her eye. Thoughts of her mother always made her sad.
“As do I.” He kissed her forehead attempting to comfort her.
“Will I ever see her again?”
“Maybe.”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“I don’t know.” They took a seat at one of the little tables. It was perfectly appointed, just as it had been when her mother was the Queen. She believed in having things beautiful and right.
“I am old enough now. You promised you would tell me when I was old enough to understand. Please.”
“Fine.” The servants had laid out some coffee for them to drink. It was his favorite not hers. He brought his up and sipped it while she just stared at hers.
“So?”
“Your mother was out on a mission when it happened. She was one of the best captains I have ever had. She led a group after a coven. When they arrived they were outnumbered. Your mother fought the witches off, but was killed by one of their demons.”
“How could a demon kill her? Wasn’t she the Queen?” It didn’t make sense to her. She knew they weren’t immortal, but they were almost impossible to kill.
“We are able to be killed. Yes we live for a very long time, but no creature under heaven is infallible, Athena.”
“Oh.”
“Now, can we have breakfast?”
“Sure.”
“What’s wrong?” Athena was crying uncontrollably. It didn’t seem to matter how many times he called her name. She was in his arms still crying.
“Just a dream.”
“What happened this time?” He sat up on the bed and motioned for her to put her head on his shoulder.
“I remembered the day father told me what happened to my mother.”
“Oh. And what was his version of reality?” That mischievous almost evil tone was back in his voice.
“Are you saying it might have been a lie?” She sat up wanting to know why he was behaving this way. Her story was sad, not funny.
“Possibly. Tell me what he said?”
“He told me she was killed on a mission. He said she had taken a group to dispatch a coven and that one of the demons got her.”
“That’s a good one. I guess I should have known he wouldn’t tell you the truth.”
“And what is the truth?”
She moved to the edge of the bed and put her feet on the floor. Darian was sure if he didn’t tell her the truth she was going to bolt. He couldn’t let her go when they were this close.
“Your father killed your mother in a jealous fit.”
“How do you know this?” He was looking directly at me. The truth was in his eyes.
“I was one of the royal guard, Athena. I had to know.”
“Why didn’t you stop him then?”
“This was before you and me. You have to understand, I took orders. I didn’t question them.” It was almost impossible for Darian to convey to her how it was to be a royal guard. She grew up with the privilege of being royal. She had no way of knowing what it was like to guard one. The secrets he was forced to keep were too numerous to count. The walls in that castle could tell tales of murder, revenge, sex and adultery. And that was just her father.
“Did you ever try to tell me the truth?”
“I assumed you knew. The entire kingdom knew what he had done. He was always a very jealous man. Your mother wasn’t even his first bride. She was just the first one to survive birth. I’m sure she wasn’t his last.”
“Does that mean I am no longer the only heir?” She got up and started pacing the floor. Finding out she was not quite human was bad enough. Now to find out her father actually lied to her, she was thrown.
“Yes, but you would still be the rightful heir. You are the oldest of all of his children.”
“I can’t believe I might have siblings!” She stopped pacing and looked out the window. All this was just too much.
“You may.” He walked over and put her in a tight embrace.
“Now I have to get back home.”
“Why don’t I go fix us some lunch?”
“Is it that late?”
“Yes.” He walked over to the dresser and put on some jeans. He
“As do I.” He kissed her forehead attempting to comfort her.
“Will I ever see her again?”
“Maybe.”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“I don’t know.” They took a seat at one of the little tables. It was perfectly appointed, just as it had been when her mother was the Queen. She believed in having things beautiful and right.
“I am old enough now. You promised you would tell me when I was old enough to understand. Please.”
“Fine.” The servants had laid out some coffee for them to drink. It was his favorite not hers. He brought his up and sipped it while she just stared at hers.
“So?”
“Your mother was out on a mission when it happened. She was one of the best captains I have ever had. She led a group after a coven. When they arrived they were outnumbered. Your mother fought the witches off, but was killed by one of their demons.”
“How could a demon kill her? Wasn’t she the Queen?” It didn’t make sense to her. She knew they weren’t immortal, but they were almost impossible to kill.
“We are able to be killed. Yes we live for a very long time, but no creature under heaven is infallible, Athena.”
“Oh.”
“Now, can we have breakfast?”
“Sure.”
“What’s wrong?” Athena was crying uncontrollably. It didn’t seem to matter how many times he called her name. She was in his arms still crying.
“Just a dream.”
“What happened this time?” He sat up on the bed and motioned for her to put her head on his shoulder.
“I remembered the day father told me what happened to my mother.”
“Oh. And what was his version of reality?” That mischievous almost evil tone was back in his voice.
“Are you saying it might have been a lie?” She sat up wanting to know why he was behaving this way. Her story was sad, not funny.
“Possibly. Tell me what he said?”
“He told me she was killed on a mission. He said she had taken a group to dispatch a coven and that one of the demons got her.”
“That’s a good one. I guess I should have known he wouldn’t tell you the truth.”
“And what is the truth?”
She moved to the edge of the bed and put her feet on the floor. Darian was sure if he didn’t tell her the truth she was going to bolt. He couldn’t let her go when they were this close.
“Your father killed your mother in a jealous fit.”
“How do you know this?” He was looking directly at me. The truth was in his eyes.
“I was one of the royal guard, Athena. I had to know.”
“Why didn’t you stop him then?”
“This was before you and me. You have to understand, I took orders. I didn’t question them.” It was almost impossible for Darian to convey to her how it was to be a royal guard. She grew up with the privilege of being royal. She had no way of knowing what it was like to guard one. The secrets he was forced to keep were too numerous to count. The walls in that castle could tell tales of murder, revenge, sex and adultery. And that was just her father.
“Did you ever try to tell me the truth?”
“I assumed you knew. The entire kingdom knew what he had done. He was always a very jealous man. Your mother wasn’t even his first bride. She was just the first one to survive birth. I’m sure she wasn’t his last.”
“Does that mean I am no longer the only heir?” She got up and started pacing the floor. Finding out she was not quite human was bad enough. Now to find out her father actually lied to her, she was thrown.
“Yes, but you would still be the rightful heir. You are the oldest of all of his children.”
“I can’t believe I might have siblings!” She stopped pacing and looked out the window. All this was just too much.
“You may.” He walked over and put her in a tight embrace.
“Now I have to get back home.”
“Why don’t I go fix us some lunch?”
“Is it that late?”
“Yes.” He walked over to the dresser and put on some jeans. He
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