Page 2 of Their Princess

“She’s a friend.”

“Understood,”he replied and dipped his head once.

“The pup?”

“At the castle. Locked up,”Mom replied.

“Are you satisfied?” the Grand Advisor asked, sounding irritated by my delay.

Why would he have left Dhun locked up at the castle? Was he afraid he would help us somehow? He was only one hellhound after all, albeit a tenacious little pup, but still.

I turned and looked at Jol again, but he was still solely focused on Grandpa Nico.

“Yes,” I said. “Now, I will remove your curse.” Striding forward, I released my powers, allowing the shadow snake out.

She slid along my shoulders, her tongue darting out to test the air for magic and potential threats.

Our thoughts were fully focused on the Grand Advisor and my plan.

If this didn’t work, we would have to go with one of our other backup plans. Some of them I was really, really hoping to avoid using as they meant things had gotten very screwed up.

Standing before the Grand Advisor, I didn’t miss the sneer he gave before going back to scowling. He was convinced he was winning already. I didn’t like that. I didn’t like that one bit.

“Here is the promised mana stone with my magic in it,” I said, and held it out.

He held out his open palm and I dropped it in it. A wide smile crossed his face as he gripped it tight, but then he smoothed his features out so quickly I thought I might have imagined it.

“To remove the curse, the snake has to bite you, so please stay still,” I said calmly as the shadow snake flared her hood and hissed, showing off a bit.

He dipped his head. “I shall stay still.”

“Withdraw,” I ordered her. Subconsciously, I made sure to order that she only withdraw the pain curse and left the infection curse as it was.

She struck immediately, biting into the side of his neck, and removed the tiny bit of shadow power that was the pain curse. Done, she released her hold and moved back to my shoulders.

The Grand Advisor sagged forward, gasping in a shuddering breath, then straightened with a smile. “The pain is gone! Finally!”

With a deep breath, I drew Mason’s sword from where it was hidden on my back, and swung it with all my might, the blade arcing to slice his head from his neck.

Before my blade could find purchase, my vision went dark and when I blinked again, I was on my back. Jol stood over me, his foot on my chest and club hovering above my head. Dad had a sword at Jol’s neck and Zoman had a sword at Dad’s neck.

“How disappointing,” the Grand Advisor said with a deep sigh. “I thought perhaps we could come to some peaceful resolution, but clearly I was mistaken.”

“Youaremistaken,” I wheezed. “You have used your powers, your hybrid siren powers of this world, to take over a world that is not yours, to manipulate and brainwash the demons. As Princess of the Hybrids and Demons, I will remove you from my peoples’ worlds permanently. That is the only resolution in your future.” Softening my voice I said, “Jol, look at me. Jol, you can break his hold over you. You can remove the mind-altering spell the Grand Advisor placed in your brain.”

Jol’s eyes moved down until they met mine, though his head did not move, and he said, “He has opened my mind, shown me how you have manipulated us.Youare the enemy.”

“You are sworn to protect the royal bloodline!” I snapped. “I am Princess Liliana Rubyserpent, a descendent of Third to Reign. I am your royal princess. You are sworn to protect me. Now, remove your foot and set aside your club!”

Jol scowled a moment, my words registering with the vow, connecting with the part of him that even the Grand Advisor’s brainwashing could not touch.

The shadow snake appeared, flared her hood, and hissed at him. Dark shadows spread from me, covering the ground beneath me, Jol, Zoman, and Dad.

Zoman’s eyes widened and he took a hesitant step back.

Jol’s eyes pinched in pain and he put a hand to his head before stumbling back several steps away from me, his club lowered.

“Do not listen to her!” Grand Advisor yelled and started to whistle.

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