to the Regime?”

“No. Gaia isn’t very big. With you sneaking back and forth here, it wouldn’t be hard for you to be found out. And it doesn’t help that you look like your mother.”

“Oh.” I wasn’t convinced it wasn’t them. “Anyway, dinner probably isn’t a good idea. I need to meet with the Regime and stick close to my grandmother’s house.”

“You’re meeting with the Regime?”

I nod.

“I hope not alone?”

“No, sir. Harim is coming with me.”

“Why are you not scared?” he asks in confusion.

“Because I’m not.”

Isaac and Cohen leave me alone to ponder my thoughts.

I didn’t lie. I’m not scared. I’m nervous as shit.

MY PALMS ARE
sweaty, and I hope I’m able to maintain control, even if the Regime makes me angry. I keep my princess posture and put my game face on. I’m not someone who can be walked all over; I’m royalty. Dad taught me to never let anyone treat me like I wasn’t someone important.

Uncle Harim looks at me funny. “What is it?” I ask as I stare straight ahead.

He laughs. “You went from giddy teen to a fierce adult in a matter of seconds.”

“My father has taught me well.”

We both stand when the Regime walk in. It only consists of four men, which shocks me. I expected it to be larger.

Uncle Harim bows, but I don’t. They aren’t my rulers. They sit down at the table in front of us. Harim and I take our seats.

“Aislin Denton, it’s nice to finally meet you. My name is Gregory. I’m your Aunt Stella’s husband.”

“It’s Princess Aislin Denton, Sir.” I smile kindly.

“Of course it is, but just as you didn’t bow before us, we will not bow to you.”

I keep my expression neutral. “Fair enough. Can we please get on with the meeting?”

“Of course. We have been discussing your existence, and we’d like to negotiate with you. We want you to make a home here. It’s unfair that your parents kept you in the dark of the blood that runs through your veins.”

“I’m the only one who can decide if what they did was unfair or not. I would like to make a home here and in Terre. I have family in both places.”

“But, Terre and Gaia do not mix. The worlds are too different, hence, the reason why there are three different worlds. Humans, Fae, and Versipellis have their own place. It keeps peace.”

“It’s ridiculous.”

“It might be, but it’s proved to be successful for decades.”

“Right. So, what happens if I don’t take you up on your offer to make Gaia my permanent home?”

“Oh, that’s easy.” He smiles. “We kill you.”

I do my best not to cry or let fear show. “And how is that fair?”

“It’s fair because it’s the law that was written many years ago. As a matter of fact, we should have killed you on the spot. We are breaking the law by offering an ultimatum.”

“I don’t understand the big deal of being a half-breed. I’m not a threat.”

“Your mother had a love affair with Cohen Aberdeen and Luke Denton. If you started traveling between the two worlds, your mother would have encounters with Cohen. Possibly. And what if something happens and a fight breaks out between your father and Mr. Aberdeen? And how do we address the biggest issue of our concern? That being, your lack of control and dangerous abilities could wipe out all of mankind.”

I start to state my opinion, but he cuts me off.

“Your father hurts Cohen, which means we retaliate for a Versipellis harming a Fae, which has happened before. Ask your father about that. Or Cohen hurts your father, causing Versipellis to retaliate. Then you lose control because you’re so hurt that something bad happened to your father or mother, and you destroy everything because you can’t control it. See where I’m going with this?”

“I’m not a monster. Teach me control.”

“Teaching you control would be equivalent to teaching a fish to breathe out of the water. Look, Aislin, we are already being too lenient about her and your father’s mistake.”

I feel Uncle Harim’s calming hand on my back. I sit on my hands, hoping I won’t create uncontrollable fire with my hands.

I want to yell, but he was right. I wasn’t supposed to happen. I don’t want to admit it, but the reality is, because I do exist, there’s a good possibility I’ll destroy everything. Not on purpose, though.

“And how by living here will I still not be a threat?”

Gregory smiled. “We help you.”

“How?”

“By keeping you locked away and so doped up that you’d have trouble doing anything but sleep,” Harim says angrily. “Stella told me.”

“And my parents? Would they be safe?” I don’t like the sound of what Harim revealed, but if I knew my parents would be safe, I might agree.

“The fate of your parents is out of your hands. They hid you and lied about your existence.”

“They wanted to keep me safe!” I shout in their defense.

“While risking the safety of their world and ours?”

“A war doesn’t have to happen! There’s not even a reason for one! But there will be if Terre finds out you stole their princess!”

“Terre doesn’t even know they have a princess. But the moment they find out—”

I look at my Uncle and stop listening to Gregory. Tears fill my eyes.

