lips. “What?”
“You do realize there’s no mistletoe here.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t really care.”
“Good answer.”
I heard somebody clear his throat behind us, and I froze before moving back from Michael. I turned to see my father leaning against the doorway.
Had he seen us kissing? Then again, how could he have possibly missed it?
Instead of denying it, I reached down and grabbed Michael’s hand. My father’s gaze moved to the defiant gesture before coming back to my face.
“Did the meeting with the demon council go well?” he asked.
Was he really going to ignore the kiss?
::Why are you still holding my hand?:: Michael asked.
::You’re sure about that?::
“It didn’t go as well as I hoped it would,” I said.
My father frowned. “What do you mean?”
“There was a problem, Your Majesty,” Michael said.
“A problem?” Again he glanced at my hand holding Michael’s.
“Yes.” Michael took the liberty of explaining everything to my father — and he did so much more concisely than I ever could have hoped to — starting with Elizabeth meeting us at the gateway, the hellhound attack, and finally what happened in the dungeon with Jonas.
My father’s expression grew darker with every word Michael spoke.
“I can’t believe this,” my father said quietly.
“I know I shouldn’t have used my powers. It’s against the rules.”
“And if you hadn’t broken them, my daughter would be dead.” My father looked at Michael intently.
“Kieran also tried to blackmail me,” I added. “He wanted my dragon’s tear bracelet. When I wouldn’t give it to him, he tried to kill me. Princess Kassandra saved me.”
My father’s eyes grew very large, anger eating away at him until he couldn’t contain it. He shifted to his demon form right before our eyes.
My father’s demon form was the scariest and most fearsome of any I’d seen. His coal black skin and large curved horns were intimidating, to say the least. His body got bigger and more muscular, his talons sharp as knives. I wondered, not for the first time, what my mother would think if she saw him like this.
“I will destroy him.” His demon voice was deeper, raspier, and much more ominous than his human one.
“No, you won’t,” I said firmly. “He’d love to get you all riled up like this. It would give him the chance to try to kill you personally.”
“As if he could.”
“Besides, you can’t leave the castle.”
“I can if I’m motivated enough.” His fists clenched. “I knew you shouldn’t have gone to the Underworld.” His red eyes moved to Michael. “You …”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Michael tensed, but he stood his ground.
My father’s chest heaved with a deep breath. “Thank you for protecting my daughter when I could not. I knew I had chosen well when I assigned you to her.” He shot another unhappy glance at our hand holding, but seemed bound and determined to ignore it. “I just didn’t know how well.”
“Dad,” I began, “Michael and I—”
“I’m sorry you had to deal with such adversity today.” My father cut me off as he slowly changed back to human form. “If I could have done anything to prevent the distress you’ve experienced, I would have. Please go and take care of your mother for me. I want both of you safe.”
I held back what I wanted to tell him. He was making it wordlessly clear that, despite his forgiving Michael for breaking the rules to save my life, some rules still applied. At least that was the impression I was getting. Michael could save my life, but he still couldn’t be my boyfriend.
“Do you promise not to go after Kieran?” I asked.
He pressed his lips together and didn’t reply.
“Promise me,” I said again. “I won’t leave until you do.”
He finally nodded. “I promise, Nikki. I won’t abandon my kingdom to seek revenge on the demon prince. However I will be speaking to Queen Sephina by gazer the moment you leave.”
That was about as good a promise as I was going to get.
“Okay, good. Oh, by the way, Florencia thinks I have your wings. I think she meant it as a compliment.”
He cringed. “
“I don’t think she feels the same. She might still be available if you’re interested.”
He looked at me. “I will assume you’re not being serious.”
“Of course not.” I smiled. “Because that would totally get in the way of you and my mom getting back together.”
“Nikki …,” he began, crossing his arms. “I’ve told you why that’s not possible, but you continue to ignore me.”
“I guess I’m just a hopeless romantic. I think when you really care about somebody, rules shouldn’t matter, even the ones we make for ourselves.” It was similar to what Elizabeth had said before I’d left the Underworld. For a crazy evil aunt, she was surprisingly insightful.
“That is a very dangerous attitude to have.” He swept my blonde hair back behind my shoulder. “You remind me so much of myself when I was your age.”
I’d have taken that as a compliment if I didn’t hear so much sadness and regret in his voice. I knew it hurt him to keep talking about this, about my mother, so all I did was give him a tight hug before saying good-bye.
Michael and I left the castle, passing a few servants as we went, and we walked back to the bright, grassy clearing between the Shadowlands and the forest leading into the faery realm.
The gateway to the human world shimmered, a door-size swirling kaleidoscope of color.
“So now what happens?” Michael asked.
“Now I go home. My mother is probably wondering where I am. How long ago did I leave Melinda’s party?” I glanced down at my watch for the first time since our adventure began. “Don’t tell me it’s only been three hours. How is that even remotely possible?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Time flies when you’re having fun?”
“Yeah. So much fun.” I pulled him through the gateway with me, then was reminded the moment I set foot in the human world that it was a week before Christmas and freezing cold outside. “Great. I left my coat in the castle. I guess I’ve been kind of distracted.”
“Here.” He unzipped his blue sweatshirt and draped it over my shoulders. “The cold doesn’t bother me.”
I felt warmer already. “Thanks.”
We made it back to my house. The front light was blazing. Mom was probably inside, watching a movie and waiting to hear the details about my night out.
Michael had been quiet the whole walk here. I turned to him when we reached the big oak tree at the bottom of our front yard.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
He swallowed. “I’m sorry you had to see me like that. What I … what I did to Jonas. To the hellhound, too.”
“You mean when you stopped them from killing me? I’m very much okay with that.”
He shook his head. “I don’t want you to be afraid of me.”
“I’m not afraid,” I said. “Seriously. Do I look afraid to you?”
He searched my face. “Not really. You look … uh, kind of cold still.”
“If I was scared, would I do this?” I grabbed his hand, put it over his amulet, then kissed him hard on his lips, going up on my tiptoes to do so.
He laughed a little. “I guess not.”
