Henry and Draven were in the room when she returned. They were now officially her sisters’ transport system. Draven and Willow had formed some kind of relationship during her ordeal last year and so he was designated as her porting driver, and Henry or Rayn usually took care of Chloe.

Lily hugged and said goodbye to her sisters. At the end of the day, she still loved them more than anything. What with Papa gone they were all she had left. In a blink, they were gone, leaving her with Rosa.

“Come,” Rosa said, “I've made you something.”

Curious, Lily followed her through the beaded partition and into the workroom. Rosa squatted down and pulled a brown wooden box out from the back of a cabinet. She set the box on the table and pushed it towards her.

“Open it. It's for you.”

Lily grinned. “I already got my birthday present from you.” She lifted her pant leg to show her shiny anklet.

“I know this isn't for your birthday.”

Frowning, Lily went to the box and, for some reason, nerves slowed her down, made her apprehensive. “What is it?”

“By God, just open it Lily Bellum.”

She couldn't help it, she laughed. “All right.” She lifted the lid.

Inside the box was a foot-long silver dagger. Lily didn't have to touch it to feel the power radiating from it. Her fingers hovered over the blade feeling the glorious, wavering energy coming off it. She picked up the blade and felt the power oozing from it. Pure white magic.

“What’s this for?” She’d gotten one of these before, even helped to make one for her sisters, but she didn’t have the power that Rosa did. While Rosa was the real deal white witch, Lily was more of a wannabe weekend practicing witch.

“To protect you.” Rosa's gaze locked onto hers and her chest tightened with emotion.

Lily nodded and put the dagger back in the box. “Thank you, Rosa.”

“Are you planning on going back into the rift?”

Honestly? She didn't know. If it meant going in there to help Telal, she'd do it in a heartbeat. “I don't know. Probably not. King Alrik didn't want it open, so maybe Telal will just drop it.” She had a hard time seeing that. The demon was arrogant and determined. She smirked, almost like her.

“Promise me that you'll keep this with you at all times. It'll work wonders against dark magic.”

Lily let out a shaky breath. “Thank you, Rosa.”

Dark magic as in what the king had inside him.

They hugged and Lily got back into the car waiting for her outside.

“Take me to the nearest motorcycle dealership.”

Shopping for bikes always made her feel better.

CHAPTER 26

The office door opened but Telal didn't bother turning to see who'd entered.

“Sir, Tyrian en Kulev has called. He wants to meet with you.”

Telal flicked a glance at Kearnyn and nodded. He’d been sitting down for most of the morning, just thinking. Thinking about the past, about his family, about what happened at the rift, and of course, what happened with Lily this morning.

Now that the original shock had faded from seeing what his brother had turned into, a new feeling came over him. One of deep, seething anger. The feeling surprised him. He'd loved his brother more than anything, more than anyone. Even his own parents, though that was hardly a comparison. They just bred him. They were not his parents in any sense of the word.

Telal rolled his brother's necklace between his fingers, feeling the metal warm up in his hand and slide silkily back and forth. The band was made from black jet and attached to it was a pendant with the royal crest on it. Alrik had given him his royal necklace on his twentieth birthday. He could still remember the exchange down to the finest detail.

The royals spun around in glamorous costumes on the dance floor in a swirl of bright red and blue colors—the royal colors. Today was his birthday and everyone had gathered to celebrate. He gulped down the drink in his hand. Yeah, anyone who mattered, he thought. The thousands of prolitare spent this night huddled in their small homes by the fire just to stay warm while here he wore a lavish costume that was so warm it was nearly suffocating. Telal's gaze swung to all the massive fireplaces in the grand hall and a sickening guilt overwhelmed him.

Suddenly, he felt stifled as if there wasn't enough air in the hall. He stood, making his way to the front door. He had to get some air. Sweat beaded his brow and slid down his temples, the tightness in his chest compressed harder.

A hand caught his shoulder and he swung around to excuse himself from whichever well-wisher it was. But Alrik's wide smile stopped him. He sighed and nodded toward the doors. At Alrik's nod, they both headed outside. The night was cooler than usual and the wind blew strongly, rustling the trees until they bowed under its great strength.

“Enjoying the party, Telali?” his brother asked.

Telal smiled at the cute little nicknamed Alrik had called him since they were children. The nickname was silly but it'd always stuck and it always managed to make him smile. His brother had a way of making him feel good in spite of the turmoil that sat in his guy.

“A bit,” he said. “I needed some air.”

Alrik clapped him on the back. “I understand. The overwhelming scent of perfume and alcohol in there alone made me want to retch.”

Telal laughed, the tension in his chest easing. “Did you see what mother’s wearing?” They both laughed at the image. His mother wore an incredibly gaudy gown tonight that clung so tightly she literally couldn't sit down lest the seams tear open. But that wasn't the worst of it. The worse was the headdress she'd had made just for his birthday. It towered over two-feet off her head in a white column made of gauzy silk. On top of the headdress came out a dozen frilly tendrils made up of swirling coils of gold thread. At the end of each tendril hung a teardrop diamond.

“Did you see the way it moves when she walks?” Alrik asked, laughing until a tear came out of his eye.

“She looked like she had a frilly octopus on her head,” Telal agreed.

Their laughter died and they shared the view of the kingdom together with its faint pinkish hue, rolling green hills, and flowering trees. At skin level, it looked gorgeous, almost breathtaking. But below that beauty rested evil, treachery, and manipulation—mostly by his mother and father.

“I have something for you,” Alrik said hesitantly.

Telal turned to him in time to see a faint blush creeping up on his golden skin. He laughed. “A kiss?”

His brother relaxed, laughing. “You wish, brother Telali.” He reached behind his neck and unclasped the royal necklace from around it.

Telal watched in stunned awe. He had to screw his eyes in a tight expression to keep his eyes from tearing up. That necklace meant so much to his brother...it meant everything.

He held the black jet necklace with the royal pendant out to him. “I want you to have it.”

Telal's hand went to his own necklace, made not out of jet but of gold with the same royal pendant. His meant nothing to him, which he'd voiced to his brother on numerous occasions. But for Alrik, who knew he'd one day inherit the kingdom, it was dear to him.

Telal's voice sounded thick with emotion he tried hard to keep in check. “You said it helped to remind you of the right ways.”

Alrik's smile looked almost sad. “I won't need it anymore, brother. All the right teachings are here.” He pressed a finger to his heart.

Telal looked away to gather his composure. “You're certain?”

He nodded and stepped forward, holding the necklace out by the ends. Telal bowed his head and let Alrik attached the ends behind his neck. When he lifted his head, the necklace fell on his chest, next to his own royal necklace. His face nearly crumbled. He jerked Alrik into a hard hug.