“You can’t take her away from her mother and father, Greg. And if your plans are to turn her into a vegetable, you might as well kill her. There has to be another way to work this out. I understand the dangers you stated, but you are asking too much of her. Give her a chance to learn control.”

Greg turns his attention to me again. “What’s your decision? Stay here, or watch those you love die?”

I close my eyes. I start losing it as my emotions spin out of control. My hair starts to whip around in the wind I’m unintentionally creating, and it feels like sand is hitting my face. I open my eyes and realize its glass because I had shattered every fucking window in the room.

Harim and the Regime are on their knees, covering their heads. I see their mouths moving, but I can’t hear them because the howling of the wind is too loud.

I try to stop it, but I can’t. Harim stands and forces his way over to me against the wind. I feel the Regime trying to weaken my abilities, but it’s no use.

Blood covers their faces where glass has shredded their skin. I alone remain untouched.

Harim finally makes it to me and cups my face gently in his hands. He closes his eyes and softly whispers calming words.

I start to calm down. The violent winds soothe to a gentle breeze.

The Regime slowly stand. I put my hand to my head as I get dizzy and weak. I never meant to almost hurt them. Gregory holds up his hands like he’s going to do something to me, but Harim steps in front of me.

“She didn’t mean to!”

“She lacks control, and someone with her level of abilities and potential is a danger to us all!”

The rest of the Regime stand protectively behind Gregory and wait for his orders. Gregory’s eyes are murderous. Honestly, I don’t blame him for wanting me dead. I feel ashamed for proving my lack of control.

I stumble until my back is against a wall. I slide down and sit with my head in my hands as Gregory and Harim talk this through. I want to listen to them, hear what they have to say, but I can’t. My self-hatred is too loud.

I’m angry with myself for coming here. Maybe I should have just stayed with Mom in Alaska. Maybe we could have hid there forever. But what if I hadn’t come? There’s no telling what the Regime would have ordered Gaia to do against my world in search of me and my parents.

I look at Harim and Gregory because they’ve stopped yelling at one another. To my surprise, they discuss the possibilities of me living here under close watch.

If Harim can teach me control, I would be able to live here. But I’d never be able to speak of my parents or who I truly was. And the moment I lost control or put anyone in danger, I’d be taken prisoner immediately, sedated and locked away. Or killed.

I have to protect my parents, cousins, Jett, and Mason. I can’t exist in Terre or Gaia. Gregory makes it clear that if the rest of Terre find out about me, they’d kill my parents for committing the sin of bringing a half-breed into existence. The Regime would also be killed for treason.

“I’ll do it,” I chime in.

“One mistake, Aislin, and you come with us,” Gregory says sternly.

“Agreed.” I nod as a single tear slips down my cheek.

I NUMBLY WALK
back to my grandmother’s house with Uncle Harim.

“Aislin, we’ll figure this out. And if I know your father and your mother, they won’t settle for this. They will find a way to get you.”

I stare straight ahead. “They have to face the consequences of what they’ve done. But I won’t let them die. I have to stay away from them.” Tears sting my eyes, but I will them to stay put. I won’t cry.

“I know you don’t know me or anyone here well enough to trust us, but we will help you.”

I stop walking. “Help me? Harim, you heard Gregory! My existence is an abomination to Terre and Gaia. My kind was never supposed to be created because of the strength a half-breed would have! I’m a risk to everyone! You’ve seen me! I have no control! And it’s only going to get worse as I age!”

Uncle Harim gently places his hands on my cheeks. “You are not an abomination, Aislin. We will help you, and everyone will see how great you are.”

“How can you be sure? You barely know me. How do you know I’m great? Just because they may learn to trust me doesn’t mean I won’t have a massive amount of stipulations put on my life. I made the mistake of coming here the first time. I should’ve just stayed hidden and followed the rules.”

His hands fall to his sides, and he places them in his pockets. “You need to stop assuming things and calm down. The Regime are just trying to keep peace and stick to the rules. We have another meeting with them, but, in the meantime, you will be going through intense training.”

I wipe at a tear that managed to escape. “What should I tell my parents?”

“The truth about what is going on. But how will you contact them?”

“I have ways without leaving.”

“Just make sure you tell them not to come after you. Tell your mother I’m protecting you.”

I nod and walk into the house. My grandmother stands from her chair.

“How did it go, Aislin?” She hugs me and holds onto the sides of my arms as she looks me over. “They didn’t harm you, did they?”

“No. They didn’t harm me. It was the other way around. I’d rather not discuss it. Ask Harim. I need to rest.”