Page 36 of Their World

“When he’s being unreasonable and won’t listen to reason, he should know the order is stupid and shouldn’t be given in the first place,” I said and hissed.

“You don’t need to go,” Riddick said. “We can send someone else who is more powerful to?—”

“More powerful? Why would you need someone more powerful? Unless …” My eyes widened. “You’re planning to attack him? You can’t! He is not our enemy. How many times do I have to explain everything to you?”

“How many times do I have to tell you that you aren’t going?” Caleb growled. His eyes were glowing, which meant he was pissed because he had really good control of his emotions … most of the time.

I was pissed, too. Even after everything I had told them last night, he was still trying to forbid me from going back.

“We’re getting nowhere arguing about this,” I said sternly. “None of you can access the portals, which means you can’t go there or come back.”

“We can when you give us the necklace,” Branson said.

My hand shot up to where the necklace normally was, but it was hidden outside. I hissed at them, “No! Giving you the necklace won’t help you get there. Did you not listen to what I said about it?”

“Okay, everyone, let’s take a deep breath,” Great Aunt Leona said and used her powers to send a wave of calmness to all around the room.

The calmness reminded me of something Jol had said, that they had seen me before I came.

I said, “The Grand Advisor was using the necklace to spy on us. I feel a thousand times lighter when I’m not wearing it.”

“I knew we should have forced her to remove it sooner, before she was teleported,” Branson said, and growled.

“I know you all view me as the little girl that you adopted,” I whispered as I looked at my adoptive parents. “But I’m not a scared little hybrid child. This is something that needs to be done. We have to help them. There are orphaned children starving there,” I said softly. “They need help. I need to help them.”

“Why does it have to be you?” Great Aunt Leona asked gently.

“Let me do this,” I begged.

“Tell us why it’s so important to you, Lily,” Nana Jolie urged.

“Why do you need to help them?” Great Grandpa Dan asked.

Taking a breath, I knew the only way to convince them was to bare my soul and admit what I barely acknowledged myself. “What’s the point of being a princess, of being adopted into this family of powerful royals, if I’m useless? What have I accomplished in this life so far? Besides …” I might as well admit it to the rest of my family, though I worried what the trio would think. After a big breath, I blurted, “I’m not just a hybrid and princess of our world. I’m a hybrid and princess of both worlds. I’m the Demon Princess.”

If a butterfly flapped its wings, it would have sounded like an explosion in the silence.

Grandpa Nico stood slowly with his eyes fixed on me. “Say that again.”

“Nico,” Nana Jolie warned.

“My grandmother was the Queen of Demons, the ruler before Jol. They call her Third to Reign. She had premonitions and could use the shadow powers like I can. My parents took me from the demon world and hid me here. I think … I think to get me away from the Grand Advisor.”

“You’re a demon?” Great Grandpa Dan asked.

“Part, yes.”

Mason walked around the table opposite Grandpa Nico, focused on him and his movements.

I was also focused on him, not sure why he was walking towards me.

“I found out while I was there. I felt a kinship to them, a draw, like I do hybrids, and thought perhaps they were part hybrid, but it is because I’m part demon. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you all sooner, but I was worried what you might think and?—”

Grandpa Nico stopped next to me, Mason on my other side, body tensed. Grandpa Nico looked down at me, a deep scowl on his face a moment before he smiled and hugged me, patting theback of my head. “My sweet Lily-poo. Were you really worried we would disown you or hate you? Such nonsense going through your head.”

“Y-You don’t?” I stammered, stunned.

“We don’t care if you’re a warthog,” Great Grandpa Dan said. I looked over at him and he smiled. “You are our family and family doesn’t care if you’re a princess or a pauper. We love you and always will.”

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