Page 61 of Heir

“Uh, no I’m not . . . I’ve fried people’s brains. I’m pretty sure I’m a demon.”

“You’re a hybrid.” The way she said hybrid was with so much disdain, it was as if the world itself tasted like vomit on her tongue.

Maxar and Drak gaped at me.

“That’s never . . . That’s impossible,” Drak said. “Humans and . . . It’s never happened before. We would have smelled human on her.”

“It’s never been documented,” Maxar corrected. “I’m sure it’s happened. And we didn’t smell human on her, because all we smell is our mate. Her human scent is probably masked by her unique mate scent.”

“How?” the demon woman asked. I still didn’t even know her fucking name.

“Well,” I started, “when two people—demon or otherwise—get urges in their pants, they take off their clothes, mash their genitals together because it feels really good. And then, if they’re lucky, fireworks explode in their brains and nether regions. And sometimes a baby results in that. I guess I’m that baby.” I faced Maxar, still perplexed and shocked at this new revelation. “My mother was human.”

His brows hiked, and he nodded. “That explains why Delia committed her life to protecting you. I’m not sure how your mother knew about Delia’s powers, but either way, it kept you alive. A hybrid heir is . . . Oh, the scandal. And if you did have half-siblings, they’d definitely challenge your legitimacy.”

“This explains a lot,” I said more to myself than anyone else.

“I cannot teach you,” the woman said. “You are human. You are not supposed to know of our world. You’re an abom—”

“I would reconsider the word you’re about to use,” Drak said sharply. “She’s half human, half demon, and full queen.” That pompous, aristocratic tone of his for once made me happy. “And you have yet to address her properly as Her Royal Highness, Your Majesty, or Queen Omaera. It would behoove you to change not only your tone, but your view of who you can and cannot teach.”

The demon’s eyes flared and sparks flickered in her dark brown irises. “She is human.”

“So?” Maxar asked.

Even from where he stood next to me, I could feel his body temperature rising. Purple and orange flames flickered and sparked on his fingertips as he clenched and unclenched them at his sides. “Her father was the King. It doesn’t matter who her mother was. She is King Donovar’s only living heir. He died, now she is Queen.”

“Lord Lerris is still alive,” the demon woman said flatly.

“And you’d rather have that waste of skin as the leader of the Realm?” Drak asked matching her cool and even tone. “Maybe you’re not the right teacher or advisor for the Queen.”

At that comment, the demon woman’s nostrils flared, and she lifted up her chin. “I’m not sure I can teach her. I have no idea how the human side of her will react, or if it is even capable of creating a mind block.”

“Humans aren’t inept, you know,” I said, hating that they were having a conversation about me right in front of me, as though I weren’t there.

All three of them snorted.

My anger flared. But it was enough to draw her attention and curiosity. “For a halfling, you have a lot of power.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, because I’m the fucking Queen. Now, are you going to teach me and advise me? Or do I need to send you on your merry way with a “fuck you” salute, and find someone else who can help me?”

Her lip twitched, threatening a smile, but it never happened. She exhaled a long, weary sigh. “Let’s see what we’re working with, I suppose.”

“Yeah, I haven’t really stepped into the whole queen role yet, but with that attitude, I think you can address me as ‘Your Majesty’ until further notice.” I headed for the front door of my building, smiling when I heard Maxar and Drak snort behind me.

“What’s your name?” Maxar asked her. “You know, for bookkeeping purposes?”

That made me laugh. I used my key to open the door and pushed it hard enough that Drak could catch it and let the other two in.

“Raewyn Vade,” she said with no inflection in her tone.

“And you live here?” he asked.

“Yes.”

We all stepped into the elevator when the door opened. The ride up was tense and quiet. It made me miss Zandren because I feel like he would have easily cut the tension by saying something witty or goofy. Maxar was pretty clever too. I was grateful for him asking Raewyn the questions, because after the way she regarded me as lower than an amoeba because I’m a hybrid, I wanted to fry her brains until they were sunny side up.

The apartment was empty, which I expected since Gemma was still at work.

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