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“No!”

“YES!”

“Please stop this, father. Stop this before you make it any worse for us.”

“Any worse?” he yelled after her. His tired voice echoed off the stone walls of the castle. “How could this possibly get any worse?”

“That’s enough,” Jade demanded.

“My own daughter has secured my death. Saints! Thank you, daughter! Thank you for ending my life!”

I felt the power before I saw it. It was a small pulse in the air, a tiny tickle in the middle of my chest. It wasn’t my power, but it caused my power to stir in excitement.

The familiarity made my entire body go still.

And then I saw the tiny tendrils of magic leaving her body, ready to defend her at the single thought.

She was going to kill her father.

I rushed forward, Adeline didn’t stop me this time.

“Jade,” I boomed, much louder than I expected. My power rumbled through my body, shaking the few stone tables around us as I grabbed her by both shoulders.

I wasn’t afraid of her hurting me. My power would protect me.

I knew it would. I felt it.

“Jade,” I said again, shaking her by the shoulders. Her eyes were black pits, ready to fight for justice at the single thought.

Heat practically sizzled between us as I shook her again.

She snapped out of her daze, finally, and looked at me with wide eyes. “Saints,” her father whispered behind her. “Youarea demon!”

I twirled around, no longer able to remain quiet. “Do you remember me, Sir Farrow?”

Recognition flickered across his features. He took one step backward, almost tripping over his own feet.

“Good,” I continued. “Then you know what I will do to you if you speak to Jade like that again. I don’t allow anyone to disrespect my wife, Sir Farrow. I don’t give a shit if you’re her father or not.”

He gulped.

“You’re here because Jade wishes to keep her family safe. I, however, wouldn’t mind hanging you from a tree and feeding the hungry monsters that lurk in the woods. So the next time you find yourself over-indulging in liquor and starting a fight with someone, it better not be my wife.”

I turned my attention to the crowd of fae that now gathered, everyone wanting a front-row seat to the spectacle. “Go,” I demanded. “Get out.”

They obeyed.

Good.

I turned back around to Jade, who had tears swelling in her eyes.

She wouldn’t let them fall, though. No, she had cried over her father one too many times.

“I’m sorry,” I said to her. “I wasn’t going to interrupt, but…” I glanced around us, realizing there were way too many prying ears to say what I needed to say. “Follow me,” I said, grabbing Jade’s arm and dragging her after me into one of the old servant rooms of the castle.

These things were starting to come in handy.

We walked down another dim, empty hallway and I pulled her into a dark room.