Page 65 of Their Princess

ChapterTwenty-Two

One of the attackers had streamed the fight somehow, and it spread like wildfire across the internet and social media.

The response to the videos was varied. Some supported me protecting my family and acknowledging that of course I would fight attackers who trespassed on hybrid lands. Others claimed that the powers I showed proved that I was a threat and should be dealt with. Those comments didn’t stay up long, and I was fairly certain the team that Trey had hired to watch over social media about me were the ones handling those. There had also been a few death threats and those people were arrested quickly and quietly. Threats would not be tolerated.

There was one person making many comments supporting me and telling them that I was no more dangerous now than I was a year ago, it was just that my powers were now common knowledge. Whoever that person was, I was glad that they were on my side and so supportive. It showed that I did have friends out there, even if I also had haters. I kept those supporters in my mind whenever I read or heard something bad.

My fathers were able to get answers from the dragon woman they had captured, confirming Mom’s suspicions that the former members of the group who had been after hybrids was now reformed and their focus was changed to going after demons instead.

An immediate notice went out from the Council announcing the hunt for those that were part of the organization and anyone who was caught as part of it would be punished swiftly. The fact that it came from the Council, and not just my parents, showing we were all unified, even the sirens, helped our cause a lot.

Within two weeks of the notice, a dozen members were outed by the community, but we still didn’t know who was leading it, what they were planning, or where their base of operations was located.

The Council had put together a task force to find this new organization and the portal between our worlds was being heavily guarded and visitors thoroughly vetted before being allowed through.

In the demon world, things were progressing nicely. Since they didn’t have social media or internet yet, they weren’t aware of all of the negativity and the threats. Trade between worlds had opened a lot of doors, though, and we were well underway building the infrastructure necessary for electricity.

I sat in the gardens of Jol’s castle, singing to the plants there were thriving in the newly fertilized soil. Kora and Elrith lay in my eyesight, napping in the midday sun. Mason was perched atop a scarecrow, one Elrith had built, his beak tucked beneath his wing as, he too, took a nap.

It was a peaceful day, the type that I hoped continued happening.

Trey lowered into a squat beside me, gently raising the leaf of the tomatoes I sat before. “They’re really perking up since you started coming here and singing to them.”

Smiling, I said, “I told you, talking and singing helps plants grow. It’s been proven time and time again.”

He sat, cross-legged, next to me and rested his head against my shoulder. “I’m going to rest while you keep singing.”

Patting my thigh, I said, “Put your head on my lap. I’ll pet your hair while I sing.”

His eyes flashed, and I felt his lust through our bond, but he quickly tamped it down, and, despite being in a nice pair of slacks and an expensive, crème, button-up shirt, he lay on the dirt with his head on my thigh a second later.

I resumed singing, a song that Great Nana Kara had taught me when I would stay with them. It was meant as a healing song, one you sang while healing, to help with focus, but it seemed like a good song for the current situation.

Zoman wandered out of the castle, gave me a nod, sat on one of the stone benches that Grandpa Rhys had added to the garden, and leaned his back against the wall of the garden, his eyes closed.

One of the demon generals, Ta’Kur, a seven-foot-tall male with deep red horns that arched over the top of his head and curled up and out behind his head, wearing a leather outfit, walked out next, sat beside the children on the ground, and closed his eyes.

What was happening? Why were they all coming out here? Was my singing … decent? Did they enjoy hearing me sing? Or was this just them placating me as a princess?

I switched songs, singing one I wasn’t sure where I’d heard before, but was pretty sure it was something my biological father had sung when I was little. It was a hauntingly beautiful song that always made me smile when I sang it, though, I couldn’t remember when Ihadlast sung it.

Another demon general, Mita, the shortest general at four foot eleven, with huge biceps and curving horns like a goat, walked out next. He scowled at me, but dipped his head in greeting, sat in the far back corner, farthest from all of us, and wrapped his arms around his legs as he closed his eyes. He didn’t hate me, but it was obvious he wasn’t fully accepting of me just yet. Soon. Perhaps soon he would fully accept me. Still, it made me question even more, why was he out here?

I wasn’t a siren, Dad had confirmed that, so what was going on?

Switching to a different song, I moved on to one from a famous band that toured all around the other world. It was upbeat and definitely out of my vocal range and yet … everyone stayed still and content.

Perhaps it was best not to question it and just to continue.

Over the next hour, I switched between healing songs, ones Mom had sung to me, pop songs, and others I remembered. And over that hour, more demons joined us in the gardens and all of them, within minutes of joining us, fell asleep.

Jol walked out another hour later and smiled at me. “Your voice is very calming, especially in our original tongue. How did you learn it?”

I blinked up at him. “Wh-What? I’m not singing in a demon language. I’m singing in my native language.”

He frowned down at me and shook his head. “No, that was definitely the demon language I heard coming out of your mouth just now.”

“How could I know it if I had never been taught it and don’t know it now?” I asked.

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