Page 10 of Their Princess

“Laura! Now!” Valentino screamed.

Laura? Laura must be his siren accomplice.

I turned to look behind me, in the direction he’d looked, but a wave of magic, reminiscent of being hit by a wave of water, slammed into me from both sides simultaneously.

My breath was taken and I felt like I fell through the ground and into an ocean of water. Darkness clouded over my eyes a moment, until I heard Great Aunt Leona and Nana Jolie singing. Their song pulled me to the surface and I drew in a deep, long breath, my lungs burning with the precious air.

Dad knelt beside me, a hand on my back and asked, “Are you alright, cub?”

Nodding, I climbed to my feet. All of my mates were getting to their feet as well as Dhun and Jol. “You got her?” I guessed.

Dad nodded. “Leona took care of them.”

Valentino stood before us, a dark magic like black oil spinning around his feet and taking over his eyes. “So troublesome.”

Closing my eyes, I summoned my shadow snake. “Activate Goddess Mode.”

Intense warmth from my chest spread throughout my body, increasing in heat until I felt like it was pouring out of my skin. Scales formed from my neck down to my toes, a tail grew from my lower back, my tongue grew longer and forked, scales lined my temple, and I felt my eyes shifting. Magic swirled withing my body and around me, creating a slight dust cyclone around my feet. Memories of my ancestors, those who had this power before me, flitted across my closed eyelids, giving me insight, tips, and a history of who I really was. My head fell back as I accepted this power fully, accepted who I was. I would take on any enemy of the demons or hybrids. I knew … IknewI would defeat Valentino now. I would finish what my great grandmother had started. However, I also knew now that there would be a sacrifice. Using this power didn’t just use your power and weaken you, it consumed part of your power. It would permanently erase part of my power, destroy the connection I’d just had with my ancestors, and I could never restore it.

It was the only way.

I was Liliana, a demon and hybrid shifter, the royal from both worlds, and it was time for me to protect my people.

Opening my eyes, I smiled at my mates, who stared at me in awe.

Kayden snapped a picture on his cell phone.

Turning to my adoptive parents, I said, “My ancestors thank you for protecting and raising me so well.”

Mom and Dad’s eyes widened, but the most shocked was me as they both bowed their heads. Mom said, “It was our pleasure.”

“Jol,” I called and held out my right hand. “It’s time for you to take my hand, accept our agreement, and become an ally to my world.”

Jol, without missing a beat, took my hand, and said, “Yes, Goddess Liliana of the Demons.”

Facing Valentino, I saw the fear on his face and smiled. “My great grandmother tried to give you a second chance, but you’ve spit on that and now, you shall be punished.”

Dark power swirled within Jol and at the point of our joined hands, both of our powers began to merge. His eyes glowed red, his horns grew thicker and longer, and he roared his rage. A rage I felt within me as well.

The power grew greater within me. It was like Jol was a conduit to all of the demons and the demon world, drawing more and more into me.

It was so much. Almost too much. If I didn’t use it soon, I worried I might explode, though I wasn’t sure it would be a good explosion like when I accepted the shadow powers. My power, a piece of myself deep within my core, sizzled hot, ready to be used.

“Valentino, you committed grave sins, murdered innocents, and all for an attempted coup. You are hereby sentenced to death. Goodbye.” Inhaling, I gathered the power between Jol and I, forming it into a basketball sized ball, and shot it straight into Valentino’s chest.

The cursed power I’d given him had started working, making him stagger just before the power hit him, preventing him from teleporting to safety.

The ball of power hit him, his body lifted up off the ground, a scream tore from his throat, and then … he disappeared. Completely disintegrated. The power that was left exploded out, sending a wave outward, but somehow didn’t harm anyone it touched. In fact, the demons smiled when it touched them.

At the spot Valentino had been, a bright white light glowed, and a silver lily grew up from the ground, the tips red like they’d been dipped in blood.

The prophecy had been fulfilled.

The three large portals to the demon world had disappeared, along with Valentino.

The power within me burned hot, like a wound being cauterized, making me wince.

Turning to face the demons and those of my parents’ world, Jol and I, hand-in-hand, raised our joined hands, and I announced, “The war is over!”

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