Page 8

Chapter Eight

Mom kept her hand over my eyes as she made me walk towards something in the hybrid lands.

“Why can’t I look where I’m going?” I asked as I almost tripped over a tree root for the third time.

“Because it’s a surprise,” she said with an exasperated sigh. “You’ve always been a pain about surprises.”

“I just prefer to see where I’m going so I don’t fall,” I muttered. She was right, though. I hated surprises.

“Want me to carry you?” Kayden offered.

“No,” I said immediately, making Mom laugh.

“It’s about time you got here,” Riddick said. “We could hear you trampling through the forest like an ogre for over a mile.”

I growled at him, but that just made everyone laugh.

Everyone, I realized, included all of my fathers since there were four distinct male laughs.

Mom pulled her hand away, and I blinked at the bright sun, letting my eyes adjust.

At first, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at, until Dhun hopped through and yipped at me.

A large, stone rectangle had been built upright, like a doorframe, including a door that was open on both sides, and within it swirled a portal. A portal to the demon world.

“How?” I breathed as I stepped forward.

Dhun pranced next to me, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth in joy.

“She had a little help,” Grandpa Nico said as he teleported next to us.

“Honestly, it took them like two days to figure out how to make it stay open,” Branson said.

“There was a lot of cursing,” Triston agreed with a nod.

I hugged Mom and Grandpa Nico. “Thank you. Thank you.”

“Anything for you,” Mom whispered.

“I’m still waiting on that rainbow unicorn,” I teased her.

She bumped my shoulder with hers while laughing. “Brat.”

Turning back to the portal, I took a deep breath and said, “Really, though. Thank you for … accepting this. Me. Everything.”

“We always told you that we don’t care what you become, that we will love you no matter what,” Dad said and draped his arm around my shoulders. “Maybe now you’ll believe us.”

“So, this will always remain open?” I asked.

“There will be stipulations. The kings and queens all gathered to vote, and it was a unanimous decision to create portals for travel between worlds. We’ve signed the treaty with King Jolmach as well,” Dad answered. “There will be other portals opened in the more public areas like the park as well, but this is the first one we were able to create. There will be guards at them all and guidelines for individuals crossing, too. An official announcement will go out in the next few days, now that we know we can create this.”

“Well? What are you waiting for?” Mom asked. “I’ve got it on good authority there’s a concerned demon king waiting on the other side.”

Mason linked his hand with mine and said, “Well, we better not keep him waiting longer than necessary.”

Trey and Kayden stepped up behind us, big smiles on their faces.

“Let’s go see my people,” I said. Looking at my parents, I added, “My other people.”

Taking a deep breath, I stepped through the portal and was immediately hugged by Talrinir as she shouted, “Lily!”

We stood on a hill on the opposite side of the forest from the one that we’d first sent Dhun through, our first glimpse of the demon world. It was a fitting entrance view.

“Hello, friend,” I greeted. “How are you?”

She released me and picked up a potted plant that was growing three, thick, green leaves. “We’re … thriving!”

I gently touched one of the leaves. “That’s wonderful!”

Turning, my eyes widened as I took in the silver lily with red tipped flowers in the field on the far side of the forest. It was impressive that I could see it from so far, but was likely due to the magic it possessed. “How is the flower here?” I asked. “Isn’t it in Jinla?”

“It’s connected to both worlds since you are from both,” Talrinir explained. “It shall live here forever, a reminder of the sacrifice you made.”

“Sacrifice?” Trey asked.

I flinched, having not told them this yet. “I … lost part of my powers in order to save everyone and use Goddess Mode.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Kayden asked, and set a hand on my arm. “Are you okay?”

I smiled and kissed his cheek. “It was worth it. I don’t regret it.”

Trey scowled. “Is that what Kara was scowling about when she came to treat you?”

Flinching, I nodded. “Yeah. Apparently, parts of my powers are … charred.”

Trey’s eyes widened, and he reached out to grip one of my hands. “Charred?”

Smiling, I squeezed his hand. “I’m okay, Trey. In fact, since stepping foot in the demon world, I feel better than ever.”

And I really did. In fact …

Closing my eyes, I focused on my shifter powers and immediately, scales covered my body. “Oh, thank goodness.”

“Lily,” Mason growled, “were you unable to shift this whole time?”

Smiling as I opened my eyes, I laughed nervously. “Maybe.”

