Page 115 of Princess Redeemed

Not just the king.

But my father.

“I’m the reason your mother turned to Richard,” he says.“Why she sacrificed you and your sister for the attention she got from him.This lies at my feet, Hannah.Not at yours.Never at yours.”

“But Alara said?—”

“Alara said what you needed to hear, Toosie.Nothing more and nothing less.”

“But she taught me…”

“She showed you your gifts.And you used them.You defeated Eris.”

I shake my head.“You knew.You knew the whole time that Rogan wasn’t my mate.Why?Why did you do all this?Why did you make me believe we were fated to be together?Why did you tell me my baby could never be?”

I already know the answer to all of this, but I want to hear it from him.

He inhales.Then he grimaces.“I detest the scent of demon blood.”

So much for answering my question.I scoff.“Try tasting it.”

His eyes go wide.“You didn’t?—”

“No, of course not.Eris’s blood.It was…like venom.”

“Eris is only half demon.”

I nod.“I know.Trust me, I would never put anything from Richard into my body.”

“He’s no longer your concern.”

I breathe in.

My father is right.

The demons thought I was the one who would kill their king.

Turns out that my father, for the first time in his life, put someone else first.

Me.

“I was wrong,” he says.“Wrong about so many things.”

I could agree, but what would be the point?We both know he’s right.

“Your child is the fulfillment of a prophecy spoken long before your first breath,” he continues, voice low and reverent.“A prophecy I wasn’t aware of until Alara educated me.Born of vampire blood, human heart, and the lycan wild spirit.He will be the first of his kind.The bridge between what has always been divided.”

I shake my head slowly, the words unraveling me.“No.That’s a hell of a responsibility for someone like me.”

“You are worthy.Remember that.And I’m sorry for every time I made you think you weren’t.”

My heart pounds.“You said he’ll unite what’s been divided.What does that even mean?”

“He’ll bring peace to the blood races,” he says.“Vampire.Lycan.Human.The war that’s never truly ended will finally find its truce…in him.”

I stagger back a step.“That’s not peace.That’s pressure.That’s impossible.”

My father’s gaze sharpens, but his voice stays calm.“No.It’s inevitable.”