Page 81 of Their Princess

“Told me what, Bran Bran?” I asked with a sweet smile, continuing to back up. With a wink at Kora, who was at the porch next to me, I spun and darted into the house.

Bran Bran roared and I knew he was hot on my tail.

Calling on my shadow snake, I used her to trip Bran Bran, giving me time to make it to the kitchen, grab a plastic tub of snickerdoodles, and ran back out of the house.

“Thief!” Mom shouted and ran after me.

“Run, kids!” I shouted with a laugh. “Out run your grandparents or you won’t get cookies.”

Dad and Mom were neck and neck as they ran after me. Trey jogged lazily behind us, carrying the kids’ bags, a happy smile on his face, which grew wider when Bran Bran tried to pass him and he tripped him.

Mason flew next to me, laughing his crow laugh.

Elrith ran by me, snatching the cookie tub out of my hands. “Too slow!”

I gasped. “Traitor!”

The hybrids milling around town watched us with smiles as we charged through, tripping and grabbing at each other to try to get the cookies and get to the demon portal.

At the portal stood a familiar, tall male demon, wings that had grown after fully accepting his mantle as king, folded behind his back.

“Jol!” I yelled. “Elrith has cookies!”

Jol’s eyes focused on Elrith and the plastic container in his hands. “Cookies? You must pay tribute to your king, Elrith.”

Elrith stuck his tongue out at Jol and dodged the demon king. “Finders keepers.”

Elrith darted through the portal with a victorious whoop.

“He’s faster,” Mom panted as she stopped next to me and pulled me into a one-armed hug.

“I think Dan’s been giving him speed lessons,” Dad grumbled.

“He’s been training him a lot,” I admitted. “Something about the hybrid king not getting any younger.”

Dad growled and pushed me playfully. “I’m not that old yet.”

“Not that young either,” Mom teased.

He clutched his chest. “Even my own mate?”

She released me to hug him and kiss his cheek. “It’s only facts, darling.”

After a round of hugs, I went through the portal.

“Where’s your mate?” I asked Jol.

“Too pregnant to be away from the castle,” he answered. “Talrinir needs bedrest and the twins are with her now.”

Jol and Talrinir had twins six years ago and she was pregnant once again with twins. The demons were all overjoyed at their king’s family growing so much. We were as well.

“I can’t wait to meet my new nieces or nephews,” I said with a wide smile.

“Hey! You can’t eat them yet!” Kora yelled.

I spun and gasped to find Elrith shoving a snickerdoodle into his mouth. “You close that container right now!”

Jol laughed and patted my back. “I’ll contact you when the twins are born. Go deal with your imps.”

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