Kayden squatted down with his head in his hands, groaning.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Trey demanded.

“Because I knew you’d react this way!” I snapped and shook my head. “I’m fine. Now, stop babying me.”

Talrinir watched our interaction curiously and silently.

“Anyway, I’m fine. I feel great now.”

Dhun pushed his head against the back of my legs, whining.

“Oh, he’s in a rush,” Talrinir said with a soft laugh. “King Jolmach has been waiting for you. He’s got a surprise.”

“Another surprise?” I whispered.

“Come,” she turned and skipped down the hill, her dog-like ears flopping with each skip. “You’re going to be so happy with how much we’ve already accomplished!”

“Apparently, Queen Jolie took your plans and started instituting them over the past few days,” Trey whispered in my ear.

“My plans?”

He nodded. “You’ll see.”

I narrowed my eyes. How did he know things I didn’t? Was he withholding anything else from me?

Following the excited Dhun, I gasped when we entered the castle’s garden to find it full of green plants, blooming flowers, and trees. My hands flew to my mouth as tears built and my legs wobbled.

Jol and Great Uncle Silverowl turned at my gasp, both smiling when they saw me.

“Welcome back, Goddess,” Jol greeted. “What do you think of our garden now?”

“How?” I asked.

Great Uncle Silverowl explained, “Several elves volunteered to come help with the demon world and they’ve found great success. It seems you started the healing of the land when you were here previously.”

Right, the flowers I’d helped. I hadn’t realized that that would also help now, though.

“We’ve got crops growing to help feed us for the next decade,” Jol said proudly.

“They set up fields near the village,” Azgon announced as she perched atop the garden wall.

Jol sighed. “Azgon, what have I told you about jumping over the wall?”

“Hello, Princess Lily,” she greeted me, completely ignoring him and earning another sigh from the king.

“Hello, Princess Azgon,” I greeted and curtsied.

She tittered and jumped down to come hug me. “Should I call you Goddess now as well?”

“No,” I said and turned to Jol. “You’ve got to stop calling me that, too. I’m not a goddess.”

“You literally turned into a goddess,” he argued with a raised brow.

“Did you call Third to Reign, Goddess?” I asked and put my hands on my hips.

He scowled. “No.”

“Well, then why would you call me that?”

“But … you haven’t reigned, so …”

“If you wish to keep a title with my name, you may call me princess as that’s the highest position I shall ever hold in either world.”

He scowled, but Great Uncle Silverowl set his hand on Jol’s shoulder and said, “You won’t win this argument, friend. Best to accept what our precious Lily wants.”

Jol exhaled and shook his head. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a more stubborn female.”

“No doubt,” Kayden agreed.

I elbowed him in the stomach, knocking his breath from him.

Azgon squeezed my hand to get my attention again. “The females are asking for you to visit the village. Can you spare time?”

Jol waved me away as soon as I looked at him. “I still have business to discuss with Prince Silverowl. Go.”

Azgon released my hand and leapt back up atop the wall. “Come on!”

Jol let out a long sigh. “Females,” he mumbled.

Mason grabbed me around the waist and threw me up and over the wall. I managed to land on my feet without wobbling and jogged after Azgon, who had run off ahead.

Mason flew in his raven form beside me, his wings tinged slightly blue in the sunlight.

“Pretty bird,” I crooned.

He made a strangled croak that I was fairly certain was a grunt of disapproval, which made me laugh as I continued running.

I could feel Kayden and Trey’s amusement through our bond as well as they ran behind me.

Demons we passed bowed to me or made a symbol with their hands over their hearts.

I smiled at them all and as we ran across the open fields, I felt the freest I had in my entire life. I felt … complete.

We arrived at the village and I greeted the females and children who I’d spent time with the last time I had been here. The children were much more welcoming, no longer scared of me, and huddled around with at least one of their hands clutching at my clothes or my arms and hands.

Druth hobbled out of her house and took my hands in hers, tears in her eyes. “Well done, Princess. You are a merit to the royal line. Third to Reign would be very proud of the woman you’ve become.”

Tears built and I blinked them away. “Thank you, Druth.”

“We requested your presence so you could tell us what happened,” Druth explained. “So we can record it properly in our books. To ensure the truth will be recorded and never altered.”

Following her, we headed to the logs around the fire and with my mates’ help, we filled them in on the entire battle.