Page 31 of King of Knights

“No, as the gods wish it to be, he still does not know of her.”

The same man walks into her room. He looks older and is dressed in the same odd garments. This time in gray and white.

He has a frustrated expression on his face as he moves to sit beside the girl and places a hand on her back. She looks to him, but I still can’t see her face.

“One of these days, you’re going to understand that I’m doing this for your safety,” he says to the girl. “This is my fault. I should never have allowed you to go to that school. Even six months was too much.”

“But Daddy, I just want to go to prom. I didn’t think anyone would ask me, but someone did. I really want to go with him. Please?”

“Ray, I can’t allow that.

“Why not? Because of your Mob friends?”

“Ray, don’t.”

“Or is it because of those bikers? The ones who snuck in that night to see you.”

“You know nothing about those things. I don’t want to hear those words from your mouth ever again.”

“I don’t care about your business or your friends. I just want to go to prom. This isn’t fair.”

“Life isn’t fair, Ray. After all your mother and I had to go through to have you, the last thing I’m going to do is sit here and argue with you.”

“A mother who resented me until the day she left. Forget about it. I should have known you wouldn’t let me go,” she murmurs sadly.

Yanique takes my hand and tugs at it. I look to her and she tilts her head, letting me know it’s time to move on.

“This is not the time.”

I nod and begin to chant with her. I can’t help but feel a little bad for this girl. Her life looks to be so sad.

However, I shake the feeling off as we move forward. I’m starting to feel a bit light-headed. This is taking a lot out of me.

We stop again, however we’re not in the same room. This time, we’re in a den. There’s a fire going in the fireplace as a woman in trousers stands before it.

She’s curvy and her reddish-brown locks sit upon her head like a crown. Her back is to me, so I can’t see her face once again. She has an aura about her that says she’s powerful, but something in her posture gives me the feeling she does not know this.

Before I can ask Yanique about it, the man storms into the room. He looks angrier than before. This time, he’s in trousers and a shirt that is rolled up at the sleeves, showing off his tanned arms.

Again, he has aged. I notice something else. Every time we’ve seen this man, he has worn a distinct ring on his right hand. I wish I could get a closer look as it has grabbed my attention this time.

“You will do as I say, Ray Ann. I have allowed you to do as you please, but I’m putting my foot down this time,” he snarls.

“You’ve allowed me to do as I please? Really? Daddy, I have three friends. None of whom I’ve ever met face to face. I’ll be thirty soon and this… this man you’ve just introduced me to will be the first man I’ve ever dated.

“I don’t like him. He gives me the creeps. I’m not marrying someone because you say so. I do everything you ask of me, but this is a no. It doesn’t feel right. I can’t,” the woman replies.

“Angelo will make a fine husband,” the man says in impatience.

“For who? If you like him so much, you marry him.”

“Enough. All I do is to keep you safe—”

“Stop it. Stop it right now. I’ve heard this before and it still doesn’t ring true. You benefit from this, not me,” she growls with her fists balled at her sides.

I knit my brows as I watch the sparks surrounding her hands. Looking between the two, I get the feeling neither sees nor notices what’s happening.

“In order to keep her hidden from her mate, her magic had to be suppressed and then cloaked once it became stronger. The guardians are at work here,” Yanique answers my thoughts.

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