Page 92 of Tortured Royals

“What deceiver?”

The female’s head jerks again, and this time her attention goes to Dante.

My heart crashes against my ribcage. “Kai?” I rasp.

Dante’s tail flicks, and he tightens his hold on his sword.

“Your magic called to us. It pulled us from that unwelcome slumber, and we felt him close to you—the demon in disguise. Serafine has never agreed with our plans, but she didn’t protest when we suggested we protect you from him.”

I struggle to breathe, thinking of when I’d been with the demon I’d thought was Kai. Only, it was really Dante in disguise thanks to Luna’s illusion power. It was the first time my golden tattoos had appeared, and I’d thought I’d killed Kai.

“I didn’t call for you. And h-he’s not a deceiver,” I stammer.

“The demon was lying to you,” the voices reply matter-of-factly. “Just like that crow of yours. You are young and foolish. That bird is no more a crow than you are an angel. The only thing that has saved her, is the fact that we sensed no ill intent from your crow. Whatever she is, the curse placed on her is complex, and most of her memories have been locked away.”

“What?” I feel sick, like my whole world is imploding. Like the world is burning around me, and I’m stuck somewhere unable to get out. “You mean, Shade? What curse?”

“Who placed it on her, we cannot say,” the voices reply.

“What do you mean Blake isn’t an angel?” Prince Callan says, his voice ice cold as he questions another part of what she’s just revealed.

“Oh, you have kept it all from her, haven’t you, our mate?” The voices say, the female peering at where Dad has braced himself against the empty bed. More black marks cover his face.

“I’m not your mate,” Dad growls, his voice laced with pain.

The female smiles. “Still in denial, are you demon king? Serafine belongs to us now, and by being bonded to her, so do you.”

“Who are you?” I whisper, my heart feeling like it’s being shredded. “What do you mean you have my mother?”

“Stay away from her,” Dad rumbles. “You won’t be able to trust a word from its mouth.”

“Oh, we are your mother now. Daughter. Or sister. Whatever you wish to name us.”

My stomach churns. “Sister?”

The female’s lips curve. “Oh yes, you have no angel blood my darling. Only witch and demon blood in those pretty little veins of yours.”

“What? Dad?” I turn my gaze to King Dalton, but the moment I see the look in his eyes, I know it’s true. I stumble back a step, but Prince Callan is there, holding me.

A witch. I’m a witch?My head pounds, pain striking up within me. “No.”

There’s a flicker in the female’s black eyes. A flash of gold before it’s gone again. “Yes, child,” the thousand voices reply at once. “Your entire existence has been a lie. Your father made you believe you were something you simply were not.”

“But—” I struggle to breathe. “But why?”

Dad’s gaze is pained. “Because your parents failed to accept what had already come to pass.”

“Whatareyou?” Alaric growls at the female.

“You may call us Reselle,” the voices reply.

“The war with the witches had waged for centuries, and one day your mother, Serafine, came to Seral disguised as an angel,” Dad blurts, speaking before Reselle can. “She intended to spy on me. To find out my secrets and report to her sisters.”

My brows lower. “Her…sisters?”

“Yes. Your mother was…isa witch. But while she was here, she discovered we were fated mates,” Dad goes on. “Eventually, she told me the truth about her, and we worked together to devise a way to try and stop the war and bring about peace. She explained about a winged race, whose leader had taken one of their anchors and stolen their power. About how another anchor had died since then and there was only one anchor left. That the witches were desperate, and their land was dying.”

“Serafine betrayed the witches,” Reselle snarls, her voice lashing out from across the room.

---