Page 40 of Demon Daddy's Secret Twins

Sorien inches closer, wringing his hands. "Maybe we should go back..."

"I can do it!" Kaelar's wings flutter frantically, but they're too underdeveloped to give him the lift he needs. His next jump ends with him sprawled in the sand.

Before I realize I've moved, I'm stepping out of the shadows. "Your wings aren't strong enough yet. But there's another way."

Both boys freeze. Sorien immediately steps behind his brother, one eye gold-brown, the other red, studying me with an intensity that reminds me of looking in a mirror. Kaelarsquares his shoulders, placing himself between me and Sorien - protective, like any demon should be of family.

"Who are you?" Kaelar demands, his small horns catching the sunlight.

Movement draws my attention to the treeline where Loxley stands, her golden-brown eyes locked on me. She doesn't intervene, but her body remains coiled tight, ready to move if needed.

I kneel in the sand, making myself less imposing. "I'm like you." I extend one wing, letting them see the midnight blue membrane. "And I can show you how to climb without using these yet."

Kaelar's eyes widen at my wings. He takes a half step forward before Sorien's hand on his arm stops him.

"Look." I turn to the tree, positioning my claws. "It's about balance. Your weight goes here, then here." I demonstrate a slow climb, letting them see how to counterbalance each move. When I drop back down, Kaelar's expression has shifted from suspicion to fascination.

"Can I try?" He asks, already moving forward despite Sorien's worried noise.

I guide his hands to the right positions. "Keep your core tight. Lean to stay balanced." His face scrunches in concentration as he follows my instructions. This time when he moves up the trunk, his movements are steady, controlled.

"I'm doing it!" His laugh rings out, pure joy echoing across the beach.

Sorien edges closer as his brother climbs higher, his mismatched eyes darting between me and the tree. His caution reminds me of myself - always analyzing, always watching. When Kaelar reaches the lowest branch, Sorien's worried frown melts into a tentative smile.

"Your turn?" I offer, gesturing to the trunk.

He shakes his head, shuffling back a step. "I'll watch."

"He likes the ground," Kaelar calls down, swinging his legs. "But he's good at shells! Show him, Sor!"

Pride straightens Sorien's shoulders. He digs in his pocket and pulls out a spiral shell, holding it up for my inspection. The patterns swirl in complex designs, catching the light. "Colors change in the sun."

"A good eye for detail." I examine the shell carefully. "That's a rare find."

His chest puffs up slightly, and for a moment, his guard drops. "I found three. Kae helps clean them."

We spend the next hour hunting shells while Kaelar practices climbing, each boy slowly relaxing in my presence. They don't know who I am, but something in their blood recognizes their own kind. It's in the way they mirror my movements, the natural rhythm we fall into.

"Boys!" Loxley's voice carries across the beach. "Time for dinner."

Kaelar groans from his perch. "I want to climb!"

"Now." Her tone brooks no argument, though her eyes remain fixed on me.

The boys gather their shells, Kaelar sliding down the trunk with his new technique. They wave goodbye before racing toward their mother, already arguing about who found the best treasures today.

Loxley takes a step toward me, her auburn braids catching the dying light. "Mazan-"

"Not yet." The words come out rougher than intended. Three years of secrets sit between us, heavy as stone. "I need time."

Pain flashes across her face before she masks it. "We need to talk about them."

"We will." My wings flex with the urge to take flight. "But not today."

I turn away before she can respond, my claws digging into my palms. The boys' laughter echoes behind me as I disappear into the jungle shadows. Their joy makes the ache in my chest sharper, a reminder of all I've missed.

29

---